Dark Lies

Chapter 5

11:11 p.m, 3rd Hour.

I

They saw a body laying on the snow, nearly covered, but the face was visible enough to tell who it was. Firewood was scattered around, and signs of struggles to get inside were seen. Blood was spilled on the floor, due to the scratches on his hands caused by the rough wood. Overall, it was an unpleasant sight.

"Anthony," Athena breathed, "Oh. My. God. He's dead."

Axel, coming to his senses, said, "Maybe he's still alive? Why don't we check?"

Iris nodded frantically, clinging on to hope. "Maybe he's still alive. Let's check."

They hurried to open the door. Each person pushed the door, not having any more luck than the last. When they all attempted together, the door still didn't budge, they knew it was hopeless. Whether Anthony was still alive or not, it didn't matter. He was either dead or soon to be.

II

Feeling distraught, the eight of them plodded back into the living room. They couldn't believe what they'd witnessed. Two murders in one night! It was obvious that they had to watch their backs. They all gazed at each other, all suspicious of one another. Jasper, not able to handle all the silence, took a bag of chips and crunched on them.

Athena shot him a wry look, and said, "Really? We're in the middle of a crisis, and your eating chips?"

"What?! I can only think on a full stomach!" Jasper defends himself. With that, everyone laughed.

"Okay, so maybe we should just-" Axel started, but was interrupted with a power cut.

"Oh my lord, this is getting old. Let me guess, a gunshot, a scream, and the lights are turned back on?" Athena ponders with mirth. She got up and walked in the general direction of the lights. Instead, she ran into a wall, yelped in surprise, and fell on her butt.

"Whose idea was it to put a wall over here?"

Everyone chuckled in amusement.

"It's not funny!" Athena exclaimed with a frown. She got back up and went to the entrance of the living room and flicked the switch back on, and the lights... don't turn on?

"Guys... I don't think someone purposely turned off the lights this time... I think the power's cut..." Athena said nervously.

"That's not an issue!" Shelly said encouragingly. "Axel and I brought candles, remember? We can light them up around the room, and then we can see. And we can also light the fireplace with the firewood that..." Shelly faltered. She continued quietly. "That the butler left in the front entrance."

"There's still hope, Athena!" Benjamin said cheerfully. Athena shot a warning look at Benjamin.

"I guess. Did you bring the matches too?" Athena asked hopefully. All of them look at Shelly.

"Matches... Umm... I don't think so... Maybe Axel did?" Shelly looked at Axel optimistically.

Axel hung his head. "No, I didn't either. Maybe there were some down in the basement? I don't know. I didn't even think that we may need something to light the candles with."

"It's okay, brother. We understand." Athena said sorrowfully.

"Sorry, sis," Axel answered.

"We still have a problem we need to fix," Iris intervened in the sibling talk. "We need someone to go back to the basement and check if the matches are there."

"I think I know who it is," Liam blurted out.

"Who?" All eyes were on him. Liam's gaze darted from person to person. Benjamin. Athena. Iris...

"Yeah, who did it, Liam, I think everybody would like to know," Iris looked at Liam in the eye. Liam recovered quickly.

"What I meant to say was that I know where it is. By it, I meant the matches. I-I think they're in the basement. I'll go and check." He turned around and strutted off towards the basement.

Athena sighed and turned toward Axel. "Why don't you, Benjamin, and Jasper go and see if you guys can find some matches around this mansion while the girls and I shall see if my camping days wore off?"

"Are you discriminating the boys and the girls, little sis?" Axel teased Athena with a smile. Athena huffed.

"Yes. Deal with it. And now go." Athena glared at Axel.

"Feisty, I like it." Jasper interrupted with an approving nod.

"No one asked for your opinion," Athena snarled back.

At the same time, Axel said, "Hands off, bro." After the little conversation, the three boys were on their way to find some matchsticks, and the girls were left to their own devices.

III

Matchsticks... Matchsticks... Matchsticks... Liam thought with a frown. Where are the matchsticks? Liam wondered. He gazed longingly at the light where the door was open. How he wished to go back up there... Abandoning the thoughts, he thought back to the conversation that had brought him to the basement. I knew who it was... Why hadn't I just told them? Lost in thought, he didn't see the maniac murderer grinning down at Liam. Suddenly, he heard a creak. Liam's head shot towards the door, and he saw a glimpse of the murderer. Yes, he thought, I was right. The person I thought was the murderer is the murderer. Then the door shut with a thump. He heard a flute. And then he heard a hiss.

_______________________________________

A/N: Hey Lovelys! Sorry for the LATE update! 

Remember, I still need a cast for all the fellas in my book. I love yall! You guys are my favourite people for just reading it.

Don't forget to like, comment, or follow!

Have a Great Day!

-Solarys

A/N:

Oh yes, I definitely get Jasper. Eating chips while a dead body cools a mere 8 feet away? Yup, definitely can relate. (wink, wink)

-Acelyst