THIS WILL BE THE LAST
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
ZACK
"Congratulations, Zack. I’m so glad to say that this is the end of our sessions." Dr. Peterson, my psychologist, said to me as we both stood up and embraced.
I couldn't believe that after a year of therapy, I was finally done. I was diagnosed with PTSD, and it took us a long time to cure the nightmares that I had been having since the night Santi was captured. I admit that lingered with me for a long time, and it's still difficult for me to this day, but it lessens; most of the time, I'm paranoid, thinking they're simply around me when they're not.
"I'm going to miss sitting here," I chuckled, and he agreed and laughed too.
"Now, let’s continue." The man in a police uniform started as he took out the photos inside the brown envelope and scattered them in front of me. My eyes fluttered as a sign of dreary. I want to ask for a glass of water, but I know nothing would be enough to drain the chaotic emotions in me. Instead of looking at the gruesome photos of the people I grew up with, I turned my head around in the small plain room. It’s so cold here, and I’m tired of answering the same questions over again. Nothing seems to be enough with the detective sitting in front of me. The old man is eager to prompt me to say the answers he wants to hear from me instead of the truth. “Mr. Hernandez, for the hundredth time, can you please answer our quest
THE AQUAPHOBIC November 27, 2020 6 months ago... ZACK "Remember when I turned fourteen? I told you that I wanted to join a swimming club. I was adamant and confident in my decision and you all knew me, my dream is to be a swimmer athlete. But..." I bit my lower lip as my eyes darted on the white tile floor. A memory of what I fear the most came rushing back at me, "After I joined the swimming club, a dream of someone drowning me in a lake started visiting me at night. Since then, it has never stopped. The feeling of dreaming it is like a punishment-- I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't feel my lungs, I felt like dying in excruciating pain." I paused for a second.
THE DISGUISED INVITATION November 27, 2020 6 months ago... ZACK It was around 6 pm when we got home from the public market. We own a meat and vegetables stall and my aunt is always the one who handles our store. Sometimes after school I go straight there to help her sell. Our store is quite popular for the buyers who want lower prices and our store is remarkable when it comes to that. "Zack, I almost forgot. Your grandpa sent you a letter, I put it above the fridge, I didn't read it, don't worry." Aunt Olive joked, she's in the living room watchi
THE SHADOW May 18, 2021 PRESENT DAY ZACK "Zack, Zack, Zack." The familiar croaky voice brought my eyes to open. As my visions became clear, I realized that I am at the same place where horror always begins. The cold breeze engulfed my whole body making me shake uncontrollably, I felt the searing sensation of coldness in my bare feet. I can hear the familiar sounds of the rustling leaves, the waves of the lake, and the sm
THE REUNION May 18, 2021 ZACK “A-Aunt Olive?” I muttered under my breath. Surprisingly Aunt Olive swiftly dropped the knife on the coffee table in front of us. I just came to notice that I am lying on the sofa in the living room and not in my room. I felt the tight embrace of my aunt, “I was so scared, I thought I’m gonna lose you.” She whispered. I sighed as I let down my walls, I hugged her back while my boy continued to shake. “You dozed off and then a while later you were having a seizure, I kept on waking you up but you’re not responding, I thought -- I thought --” As aunt Olive started to hysterical, I immediate
MISSING PERSONS [PART ONE] May 18, 2021 LIZZIE [Lizzette Cruz-Lucero | 26 ] "I already told you that I'm going to my grandparent's house. Why won't you listen?" I calmly said to my husband Grey on the other line. He was already mad at me the moment I answered his call. Because of one shallow reason that I left our daughter in my parents' house. I truly don't understand, if I choose to leave Cassie with a babysitter he’ll still get mad at me. "My point is, why do you need to leave Cassie behind if you can just let her come along with you!" I heard him scoff. "You know how much I dislike your family! What if something bad happens to Cassie in your par
THE CONTINUATION... *BLAG!* I abruptly woke up when I heard thumpings from a window. Because of panic, I became sober immediately. I looked to my left and saw a woman outside the window who seemed to be in her 40s, continuously knocking to get my attention. While her other hand’s sticking a paper in the glass. When I carefully looked at the paper that is where I realized that it wasn't just a simple paper but a missing poster. I looked in front of me and found out that the driver was gone. I wandered my eyes everywhere only to find him outside eating at a local eatery store. I noticed that the sky is getting dark , I guess it's 6 in the evening now. I feel a sense of pity in her drastic situation. She seems exhausted so
IF ONLY SOUNDS CAN SPEAK May 18, 2021 MADDY [Maddison Galvez | 24] Do you know what's annoying? It's when they call a cabin just a 'house'. What I meant is, there are tons of different types and styles of houses, and I think they must know that when they are asked what kind of house they own. I know it's stupid for me to get annoyed for a small reason but I can't help it. Zack told us earlier that their house is called the ‘Lake House’. When I asked him what the style is, he just described it as a house in the middle of the lake. I rolled my eyes in annoyance because of his stupidity, he jus