Chapter 5 - THE HOUSE THAT NEVER EXISTEDThe old house stood on a hill outside Bellweather.
At least, that was what Rose said.
Mara had never seen it.
She had no memory of living there.
Luca drove through the storm without saying much.
Rose sat in the back seat.
Mara sat beside her.
For twenty minutes, nobody spoke.
Finally Mara asked:
“Why don't I remember the house?”
Rose looked out the window.
“Because I asked them to erase it.”
Mara frowned.
“Who is them?”
“The doctors.”
“There were doctors?”
Rose nodded.
“They said the memory would destroy you.”
“And did it?”
“They thought you had forgotten.”
Mara's voice hardened.
“You erased my childhood?”
“I tried to save it.”
Rose took her hand.
“When you were four, you saw something you shouldn't have seen.”
“What?”
Rose didn't answer.
Luca glanced at them through the rearview mirror.
“What did she see?”
Rose looked at him.
“Your father killing someone.”
The car became silent.
Luca's grip tightened on the steering wheel.
“Who?”
Rose closed her eyes.
“My sister.”
Mara stared at her.
“Aunt Helen?”
“No.”
Mara's confusion deepened.
“My aunt is alive.”
Rose shook her head.
“Helen is your aunt by marriage.”
Mara's heart dropped.
“My mother's sister was…”
“Evelyn.”
“What happened to her?”
“She discovered what Anthony was doing.”
The car slowed.
A massive iron gate appeared through the rain.
Beyond it stood a dark mansion.
Mara stared.
Something inside her chest shifted.
She had seen the house before.
Not in life.
In dreams.
A red staircase.
A cracked grandfather clock.
A locked blue door.
She whispered:
“I know this place.”
Rose looked at her.
“Yes.”
Mara climbed out of the car.
The front door was already open.
No lights.
No guards.
No sound.
They entered.
The grandfather clock stood in the foyer.
Its hands showed 11:47.
Mara stared.
“Why does every clock here stop at 11:47?”
Rose answered:
“That's when your childhood ended.”
Mara turned sharply.
“What happened at 11:47?”
Rose's voice broke.
“You saw your aunt die.”
Mara's memory flashed.
A woman screaming.
A glass bottle breaking.
Anthony Moretti standing beneath the stairs.
A little boy crying.
A second man watching.
Mara fell to her knees.
Luca caught her.
“I remember.”
Rose knelt beside her.
“What?”
“Two boys.”
Luca stared.
“Who?”
“They looked exactly alike.”
Mara gasped.
“One was crying.”
“And the other?”
“He was smiling.”
Rose closed her eyes.
“He was the dangerous one.”
Luca whispered:
“Damian.”
Mara looked at him.
“Who?”
“My brother.”
A floorboard creaked upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Luca raised his weapon.
A woman's voice called from the dark.
“You finally brought her home.”
Mara looked up.
The voice belonged to Helen.
Her aunt stepped into the hallway.
But she was not alone.
A man stood behind her.
Tall.
Black suit.
Same face as Luca.
Same eyes.
Same tattoo curling beneath his collar.
Mara's entire body went cold.
Luca stared at him.
“No.”
The man smiled.
“Hello, brother.”
Mara stepped backward.
“Damian.”
He looked at her.
“You remember.”
Helen lowered her head.
“I tried to protect you.”
Mara's voice shook.
“You lied to me.”
“I had no choice.”
Damian descended the stairs.
“Everyone has a choice.”
He looked at Mara.
“Your mother chose to betray us.”
Then he looked at Luca.
“And you chose to survive.”
Luca raised his gun.
Damian smiled.
“You still don't remember who held the gun.”
Mara looked between them.
“What does that mean?”
Damian reached into his pocket.
He produced an old photograph.
The same house.
The same staircase.
Mara at four years old.
Standing beside both brothers.
In her hand was a small red toy car.
On the back of the photograph were the words:
SUBJECT 2047 RECOGNIZES BOTH FATHERS.
Mara frowned.
“Both fathers?”
Damian laughed.
Then he looked at Rose.
“Tell her.”
Rose said nothing.
Damian stepped closer.
“Mara, Anthony Moretti wasn't your father.”
Mara's world stopped.
“You don't know who your father is.”
Rose began to cry.
Damian smiled.
“But I do.”
May you like
He pointed at Luca.
“It's him.”
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