Camilla carefully assisted Phoenix in organizing her belongings, anticipating her discharge later in the afternoon. Despite the bustling activity around them, Camilla couldn’t shake off the disbelief at Rome’s actions. Why would he lock up Phoenix? Though she acknowledged her brother’s tendency to be difficult, this behavior was beyond her expectations.
With a heavy sigh, Camilla retrieved her phone from her pocket and noticed a message notification from her mom. Seeing her mother’s name, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Conversations with her mother were often fraught with tension, especially now that she noticed her mom was sharing her location-a gesture that only amplified Camilla’s reluctance to engage.
Tucking her phone back into her pocket, Camilla carefully placed Phoenix’s bag among the others, ensuring everything was neatly arranged.
“Are you still experiencing any pain?” Camilla inquired, her concern evident in her voice.
“Just a slight discomfort, nothing major,” Phoenix murmured, managing a faint smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Alright, good to know,” Camilla replied before settling onto the edge of the hospital bed, her mind preoccupied with the recent developments.
“My mom just sent me a location; she probably knows I’ve left home,” Camilla remarked, a wry chuckle escaping her lips as she mulled over her mother’s actions.
“Has she ever done something like this before?” Phoenix ventured, her curiosity piqued.
“Lock me up in my room? No, not exactly,” Camilla responded, her tone tinged with resignation as she recalled past disagreements with her mother.
“But what if she accidentally sent you her current location, and perhaps that’s where my baby is,” Phoenix proposed, prompting Camilla to pause and consider the possibility.
“No, my mom isn’t careless enough to mistakenly share her location,” Camilla reasoned, though uncertainty lingered in her expression.
“But what if she did it unintentionally?” Camilla’s voice trailed off, her eyes widening as she contemplated the implications.
Acting swiftly, Camilla retrieved her phone once more and examined the location shared by her mother. The unfamiliar surroundings suggested a secluded area, heightening Camilla’s sense of unease as she contemplated the implications of this unexpected revelation.
~~
“Do you think this is a good idea?” Phoenix questioned as she stepped out of the car.
“Absolutely!” Camilla replied, a hint of laughter in her voice.
“Don’t you think we should have brought someone with us?” Phoenix suggested, voicing her concern.
“Like who? The police?” Camilla countered.
“What if they find nothing?” Camilla reasoned.
“Oh, Lord,” Phoenix muttered, sensing the futility of further argument as they both embarked on their journey down the road.
“I think this is the place,” Camilla announced, glancing at her phone for confirmation.
“On my phone, her location ended here,” she explained, scanning their surroundings before something caught her eye.
“I see something,” Camilla exclaimed, striding toward the object of interest.
“What?” Phoenix inquired, following closely behind.
Camilla came to a sudden halt, bending down to pick up an object from the ground-a phone, to be exact. She gasped as she examined the cracked screen, realizing it belonged to her mother.
“Why is her phone here, of all places?” Camilla wondered aloud, her brow furrowing in confusion.
Turning to Phoenix, who mirrored her perplexed expression, Camilla held up the phone for inspection.
“This is my mom’s phone,” she confirmed, noting the slight crack on the screen.
Curiosity piqued, Camilla attempted to power on the phone, her heart racing with anticipation. To her delight, the device sprang to life, only to be met with disappointment as they encountered the locked screen.
Their initial excitement dampened, Camilla and Phoenix exchanged a glance, realizing they needed a passcode to access the phone-a new obstacle in their quest for answers.
Phoenix sighed deeply, longing for the phone to be unlocked so they could gain insight into Mrs. Dante’s activities. Her gaze wandered around the area until it settled on a house a short distance away. She tapped Camilla’s shoulder, who was still attempting different passcodes on the phone without success.
“Yes?” Camilla responded, her attention divided between the phone and Phoenix’s gesture.
“There’s a house over there,” Phoenix said, pointing in its direction.
“What?” Camilla exclaimed, turning to follow Phoenix’s gaze.
“Do you think there’s something there?” Phoenix questioned, her curiosity piqued.
“I don’t know, but there’s only one way to find out,” Camilla replied, a determined glint in her eyes as she turned to Phoenix with a hopeful smile.
“No way,” Phoenix protested, taking a step back.
“Why not? Let’s just check it out,” Camilla urged, her smile unwavering.
“Come on, girl, I followed you here, but I draw the line at entering a creepy house. Haven’t you seen those movies where beautiful girls go into abandoned houses and never come out? We’re pretty girls, remember?” Phoenix reasoned, already walking back towards the car.
“Let’s just take a quick look; there’s nothing wrong with being cautious,” Camilla countered, her voice gentle yet persuasive as she trailed after Phoenix, determined to explore the mysterious house.
“No… what if someone is there, what if your mother is there?” Phoenix voiced her apprehension.
“Even better,” Camilla replied nonchalantly.
“Your mother wants to kill me. Do you think I would just jump into her trap?” Phoenix retorted before opening the car door and settling inside.
Camilla joined her in the car, sighing deeply as she started the engine and directed the car towards the direction of the creepy house.
“What the heck are you doing?” Phoenix questioned, eyeing Camilla with concern.
“You can stay in the car while I check it out,” Camilla suggested, pulling up near the eerie structure but maintaining a safe distance.
“Wait here,” Camilla instructed as she exited the vehicle.
“Oh, you think I’ll just sit here while you put yourself in danger?” Phoenix exclaimed, following suit and stepping out of the car.
Together, they approached the dilapidated door, their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence of the surroundings. With a shared glance, Camilla reached for the handle, her movements slow and cautious. To their surprise, the door swung open without resistance, revealing a dimly lit interior cloaked in shadows.
