Chapter 8 - SARAH WAS ALIVE
The words destroyed everything I thought I knew.
Sarah survived the crash.
For three years, we had mourned her.
For three years, I had visited her grave.
For three years, Lily had cried herself to sleep asking why her mother had to leave.
And now Vanessa was telling us Sarah had been alive after the accident.
"No," Mark whispered.
Vanessa nodded.
"She survived the crash."
"Then where is she?"
"I don't know."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I don't expect anything."
Mark grabbed the edge of the table.
"Where is my wife?"
Vanessa started crying.
"I don't know."
"You were there."
"Yes."
"You saw her."
"Yes."
"Then where did she go?"
Vanessa looked toward Lily.
"I was trying to find out."
I stepped forward.
"How long did you know?"
"Three years."
My voice shook.
"Three years?"
"I thought she was dead."
"You just said she survived."
"I saw her alive."
"Then what happened?"
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"Someone took her."
"Who?"
"Michael."
Mark shook his head.
"My brother wouldn't."
"He did."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
I stepped closer.
"What did Sarah say?"
Vanessa looked at me.
"She said one thing."
"What?"
"Protect Lily."
My granddaughter began crying.
I pulled her close.
"Where did they take her?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know she survived?"
Vanessa pointed toward the laptop.
"The final video."
I turned.
There was one file left.
Untitled.
Created three years ago.
Two days after the accident.
Mark clicked it.
The screen was black.
Then Sarah appeared.
She was sitting in a dim room.
Her face was bruised.
Her hair was messy.
But she was alive.
Lily screamed:
"Mommy!"
Sarah looked directly into the camera.
"If Lily is watching this..."
She stopped.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Mommy loves you."
Lily collapsed against me.
I could barely stand.
Sarah continued.
"Don't believe the story they told you."
She looked terrified.
"I didn't die."
Mark covered his mouth.
"I survived."
Sarah took a breath.
"But they won't let me come home."
The camera moved.
Someone was holding it.
Sarah whispered:
"If Thomas ever sees this..."
My heart broke.
"...tell him I'm sorry."
The video ended.
Mark stared at the black screen.
Then he turned toward Vanessa.
"Who recorded that?"
Vanessa didn't answer.
"Who?"
She whispered:
"Michael."
Mark sat down.
I stared at the laptop.
Three years.
Three years of believing my daughter was dead.
And she had been alive.
Somewhere.
Maybe for days.
Maybe for months.
Maybe longer.
Then the front door opened.
We all turned.
A man stepped inside.
Michael.
Mark's brother.
Older than I remembered.
Thinner.
His face covered in scars.
He looked directly at Mark.
"I can explain."
Mark stood.
"You have five seconds."
Michael looked at Lily.
Then at me.
"Sarah is alive."
Nobody moved.
"Where?"
Michael swallowed.
"She's been hiding."
"From who?"
"Daniel."
"Why?"
"Because Daniel isn't the person running this."
I frowned.
"Then who is?"
Michael looked at Vanessa.
She lowered her eyes.
Michael whispered:
"Your son."
I stared at him.
"Mark?"
Michael shook his head.
"No."
He looked at me.
"Someone else."
I waited.
Then he said:
"Sarah's father."
My blood ran cold.
"That's impossible."
Michael looked at me.
"Your father was alive when Sarah died."
I felt the room spin.
My father had been dead for fifteen years.
May you like
Michael continued.
"Because the man you buried wasn't your father."
