Chapter 4: The Name in the Dark
The sound of the front door locking echoed through the darkness.
Emma instinctively pulled Lily against her.
"Don't move," Daniel whispered.
Something scraped across the floor downstairs.
Then silence.
The house seemed to hold its breath.
Emma could hear Lily crying softly against her shoulder.
"Daniel," she whispered.
"Tell me what is happening.""
"I don't know.""
"That's not good enough.""
"I know.""
A faint beam of light appeared at the far end of the hallway.
Daniel had found a small flashlight in the darkness.
He swept it across the walls.
Nothing.
The study door stood open.
The bedroom doors were closed.
The staircase disappeared into blackness.
Emma's voice trembled.
"Who locked the front door?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"How do we get out?""
"We don't.""
She stared at him.
"What?""
Daniel looked toward the entrance.
"These locks are electronic. If the security system has been taken over, the doors won't open manually.""
"Then disable it.""
"I can try.""
"Try now.""
He started toward the stairs.
Lily grabbed his shirt.
"Dad.""
Daniel stopped.
"What?""
She looked frightened.
"Don't go alone.""
He crouched in front of her.
"I'll be right back.""
"No.""
Her grip tightened.
"I saw him downstairs.""
Emma looked at Daniel.
"Who?""
Lily's voice dropped.
"The other one.""
Daniel's face changed.
"What did he say?""
"Nothing.""
"Did he touch you?""
She shook her head.
"Then how did you see him?""
Lily pointed toward the study.
"He was standing there before we came upstairs.""
Daniel glanced at Emma.
"You were right beside me.""
"I know.""
"But you didn't see him.""
Lily shook her head.
"He told me not to be scared.""
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"What else?""
"He said you forgot.""
"Forgot what?""
"I don't know.""
She hesitated.
"He said Mom would remember.""
Emma felt a cold sensation spread down her arms.
"Remember what?""
Lily looked at her.
"His name.""
A loud crash exploded downstairs.
Emma screamed.
Daniel shoved her and Lily behind him.
"Stay here.""
He moved toward the staircase.
Emma grabbed his hand.
"No.""
"Emma—"
"You are not leaving us.""
For a moment they stood frozen.
Then something began humming from the study.
Low.
Mechanical.
Daniel slowly turned.
"What is that?""
Emma didn't answer.
The sound grew louder.
The study lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then came on.
Warm yellow light spilled into the hallway.
The room looked completely different now.
The desk drawers were open.
Papers covered the floor.
The safe stood wide open.
And on the wall above the desk was a large photograph.
Emma stared.
It was a family portrait.
Her family.
Taken outside their house six months earlier.
Emma.
Daniel.
Lily.
Only there was one more person standing behind them.
A man whose face had been carefully scratched away.
Emma stepped inside.
"When was this taken?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't remember.""
"Who is that?""
"I don't know.""
"You keep saying that.""
"I know.""
She moved closer.
There was writing beneath the picture.
Four dates.
2007.
2008.
2017.
2026.
Emma pointed to the last one.
"Why is this year here?""
Daniel stared at it.
"I've never seen this.""
"Yes, you have.""
A new voice came from the doorway.
Both of them spun around.
The second man stood there.
He wasn't smiling now.
He looked tired.
Almost frightened.
Emma stepped backward.
"You.""
The man raised both hands.
"I'm not here to hurt you.""
Daniel moved between them.
"Get out.""
"You're still doing that.""
"Doing what?""
"Protecting her from the truth.""
Emma looked at the stranger.
"Then tell me.""
Daniel turned sharply.
"Emma, don't.""
She didn't look at him.
"Who are you?""
The stranger hesitated.
"My name is Ethan.""
Daniel's face went white.
Lily whispered, "That's his name.""
Emma looked between the two men.
"Daniel?""
He said nothing.
"Is his name Ethan?""
After a long pause, Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
"Not Matthew?""
"No.""
"Why did you lie?""
Daniel looked at Lily.
"I thought the name was buried.""
Ethan gave a bitter laugh.
"You buried more than a name.""
Emma looked at him.
"What happened in 2008?""
Ethan's expression changed.
"You really don't remember?""
Emma frowned.
"Remember what?""
He pointed toward the photograph.
"Her.""
Emma followed his finger.
There was a tiny figure in the background.
A little blonde girl.
Maybe six years old.
Emma stared at the picture.
She had never seen the girl before.
Then something strange happened.
A flash of memory hit her.
A hallway.
A child's laughter.
A red shoe.
A woman's voice shouting.
And blood on a white kitchen floor.
Emma staggered backward.
