Walking over to the closest crate I pull out the gun resting on top, its a AK74 rifle. The serial code has been scratched off so that it is no longer visible and the barrel looks unused. What are these kinds of guns doing here? I stand there holding the gun thinking of all the possible reasons that my father could have had crates of rifles and who knows what else hidden underneath our family shed. A wolf whistle comes from somewhere off to he side and I allow my eyes to tear themselves away from the gun and find Trey holding a black desert eagle, his eyes seem to glimmer as he stares at it - almost like he is admiring it. He notices me staring at him and hastily puts the gun down, nervously re-adjusting his hat. I half walk, half jog over to the other side of the room to where the computers are and pull out the semi-broken computer chair that is tucked underneath the main desk. I gingerly sit in the chair hoping that it doesn't collapse under my weight. Once I am certain that it will not break I reach forward and hit the power switch on the computer directly in front of me, and wait... but nothing happens, the black screen just stare back at me.
"You haven't been around computers much have you Em?" Trey teases. I glare at him through the blank screen, "What do you mean? Of course I have. I'm not an idiot, I know how to turn a computer on." I say, slightly embarrassed that he doesn't think I can do something as simple as turning on a computer.
"Well maybe turning it on at the wall would help you..." he says as he flicks the switch down. All of a sudden the multiple screens in front of me come to life, and the word 'WELCOME' bounces across the screen. Silently I kick myself for being so stupid and try to avoid making eye contact with him even though I can feel him staring at me. "Right, thanks for that." I try to play it cool but the heat in my cheeks gives away my true feelings. I hit enter on the key board and a small box pops up on the screen.
PASSWORD NEEDED
"FUCK! Why wouldn't Dad have put a password on his computer? Its not like the computer is in a hidden vault under the floor of a previously locked shed!" I rant. I hear trey snort from beside me and I can't help but smile. He always tries to find the fun in a situation. Sometimes it is infuriating but at the moment it is exactly what I need to calm myself down.
"Alright, so what do you think his password would be?" he asks dumbly.
"If you keep asking me stupid questions I'm going to punch you." I warn. He raises his fists into a fighting stance and smirks, "bring it on, princess." A shiver runs down my spine as he says it. Its almost as if he reminded me of someone... someone bad. I shake my head, hoping that some how that will make this weird feeling I have inside me go away. "Anyway," I exclaim louder than anticipated, "we need to figure out this password somehow, maybe there is a clue on the desk somewhere."
After 5 minutes of searching the 1 x 2 metre desk and finding nothing, we decided to just start guessing. Trey sits down in front of the computer now and cracks his knuckles comically, getting himself ready.
"Favourite basketball team?" Trey suggests.
WRONG.
"Parents anniversary?"
WRONG.
"Your mother's name?"
WRONG.
This goes on for another 5 tries, and all are wrong. Everything we guess is wrong.
DING! The computer sounds. And an alert comes up on the computer screen.
2 TRIES LEFT BEFORE SYSTEM RESET
"What does that mean? System Reset?" I ask Trey. "It means that we have two more tries and then we lose everything. Isn't that kind of obvious, Em?" his voice comes out exasperated.
"SHIT! Okay, think... what are we missing? There has to be something we aren't thinking of." Ideas keep popping into my head but none seem right, so I push them aside. I cant believe that after all of this... after finding the picture, the secret entrance, the locket, the vault that I never even knew existed, I can't crack something as simple as a computer password. Without thinking my hand shoots to my locket – it's a stupid habit but sometimes it helps me to feel closer to my dad especially if I am stressed. My fathers words echo in my head about how precious this necklace is and how I would have to take good care of it. I never knew how precious it was until now.
"Maybe its you." Trey remarks from his position crouched down in front of the computer desk, "What was his nickname for you?"
"Try Emmy." I reply and he obliges, typing it in. A small loading sign comes on to the screen, filling my chest with hope.
WRONG.
"Damn it! I was so sure that would work. I mean everything leading up to this has been about you. Why wouldn't this?" he exclaims.
Wait... that wasn't his nickname for me. I stare down at my locket and smile, 'truly precious' I think silently.
I jump to my feet, scaring trey in the process causing him to tip over and land on his side, and adjust the keyboard so it is sitting in front of me. "OW! What are you doing?" Trey blurts out.
"His name for me wasn't Emmy. It was Firefly." As I tell Trey I type in the word and hit ENTER.
After waiting for an eternity – more like thirty seconds – the welcome screen is replaced by a picture of my parents and I standing together at the beach, smiling at the camera while some unknown person takes our picture.
I let out a small scream of excitement and fling my arms around Trey's neck pulling him into a tight hug. Trey lets out a laugh that echoes loudly in the vault as he grabs me around the waist and swings me around like I am weightless. When he puts me down again I give him a big smile, even though I feel slightly awkward about my display of excitement. I scold myself for my embarrassing reaction – for Gods sake he is my room mate that has been dragged into my fucked up family drama that I didn't even know existed.
"Ummm... Em?"
His voice snaps me out of a daze I didn't even realise I was in –"Yes, sorry I was just... thinking." I reply.
"All good, just figured you would want to see what is on the computer but if you want to keep staring at me, that's fine too," he winks at me. That shiver runs down my spine once again and all of a sudden the only thought in my head is: RUN.
"You know what, I think that before we get into that I need to get some fresh air. I've been cooped up for too long. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay." Before he can respond I turn on my heels and walk out. I don't slow down until I am deep in the woods. I find an old tree stump in the middle of a small clearing and sit on top of it, trying to calm the overwhelming feeling of panic that seems to be seeping into my chest. I lean back and look up into the large canopy of trees that hangs above me and take a deep breath, which does little to help my panic but after a few minutes of focusing on breathing and the beautiful trees that stretch out above me, I can feel myself start to settle.
Thank god.
I push myself to my feet and slowly start to walk back; when I hear what sounds like gunfire ahead. It sounds like its coming in the direction of the shed... finally it clicks.
FUCK! Oh no, no, no, no! my mind is racing almost as fast as my feet are moving as I bolt through the woods towards the shed.
"Trey!"I shriek
YOU ARE READING
Psycho Love
ActionAfter the tragic death of her mother and father Ember O'Connor didn't think life could get any worse - until she found herself kidnapped and being forced to make an impossible choice. Now three years later, she is trying to put her past behind her...
