Understanding Secrets, Chapter Six - Trapped

Edward came back from the bathroom with some bandages and disinfectant. He sat down next to Raychel and started to dress her wound.

Raye was sitting on the couch. One arm was crossed over her chest, Edward was working on the other one.

Kevin was in the arm-chair facing her. He attempted to give Raye a smile of reassurance. Raye stared at him, and then looked away. Kevin's smile dropped.

"Raye, remember the night after the accident? When I told you what I saw?" Kevin asked.

"I remember. You told me about a strange tall man without a face," Raye replied.

"There's something that I didn't tell you. While we were crying, and I looked up to see if anyone had noticed us, the man was there. He stared at us... And then pointed at me," Kevin's voice seemed to trail off like a broken record.

"Oh, yeah. That's a REAL big help, bro," Raye rolled her eyes.

"Raychel, I am serious. And a few nights after the funeral-"

"Oh, what? PLEASE tell me! I'm absolutely ENTHRALLED to hear your stories!" Raye snapped. She didn't feel like hearing things that may have been more lies.

Kevin ignored this snide comment and continued, "He came to my room late at night. And he took me to a very special place. He enlightened me, and I saw everything after that. Forever."

Raye looked up at Kevin. Her eyes were wide with surprise and fear. "You... You're..."

Kevin nodded. "I am working with him. He is my keeper."

Edward had finished dressing Raye's wound by now. He and Mary and Johnny stood at the other end of the room, silent, watching Kevin spill their most valuble secret.

Raye crossed both of her arms in front of her chest tightly. Raye's eyes trailed down to the floor as she tried to process this information. Fresh tears were forming at the corners of her eyes. Her own brother was working with her parent's murderer. How long had her brother kept this from her?

"That's why you started growing your hair out? Wearing glasses instead of contacts?? Smoking?!" she accused, fighting to keep from crying.

Kevin shrugged good-naturedly. "Well, yes and no. I started smoking because I needed a way to relieve some of the stresses I get from working with him. I started growing my hair out and wearing glasses because it was easier for me. For my visage."

"Raychel, honey, I was among this group before your brother was," Mary continued. "We were all chosen specifically by the Admistrator, or as your brother calls him, the keeper."

"We all serve him, and in turn he blesses us with the ability to bend time and space," Edward added.

"That's how we were able to get in your room, even after you locked it," Johnny finished nervously.

"Teleportation," Raye grimaced.

"Exactly," Kevin smiled. "And he thinks your ready for your enlightenment."

"What?" Raye gasped. She tensed up on her seat. She couldn't have heard that right. He wasn't offering this.

"Raye. C'mon. I know you've been seeing him, too. You can't hide things from me," Kevin chuckled. "I know where you went last night. I know why you came home with scratches all over your arms. He's chosen you."

"No... No!" Raye shook her head. "There's no way you could know that he's been chasing me all through that God-forsaken forest!"

"Not without you just telling me," Kevin smiled gently.

Raye stood up, frowning. She had heard enough. She knew enough.

"We all knew about it, Raychel," Mary admitted. "Edward and Johnny and I knew about it as soon as your brother knew."

"What?" Raye gasped. "How? That's impossible."

"We are all connected to one another, Raychel," Kevin stared at Raychel. "Mary and Edward and Johnny and I share the same mind. We each are just separated into different beings."

"Kevin?" Raye was getting scared now.

Kevin stood up. He began walking towards her. "Once you are one of us, you will understand! Do you not want to see? Are you so afraid of sight?"

"Kevin, this isn't funny. Please!" Raye backed up. Her breathing intensified and her eyes went wide with panic.

Kevin's skin began to blacken, turning as dark as the blackest nights, with no stars or moon to be seen. His glasses brightened to a polished white, and Raychel could see his black pupils boring into hers, going even deeper into her soul than last night. The corners of him mouth turned up into a smile, one that Raye usually liked to see from Kevin. Now it only terrified her.

"Kevin, please, no!" Raye sobbed. She couldn't move, and it was getting very hard to breathe.

Kevin's voice hissed like a snake, it coiled around her brain again and squeezed tightly. "Just close your eyes again, Raychel. Once you have seen the light, you will know. You will see. Trust me."

"Don't worry, Raychel," Edward walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. Raye looked up and Firebrand peered down at her with his pinhole eyes and grin.

"Assimilation is inevitable," Cursor added, tilting her head and smiling at Raye. Her eyes were covered by the x's but it still was clear that she was in fact looking at Raychel.

"You will like it," Kevin said.

Raye was in full panic mode now. She was hyperventalating, and her eyes felt like they were going to burn up in her skull from being stretched so wide.

She was surrounded by her own family, who had betrayed her trust and love. She was cornered like a rat, and there was no escape.