Open Secrets✔️

X

I remember looking around. It was in the morning, but there was nobody around. I was in my bedroom, but Danny was gone. I couldn't remember if it was a weekday or weekend. I figured that if it was a weekday somebody would have woke me up for school.

The room had a misty feel to it. It was almost foggy. I could hear faint talking. It didn't sound like arguing or yelling. I assumed it was Mom and Danny. I got out of bed and slowly walked towards the door, putting my head up to it. I still couldn't fully make out what they were saying.

I try to open the door as quietly as possible; although, our bedroom door always had a little creek to it. I was hoping they wouldn't hear it because if they did, I was sure they would stop talking. They continued talking, which was a good sign. I went to the edge of the staircase and sat down on the first step.

"We can't hide it forever." Danny said.

"Yes we can." Mom said, "The doctor said that he will never remember."

"Mom, it was an experimental drug. He could remember it at anytime."

"No he won't. Everything will be okay. Plus it really was an accident."

"That doesn't mean he's not guilty. The police will find out."

"NO. The police are never going to find out because we're not going to say anything."

"What about his doctor? The doctor knows."

"The doctor knows nothing. It's okay, nobody will know that you did it."

"But Mom-" My eyes got wide and I ran to my room. Were they seriously saying that Danny had killed dad? There's no way. Sure I thought Danny was a little crazy at times, and he did read a lot of books about murder. But Danny would never do that to Dad. He loved and idolized him way too much. He's not a murderer.

I sat on my bed with tears rolling down my face. I didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be true, but I heard them say it. It came right out of their mouth. It can't be true. It can't. I went downstairs to confront them, but they weren't talking about it anymore. It didn't stop me from asking.

"Danny did you really kill dad?"

He stared at me for a few moments, "What are you talking about?"

"I heard you talking to Mom."

"Oh baby, that wasn't anything important." Mom says.

"You were talking about Dad, and that he wouldn't remember. I heard you say that 'Nobody will know that you did it' and you said it to Danny.

"I didn't kill Dad." Danny said.

"THEN WHO DID?!" I said, raising my voice. They had concerned looks on their faces. I had a feeling they were lying. But why? Why didn't they want me to know?

"Chad, wake up." Danny was once again shaking me. I woke up in a cold sweat again. I was breathing a little heavily and looked confused. My dreams just kept feeling more and more real, "You ok? Your crying." He asked.

"Ugh..." I was wiping the sweat and tears off of my face. I took a deep breath, "Ugh, yeah. I'm good."

"Are you sure. Every night it seems like your having a bad dream. Is it the same dream?" I was silent for a few moments. I couldn't tell him what the dreams were about yet.

"Ugh. I think it's the same dream, but the same thing isn't happening over and over. It's like... continuing or something."

"Well, what is it. It must be pretty scary if it makes you shake, sweat, and cry." I gulped.

"I keep forgetting. As soon as I wake up, I forget."

"Well if you remember, tell me. But, you wanna hear good news?"

"What good news?" I asked.

"We caught a raccoon in the trap. I already have it cooking."

"Raccoon? Is it even safe to eat?"

"Of course. People eat it for survival all the time. It's not the best tasting meat, that's why people don't casually eat it, but it is edible."

"Ok."

"Here." He said, handing me my bottle, "I got you some water. Come outside. The raccoon is probably almost done." I get up and walk outside with him. It is bright. I squint my eyes.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"I don't know. Maybe around 9 or 10. If so, we need to hurry up and eat, so we can keep moving."

"What's the plan for today?" We sit down on this old wooden bench in front of the fire. Danny checks the food.

"I don't know. To be honest, I thought about following the railroad again."

"Yeah, maybe."

"We can't go to Summerset. It's way too big. If we weren't on TV before, we definitely are now. Someone will surely recognize us." We were silent for a few moments.

"Danny."

"What?"

"What's gonna happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, we can't run forever. What's gonna happen when Mom finds us. Or if they send us back to her. Will she hurt us?"

"No. She won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because Mom knows why we left."

"She does?" I ask.

"If she hasn't figured it out by now, she will eventually."

"Figured what out?"

"That it was her, Chad. She drove us away. If we do go back, she will do nothing but love us." Danny looked at me with a serious look, "We all make mistakes, Chad. People shouldn't be punished for their mistakes forever. Yes, we will go back someday. When? I don't know." Danny began getting the raccoon off of the stick.

I thought long and hard about what he said. I felt it for some reason. Like I had some sort of connection to it. I was certain that Danny said it because he killed Dad.

"What mistake did you make?" I asked. Danny handed me a piece of meat. Danny stared at his piece for a few moments.

"It doesn't matter. Big things, little things. Nobody's perfect."

"I know. My mistake was getting that pudding cup, right?" Danny looked at me with a little smirk.

"Maybe."