Chapter 11 - LUCYLucy survived the gunshot.
Barely.
Sarah wrapped her shoulder while Daniel searched the church for another exit.
Marcus sat against the wall.
Leo wouldn't look at him.
Mia stayed beside Lucy.
For the first time, the three children were together.
Leo could not stop staring at Lucy.
“You look like me.”
Lucy smiled weakly.
“You look like me.”
Mia whispered:
“Are you really our sister?”
Lucy looked at her.
“I think so.”
“Why don't you remember me?”
“Because they erased you from my room.”
Leo stared.
“They erased Mia?”
Lucy nodded.
“They told me she was a stranger.”
Leo looked at Marcus.
“Why?”
Marcus didn't answer.
Lucy whispered:
“Because they wanted me to hate my family.”
Sarah sat beside her.
“Who took you?”
Lucy looked toward the church basement.
“Dr. Hale.”
“Why did they keep you alive?”
Lucy shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Leo remembered something.
“The white room.”
Lucy nodded.
“You were there.”
“When?”
“Before they separated us.”
“What happened?”
Lucy closed her eyes.
“They made us watch.”
“Watch what?”
“Our father.”
Leo froze.
“Our father?”
Lucy nodded.
“He came to save us.”
Marcus suddenly spoke.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
Lucy stared at him.
“You were there.”
Marcus's face tightened.
“You don't remember correctly.”
“I remember you.”
Leo stood.
“What did you do?”
Marcus didn't answer.
Lucy continued.
“You opened the door.”
Marcus whispered:
“I had no choice.”
“You opened it.”
Sarah looked at Marcus.
“What door?”
Lucy pointed toward the floor.
“The basement.”
Leo's blood ran cold.
“The night my mother disappeared.”
Marcus nodded.
Lucy continued.
“They took our father.”
Leo felt tears fill his eyes.
“Is he dead?”
Lucy looked at him.
“I don't know.”
Mia squeezed Leo's hand.
Then the lights went out.
A red emergency lamp came on.
A voice filled the church.
“Children are not permitted to leave Blackridge.”
Marcus grabbed his gun.
The church doors opened.
Men entered.
Sarah pushed the children behind the altar.
“Stay down!”
Gunfire erupted.
Daniel returned fire.
Marcus moved toward the door.
Sarah shouted:
“Where are you going?”
“To get the car.”
“You'll never make it.”
Marcus looked at Leo.
“I'll come back.”
Leo shouted:
“Why should I believe you?”
Marcus stopped.
Then he said:
“Because I should have protected you the first time.”
He ran into the gunfire.
Sarah stared after him.
Leo understood.
Marcus was going back to the house.
To the basement.
To whatever waited beneath it.
The fighting continued.
Then a voice came over the church speakers.
Marcus.
Live.
“Leo.”
Leo looked up.
Marcus gasped.
“Your mother isn't running from Blackridge.”
A pause.
May you like
“She is running from you.”
Then the transmission cut.
