Chapter 43: You're Lying
Everyone sat in a large circle facing one another. Finley sat on my right and Lily to my left. Susan sat directly across from me, still wearing her smug look as if she were saying she'll prove me wrong about this idea.
I took a glance around the rest of the group. Mixed emotions were plastered across every face, some scared, some very plain and unbothered. Lainey of course looked super pissed about the whole thing.
"Now, like I said, you all have something to hide. Something you brought to this town that you had hoped no one would find out. Why don't you go first Evangeline, I'm on the edge of my seat wondering why that thing wanted you so badly."
A crooked smile plastered across her face. A chill ran down my spine as I thought about how I would even explain it. Or maybe I could just tell another lie I've been holding in instead of that one.
"Fine. I stole my parents' car when I was 16 and hit a pole. I never told them and they thought they did it." Cake walk.
"Tsk, tsk, not a winner I'm afraid Evangeline." She shook her head at me.
"What the hell do you even mean! I told you a lie, someone else can go!" I was starting to get pissed off with this bitch.
First she tells us some dumb solution and then tells me my lie wasn't good enough! Maybe we should just leave this thing in the forest for fucks sake!
"There's something else. Didn't you hear it scream when I told Lainey what I had been keeping from her? My most trusted partner and yet I never told her what I knew. It doesn't feed off a simple baby lie. It feeds off of the shame from the lie, the reason you hide behind it. It's energy comes from how hard you work to keep the lie hidden, stored away for no one to see or find out. We can come back to you, but just sit on that thought."
Shit. What a nightmare this has become. This was supposed to be a gateaway car from everything I had to deal with back in my old town. Every secret that I thought I was escaping there, got int the car with me and traveled here.
"Who's next!" Susan clapped her hands together and looked around the circle until she landed on a random boy. Thomas I think is his name.
"You!" She pointed her finger at him. I never noticed that they were slightly crooked. I guess once someone starts showing their true colors they also start to appear different.
"Uh- I don't know. I never told anyone that I pushed my brother down the stairs. I told everyone he fell."
A small scream came from the forest after the last word left his mouth.
"Keep going, there's more to it, isn't there?" Susan pressed him.
Thomas's face turned red, tears started streaking his face. Murmurs started across the entire group as Susan kept taunting him to say more.
"I killed him! I was so angry, he had everything going for him and I didn't! But it was an accident! I just wanted him to not be able to play his sports anymore so my parents would be proud of me for once! They were always so proud of him, look at him, look how good he is, but never me. Never look at what Thomas has accomplished! He hit his head when he fell and ended up in a coma and never woke back up."
A blood-curdling scream came from inside the forest. Everyone covered their ears as the scream kept going. What the absolute fuck is going on and how did Susan know this would even work! Something didn't feel right about the information she knew.
Thomas dropped his head into his hands and started sobbing. I looked over at Susan who looked proud of herself. A few students went over to Thomas to console him. I guess his secret wasn't bad enough to push his friends away. Maybe my secret won't be as bad either.
"Perfect! Who's next!" Susan beamed.
"No one. We aren't doing that again. That was horrible! No one should have to do that. There has to be another way." I look over at where the voice just came from.
Shockingly Serenity piped up. Maybe she should go next, I bet she's got a bag full of secrets that could kill this thing with one blow.
"Then maybe you should go next my dear! We all know you've got something in there, probably more vile that what Thomas shared!" Susan preached.
"No way! I have nothing to share with these fools who have kept such horrid things to themselves." Serenity started to stand and walk away.
"Sit. Down." A deep gravelly voice came from Susan.
Serenity's face turned pale as her body dropped back to the ground like something had just forced her to do it. I look over to Susan who's face changed from proud to nothing.
"Tell us." Susan's voice remained dark.
"I-, I-" Serenity's mouth opened and closed but nothing came out of it.
"Tell. Us. Now."
"My parents are actually broke. My uncle is the one who bribes everyone at the school so I get my way. I have been using Finley to get rid of people. I drugged him once at a party when I found out he was seeing Lily, and then I told Lily he was cheating on her with me." Her hand came flying to her mouth after she uttered the last word.
Holy shit. My mouth gaped open. Was this girl serious? Others mimicked my expression, even her own goons.
"You're such a piece of shit. What the fuck is wrong with you? You drugged me? I always knew something was off about you and now I know. Fuck you Serenity."
Finley got up abruptly and started to walk off. Serenity tried to follow suit but her friend yanked her down and gave her look. Tears started to form in her eyes, and for a second I almost felt bad for her, but then I remembered how shitty she was to me and that I could've been her next victim.
Another scream came from the forest, and Susan began to clap.
"Bravo! Two down, the rest of you to go. Yoo-hoo! Finley! Why don't you come back and you can go next!"
Finley kept walking in the other direction and ended up sitting on a different log. I couldn't even fathom how he was feeling after the bombshell Serenity just dropped on him, and the rest of us.
I also just couldn't shake how Susan knew all of these things. Like she knew beforehand what we had to hide, and what was in the woods. There was something creepy about her, and if its anything close to what the Temptress is...she may have to die tonight too.