“No.” They tried to pass her off as a doll and then told me she was Jer’s friend. “I remember her name and face.”
Fiona straightened her legs, stretched and sat beside me. “Scarlett, Evelyn is your sister.”
The air in the room thinned. “I have a sister?”
Donald leant forwards. “You do.”
“Just one?”
“Yes. Just you and Evelyn, you used to call her Evie.”
Evie. Evie. I still couldn’t remember her.
“Once the ceremony is over, and the sacrifice has been made, you will be reunited with her,” Donald added.
Two things took my breath away; how casually and callously he spoke of killing me, and the fact that my sister was dead.
“When did she…?”
“Not long after you were taken,” Fiona replied. “But please do not be sad. She is not lost forever.”
Their youngest child died and they were talking about her like she was a bloody shoe.
They didn’t seem that cut up over her death, and I wasn’t sure if that was because they believed they would see her again or because they didn’t believe she was the one that could save them. Either way, I knew they were selfish and didn’t deserve to have children.
Noah had led me to think Evelyn was someone close to me. I didn’t understand how he could lie so well for so long, drip-feeding me information in the sneakiest ways. He was so convincing. I believed he loved me. That hurt the most.
“They did tell me one thing,” I said.
“Oh?” Fiona said.
“That you’re all brainwashed lunatics who’re going to murder me in cold blood that will end up with your sorry arses in prison. My parents will look, which means the police will look. Do you really think you’re going to get away with it?”
I had no idea what’d come over me. I hated confrontation but here I was, completely out of character, telling things exactly how they were. As scared as I was, I also felt liberated. The Scarlett before I was betrayed too many times would let so many things go.
I wasn’t weak. I could be strong. I wasn’t going to take anything lightly anymore, and I was going to fight. One way or another, I was going to make sure they didn’t take my life. My teeth clenched together, a burning fire inside me roared to life, spurring me on.
Fiona shook her head lightly, even when challenged she was calm and smiling. Evil cow. “We are not the brainwashed ones, Scarlett. We want love, peace and happiness. We do not live in a place where war, discrimination and hate occur. We live with nature; we do not rip it down. We do not eat once living creatures.”
“Right, you only murder your offspring.”
“You will see. I promise you that.”
“I already see everything for what it is. Do you honestly think I believe life outside here is perfect? Grow up. I’ve watched the news. I know what evil shit is out there and I don’t think it’s right but I will never believe taking someone’s life is okay. No matter what you think is going to happen after. You’re monsters dressing up belief as something else to justify what you want to do.”
“If you would rather not eat with the community tonight, Scarlett, you may eat in your room. Perhaps you may benefit from an early night,” Donald said, totally changing the subject.
“I think I’d rather skip dinner and just sleep.”
Fiona tilted her head as she looked at Donald. Getting his permission? Was he the one that led her to believe killing her child was a fabulous idea? I didn’t understand what made them think I was anything other than just a girl. Who decided I was the one to save them all? Him. My guess was him.
Donald dipped his chin. “As you wish. Fiona, would you like to show our daughter to her room?”
“Of course,” Fiona said, rising to her feet. She stared down at me, her blue eyes that matched mine glowing with happiness. I looked a lot like her but my hair was a lighter brown like Donald’s. Seeing them made me realise how much I didn’t look like my parents or brother. It was another hard kick to the stomach.
The thought of my family waiting for me to come home was like having a knife ripped through my heart. How would they react when they found out? I regretted ever being moody and angry with them. They were saving me from this. I never had so much love, respect and admiration for them as I did right now.
I followed Fiona through the short corridor to the room at the end. Everywhere was clad in a light wood, giving it a cabin feel. I didn’t want to think it was pretty, but it was. She opened the door and there was my room. Cream painted wooden walls, a slightly darker painted built-in wardrobe with matching bed and bedside tables.