Secrets, Deals and Lies

Part 2. Chapter 1 - Kiss for Key?

The next morning I wake up with Daniel talking on the phone in my bedroom – again.

‘Hey,’ he says emotionless. ‘Hey,’ I croak out rubbing my eyes. He sits on my bed contemplating me for a while. ‘So, you alright?’ he asks watching me carefully like he could read my mind.

I wasn’t planning on telling him how scared I was yesterday after punching The Warden; I didn’t want anyone else to know.

‘Yeah, I guess,’ I say instead, finally holding his gaze. He goes quiet for a while still watching me closely. ‘Good… that’s good,’ he says nodding his head, ‘so you gonna come downstairs to eat?’ he asks.

‘Yeah, but maybe later,’ I smile but he doesn’t smile back making it awkward because he never doesn’t smile back. I look at the door thinking about Jack, and then look back at him looking at his hands in his lap.

‘Daniel… where’s Jack?’ I ask. He looks back at me, ‘I don’t know,’ he says looking back down for a moment then back up.

‘What do you mean you don’t know?’ I ask confused.

He has to know, he should know everything that goes on in the house.

‘I don’t know where he is, Remy,’ he says plainly holding my gaze, ‘I'm sorry.’

‘Daniel, please, you have to know where he is. Just tell me and I’ll pretend you never told me, please.’ I plead.

‘Remy, I told you. I don’t know where he is, and even if I did you would already have known by now.’ He says standing up. ‘Look I only came here to see how you were. Come and eat breakfast and you can find him later.’ He says, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of bed.

I sigh and stand there looking at him as I let him go, ‘do you at least know who knows about where Jack is?’ I ask hopefully. He shakes his head then takes my hand in his again.

‘C’mon, let’s go downstairs,’ he says pulling me toward the door. I stop. ‘I’ll meet you there, I’m gonna change first,’ I say letting his hand go.

I put on shorts and a t-shirt then half jog downstairs looking for Daniel, but he wasn’t there. Instead of waiting I grab a random fruit and walked around looking for anyone, but there was no one. ‘Hello?’ I call out, loud enough for the whole house to hear me. No one responds or came out to say something and for once I didn't know what to do, I stand there thinking about where people could be.

After a while I finally walk to Nicks’ office door, I knock on it hard so whoevers in there could hear me but once again no one responds or comes out to say something.

‘Nick?’ I call, ‘Daniel?’ I walk around calling out names, even Billy, before going in and out of rooms, up and down the stairs.

The last room I got to was the basement which for some reason I saved up last. I grasp the door knob but it was locked, I stand there for a second then absent-mindedly start knocking even if I knew no one would open it or do anything.

I stop after about ten knocks and put my ear to the door, listening to anything. Nothing. I listen some more. Silence.

Even if I knew no one was in there I drag out a hello just before walking off. I hear something as I turn around to take a step but wasn’t sure if it was my imagination.

‘Hello?’ I ask again but a bit louder. I hear a low groan on the other side of the wall, a long, tired, suffering, groan. I try to open the door again but of course it didn’t open.

They moan again. Yes, definitely not my imagination.

I knew I could do nothing about opening the door.