The Secret II (Side Hustle Writing Competition)

The Secret II

"Oh my God, what happened?" Marsha practically leaped on top of me when she saw me. I couldn't tell if she was worried or excited.

"I don't know, it was so weird..." I proceeded to tell her—well, lie—about the robot sighting. She and everyone else had been on my back about what happened. I was popular for once.

Hardy har. We were walking to Marsha's house. Marsha was typing away on her phone, telling everyone what happened.

Great, as if a surprise quiz from The Association wasn't enough.

We were moments away from her house when the sight of Marsha's door half open surprised me. I tapped her arm, getting her attention.

"What the heck...?" She wondered aloud, opening the gate of her house and entering.

Something was up, and it wasn't a mystery who was behind it. I cut in front of my best friend, "Wait here."

Before she could speak, I walked through the open door.

The house was eerily empty. It was like there hadn't been life here in weeks. Now that I think about it, I hadn't been to Marsha's house in a while.

"What the heck is going on?" Marsha's voice whispered behind me. I jumped.

"I thought I told you to stay outside!" I said back, and she gave me a confused glance.

"Why?" I turned away and continued my descent into her house, avoiding the question. If the organization was behind this, Marsha couldn't be here.

We walked into her empty room, me purposely standing behind her to keep my gun at ready.

Marsha looked around spotting nothing and turned back to me with an exasperated expression, "Where are my pa-"

A robot jumped on her back and she screamed. I pulled out my gun immediately, shooting the robot into stillness.

"What the heck is going? Why do you have a gun?!" I grabbed her hand, once again avoiding her question and ran out the room.

I had so many questions of my own. "I'll explain later! Get something to defend yourself! Quick!" Marsha understood, picking up a sharp award on her table.

Two robots appeared in front of us, both built to look like Marsha's mom and Dad.

Okay, something seriously wrong was going on.

We attacked, I pinned one down and shot it in its head and Marsha stabbed the other in the neck with surprising accuracy.

I stood up sighing, thinking about how The Organization was violating every law in the Spybook with this quiz, they weren't supposed to show up at Marsha's house.

"Okay, Marsh, there's a lot I have to tell you but promise me you-" The sound of a cocking gun echoed behind me, and I immediately cocked mine, ready to shoot down whatever android had my best friend.

I turned around, gun at ready.

My heart stopped.

Marsha stood in front of me, gun aimed at my head.

She sounded as eerie as the house we came upon, "Guess we've both been keeping secrets."