Running From the Dark | Double Lives Series | Book 1

Chapter 7-Truth Be Told

Warning: PTSD moment/imagery

As she lowered the ladder to the attic down, she gave me a look as if to tell me to go up. I put my bookbag down and climbed up the ladder. I opened the attic door and went into the darkness.

After I got up there, I looked around using my night vision. It was very ominous and dark. There was no light as there were no windows. With every step I took, the floor creaked.

'Why did she want me to come up here?'

I walked through a maze of boxes with dust and spider webs everywhere. The whole place seemed deserted as if no one had been up there in months. I sat down by one of the boxes and dusted it off. I opened the flaps and rumbled through it. It had books.

"Hmm nothin' interestin' in here," I said to myself.

I pulled another box towards me. There was a label on it. It read: Family Secrets. I immediately stood up and picked it up. I left the attic and quickly entered my room, locking the door. I took a seat on my bed and placed the box on the floor in between my legs. I shoved my hands into the box and pulled out a book. It was old-fashioned and was a garnet color.

"Freddy," I read the label on the front. My brows furrowed in confusion. "Who is Freddy?"

I flipped through the pages slowly as I grew curious. I stopped at a page with a bunch of writing and pictures. In one of the pictures, there were wolves that were gathered around, standing on rocks as if to be in a pack. All of them were brown except for one. The one with jet black fur and golden eyes.

'Why does it look like mine?'

Under the photo was a description that said:

1981. The night of becoming part of the pack.

The other page had a photo of that same black wolf, this time, it was up close like a portrait. Next to the photo was another photo. In the photo was a dark skin man. Something about this man was familiar.

My eyes went wide in realization.

'Oh mah god. This man was in that photo Jacobe gave me. He's mah dad?'

As I flipped through more pages, I noticed that there were pages missing. I just kept reading. The paper had an old texture to them. It felt gritty. I stopped at a page when I saw a wedding photo. My eyes lingered on the writing from which I could barely read due to cursive or being blacked out.

1984. Special night of my life. I love you my lovely wife, Janiya.

'So my mom was married before.'

I stared at the photo for a long time. My mom appeared very young and beautiful. She seemed to be excited as she was standing forehead to forehead with the man.

'They must've been a happy couple.'

I felt a tear roll down my cheek and I wiped it away quickly. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. I tried to read the rest, but no luck. That is, until I found the picture I saw when I first encountered Jacobe. I went straight to the description under it.

I can't take care of this child. He has the gene and I have a feeling that something is going to happen. I have to split this family apart.

'What de hell.'

Anger washed over me. I slapped the book shut and just sat there thinking. I couldn't believe that my own dad would abandon his own son. He even created a monster out of my brother.

I hurriedly dove into the box, finding another book. Thankfully, I found one. It had no title and was a royal blue color. This book must've had serious secrets, otherwise it would've had a title. I quickly opened the book and I was met with–a picture of 4 men. They were all standing shoulder to shoulder, wearing tuxedos and sunglasses. Think of Men In Black. My eyes widened in horror. These men weren't just any men. These men would come to my home and would tell my mother that they were people of a business that searched for kids who were strangely gifted and intelligent.

But that was all a lie. They tortured me. Used me as an experiment, They tried to make me into something that I'm not. I didn't even know how they didn't wake up my wolf doing what they did. It lasted 6 months. They stopped after failing the experiment. I purposely hid my scars and walked around, putting on a fake face on. My mother ended up noticing my behavior and that's when–I told her. I told her the truth which sent me to therapy for 2 years. I was almost sent to a mad house due to how many mental breakdowns and episodes I had.

Flashbacks of everything flickered on and off in my brain. The endless terror. The screams. The men. The needles they stuck me with. The chair they tied me to. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head.

'Calm down. Breathe.'

I blew my breath and stormed out of my room, going to Mellissa's room.

"Whut the hell is this?" I said, throwing the book on her bed. She was lounging on her bed with her legs crossed, reading a book.

She looked up at me. "Watch it and what are you talkin' 'bout?"

"Why is there a picture of those men in that book?"

She scrunched her brows together and reached for the book. She opened it and as soon as she saw the first page, she gasped. She scrambled out of the bed, grabbing the book.

"You weren't supposed to find this."

"Well how was I supposed to know, you sent me up there without warning," I told her, throwing my hands up.

"Did you read anything in this book?" Mellissa asked, fear rising in her voice.

I shook my head slowly, almost hesitantly.

"Did you?!" she repeated.

"No. No, ah didn't."

'Why is she so freaked out?'

She sighed in relief.

"Why wuz those men in dat book?" I asked, now worried. She shook her head, rubbing her hand on her face. "You know those men ruined mah life."

"Those men aren't around anymore."

"Then why are you freaked out?"

She blew her breath and mumbled a "nothing". Then she walked out.