That's Where Aurabelle Lives

Chapter 14: Flight and Refuge and Red

The streets blur past as Ethan, Lisa, and Sarah make their hasty retreat. Ethan's house isn't far, but with every step, the weight of what has just happened hangs heavier upon them. Sarah's eyes are glazed over, her mind seemingly somewhere else, trapped in a moment they can't reach.

As they turn a corner, the distance between Sarah's home and safety widens, and the urgency of their escape begins to settle into a tense silence. They reach Ethan's house—a familiar two-story building with a front porch that has witnessed countless summer evenings of laughter and conversation.

Ethan fumbles with his keys, hands shaking, but manages to unlock the door. They slip inside, and he quickly leads them through the dimly lit hallway to the kitchen, where he finds a first aid kit. Lisa helps Sarah sit at the wooden table, her own hands trembling as she takes in the sight of the blood, now drying and crusting around Sarah's wound.

"Let's get this cleaned up," Ethan says, his voice steady as he tries to focus on the task at hand. He gently unwraps his jacket from Sarah's hand, revealing a deep gash across her palm. Lisa winces, but Sarah doesn't react to the pain. It's as if she's disconnected from the physical world.

Ethan cleans the wound with care, his movements practiced and precise. Lisa watches, her mind racing with questions and fears. "What are we going to do?" she whispers, glancing towards Sarah, who sits silently, her gaze fixed on nothing.

"We'll figure it out," Ethan replies, but his voice lacks conviction. He secures a bandage around Sarah's hand, and for a moment, their eyes meet. There's a shared understanding—a recognition of the sort...

Once the wound is taken care of, Ethan brews some tea, an attempt at normalcy in an entirely abnormal situation.

The silence stretches on until Sarah lets out a sudden, harsh laugh. It's a sound that doesn't quite fit the somber mood, and it startles both Ethan and Lisa.

"Can you believe this?" Sarah says, a twisted smile on her lips. "It's like something out of a movie. The quiet girl snaps and takes out her rage on a squawking parrot."

Ethan and Lisa exchange a glance, their expressions a mixture of concern and disbelief. Sarah would never find it funny upsetting the very people that barely wanted her to begin with. This isn't the reaction they expect from their friend. Ethan sets the camera down, his hands steady despite the unease churning inside him.

"Sarah, this isn't a laughing matter," Ethan says, his voice firm. "You're hurt, and what you did... it's serious."

Lisa nods in agreement, her eyes fixed on Sarah, searching for a trace of the friend she knows. "We're worried about you. This isn't like you at all. We need to talk about what's happening and how we can help."

Sarah's laugh fades into a smirk, but it's hollow, and her gaze drifts away from her friends. "Come on, it's just a parrot. They're probably relieved to be rid of the noisy thing. Besides, it's not like I went after a person."

Ethan leans in. "But that's just it, Sarah. It's not about the parrot. It's about you and how you're dealing with everything since the haunted house. We're here for you, but you've got to talk to us. They could put you in some sort of mental home for that you know!"

Lisa puts her hand on Sarah's arm, a gesture meant to ground her. "We don't find it funny because it's not you. You're not violent, and you've never been cruel. Something's changed, and we need to understand why. We can't just pretend this didn't happen," Lisa continues. "Sarah, you... you hurt an animal."

Sarah's response is slow, her voice flat. "It was just a bird."

"But it does matter," Ethan insists, leaning forward. "You're not violent, Sarah."

Lisa nods in agreement, her eyes filled with worry. "We're your friends, Sarah. We care about you. Let's figure this out together."

Sarah's eyes flicker to the camera Ethan had set on the table earlier. "What's that for?" She asks, nodding her head towards the camera.

Ethan musters a smile. "That's supposed to help you remember. It's for us actually. All of us."

Ethan picks up the camera, considering it for a moment before responding. "We thought it might help you reconnect with... with everything. But right now, we need to deal with what just happened."

Lisa interjects, an idea forming. "Maybe it still can help. We can document what's happening, Sarah. It might give us some insight into why things are... changing with you."

Sarah looks at them both, a hint of the old curiosity in her eyes. "Okay," she murmurs.
"Can I see it?" she asks, extending her bandaged hand slightly toward Ethan. "The camera."

Ethan hesitates for a moment, reading the subtle change in her expression, but then passes the camera to her. "Sure, Sarah," he says. "Maybe taking a few pictures will help you feel more in...control."

Sarah nods and takes the camera, feeling its weight in her hands. She stands up, a determined glint in her eye, and looks through the viewfinder at Ethan and Lisa. Although she's never seen a camera that looked or worked that way, she naturally figures it out, easy. Smile," she instructs, though her voice lacks its usual warmth. A familiar word she never heard during happy moments.

Ethan and Lisa exchange a small, uncertain smile and then look toward the camera, trying to project a sense of normalcy despite the tension that hangs between them. The camera clicks as Sarah captures the moment.

"Let's see how it turned out," Sarah says, her voice a mix of curiosity and something else that Ethan and Lisa can't quite identify. She pulls the camera away from her face to look at the digital display.

Her eyes widen, and the blood drains from her face. In the photo, behind Ethan's smiling face, there's a twisted figure, red, with a dark glow and eyeless, clinging to his back like a shadow made flesh. Sarah's heart races, and a chill runs down her spine. She knows, without a doubt, that this is the source of the darkness that's been encroaching on their lives. The same that attached to her family. The Walter's Family. It's not the same one but one of the evil kinds. Another creation secretly living amounts humans who dare seek them.

Ethan and Lisa notice Sarah's reaction and lean in to see the picture, but the image on the screen shows nothing out of the ordinary—just the two of them smiling awkwardly in Ethan's kitchen.

"What is it, Sarah?" Lisa asks, concern lacing her voice.

Sarah glances from the camera to Ethan, who is oblivious to the sinister presence that seems to have attached itself to him seen on the camera. She's torn between revealing the terrifying truth and protecting herself and her freedom. If they find out she's Aurabelle, they may be able to send her back to the evil cursed house.

"It's nothing," she says at last, forcing a nonchalant shrug. "Just thought I saw a smudge on the lens or something. Thought I broke it for a second. The picture is fine."

She puts the camera down, pushing it away from her as if distancing herself from the ghostly image she's just seen. She masks her fear with a faint smile, but her hands tremble slightly as she folds them in her lap.

Ethan and Lisa remain none the wiser to the dark entity that's made its presence known to Sarah. They are relieved that Sarah seems to be engaging with them, even if her smile doesn't reach her eyes. They resolve to keep an eye on her, to support her through whatever is happening.