The River (Laurisa Cimorelli)

Fourteen: Finding Clues Pt. 4

FOURTEEN: FINDING CLUES Pt. 4

[THE STORY ABOUT THE PAST]

LAUREN

LAUREN DON'T KNOW WHAT happened but the memory of Karla telling her the story keeps on repeat. That one sentence keep being the center of the stage in her mind. Its been going on for so long, but as soon as Lauren feels relaxed, she finally could open her eyes and found her older sister talking to Karla. Her eyes adjusting to the light and after a while of being silent, she finally realized that she's in the old woman's house. "Oh my god, you're awake!" Amy cried in happiness. "What happened?" Lauren asked, confused.

"You passed out for like an hour. I almost called an ambulance here."

Lauren didn't bother but she got up quickly and then her heart feels so hurt because of reality just hit her right on her face. If she's still in the house, then all of those was happened. It wasn't a dream. Goosebumps suddenly covering Lauren's whole body.

She-

"Laur, are you okay?" Amy asked, worried. Lauren shook her head and she just want to cry. She feels like she doesn't deserve to be alive anymore. Not after knowing the truth. Karla came back with a cup of tea and sat on Lauren's side. "Take this, you will feel better, my dear."

Lauren accepted it. "Is it true?" she asked the woman. "What you said. Is it true?"

Amy thinks about what Karla said about Lauren scared of people not telling her the real story alias she's having a trust issue, and she witnessed it now. Karla looked guilty and she just nodded. "I'm sorry."

Lauren didn't say anything and just stare at her hot tea as the memory come back to her mind. The one when Karla tells her everything Lauren wanted to know from her.

"I could tell you, but are you ready to hear it?"

Lauren definitely not ready, but she have to anyways. As she said before, this needs to happen. Amy beside her just looking at Lauren for answering Karla's question. After a minute, Lauren get her guts back and nodded. "Yes, I'm ready."

Karla smiled. She sipped her warm tea before she goes on to the story. "I was hanging out at the river a lot years ago. I wasn't Lynne's friend before I met you and your sisters at the river."

"That place was prettier back then so I loved it there. And when I saw you girls there, I didn't feel or think anything weird because you just played there and I was used to watch you from far away. Now don't look at me like I am a psychopath, because it was so beautiful and so fun to watch. You girls are adorable, but there was never any grown ups watching you playing there. So as someone who's always spending her time there, I take it as my duty to watch you guys." Karla smiled to the memory.

"I didn't mind either since I never really talked to any of you."

"Almost all of you had at least once or twice came to the river, except few of you," She said. "few of you really came to the river a lot. Almost everyday. And I remember there was a moment in one afternoon, where you guys have the blanket on the ground and just sat and watch the sunsets. Which I hoped I could do that too if I was ever having a sister to do it with." Lauren's head fly to the memory as soon as Karla said it. she remembers. One of those girls is herself. Lauren feels her heart getting warmer remembering that beautiful moment that Lauren would do anything to just get it back and do it again one more time. "I remember that." Lauren smiled. And Karla smiled back.

"You used to have this teddy bear with you." Karla said and the two girls just looking at her curiously because how can Karla remembered it this detailed. "You were always been the different one from the rest of the girls. I've told you earlier how different your eyes are from your sisters and you mother. I feel like I watched you girls a lot at the river, I started to get to know more of you. Not to mention I was majoring psychology back then, so it was just so clear in my mind."

"and you were the only one who was always hug that teddy bear with you. One time Amy tried to take it away from you, and you cried so loud until your other sisters needs to calm you down. I could tell the doll was so precious to you." Lauren smiled. "It was and still is. My sister gave it to me."

"Yes, and another reason why I remembered you a lot was because you are one of the few that comes to the river a lot. Theres always a smile on your face everytime you go there with your sisters." Karla smiled but after a while of silence, her smile fades away.

"The last time I really saw you there was that day." Lauren felt her hands getting cold out of nowhere. She knew the real story is about to get started. Amy next to her moved slightly closer to Lauren probably to let Lauren knows that Amy is still there, with her.

"I came pretty late to the river, and there was no one there except you on the side of the river, crying your eyes out." Karla said and it makes Lauren felt like she got electrified. "I was about to ask you but then, unexpectedly, I saw a body floating on the water."

Amy and Lauren both got shocked hearing it. no one ever mentioned about someones floating on the water before??? "Then what happened?!" Amy asked because Karla took a pretty while to look at the two girls face.

"The teddy bear was not far away from the girl. I swam to the middle of the river and thank god the river's flow wasn't too strong. I don't know what will happen if it was. The girl was facing the water so clearly she was unconscious and can't breathe." Lauren felt her tears coming out of her eyes. She feels so scared now. "I took her and the teddy bear at the same time and bring her to the side of the river."

"I could assume now that the girl was only trying to grab the teddy bear but she couldn't swim. The river was too deep for her and probably she hit something after drowning." Karla stare at her window as she keeps remembering the moment. "Her head was bleeding and when I checked on her pulse, it didn't exist."

"I called your mother because it just happens that I know her from the church and you girls looked like her a lot. Since then we have became friends, but I never dare to ask her about the little girl because I was afraid that it might hurt her feelings. After the tragedy I went to other country and never come back to the river again for years." Lauren didn't bother to listen to the rest because her brain has one thing highlighted.

"...when I checked on her pulse, it didn't exist."

So, it was true then.

Lauren did killed someone.

"Could you tell us which one of us who drowned through this picture?" Amy gave her phone to Karla with the picture of cimorelli kids. Karla puts on her glasses and studies the picture and then she smiled. "This one! The one in red. She seems so sad and angry, it was all so clear in this picture."

It was Lisa Cimorelli.

Lauren didn't remember anything after that because all she was feeling was how heavy her head is, and how the shocks attacking her mental. telling her one thing:

Lauren is a murderer.

HI BOIS WHATSUP YES I AM HERE WITH TWO CHAPTERS IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES.

you are just blessed today. sdsdjs jk but true tho, i just feel like writing and here i am!!! SEND ME UR THEORIES AFTER KNOWING THIS ALL OK!!! and um i was planning on making this one chapter with the previous one but on the second thought, i want my story to have a lot of chapters so HERE WE ARE HEHEHE

OK GUYSS ENJOY AND THANK U FOR READING!!!! I LOVE U

stay safe and healthy and dont forget to take a bath okkk

luv, dan <33333333333333333