The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Sophia didn’t remember much after Andros left, just the constant moving of time that slowed down to allow for her endless thoughts to play havoc in her head. The minutes that went on were like torturous hours counting down to Harry’s departure. It playing heavily around the air she breathed, choked her even because there were so many questions left unanswered and she desperately needed the blanks filled in.

“Ms. Stone? Are you not finding the food satisfactory?” Elliott asked, snapping her from her thoughts making her glance at the older man. She had to admit, he was attractive despite his stress ridden features that seemed to age him.

“It’s fine, thank you Mr. Dawson.” She returned the fake pleasantries. In truth, she just wanted to see Harry.

“Sir?” One of the men walked out with red pasta sauce dipping from his hair, a few noodles stuck atop his head.

Elliott stopped mid fork to his mouth and raised an eyebrow.

“Smith? Do pray tell explain why you decided to bathe in your food? I believe we’ve established that we eat food, not shower in it. You’re making a mess and tracking it through the halls! What the hell?” Elliott freaked, noticing the shoe prints following into the kitchen.

“Well, sir, it was for the prisoners. Tomlinson managed to trip me.” Smith explained, wiping away the sauce that was trying to drip into his eyes.

Elliott chuckled.

“Explain how that happened? He’s tied back to back with Malik, his feet should also be tied or were my instructions too complicated to follow? Styles is chained to the wall and those two should be secured –what’s so hard to understand about that?” He questioned, putting his fork down and folding his arms.

“Daddy’s mad.” Lily leaned over and whispered yelled.

Eli rolled her eyes, biting into a piece of pasta before throwing her fork down.

“Let me feed them. It’s obvious these stupid lame brained gits don’t know how to do their job properly and I’m not exactly new in prisoner care.” Eli demanded, standing up.

Sophia did the same.

“You stay away from them you demon spawn from Satan.” Sophia demanded, picking her fork up and strategically took aim to throw if necessary.

All this did was make Eli laugh.

“Shut up and sit down. You don’t scare me and you never will. Besides, I take my job caring for our prisoners very seriously. Your gang doesn’t give a fuck about you and yet? Yet you’re defending them. Tell me, what has Harry done lately for you, sugar? Hm? Sure, he’s hugged you, told you it’ll be alright but it won’t. You’re playing mum here and for what? To cast an illusion!” Eli slammed her hand on the table with a growl.

“Harry’s changed! You brought us here against our will you stupid little –“Sophia bit her lip so she wouldn’t swear in front of Lily.

“That’s ENOUGH! BOTH of you sit down and be quiet. Jesus Christ!” Elliott stepped in but all Eli did was lean over the table, her dark eyes cast in hatred, looking right at Lily.

“She isn’t your mum, Lilith. She’s a stranger. Mum died because she couldn’t handle having such a pathetic and weak excuse for a daughter. You killed –“Sophia slammed down the fork and with as much strength as she could muster, she brought her hand up and slammed it across Eli’s cheek, making the force of it snap her neck to the side with lightning speed velocity.

Elliott froze – in fact, the whole dinner table froze.

“Your mum would be ashamed! Adult or not, your treatment towards Lily stops now! She is loved because Elliott has some sort of soul to preserve her innocence. I’m only sorry it came too late for you, Eli. I’m sorry that you feel so unloved and starved for attention that you have to make everyone else feel bad but to be fair? How can a father love a heartless monster like you? Because that’s what you are. A monster with no feelings – no compassion. Now, I may not be your mum but go to your room or leave this house and never come back. That is your choice. Because right now, I’m in the position I’m in because of you and I don’t want to see your face.” Sophia finished with a hiss, her blue eyes almost black.

Elliott watched the whole thing calmly, humming a questionable thought with a simple hmm.

“Eli? Go to your room or I’ll throw you out myself. Perhaps this is a lesson you need to think on, yes? Don’t come out until you can treat your sister with some respect. Ignore her completely if that’s what it takes but I’m tired of you blaming her for your mother’s death. You remind her every day and enough is enough. Sophia’s right, perhaps if you were kinder I could allow myself to feel something towards you. I love you, Eli because you are my daughter but I don’t love who you are and in knowing that, I feel nothing for you.”

“Well, I learned from the best – didn’t I father? Blowing a fourteen year olds brains out in front of me at three and telling me that’s how you deal with a continuous problem with enemies? I learned from you! I grew up seeing YOU and learning from your example. I was proud because you handled things so efficiently but then mum died and you became weak! YOU’RE WEAK! YOU’RE NOT MY FATHER ANYMORE!” She screamed and stormed off – her door slamming loudly throughout the house a moment later.

Lily whimpered and Sophia sat back in her chair to comfort her, sitting the little girl on her lap and using her good arm to hug Lily to her.

“I am so sorry.” She calmed gently.

Lily simply hugged her tighter, beginning to cry.

