The Darkside

Truth Or Consequences

"No, Octavia, that's my father!" Anastasia screamed as she ran to the man lying on the floor. "I'm sorry, what?" I asked, feeling confused. "He's my adoptive father," she said as she helped him to his feet. "Oh, but what is he doing breaking into our house?" I asked. "I'm sorry, but the door was open," he said. "Impossible, I never leave the door open," I said. "Are you calling my father a liar?" Anastasia asked, annoyed. "I don't understand this. Why does his presence cause the plants to die, unless he's an evil being?" I asked. "My dad is not evil, and if you feel that way, maybe I should leave too," Anastasia said. "Okay, well, there should be some explanation for this," I said, not wanting her to leave. Anastasia's father stood up, saying, "You're right, Octavia; I am, indeed, evil. But I wasn't always."

"I don't understand, dad. What are you saying?"Anastasia asked. "I was a regular person and I never did anything wrong until one day, which was the day I did the worst thing I could have done," he said. "What do you mean; what exactly did you do that was so horrific?" Anastasia asked. "I cheated on your mother, and she found out," he replied. "You did, but with who?" she asked. "With someone you all know," he replied. "Who? Who do we all know?" she asked, confused. "It's your birth mother, which means your mother too," he said, looking at Melissa and me. "I am sorry, but that can't be. You're lying; my mother would never sleep with another woman's husband," I said feeling furious that he could fabricate such lies. "I know what you are thinking, but your mother didn't know that I was married when she slept with me," he said. "Okay, that proves that you are lying, because Mom knew the both of you and that's why she entrusted her daughter to you," I said. "You don't understand," he said. "No, I do, you are trying to separate our sister from us—and I won't let you," I said, "And if you are lying, this will reveal it."

"Wait, what are you doing?" Anastasia asked. "It's just a truth-revealing spell. If he is telling the truth, he has nothing to worry, because it will show everything," I replied. "But if he isn't, then what?" Anastasia asked. "Then it will show that too," I replied. "Will it hurt him?" she asked. "No, this only reveals the truth, but if he's lying, I will hurt him," I replied. "Okay, go for it. I'm sure he's not lying," Anastasia said. "We'll see," I said as I started to chant the spell. The whole story soon appeared in front of our eyes like a movie.

He was telling the truth. Mom did sleep with him, but she didn't know that he was married. He was married to Mom's college friend and while mom was in a bar drinking. She was depressed over losing her boyfriend; he had broken up with her while they were in a romantic getaway and ditched her without transport when he found out that she's a witch. She met Anastasia's father in the bar and he was drawn to her. In her vulnerable state, Mom had ended up sleeping with him not knowing that he was her friend's husband as her friend had been working for doctors without borders for a while back then. Mom had no idea who her friend's husband was as they had met him overseas and married him there.

The next day, she got a call from her friend saying she was back and moving back there as she and her husband would be working at the Oakridge Maternity Hospital. A few days later, she turned up with her husband, whom Mom had slept with. Shocked at the deception, Mom almost threw up on them, but that wasn't all; there was much more—which made me want to throw up, myself. "No, this can't be. I don't believe this!" I said as I couldn't believe what unfolded before my eyes. "No, he's doing something, he's using his evil powers to trick us into believing his lies!" I said. "I am not, I promise you," he said. "I don't believe you, you are a liar and a monster. You have been deceiving everyone from the start, but you can't deceive me!" I said as I put my hands up and sent him flying.

He struck against the wall and fell to the floor. "No, Octavia, you'll kill him!" Anastasia said. "So what? I don't care! He is nothing but a filthy monster trying to wheel his way into our lives!" I said. "I'm sorry Octavia, but I can't let you hurt him," Anastasia, said. "You are taking his side over us, your sisters? So I guess we were wrong to think you have changed, because you haven't. And all the trouble we took over you was just a big mistake," I said.

"No, Octavia, she is our sister and we need her!" Melissa said. "But she doesn't need us; all she needs is her good-for-nothing stepfather who is a monster," I said. "Did we not watch the same thing? Didn't you see everything that happened?" Anastasia said. "I did, but I don't accept it. He can never be," I said, and as I did, a dark shadow appeared from nowhere and pulled him into it as it disappeared with him.

Anastasia screamed, "No, dad!" and tried to grab on to him, but it was too late. He was gone, along with the shadow. "He's gone and it's your fault," Anastasia said, throwing her hand at me. I went flying against the wall and fell as I noticed her eyes turn amber.