As I sped down the winding roads in my Chevrolet Corvette, the anger that had been building inside me after the meeting with my father seemed to dissipate, gradually replaced by a numb sense of emptiness. The night air rushed through the open windows, a cooling balm against the turmoil within. I needed this drive, this solitary moment to gather my thoughts and clear my mind of the toxic influence my father always seemed to exude.
Finally, I found myself at the edge of a cliff overlooking the city. It was a spot I often frequented when I needed to escape from the world. The twinkling lights below seemed so distant, as if they were a problem for someone else entirely. I parked my car close to the edge and stepped out, leaning against its sleek exterior.
The calmness of the night enveloped me, offering a respite from the chaos that had consumed my mind. I closed my eyes, allowing the tranquility to seep into every fiber of my being. This was my sanctuary, my place of solace. I took a deep breath, the sharp scent of pine mingling with the crisp night air.
Suddenly, the serene stillness was shattered by the jarring ringtone of my phone. I groaned inwardly, not wanting to be disturbed from this precious moment of peace. I reluctantly fished out my phone from my pocket and glanced at the caller ID. It was my mother. Panic surged through me, overriding the calm I had just attained.
I answered the phone hastily, fearing the worst. My mother's voice trembled with fear as she relayed the events that had unfolded in my absence. My father had summoned Ignatios, one of the twins, into his office after my stormy departure. As Katherine, the other one of the duo, stood near the closed doors, she heard Ignatios let out a bloodcurdling scream. And in turn, Katherine was sent spiraling into the clutches of an anxiety attack, rendering her unresponsive and struggling for breath.
I cursed under my breath, my earlier anger replaced by a fierce protectiveness for my siblings. Ignatios, Katherine, and I had always relied on each other after Calypso's death, to weather the storms our father had unleashed upon us. Innocents trapped in a web of his manipulation and cruelty.
Assuring my mother that I would be there as quickly as possible, I hung up the phone. A sense of urgency pulsed through my veins as I rushed back to my car, not caring for traffic rules or the possibility of encountering police officers. My only focus was getting home to my troubled siblings.
With each passing mile, my anxiety grew, threatening to consume me. The sound of the engine roared in my ears, mirroring the chaos swirling inside my mind. I pushed the car to its limits, the speedometer climbing higher and higher. The adrenaline coursing through my veins added fuel to the roaring fire of fear within me.
Thoughts of all the times my father had hurt us flashed through my mind. The physical and emotional pain inflicted on my siblings and me, the years of manipulation and control, it all surged to the surface. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white, as rage fueled my determination to protect my family.
Finally, I reached our Victorian-style house, the sight of it immediately triggering memories of happier times. Ignatios and Katherine had always found solace within its walls, just as I had often sought refuge in the open road. But now, those safe havens were shattered, our sanctuary violated by the unseen but ever-present shadows cast by our father.
Fear gripped my heart as I hurriedly entered the house, the air thick with tension. The office door loomed before me, closed and forbidding. The silence that followed was deafening, punctuated only by the rapid beating of my own heart. My mind was filled with a multitude of terrifying possibilities as I raised my hand to open the door with urgency.
However, before I could make contact, the door swung open, revealing the pale, trembling form of Ignatios. Tears streaked his face, his eyes filled with a mixture of panic and relief at the sight of me. Without a word, I enveloped him in a protective embrace, feeling his body tremble against mine.
As we stood there, clinging to each other for support, I glanced over Ignatios' shoulder, praying silently for Katherine's safety. I pulled him along with me and we rushed into my mother's room And there she stood, pale and shaken, but alive. Relief washed over me as I released Ignatios and rushed to Katherine's side, who lay motionless on the bed and enveloped her in a warm hug, assuring her that we were all safe and that nothing bad would happen. After a while she eventually calms down and passes out.
Ignatios's face bore the marks of distress, and his voice trembled as he tried to explain what had transpired in our father's office. Our father had summoned him and had tried to force him to drink a purplish black liquid in the office, which he refused. Our father then left the office with his bodyguards. In his desperation to discover secrets from my father's past, Ignatios had stumbled upon something far more dangerous than he had anticipated. His discovery had triggered an unseen force, a power that threatened to consume him.
As I listened to the fear and determination in Ignatios's voice, a fierce fire ignited within me. I would do whatever it took to protect my siblings, to defeat the darkness that haunted our lives. The time for running away was over; it was time for us to stand together, to face our demons head-on.
In that moment, standing there with my mother and siblings, I realized that our bond was unbreakable. No matter what horrors awaited us in the shadows, we would face them together. And as we embraced in a silent promise, the old house seemed to hum with the echoes of past battles fought and future battles yet to come.
It was time for my plans to take place.