1Another Voice
Amy Rainy sat looking out the rain-spattered, second floor, window. Downstairs her father, Grant, was noisily unpacking boxes. They had just moved from their home in the suburbs of New York, to a lakeside cabin, which in happier times the family had used as a vacation home.
A little over a year ago Amy's mother had still been alive, until that fateful day of the car accident, when Amy and Grant Rainy's world was shattered.
"Almost a year ago to the day," Amy reflected bitterly, pressing her palm against the cool window pane.
Grant Rainy pushed his dirty blond hair out of his eyes and surveyed the progress he had made so far. Well, he had succeeded in making the room look like a disaster area; papers and empty boxes strewn everywhere. Sighing wearily he collapsed onto the couch. He looked to the stairs hoping to see his daughter coming down, she had been so distant lately, but he could hardly blame her for it. Nothing had been the same since his wife's death.
Next thing Grant knew, he was being shaken awake. He grunted and squinted blearily into the anxious face of his daughter, her long hair, the same color as his own, falling over her shoulders as she knelt next to him.
"Are you ok?" She asked, "You were talking in your sleep."
"Yeah, just a dream," he answered. It hadn't been a dream though, he had been caught in a horrific nightmare. The only thing was...he couldn't remember it. He had that problem before, but not since his divorce with his first wife, not since her disappearance, not since he'd been accused of her murder and...but no, Amy didn't know about any of that.
"Dad?"
Grant realized he'd just been sitting there, saying nothing while Amy watched him with concern.
He managed a smile, "Really, I'm fine. Tired that's all." When she continued to stare at him he added hastily, "Don't worry."
Amy shrugged and headed back up the stairs. She wondered if her father thought that all sixteen year-olds were that easy to fool. She had sensed an uneasiness in him ever since they had arrived at Tashmore Lake and she was determined to figure out why.
Grant got up unsteadily and went into the kitchen. He knew he should tell Amy everything, but there were parts that he, himself, didn't understand.
"It is she who wouldn't understand." A voice in his mind cried.
Grant felt the familiar sensation of panic gripping him, as it always did when his schizophrenia threatened to overtake him...again.
"How do you know that you can even trust her?" the voice persisted "What if you told her and then she betrayed you by telling them your secrets? Then I'd have to kill her for our own safety, yes I would! Save yourself the worry and the toil, do it. Kill her now! Kill her!"
"No!" Grant gave a strangled cry as he placed his hands on his head. "I won't listen to you, leave me!" The voice stopped, leaving only a ringing silence behind. He stood there not daring to move, afraid the evil little voice might return.
After a few long minuets he took a deep breath, he'd won, but could he continue to do so?
Without warning Amy entered the kitchen. "She must not have heard." Grant thought with relief and suddenly filled with happiness, he hugged her.
"Things will be better now." he said to her, somehow knowing the menacing voice would torment him no more.
"I hope so," Amy replied, wondering what had brought about such a change in her father's mood. She pulled away from him, "Listen, all that rain uncovered something that was buried in the garden, I'm gonna go have a look and see what it is."
And with that she turned and left the room.
Grant smiled as he heard the door open then shut, it pleased him that despite everything, his daughter's curious nature hadn't changed. Then the full meaning of her words hit him, "...something buried in the garden..." An overwhelming sense of dread came over him. Amy's piercing scream cut through the stillness like an icy knife.
"Dear God," Grant thought, "she's found the body..."
The time had come for Grant Rainy to finally confess everything to the one he loved most in this world. And if she couldn't handle it? Well then, he might just have to kill her...
Well, I hope you liked it. This story was just some little ditty I whipped up for my English class. It's loosely based on a movie, so if you've seen it I'm sure you'll figure it out. Anyway let me know what you think...