Mythic Bloodline: The Dreadful Fate of the MacAllister Family

Chapter Four The River

 Bryer sighed before setting down his things near the stairs. He didn't wish to go upstairs just yet. He wanted to explore his new surroundings and get a feel of the new terrain around him. He walked out the door and down the steps, breathing in deeply and smiling to himself. Closing his eyes, he listened to the nature around him, the birds chirping, the soft sound of water flowing through rocks, and the wind dancing through the branches. When he opened his eyes, he walked to the river, seeing the crystal clear water flowing through cracks and crevices of the rocks. Dipping a hand in, the water was ice cold with a powerful current pulling at his hand.

"I'd be careful if I were you. That's the same place where I lost my footing and drowned."

Bryer jumped and stared at...Ryan? No, he was staring at Ryan's twin, Skyler. His clothes were dripping, his hair had leaves and twigs tangled, and his skin had small flakes of ice. As Bryer stared, Skyler chuckled and pointed to a rock sitting at the other side. That's when he explained that he was looking for Amanda, to tell her that he would never hurt her and that Ryan had just killed both Mom and Dad. But she had thrown a rock to distract him and he had slipped into the river, hitting his head, and drowning. Tears trickled down Bryer's face as he felt the pain of betrayal.

"If you are smart, you wouldn't try crossing the river. Those rocks are more dangerous than they may look."

Bryer nodded his head and watched as Skyler walked through the river and disappeared in the blink of an eye. He then looked down and thought he saw frost forming on his hand, much like the frost on Skyler's cheek. He tried to use his breath to warm his hands but it was no use, the frost then turned to ice that slowly crawled up his hand, to his arm, and finally onto his cheek. The cold stung when he tried to brush off the frost. It felt like he was trapped, his feet becoming heavy. He then started to feel tired, dropping to his knees. He saw Skyler watching him just below the surface of the water with a crooked smile. Suddenly, a frost-bitten hand splashes out of the water and tries to grab at his face. He immediately shoved himself back with a scream before seeing the hand slowly resubmerge.

"Please, I don't want to die. My family needs me."

"You think I wanted this?!"

Skyler's voice became angry as he rose out of the water. Storming over, he leaned over Bryer and stared deep into his eyes. Replaying the night he had drowned. Feeling the ice-cold water whisk him away and feeling his flesh slowly start to freeze. Bryer shook his head and the feelings slowly subsided. As he gathered his strength, he slowly stood up and started walking back to his house. Skyler watched and smiled to himself as Bryer walked inside. Swallowing hard, he walked past Catherine in a daze before sitting on the couch and trying to regather his thoughts. Mason was busy in his new office and Catherine was walking up and down the stairs, placing their belongings in their new respective places. That's when there was a knock on the door.

"Bryer? Can you get the door? It might be your father's friends!"

Bryer slowly stood up and walked to the door, swinging it open he was met with his father's friend. He stepped aside and walked onto the porch. He then sat down and stared at the river. Seeing Skyler standing there with a smile as the frost on his cheek sparkled in the sunlight. As he stared, Skyler would walk around the water, making no disturbance. As Bryer watched, Skyler suddenly slipped and fell into the water! Bryer stood to his feet and watched as his body was carried away by the water, his head fully submerged. Bryer jumped to his feet but then paused. Skyler is a ghost, he can die. Can ghosts die?

"I'm not going over there!"

Skyler then slowly rose out of the water. He was snickering to himself and slowly started walking out of the river. His clothes and body were dripping with water and he walked up the stairs and onto the porch. Bryer watched as Skyler sat down next to him.

"You're not as fun as you look."

"You told me that if I was smart, I wouldn't walk into the river."

"Well, I don't care what you do. If you were in my shoes, you'd also be tired of seeing the same faces and having the same arguments."

Bryer paused, he hadn't thought about it like that. They've been here for so long constantly arguing and never being able to leave. They were stuck here not solving anything. Bryer sighed softly and looked at Skyler. He seemed more saddened than his playful manner. That's when Bryer started thinking more about the subject. What if his family was trapped in the same place and constantly arguing with each other and not solving anything?

"Skyler, I'm sorry that you passed away. It must be a living nightmare. Knowing that you're trapped in the same house for decades, seeing the same faces and having the same arguments."

Skyler smiled softly, the frost on his cheek cracking. When he smiled, Bryer felt something, it wasn't cold, it was warm and welcoming. Could he be friends with the twins? It doesn't seem too bad to have two new friends. But how would his parents feel? His new schoolmates would probably bully him and call him names. As these thoughts filled his head, his mother, Catherine, came out and grabbed his shoulder.

"Your father wants to speak to you, honey."

Bryer slowly got up and followed his mom inside. Pausing for a moment, he looked and saw that Skyler had disappeared. He sighed and walked inside to see that his father had an angry look plastered on his face. He then pointed to Bryer's possessions and then pointed upstairs. When Bryer looked up the stairs, he saw a woman standing there. She had short curly brown hair, blue pants with a matching shirt, and a brown long jacket. But when he got a closer look, he saw dark blue, purple, and black bruises decorating her neck like a tight necklace. When their eyes met, she had a shocked expression as she tumbled down the stairs, and heard a loud snap as her head smacked into the wall and her neck became loose and limp. Bryer wanted to scream but he couldn't, his father didn't believe that there were ghosts in the house.

"Care to explain why these are out here rather than in your new room?"

"I'm sorry Dad, I wanted to explore."

"You can explore later, please get your things off the floor and into your new room please."

 Mason then walked past Bryer and into an office. Bryer leaned down grabbed his duffel bag, stepped over the lady, and walked up the stairs. As he walked, he heard something behind him slowly rise, but when he turned around there was no one there. He sighed to himself and continued walking up the steps before turning right and seeing a room. The door was a pale blue, almost bleached white from the sunlight shining on it. When he reached for the doorknob, he paused and looked up, feeling someone watching him. He shook off the feeling and grabbed the golden knob, twisting it, and opening the door. Looking in from the doorway, the room was a decent size and had carpeted floors and a slanted ceiling. It was everything that he had wanted. While Bryer imagined where everything would go, he heard heels clicking in the hallway. His mother never wore heels, only for special events and his father never wore heeled dress shoes either for the same reason.

"Maybe I can get my hands on a portable projector and place my bed perpendicular to the ceiling."

 As Bryer placed some of his possessions in their respective places and planned out where everything else would be when he got his furniture. One of Mason's friends had dragged a few of his things upstairs and Bryer pulled it into his new room. Pushing his dresser into place and hanging a few of his clothes on a long wooden beam. As he placed his things on top of the dresser, he heard the same pair of heels clicking around. He wanted look to and see who it was but part of him said to focus on what he was doing first. He planned out where the portable projector would be and smiled to himself. He hung some posters on his wall and placed some trinkets where some shelves would be. He then helped take apart his bedframe and carry the pieces into his room. 

"This room is going to be awesome. And mom won't have to freak out because she doesn't like a certian thing or because something isnt where it should be. Having complete creative control feels great."