Daniel caught her.
"Emma?""
She pressed both hands against her temples.
"I... I've seen that.""
Ethan's expression hardened.
"I knew it.""
Daniel grabbed his arm.
"Enough.""
Ethan shoved him away.
"She deserves to know.""
"Not from you.""
"Then tell her.""
Daniel stared at him.
Silence.
Emma looked from one man to the other.
"Tell me.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Emma...""
"Tell me what happened.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"In 2008, there was another child.""
Emma's heart stopped.
"What?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
Ethan continued.
"Her name was Sophie.""
Emma shook her head.
"No.""
"You knew her.""
"No, I didn't.""
"You did.""
"Stop.""
"You held her.""
Emma's breathing became shallow.
A strange pressure built behind her eyes.
She could see something.
A little girl with blonde hair.
A red coat.
A pink bicycle lying on its side.
Someone screaming.
Then nothing.
Emma whispered,
"Sophie.""
Daniel looked at her.
She stared at him.
"I know that name.""
"You weren't supposed to.""
"What happened to her?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Ethan did.
"She disappeared.""
Emma's face drained.
"Like Lily.""
"Exactly.""
Daniel turned on him.
"Don't compare them.""
"Why not?""
"Because Lily is alive.""
Ethan looked at Emma.
"For now.""
Daniel punched him.
Ethan stumbled against the desk.
Lily screamed.
Emma grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Stop!""
Ethan wiped blood from his lip.
He looked almost relieved.
"That.""
Emma stared.
"What?""
"The anger.""
He pointed at Daniel.
"That's what I remember.""
Daniel backed away.
Ethan's voice softened.
"In 2008, we weren't brothers.""
Emma stared at him.
"What?""
"We were something else.""
Daniel whispered, "Ethan.""
But Ethan continued.
"We were part of an experiment.""
Emma's mouth fell open.
"An experiment?""
"Not the kind you're thinking of. No white coats. No secret laboratory.""
He pointed toward the walls.
"It was about memory.""
Emma felt sick.
"Whose memory?""
"Yours.""
Daniel looked down.
Ethan said, "They wanted to know how easily a person could be made to forget trauma.""
Emma's face went completely still.
"Who wanted that?""
Ethan didn't answer.
Daniel did.
"A private research group.""
Emma laughed once.
It was a broken, disbelieving sound.
"You expect me to believe that?""
"No," Daniel said.
"Because it sounds insane.""
"I know.""
"Then give me proof.""
Ethan reached into his jacket.
Daniel immediately stepped toward him.
"Don't.""
Ethan pulled out a photograph.
He placed it on the desk.
Emma looked down.
It showed her.
But she was younger.
Much younger.
She was sitting inside a white room.
There were wires attached to her temples.
Her eyes were closed.
And standing behind a glass wall were two men.
One was Daniel.
The other was Ethan.
Emma stopped breathing.
"No.""
Daniel whispered,
"I'm sorry.""
She slapped him.
The sound echoed through the room.
Lily began crying.
Emma stared at the man she had loved for ten years.
"You did this to me.""
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
"I was trying to save you.""
"You erased my memories.""
"I didn't do it.""
"You were there.""
"I was trying to stop them.""
Ethan shook his head.
"He signed the papers.""
Daniel turned toward him.
"Because you disappeared.""
"You left me.""
"I thought you were dead!""
"And you built a life.""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"I thought it was over.""
Ethan pointed at Lily.
"It was never over.""
Emma stepped back.
"Why Lily?""
Neither man answered.
"Why my daughter?""
Ethan looked directly at her.
"Because she remembers.""
Emma felt her heart sink.
"Remembers what?""
Ethan's eyes moved toward Lily.
"Everything.""
Lily looked terrified.
"No, I don't.""
Ethan's voice softened.
"You do, sweetheart.""
Daniel immediately stepped in front of his daughter.
"Stay away from her.""
Ethan looked at him.
"Ask her about the room.""
Daniel froze.
Emma turned toward Lily.
"What room?""
Lily began shaking.
"The one under the house.""
Emma stared at her.
"You've been there before?""
Lily nodded slowly.
"Not by myself.""
"Who took you?""
Lily looked toward the dark hallway.
Her lips trembled.
"Mom.""
Emma stared.
"What?""
Lily whispered,
"You took me.""
The study lights suddenly exploded.
Glass rained across the floor.
Every light in the house went black.
And in the darkness, a woman's voice whispered from somewhere behind Emma:
"Don't let them make you remember.""
Emma spun around.
May you like
She knew that voice.
It was hers.
