by Matt Shaner
“I don’t know. I’m tired. Val and I just want to get out of this area.” I looked into his eyes. They took a sinister shade for the moment.
“Well, I think you should consider this. I have the full ability to make this all go away.” He held up the recorder. “It can vanish. Things vanish from evidence rooms all the time.”
“I’ll do it.” I realized that throughout everything, I was never in control. I thought I was. We all thought we had a handle on this, and we did not. Forces larger than us stepped up and pulled the strings. Despite all this, I was still not in control. I just wanted to be somewhere else then. I wondered if that was the actual recorder. I wouldn’t put it past him to just create one and dare me to call a bluff.
“Perfect. Let’s talk.” Rather than the notebook from before, this guy pulled a wireless keyboard out from under his desk. He punched the monitor on, and I started to talk.
I left the office later with the promise of not having to testify, at least not directly, at the next trial. I drove home to Val and explained the meeting. We both came to the same conclusion. The next morning we contacted the realtor and put a For Sale sign out front. We attached a container of brochures to the sign and waited. The publicity created an offer, and within two months, we sold the house. The only condition from the lawyer is that we could not leave the state while the case was in court. I agreed, and we moved as far away from the location as possible.
Epilogue
The End
So now I sit on this porch in our new house and finish this account of our story. Val has just brought me a cup of coffee. Our daughter is playing in the yard. It has been some time since everything happened. I still think of those moments when the nights get quiet, and I lose myself in thoughts and dreams.
Every once in a while, I’ll make the drive back to the old development. To be technical, I should say back to the old development site as it is now the new strip mall. The mall runs directly into the middle of the field, but when you walk to the back of it, the trace of the main street can be found and the curb for Bryan’s drive still exists. I’ve stood and watched that curb and pictured the football games they would play.
As I said at the start, the publicity has finally died down. In this new location, we are not recognized. As far as anyone knows, we are just a young family. Sarah moved away and is back with her parents. Val will still drive and meet her for lunch once a month.
Erica has moved to a location that we have not discovered. I’m sure she would be glad to keep it that way. Her life, like ours, was destroyed during the entire mess of the past.
In my dreams, I still see Bryan’s face. I still walk into that basement. I regret what we did. He did wrong, but never deserved the hand he was dealt; then again, none of us deserved it. We were only trying to help. I hope this story will serve to free up some of the damage. There is nothing worse than the weight of a secret. It sits over your shoulder each day, and you’ll find yourself looking back in odd moments, and it stares into your eyes.
We don’t talk about things any more. Val and I both decided to move on. We are happy now. I just pray that our actions did not leave a black mark on our souls. I guess this is my confession then. Take it, as you will. We did what we had to do to survive. If that meant doing an extreme thing and covering it up, then we took that chance. I refuse to justify anything, though. We were wrong. I know that. I always did. We created our own darkness, and we still are living through it today.
About the Author:
Matt Shaner has been writing for over five years now with short story publications in fourteen online markets. His novella, Life After Death was published by Eternal Press in 2009. He lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania with his wife and son Carter. He is working on getting a teaching job and sharing his love of books and writing with his students.
Also from Matt Shaner:
Life After Death
by Matt Shaner
eBook ISBN: 9781926647463
Print ISBN: 9781926647548
Paranormal Horror
Novella of 22,000 words
A peaceful drive cross-country to a new life leads to a horrific car accident. In the middle of the fire and destruction, a man stands confused watching his body loaded into an ambulance. He meets his guide and receives instructions that he must complete before he can find peace. Thus starts a journey driven by his determination to see the love of his life one final time. On this journey, he is not alone. A battle is forming, lines are being drawn, and he finds himself in the middle of the fight for his very existence with forces beyond his control.
Also from Eternal Press:
The Shadow of the Wolf
by Sam Cross
eBook ISBN: 9781770650671
Print ISBN: 9781770650688
Thriller Horror
Novel of 117,000 words
The perfect murder right down to the motive, victim, ally and scapegoat. The last thing anyone needs is a serial murderer learning how the worst of the worst have succeeded in the past. Will anyone be able to survive the man known as “The Wolf” or will they, too, vanish without a trace?