Chapter 6 - Three KnocksKnock.
Knock.
Knock.
Sarah stared at the wall.
Her mother whispered, “Don't open it.”
The sound came again.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Sarah stepped toward it.
“Someone is inside.”
Her mother grabbed her arm.
“Sarah, listen.”
“Who is it?”
“I don't know.”
Richard had disappeared.
Her father was injured.
The mansion was sealed.
And someone was trapped behind the wall.
Sarah found a latch concealed beneath a wooden panel.
She opened it.
The wall swung inward.
A narrow room appeared.
Inside stood a woman.
Sarah gasped.
She was about Sarah's age.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
The same scar.
Emily.
Sarah stared at her.
Emily stared back.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Emily smiled sadly.
“You look like me.”
Sarah's voice shook.
“You are me.”
“No.”
Emily stepped closer.
“I'm what you were supposed to become.”
Sarah frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Emily looked at their mother.
“You never told her.”
Her mother started crying.
Emily laughed bitterly.
“You always protected Sarah.”
“Because you're dangerous.”
Emily's expression changed.
“Am I?”
Sarah stepped between them.
“Stop.”
Emily looked at her.
“You think Richard is the monster.”
Sarah said nothing.
“He isn't the only one.”
Her mother whispered:
“Emily, don't.”
Emily reached into her jacket.
She pulled out a small USB drive.
“This contains everything.”
Sarah took it.
“What is on it?”
“Proof.”
“Proof of what?”
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
“The night I disappeared.”
She looked toward their father.
“He didn't choose Sarah.”
Sarah turned.
“What?”
Emily continued.
“They gave him a choice.”
“Who?”
Emily's voice dropped.
“The Harrington Foundation.”
Sarah frowned.
“That's Richard's company.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
She looked directly at Sarah.
“That's Richard's family.”
A siren sounded somewhere above.
Red emergency lights flashed.
Emily suddenly grabbed Sarah.
“Your father is waking up.”
Sarah turned.
Her father was sitting upright.
But he was not looking at Sarah.
He was staring at Emily.
His face had gone white.
“No,” he whispered.
Emily stepped backward.
Her father said:
“You're alive.”
Emily smiled.
“Surprised?”
He struggled to stand.
“Sarah, don't trust her.”
Sarah stared at him.
“You told me she was dead.”
“I believed she was.”
Emily laughed.
“That's the lie they wanted you to believe.”
A loud metallic crash echoed through the basement.
Richard’s voice came from the speakers.
“Enough.”
The entire mansion locked down.
Steel shutters slammed over the windows.
Every door sealed.
Then Richard spoke again.
“Sarah.”
A pause.
“Choose carefully.”
Another voice joined him.
Emily's.
“No.”
Emily leaned close to Sarah.
“Don't choose yet.”
Sarah looked at her.
“Why?”
Emily whispered:
May you like
“Because one of us has been lying from the beginning.”
Then all the lights went out.
