Seven People {Completed ✔️}

Chapter 21 (Zach)

When I go through the door, I see her. The girl who was supposed to have died 12 years ago. She's looking at me, I'm looking at her. I can't believe it.

"You're here. You're really here." I'm in complete shock. I thought it was only a rumour that she was still alive. I thought my parents were only sending their message because it would give them positive media coverage, something anyone and everyone seems to be vying for.

"Zach..." Her friends, or the people I presume to be her friends, stare at her, then at me, and then back at her. They don't seem to know how to react.

In the time it took me to think through all of that, a weight barged into me. T was Cara, with tears in her eyes. She was obviously bigger then she used to be, but our height difference hasn't changed at all. I was still slightly over a head taller than her. I hug her tightly, tighter than anyone else. It felt like a dream.

I grew up with this girl, and now she's here. In front of me. Hugging me.

"Where have you been? Last anyone here heard about you, we were burying an empty casket."

"Everywhere. I've been everywhere.

"Ok... So who are your friends?"

"Blake, Chloe, Talia, Nava and Talia's parents." She says that as if she's been repeating that exact same sentence to everybody the last few days. If the media and the rumours were to be believed, she probably had.

"So tell me what's happened over the years. I want to know everything."

"It's a long story." She said.

"I want to know as well." Talia, no, Chloe? One of the teenage girls piped in.

"But only if you feel comfortable." The mother said.

"I feel like it's time to share this story," Cara said, looking a the boy, who nodded back at her. Was this her boyfriend? She took us, deeper into the apartment, and we all settled on the couches in the living room.

"All of this began twelve years ago...

Zach's family, the Stevensons had dinner at our house, and when they left I was rushed to bed. It was eleven o'clock, and according to my parents, it was too late for a six-year-old to be awake. Mom and dad put me to bed, kissed me, and walked out. That was the last time I saw them.

The next morning, it was chaos. I don't really remember what happened, but I remember hearing sirens outside. Miss Leonard later told me it was because it was a Monday morning, and my parents hadn't left the house yet, and my nanny was trapped outside, trying to get in. It seemed suspicious, so one of the neighbours called the police. They found my parents, who at the time had already been dead. Miss Leonard woke me up and led me away from the scene.

I wasn't old enough to understand what was going on. And no one would really explain what was going on. I also remember being a little delirious.

Anyway, they brought me to witness protection, gave me something to eat and drink and then let me go take a nap. I remember it being hard to fall asleep, and maybe 30 minutes after they put me to sleep, miss Leonard came in with a stuffed animal. That put me right to sleep.

Hours later, I don't know when, or how many hours had past, they woke me up and brought me to the director's office. It was a different guy way back then. I don't really remember all that much about him.

I remember them asking me all of these questions. Did your parents have enemies, people who wanted to hurt them? Things like that. Keep in mind no one explained what had happened.

I'm pretty sure 10 minutes into my questioning, miss Leonard came in and told them that I had no idea about what they were talking about.

She was the one that broke the news to me.