Do You Remember Me?, Onyx [i can read book club txt] 📗

I was broken. You know the rest.”
My gaze shifted to the floor, as a tear fell from my eyes. Danielle placed her hand upon mine, her face damp.
“And you think that is your fault? It’s not.”
“But it was! If I’d never slept with that girl, if I hadn’t gone to the store that day, she wouldn’t be jealous of you and decide to try and kill you for me! Do you not understand I almost got you killed?”
“Chris, we all make mistakes. We all make wrong decisions. We all do things we regret and that’s ok. That doesn’t make us guilty for what others decide to do because of our actions. Do you not understand that she was the psycho one that almost killed me? Not you.”
I looked up at her and shook my head, “But I’m the one who-“
“Shush.” She put a finger to my lips, “It’s not your fault.” She leaned in and pulled me into a tender kiss. Everything melted away and for that instant, there was only me and her and nothing else. In that moment I knew I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life, and I would never do anything to screw that up again.
I pulled away and stood, holding out my hand for her to take. She grabbed it and I gently pulled her to her feet.
“I want to see the basement.”
I turned to her, “You sure?”
She nodded, “Confirmation. To the dreams.”
“Well alright.” I lead her to the back of the house, to the room with the stairs leading down into the cold, dark basement.
I stepped inside first, feeling around for the chain to the overhead light. I eventually found it and light poured into the basement, revealing the chain on the floor that once held Danielle prisoner.
Only now did Danielle step inside, over to me. She looked around, her gaze lingering on the chain.
“Exactly how it is my dreams… except… there used to be water?”
I sighed, “Only for extra torment. It was winter so of course the water was freezing. They were cruel people, Danielle. Especially Amber. ”
She walked over to the chain on the ground, knelt down and felt it, “Its ice cold.”
It felt so wrong being here again. I half expected Amber and Erick to barge in.
“Well, look who it is, Erick. Get him!”
I’d tried to fight back, but he had me on the floor in an instant. I got back up and punch Erick in the face, but he punched me back, kicked me in the gut, pinned me down and held me his hands tight around my neck until I started fighting for breath.
“You think you can just save her and escape that easy? You think you can just waltz in here and be the hero and save the day?”
She’d slapped me and I spit at her.
“Hmmph. He needs a little more discipline, Erick.”
He kicked me in the stomach. Then the ribs. He pulled me back up to my knees by my hair and punched my face a few times, until my eyes were black and my lip was torn and swollen.
“Chris!” Danielle had screamed, sobbing from her imprisonment.
“Let’s get out of this damned place.”
“Okay…” Danielle said, following me up the stairs after pulling the chain to the light again.
The last thing we did before leaving, is search the kitchen for food. All we found was a moldy loaf of bread, spoiled milk, a can of peaches and a ‘family size’ box of fruit loops. We took the fruit loops, filled all 5 of our water bottles up with water from the tap, turned off all the lights and left. It did my heart and mind damn good to know I would never have to deal with this place, nor Amber or Erick ever again.

Danielle

The house was white. Car port. One big window in the living room. Vines had grown up the sides of the house and the grass was almost a foot tall.
I stepped inside. The smell of mold, lose and death hit my nostrils. I took a look around. I knew this place. Not with everything smashed, shattered or ruined like it was now, but I knew this place and I knew it well. And there was my blanket and Rex still waiting patiently for me on the couch.
“It’ll take time to fix it up, and get everything back to the way it used to be, but I’m optimistic about it. They might even give me my old job back at the computer repair, I mean… I always did 80% of the work.” Chris explained, trying to shed some light on this place.
I nodded, curling up on the couch. A calm feeling washed over me.
I had a home now. I had a purpose. I had a life, a past, a meaning. The best man I could ever ask for. I turned back to Chris and patted the spot next to me on the couch. He lay down beside me, resting his head on my shoulder, arm around my waist, and was asleep within minutes.

Epilogue

Epilogue
Jaclyn

Buzz.
Buzz.

What the hell was that noise?
Buzz.
Buzz.

Oh, right, my phone. It was on vibrate. On the dining table, I assumed.
Buzz.
Buzz.

I was far too tired to pick it up. If it was important, they’d leave a message.
Buuuuuuzz.

Silence.
…BEEP BEEP BEEP.
Yep, see. That meant there was a voicemail. I shut my eyes. 10 minutes later and I still couldn’t fall asleep. Trying was wasting my time. Might as well listen to the voicemail.
Stood up. Walked over to the dining table. Picked up the cellphone. Dialed my own number. Dialed the pass code.
“Call me. Immediately.”
I sighed. Pressed ‘Call Back.’
Ring, ring. Ring, ring.

“Hello?”
“You wanted me to call you?”
“Ah, right. As you know, 4 months ago, my sister and brother went missing. I suspect your little friend has something to do with that. Where is the girl?”
I gulped, “He took her. 3 months ago. If they’ve been missing, why are you just calling now?”
“If he took her, why are you only informing me of this now?”
“Because I thought maybe you let him go!” I was almost yelling.
She sighed, “Never mind that. He killed my brother and sister. I can’t let him get away with this. I’m on my way with an old friend. And YOU are helping us find him and finish this, whether you like it or not.”
“Why me? And what about Danielle?”
“Because you were the one who carelessly let her go when I specifically told you not to let him get to her. I told you to keep her there with you and make certain she didn’t remember anything. Especially not him. She probably knows everything by now. Go ahead and kill her too.”
“Fine. Amber, does he have any idea that was your twin he killed and not you?”
She laughed menacingly.
“Not a clue.”

Imprint

Images: Would like to thank http://www.wattpad.com/user/Nativemoon for the amazing cover!
Publication Date: 02-11-2012

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