Chapter 6: The Voice Behind the Door
I woke to the sound of water dripping.
One drop.
Then another.
Then another.
My eyes opened slowly.
Darkness surrounded me.
For several seconds, I couldn't remember where I was.
Then I felt the pain.
A dull ache in my head.
A sharp pressure in my stomach.
And something cold around my wrists.
I tried to move.
Metal scraped against metal.
I was chained.
Panic exploded through me.
“Travis?”
No answer.
“Margaret?”
Nothing.
I pulled against the restraints.
“Someone!”
My voice echoed.
Then came a whisper.
“Claire.”
I froze.
That voice.
My mother's voice.
I turned toward the darkness.
“Mom?”
Silence.
Then:
“You shouldn't have trusted him.”
“Who?”
“Your husband.”
My heart raced.
“Where are you?”
“I've been here all along.”
“What does that mean?”
The voice didn't answer.
Instead, I heard footsteps.
Slow.
Bare feet against concrete.
A shadow appeared at the end of the room.
I held my breath.
A woman stepped into the faint light.
She was older.
Much older.
Her hair was gray.
Her face was thin.
But her eyes...
I knew those eyes.
I'd seen them every time I looked in the mirror.
My breath caught.
“Mom?”
She smiled.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Hello, Claire.”
I couldn't speak.
“You're alive.”
“Yes.”
“But they told me you died.”
“They had to.”
“Why?”
“Because Elias was looking for me.”
I pulled against the chains.
“Untie me.”
She moved closer.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because you're not safe yet.”
I stared at her.
“Where are my babies?”
Her expression changed.
“They're still with you.”
Relief hit me.
“Where is Travis?”
She looked away.
“That's complicated.”
“Tell me.”
“He made a deal.”
My stomach tightened.
“What kind of deal?”
“With Elias.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“He agreed to give them one child.”
My heart shattered.
“He wouldn't.”
“He already did.”
I started crying.
“No.”
“He believed he could save you.”
“He wouldn't sacrifice our baby.”
“He thought he had no choice.”
I stared at my mother.
“Then why did you tell me not to trust him?”
“Because Travis isn't the only one who made a deal.”
I stopped.
“What does that mean?”
She stepped closer.
“You need to understand something about your pregnancy.”
“What?”
“You weren't supposed to have twins.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“When you became pregnant, there was only one embryo.”
My heart pounded.
“What are you saying?”
“The second baby wasn't there.”
I shook my head.
“That isn't possible.”
“It is.”
She reached toward my belly.
“Something happened during the first trimester.”
I remembered.
The bleeding.
The terrible cramps.
The emergency ultrasound.
The doctor telling me everything was fine.
I whispered:
“The ultrasound.”
My mother nodded.
“They changed it.”
“Who?”
“Elias.”
I felt sick.
“He altered my medical records?”
“He altered more than that.”
“What?”
My mother looked directly into my eyes.
“The second embryo was created.”
I stared at her.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Created how?”
She hesitated.
“Using genetic material from someone else.”
My breathing stopped.
“Whose?”
She didn't answer.
“Whose genetic material?”
“Someone who died.”
The room seemed to spin.
“Who?”
My mother whispered:
“Your sister.”
I couldn't move.
“I don't have a sister.”
“You did.”
“You said she disappeared.”
“She didn't disappear.”
My mother looked toward the darkness behind her.
“She was taken.”
“By Elias?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to her?”
My mother's face crumpled.
“She died.”
I closed my eyes.
The room went silent.
Then my baby kicked.
Hard.
My eyes flew open.
My mother stared at my stomach.
“Which one?”
I placed my hand over the movement.
“The first.”
My mother stepped backward.
“No.”
“What?”
“Don't touch her.”
“Why?”
“She can hear you.”
I stared.
“What?”
“She isn't supposed to be awake yet.”
My heart raced.
“What are you talking about?”
My mother lowered her voice.
“Your firstborn inherited the memory.”
I remembered the red door.
The woman screaming.
My mother's voice.
“Don't let them take her.”
I looked at my mother.
“What happened behind the red door?”
She began to cry.
“You were there.”
“I was six.”
“Yes.”
“I don't remember.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
“Then why am I remembering now?”
“Because the twins are triggering it.”
I felt another movement.
This time, the second baby kicked.
My mother suddenly looked terrified.
“Don't.”
“What?”
“Don't let the second one move.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because that's the child they created.”
I shook my head.
“She is my daughter.”
“Yes.”
“She is innocent.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you afraid of her?”
My mother hesitated.
“Because she wasn't created to be born.”
I felt cold.
“Then what was she created for?”
Before my mother could answer, the door opened.
A man entered.
Travis.
His face was bruised.
His shirt was torn.
But he was alive.
I nearly sobbed.
“Travis!”
He ran toward me.
“Claire.”
He dropped to his knees beside me.
“I thought I'd never find you.”
I stared at him.
“Did you make a deal with Elias?”
He froze.
My mother stepped backward.
Travis looked at her.
“You found her.”
I shook my head.
“Answer me.”
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“You agreed to give him one of our babies.”
“I didn't know which one.”
“But you agreed.”
“I thought I could stop him.”
“You lied to me.”
“I was trying to save you.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Tears filled his eyes.
“I never wanted this.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Elias had someone watching you.”
“Who?”
He looked at my mother.
She closed her eyes.
Travis whispered:
“Your sister.”
I froze.
“My sister is dead.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“She isn't.”
My mother looked at him.
“Travis.”
He continued.
“I found her.”
My heart pounded.
“Where?”
“She works for Elias.”
“No.”
“She has been watching you since you were pregnant.”
My mother covered her face.
“I thought she was dead.”
“She survived.”
“Why didn't she come for me?”
Travis looked at me.
“Because she doesn't remember who she is.”
Silence.
Then my second baby kicked again.
Travis looked down.
His face changed.
“That's her.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“The second twin.”
He looked terrified.
“She has your sister's DNA.”
My mother whispered:
“And your sister's memories.”
I stared at both of them.
Then a woman's voice came from behind the door.
“That's not true.”
Everyone froze.
The door slowly opened.
A woman stood there.
Young.
Pale.
With dark hair.
She looked directly at me.
I stared at her face.
Something inside me cracked.
I knew her.
Not from photographs.
Not from memories.
From somewhere deeper.
She whispered:
“Claire.”
My mother began sobbing.
“No…”
The woman stepped into the room.
She looked at my belly.
Then at me.
“I remember now.”
Travis stepped in front of me.
“Stay back.”
She ignored him.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I'm your sister.”
My heart stopped.
She placed one hand against her chest.
“And I know what Elias did to our mother.”
Then she looked at my stomach.
“And I know exactly why he needs your second baby.”
The lights flickered.
She whispered:
“Because she's not just carrying our family's memories.”
She looked directly into my eyes.
“She is carrying the proof that Elias murdered hundreds of women.”
I couldn't breathe.
My sister stepped closer.
“And if that baby is born…”
She paused.
“Every secret he's buried will come back.”
A loud siren suddenly sounded outside.
My sister looked toward the ceiling.
“They're here.”
Travis grabbed my chains.
“What do we do?”
My sister looked at him.
“We run.”
Then my mother screamed.
“Too late!”
We turned.
Elias stood in the doorway.
And beside him was a woman holding a newborn-sized medical container.
May you like
Elias smiled.
“I'm afraid the delivery has already begun.”