As they ventured deeper into the mysterious house, Camilla and Phoenix stumbled upon a room with an open door. Their curiosity piqued, they cautiously approached the entrance and peeked inside. The room was dimly lit, with only a faint glow emanating from a nearby lamp.
Their eyes adjusted to the darkness, and they saw a woman standing in front of a crib, her back to them. The baby inside was crying loudly, its tiny face red from distress. The woman was smoking a cigarette, the smoke curling up towards the ceiling. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of night.
Camilla’s eyes widened as she took in the scene. She felt a surge of anger and concern for the baby’s well-being. She exchanged a glance with Phoenix, who looked equally disturbed.
Phoenix knew for sure that that was her son, she felt so weak seeing him crying like that.
Without making a sound, the woman suddenly turned around, her face still hidden from view. Camilla and Phoenix froze, their hearts racing with anticipation. The woman’s gaze seemed to pierce through the darkness, as if sensing their presence.
Camilla’s instincts screamed at her to act, to rescue her nephew from this mysterious and potentially dangerous woman. But she hesitated, unsure of the best course of action.
Phoenix’s grip on her arm tightened, her eyes urging Camilla to be cautious. The woman’s face remained obscured, adding to the enigma and menace of the situation.
With a deep breath, Camilla made a decision. She slowly backed away from the door, her eyes never leaving the woman’s shrouded face.
“Let’s get out of here,” she whispered to Phoenix. “We need to come back with help.”
Phoenix’s heart lurched as she witnessed the infant’s distress, his cries piercing the stillness of the room. Tears welled in her eyes, mirroring the anguish reflected in her child’s wails.
“No, no, I can’t,” Phoenix murmured, her voice trembling with emotion.
“Why not? She might have a weapon,” Camilla whispered urgently, her concern palpable.
“I know, but I can’t just leave him…” Phoenix’s voice trailed off, her gaze never leaving the infant’s tear-streaked face.
“You can’t stay here alone. We’ll go get help,” Camilla insisted, her worry escalating.
“What if something happens to you?” Phoenix’s eyes widened with fear as she contemplated the dangers they faced.
“I’ll be careful, I promise,” Phoenix assured her, her determination shining through her tears.
Reluctantly, Camilla nodded, her heart heavy with worry. She enveloped Phoenix in a tight embrace, her silent reassurance conveying more than words ever could.
“Get help as soon as possible,” Phoenix urged, her voice filled with urgency as Camilla reluctantly pulled away and began to make her way out of the House.
Phoenix remained rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on the chilling scene unfolding before her. With a heavy sigh, she fought to maintain her composure, resisting the overwhelming urge to intervene and confront the woman responsible for the cruel intentions towards her child.
“This injection is stronger, it will finally break its immunity,” a voice pierced through the silence, causing Phoenix to snap her head in its direction.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she recognized Doctor Jeff standing there, holding an ominous syringe. Confusion and dread washed over her as she struggled to comprehend the implications of his words.
“Just inject him and kill the thing,” Georgia’s callous command sent a shiver down Phoenix’s spine, her worst fears crystallizing before her eyes.
Gasping in horror, Phoenix watched as Doctor Jeff moved to comply, his hand trembling as he prepared to administer the lethal injection. Panic surged within her, propelling her into action.
With swift determination, Phoenix’s gaze fell upon a glinting knife nearby. Without hesitation, she lunged for it, her fingers closing around the handle as she raced back towards the scene of impending tragedy.
Before anyone could react, Phoenix unleashed a fierce blow, plunging the blade deep into Doctor Jeff’s hand. His agonized screams pierced the air, drowning out all other sound as chaos erupted.
The syringe clattered to the ground, forgotten amidst the chaos as Phoenix stood there, panting heavily, her eyes blazing with righteous fury.
Georgia’s gaze locked onto Phoenix, disbelief etched across her features as she struggled to comprehend the sudden turn of events.
In a frantic bid for survival, both women’s eyes darted towards a gun lying within reach. With adrenaline coursing through her veins, Phoenix lunged forward, her fingers closing around the weapon just moments before Georgia’s.
As she leveled the gun at Georgia, her mind raced with a flood of conflicting emotions. Though a nagging sense of familiarity gnawed at her, Phoenix pushed it aside, focusing solely on the present danger before her.
“I’ll shoot if you move,” Phoenix declared, her voice trembling slightly as she aimed the gun at both Georgia and Doctor Jeff.
“Can you even use a gun?” Georgia taunted, observing Phoenix’s shaking hands with a smirk.
“You don’t want to mess with me,” Phoenix warned, her grip tightening on the weapon as she redirected it towards Georgia’s leg.
“Do it,” Georgia challenged, her smile unnerving in the face of danger.
“Just shut the hell up! Why are you with my child?” Phoenix demanded, her frustration bubbling to the surface.
“Your child? You’re funny,” Georgia chuckled, her laughter grating on Phoenix’s nerves.
“What’s so funny?” Phoenix demanded, her confusion mounting.
“Your child? I’m the biological mother. I’m Georgia,” she revealed, her amusement evident in her tone.
Phoenix stared at her in disbelief, her mind reeling with shock. Georgia? But wasn’t she supposed to be dead?
“What the hell…” Phoenix’s words trailed off as realization dawned upon her. No wonder Georgia looked so familiar.
“You’re supposed to be dead,” Phoenix exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Well, I’m not,” Georgia retorted with a smirk.
“How… how…” Phoenix stammered, her thoughts racing as she struggled to comprehend the impossible.
Before she could gather her thoughts, Phoenix felt a sudden shove from behind, causing her to stumble forward. The gun slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground and landing within Georgia’s reach.
Oh damn, she was so screwed!!!
To be continued…