Chapter 10: Eyes in the Dark
Clara's POV
Olivia's cold, dangerous voice echoed around the darkened room. My blood froze. I didn't know Olivia like this.
This was a ghost of the guy I loved, a stranger.
"What is this?" My voice trembled as I asked. "What's going on?"
Lily said in a firm voice, "Clara, this is where you belong." "With us."
I staggered inside the room after she shoved me. It was tiny and empty, with only a metal table and one chair. The scent of rot and dust permeated the air.
Olivia was standing in the middle of the room, staring at me. He had the appearance of a wolf surrounding its prey, a predator.
I shook my voice and replied, "You're wrong." "I have no place here."
"You do," Lily answered in a silky voice. "You have always done so."
Her eyes gleamed with a wicked, twisted satisfaction as she took a step closer. "You see," she murmured softly, "Clara." "We have been observing you. For a very long time.
My chest was thumping with my heart. "Observing me?" I muttered. "What do you mean?"
Her grin widened as she continued, "We know everything." "Every kiss, every word, every touch."
I was hit by a rush of nausea. They had been violating our privacy by eavesdropping on us. They were well aware.
"Why?" My voice trembled as I asked. "What are you doing?"
Her voice was harsh as she replied, "Because you stole what was ours." "Olivia was stolen by you."
I raised my voice and shouted, "He wasn't yours." "I was his choice."
She trembled as she replied, "He was mine first." "He had always been mine."
Olivia responded, "He's not yours," in a chilly tone. "He is independent."
"He's mine," she said again, her voice shaking. "And you'll be held accountable for removing him from me."
He moved nearer, his eyes blazing with a sinister, twisted joy as she nodded to Olivia. "Clara, it's time to stop this," he said quietly.
He extracted a little, silver flash disk from his pocket. His eyes gleamed in the bright light as he held it up.
His voice was soft as he replied, "You know what this is." "The film. The person who will ruin your life.
I broke my voice and shook my head. "You wouldn't," I said in a whisper.
His grin grew as he replied, "Try me."
With the flash drive in his extended palm, he took a step closer. I paused, glancing back and forth between Lily and him.
With a firm voice, Lily answered, "Give it to me, Clara." "Now it's mine."
My fingers were shaking as I reached out. However, a gunshot rang out across the room before I could reach for the flash drive.
The flash drive broke and fell in fragments on the ground. Lily's and Olivia's eyes widened in surprise.
A gun-wielding person emerged from the shadows. Jackson was the one.
"Jackson?" With a shaky voice, I whispered. "Why are you in this place?"
"I'm saving you, Clara," he said sternly. "They intended to cause you harm."
"They wouldn't." I started, but was interrupted by his eyes.
"They would," he uttered softly. "They are not who you believe them to be."
His eyes blazed with a terrible rage as he turned to face Olivia and Lily. His voice was harsh as he stated, "You're both sick." "Give her space."
Lily let out a bitter, icy chuckle. With a scornful tone, she said, "You think you can stop us?" "You believe that you can save her?"
He stared at me and replied, "I already did." "She's accompanying me."
He extended his arm and took hold of my arm, his hold painfully firm. "Let's go, Clara," he replied, his voice harsh.
I paused, glancing back and forth between Olivia and him. I didn't know who to trust.
"Don't go with him," Olivia urged, his voice low. "He's lying."
"He's telling the truth," Jackson continued, his eyes begging. "They're trying to use you."
Another gunshot boomed across the room. This time, it was Olivia. He had pulled a gun from his jacket. Jackson lost his hold on my arm and staggered.
"Clara, run!" Jackson shouted, his voice strained.
I didn't think twice. My footsteps reverberated through the deserted warehouse as I turned and ran.
I didn't know where I was heading, but I knew I had to get away.
My pulse thumping in my chest, I raced along the dark, winding hallways. I could hear their footsteps behind me, their words echoing across the empty space.
At the end of a corridor, I discovered a door—a little, metal door. I opened it, slipped inside, and slammed the door behind me.
My breath came in jagged spurts as I leaned against the door. It was a small, cold, dark room. Outside, I could hear their footsteps getting closer and their voices.
I needed to find a way out. I had to get away.
I struggled for a light switch in the dark. Something metallic and chilly touched my hand. A doorknob.
I twisted the knob, and the door creaked open. Slipping through the gap, I entered another dim corridor.
Silently, I rushed over the hard floor. Behind me, I could hear their words and the sound of their footsteps in the deserted room.
I noticed another door, a massive, metal door at the end of the corridor. After opening it, I went out into the chilly night air.
My feet stomped on the pavement as I ran. I didn't know where I was headed, but I knew I had to keep running.
My legs hurt and my lungs burned as I ran till I was unable to continue. I halted, breathing heavily, and looked around the shadows.
I couldn't find my way. I was clueless about my whereabouts.
Then, in the distance, I saw a light, a dim glow. With my heart thumping in my chest, I approached it.
I got closer and saw that the light was coming from a little restaurant at the side of the road. The neon sign gave off a cozy, welcoming light as it flashed in the dark.
As I entered, my body shook and I looked around the room. Except for a single person seated at the counter, the restaurant was deserted.
The lady had her back to me. She had dark hair, and was wearing a familiar jacket.
"Lily?" With a shaky voice, I whispered.
My breath caught in my throat as the woman turned. Lily wasn't the one. The lady from the train station was the one. I was sent here by that person.
"Hello, Clara," she said in a soft voice. "We must speak."
She indicated to the unoccupied seat across from her. I paused, my eyes darting across the restaurant. There was a problem. Absolutely incorrect.
"What are you looking for?" My voice trembled as I asked.
She looked directly into my eyes and said, "I want to help you." "But you have to trust me."
"Trust you?" I repeated in a disbelieving tone. "After all that has transpired?"
Her voice was quiet as she continued, "I know it's hard." But, Clara, I'm with you. I always have been."
"Who are you?" My voice trembled as I asked. "What are you doing?"
She paused, her eyes filled with a weird grief. "My name is Sarah," she uttered softly. "I am also Lily's...sister."
My whole universe shook. Did Lily have a sister?
"What?" With little more than a whisper, I asked.
Sarah said, "Lily and Olivia aren't who you think they are, Clara," in a harsh tone.
"They've been lying to you. To all of you."
A picture was slid across the table by her. It featured two young females, one with black hair, the other with honey blonde.
"That's Lily," Sarah said, gesturing to the girl with the honey-blond. "And that's me."
She looked exactly like the Lily I knew. However, the girl with dark hair didn't resemble her at all.
I started to say, "Then who..." but Sarah interrupted.
She said, "That's not Lily," in a quiet voice.
That's a different person. Someone who killed her."
My mind whirled. This was all illogical.
"What are you saying?" My voice trembled as I asked.
Sarah stared into my eyes and continued, "I'm suggesting that the Lily you know is a fake. She has been taking advantage of you.
She moved a second picture across the table. This one showed Olivia and the dark haired girl, their arms around each other, their faces filled with a dark, twisted love.
Sarah responded, "And he's been helping her," in a firm voice. Clara, they have been deceiving you. All along.
My heart shattered into a million pieces. The man I loved, the best friend I trusted, they had both betrayed me.
"Why?" I muttered, my voice cracking. "Why would they do this?"
"Because they want something," Sarah murmured, her eyes filled with a dark, awful awareness. "And they won't stop until they get it."
The restaurant door swung open, and two individuals came inside. My throat tightened each breath.
It was Olivia and the dark haired "Lily". And they seemed like they had been waiting for me.