After dinner, feeling restless and unable to silence the storm of thoughts within him, Alex returned to his room. He closed the door behind him with a soft click and sat on the edge of his bed. The diary beckoned to him like a forbidden portal; he opened it again, the familiar worn pages unfolding secrets that had been long buried.
His mother's handwriting was steady yet heavy with emotion as she recounted a moment that would forever change her life. One day, driven by curiosity, she had discovered those same ominous symbols carved into the trees deep in the forest—a chilling mark she had now seen with her own eyes. The symbols sparked an obsession, leading her to painstaking research that uncovered a terrible truth: the existence of a cult that, every fifteen years, demanded a sacrifice.
The cult worshipped a dark, malevolent deity, performing rituals drenched in fear and blood. To her horror, she learned that her own family was entwined in the cult's sinister designs. They had chosen her as the next sacrifice. With no option but to flee, she and Joshua, Alex's father, ran as fast and far as they could, desperate to build a new, safer life.
But fate had darker plans. While pregnant, they were found. A fierce struggle ensued—a desperate fight to escape the cult's grasp. In the chaos, something unimaginable happened. Alex's mother wrote, her voice trembling through the ink, that they had lost a child. A twin sister to Alex, who hadn't survived the harrowing ordeal.
The weight of this revelation crashed through Alex's soul. He had never known he had a twin. The idea that another life—forbidden, lost, and intertwined with the same dark family curse—was so close to his own shook him to his core.
The diary's heavy truths overwhelmed him. It was more than he could bear. Closing the book, Alex swallowed the lump in his throat and could not bring himself to read further. The chilling legacy of his family, carved in blood and shadow, was a story he wasn't ready to confront.
Trembling, he pushed the diary aside and leaned back against his bedpost, the silence in his room swallowing him whole.
That night, sleep remained elusive for Alex as he lay awake, lost in a swirl of aching thoughts about the twin sister he never knew he had. The realization that a part of him had been lost made an unbearable sadness swell within, like a hollow he had been feeling all his life finally giving shape. The thought that she had died while he survived filled him with a confusing mix of guilt and regret, a painful reminder of life's cruel twists.
As these heavy emotions pressed down on him, his mind suddenly turned to Grey. Of course, Grey would know. He was Alex's uncle—his mother's brother—and there was no way Grey hadn't known about the tragic loss of Alex's twin sister. The deliberate silence felt like a betrayal. Alex's anger grew, a fiery knot tightening in his chest. Why hadn't Grey told him anything? Why had he kept these secrets hidden?
Alex felt torn—he wanted, even needed, to confront Grey and search for comfort, to understand why the truth was kept from him. But beneath that desire lurked uncertainty—what would happen after that? Would confrontation bring answers or only deepen the shadows surrounding them? This undetermined future weighed heavily on his restless mind as the night stretched on, thick with unspoken fears and unresolved questions.
That morning at breakfast, Alex sat quietly, his eyes distant and withdrawn. The swirling emotions and sleepless night weighed heavily on him, unnoticed by most but not by Grey. After a few moments of watching Alex's hollow gaze and barely touched food, Grey cleared his throat gently and asked, "You okay?"
Alex shrugged, unable to muster much more than a subdued "Yeah, okay… just didn't get much sleep, nothing to worry about." His voice was soft, hiding the storm of thoughts within—a silent struggle of grief, anger, and confusion that made him seem distant, even to those who cared.
Though outwardly calm, Alex's inner world was tumultuous as he grappled with the pain of his newly discovered loss and the frustrating silence from Grey. This quiet tension after such a restless night highlighted the subtle signs of emotional distress many teens experience—withdrawal, difficulty focusing, and a guarded exterior hiding their deeper struggles.
Grey drove Alex to school in silence, the quiet between them heavy with unspoken thoughts. When they reached the school gate, Alex climbed out of the car. As Grey rolled down his window a little, he handed Alex a grocery list. "Here, pick these up after school before you head home. I'll be late today and won't be able to do the shopping."
Alex nodded quietly, taking the list without much enthusiasm. Helping with chores like grocery shopping was becoming a regular responsibility, a practical way for teenagers to contribute to the household—building life skills and carrying some of the family's day-to-day burdens.
Though the morning had been tough for Alex, Grey's gesture was a reminder of the everyday routines grounding their lives, even amidst the unsettling mysteries surrounding them. As Grey drove away, Alex glanced at the list, already thinking about the tasks ahead before the secrets of his family and the weight of his discoveries could fully take hold again.
At lunch, seeking peace from the chaotic cafeteria crowd, Alex slipped away to the library. There, amidst the quiet aisles, he spotted Ruby again. Without a word, he sat beside her; the silence between them thick and tense at first. Finally, Alex broke the stillness. "You know about that cult, don't you?"
Ruby stared at him steadily for a long moment before answering, "Where did you learn that?"
Alex replied curtly, "That's not important right now."
Ruby's voice took on a warning edge. "I told you to stay away from all this."
But Alex cut her off, his voice rising, "I have every right to know—when it's about my own family."
Ruby sighed, frustrated but resigned. "Fine. I'll tell you what I know—but not here. Meet me at the usual spot in the forest tomorrow morning."
Their conversation was brief and tense, but Ruby agreed to meet him in the forest the next morning to reveal more. The bell soon rang, signaling the end of lunch, and they parted for class.
Later, as the last class ended, Max noticed Alex's withdrawn demeanor and approached him with concern. "Hey, you okay? You didn't come to the cafeteria today at lunch, and you look stressed."
Alex shrugged, forcing a small smile. "Just didn't sleep much last night. Nothing to worry about."
After some brief small talk with Max at the school gate, they parted ways; Max headed toward his own home while Alex walked toward the nearby market to fulfill the grocery list Grey had given him.
Shopping on his own was becoming a regular responsibility for Alex, helping him build important life skills like making lists, budgeting, selecting quality produce, and navigating store layouts efficiently. These tasks, though sometimes mundane, brought a sense of independence amidst his turbulent thoughts. While picking out the needed items, Alex's mind wandered back to the earlier burdens—the family secrets, the cult, and the lost twin sister—reminding him that even ordinary chores carried the weight of his complicated reality.
As Alex moved through the aisles, he rehearsed the grocery list in his mind, focused on getting the essentials right to avoid any trouble later with Grey. The chore was a temporary distraction but also a grounding moment amidst the unfolding family mysteries and growing emotional challenges.