A few weeks agoI never thought I’d be setting foot in this place again.
I look up at the clear morning sky for the first time in ten years. The children’s park where I used to play is still here, but a lot has changed.
The slow creaks of the rusty swings and the sweep of the wind send shivers down my spine. The park is now barely visible as the moss and vines covered the surroundings. All memories of my childhood come flooding back.
This has been a place of joy, peace, and contentment. This is where we played, ran, fought. The once silver slide has bronzed. Now this place could serve as the set for some horror film.
“Are you really sure about this? There’s no turning back now,” Oliver says.
“We are already out of the house, so let’s get started.”
Oliver smiles. “See? What did I tell you? You can do things if you just put your mind to it. Look at you now. I should’ve searched for Alayna long ago and brought her to you.”
“I’m not just doing this for her. I’m doing this for myself,” I remind him.
“But, Brandon, you can walk around the house, and you managed to come out. I see that you don’t have a problem in getting out at all,” he stated.
“It’s not that I can finally come out, Ollie. I’m still struggling. I don’t want people to see me. I don’t want to encounter them. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror because all I see is a dead man’s reflection. This is my insecurity.” I touch the covered part of my face.
“It’s not as ugly as you think. The world is even uglier, and yours is just skin.”
“I don’t want to see the world that killed my family.”
“But you found yourself again,” he says. “How else are you going to find justice? This is the answer, and you are finally getting there.”
“I know where I can find Annette now,” I inform him.
“You do? Does Alayna really know where she is?”
“Yes, but I cannot face her if I’m like this. You are right. I need to get better. You know that there’s no one I could ask but you.”
“I never turned my back on you.” Oliver steps aside and holds the whistle. “Take off your mask, Brandon. It’s a distraction.”
Gently, I pull the rubber tie around my ear and take off the mask, letting it fall on the ground. I shudder as the cold wind blows against my bare face and cover it with my hand.
“You don’t have to hide your face from me,” Oliver says kindly.
I tense up and slowly meet the world in front of me.
“Now, can you see that tree over there? That’s about half a mile. I need you to run there and get back here. Don’t stop until you can’t run anymore. We need to work on how far you can go when you run. I don’t know if this is going to work, but we will still try. Even if it’s hard, I don’t want to hear ‘No’ ‘I give up.’I nod while holding my breath. As long as people don’t touch me, I can do this.
“Are you ready, Brandon?”
“Y-Yes...”
“I said, are you ready?”
“Yes, sir!” I answer as loudly as I can.
“On my mark. Three... Two... One...”
I begin running as I hear the whistle blow.
ALAYNA“Going somewhere?”I look up at the man blocking the way. It is that mask, the same gray eyes, and melodious baritone voice. I’m still not sure if I’m dreaming or if the alcohol has already affected me.
How is this possible?“Brandon,” I say, still unsure. “No... It’s impossible.”
A deep groan vibrates in his throat, and his chest tenses up. He grabs my wrist, his thumb pressing on my pulse. I can feel the warmth of his palm on my skin.
“Do you not know when to stop or when to come home?” he asks, sounding furious.
I shake my head. “This must be a dream,” I murmur. “I must be dreaming. You seem so real!”
His jaw clenches. “Because I am!”
I gawk at him, still astounded. It’s him. He’s really here.
“Wait!” I jerk my hand away, but his grip tightens. “How are you here?”
“Is that important?”
I manage to pull my hand back and glare at him. “Why are you touching me? I thought you hated it so much.”
He leans closer and shuts his eyes as he moves away. “Come on now. Let’s get you home.”
“It’s been a week since you last talked to me. Besides, I still want to stay here.” I cross my arms. No way is he getting away with being so moody.
“No, you’re coming with me,” he insists. He grasps my hand again and drags me out of the restroom, heading to the exit.
“Hey, let me go right now! Hey!” I scream. People look our way, but they don’t seem to care. “How could you come all the way here just to tell me what to do after ignoring my calls and notes? You didn’t even say hi.”
“Hi,”“You know, you can’t just disappear like that and appear when you want to!”
Brandon stops and finally faces me. “I can appear anywhere if I want to. So please, come with me while I’m still being nice.”
“I’m going to call security if you try to force me.”
His eyes peer at me a little more closely. “Do you know how things work around here, Alayna? I might fire the security first if they try to touch me. Everything you see here is mineI scowl. “You own the club?”
“Yes.”
I roll my eyes. “I really don’t stand a chance, do I?”
“I don’t want to do this, but you’re leaving me no choice.”
Brandon wraps his arms around my waist, and as if I were a sheet of paper, he carries me on his shoulder. My eyes widen as the world spins, turning me upside down.
“No! Put me down, Brandon! Put me down, please, please... I’m coming with you, okay? Just put me down,” I cry out, but he doesn’t listen and heads to the exit.
Two security guards get in the way, but Oliver appears out of nowhere and stops them. They acknowledge him and step back.
Brandon sets me down as soon as we are outside. I suddenly feel sick to my stomach.
“How could you do that to me?” I say, panting hard. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Let’s do this at home. Shall we?” He waltzes toward the black Jaguar and opens the door.
“What about Cassius? He’s still inside.”
He grimaces. “What about him?”
“Don’t worry, Alayna,” Oliver interjects. “I’ll talk to my brother. Get in the car and go home with Brandon.”
“Fine.” I exhale a breath of frustration. I turn to the other side and settle into the driver’s seat. I pull the door closed, but Brandon stops me.
“What are you doing?” He scowls. “Move aside.”
“All right, all right!” I move to the passenger seat. Brandon steps in. “Wait. Can you drive?”
I mean, he locked himself in his room forever, right? There’s no way he knows how to drive this thing. I suddenly feel terrified for both of us.
“I wasn’t born three hundred years ago. Of course, I can drive.”
He buckles his seatbelt, then guns the car, pulling out of the place like an expert.