“Sir? To answer your question, Tomlinson is secured but that didn’t stop him. He’s trained in advanced combat. Him and Styles both, Malik knows some stuff but he and Styles are remaining docile and cooperative. Louis is a different story.” Smith replied, picking up the conversation before the blowout.

“Where’s Andros? Was he not instructed to feed the prisoners with you?” Elliott interrogated, standing up to follow Smith back, leaving Sophia to comfort Lily.

“He was and he tried. Styles refuses to eat and Malik insists he isn’t hungry so we put their gags back in and left them be. When I turned to leave, Tomlinson tripped me.” Smith explained, stopping at the prisoner’s door.

“Alright, we have a hundred pound weight in the basement, go fetch it. I’ll deal with the three Stooges.” He nodded down the hall towards the direction of the basement while he stepped into the threshold where he was keeping the three gang members.

Their heads glanced towards him as he entered and shut the door.

“Good evening gentlemen, how are you enjoying your accommodations?” He asked politely, seeing the mess of pasta on the floor, glancing at Louis and chuckling. “We’ve got something coming momentarily to fix your tripping habits, Tomlinson. However, back to business for a tick. I called my friend and he will be around to personally deliver you three to The Cage. He should be around sometimes after breakfast tomorrow morning.”

Elliott paused, glancing into the face of each men. Like before they stayed quiet – not that they had much choice in the matter. Each of them were securely gagged and the knots in the cloth were tightly done to make sure they wouldn’t slip off.

“It’s nothing personal boys. If it makes you all feel better, I don’t get a thrill out of sending you off to your deaths but Eli started this and you tend to want to protect your little girl – even if she’s not using her head right now.” Elliott defended his daughter – though he wasn’t sure why he bothered. This was one thing he was not taking responsibility for.

“Anyhow, you three just sit tight. Tomorrow will come soon enough. If you have to use the bathroom, just go. I’m not unchaining you until tomorrow. If you have an accident, I will have my men sedate and shower you before leaving. I’d put you in something but either way you look at it, it’s all a bit indignant, yeah?”

Louis growled, his glare growing colder.

Elliott smiled and went over to him, kneeling down and pulling the gag from his mouth.

“Something to say Tomlinson?” He challenged, seeing him cough from being gagged long hours.

“Yeah, you can’t treat us like animals! This isn’t right and where’s Sophia? We want to see that she’s okay!” Louis demanded but didn’t get far as Elliott slipped the thick piece of cloth back in, effectively silencing him again.

“You are nothing but animals to me, so really isn’t a stretch. Like I said, bathroom privileges are revoked and you can sit tight like that until tomorrow. I’m not taking a risk of you escaping.” Elliott said with finality, knotting Louis’s gag tight before patting his head like a dog.

He huffed and turned away.

“As for Sophia? She’s fine. She will remain here with me. I don’t know how good my promise is to you, Styles –“He paused to meet Harry’s eye. “But I can give you my word that she will be well cared for. More so than what you could ever give her. Damien will kill her off eventually and all you would be able to do is watch. At least here she can be free – perhaps I will even let her go at some point all together but she is better off here than with Damien and you three are suffering and too stupid to know it. Death is a better option so really, you all should thank me for ending your pathetic existence because what you are doing isn’t living. It’s going through the notions of living. It’s surviving and that gets exhausting, doesn’t it?” He asked, forcing Louis’s head toward him.

Louis growled and jerked his head back before turning away again.

Elliott shrugged and patted the boy’s head, standing up.

“It will all be over soon, lads. Sit tight.”

With that he left, seeing Smith enter again, this time with the anchor weight and some rope.

He dropped the items by Louis’s feet and started to tie his feet to the weight.

Louis protested but his muffled expletives went unheeded.

“Next time don’t trip me!” Smith hissed.

Elliott chuckled and left, returning back to the kitchen where Andros and Sophia were sitting, Lily on the older girl’s lap sucking her thumb.

“Thank you for helping to calm her, Andros. I didn’t mean to go off like that but –“She trailed off seeing Elliott.

Elliott nodded his acknowledgment and went back to his food.

“Your points were valid but let me handle Eli next time. I don’t like to hurt either of my girl’s feelings. As for slapping her – if you ever do that again, I will break your hand.” Elliott threatened calmly, his fork going to his mouth.

“Then perhaps you should have a talk with Eli about constantly hurting Lily’s feelings. She needed a good slap across the face and if you wouldn’t do it then I was going to. You asked me to look over Lily, I’m looking over her. She’s such a sweet little girl and somehow you have done an amazing job with her and made the other completely void of human relation. How does that work, Mr. Dawson?”

Elliott chuckled.

“I like your spirit, Sophia but you are forgetting your place.” He warned lightly but did not otherwise move.

“What is my place? To stay quiet and do as I’m told? That hasn’t worked for Harry and it is even less likely to work for you. I’m tired of being kidnapped, I am damn TIRED of being held against my will and I am sick AND tired of feeling helpless. I accepting death a while ago, Mr. Dawson. The least you could grant me is that wish. I want to see my brother and be truly free. Nothing in my life for the past nearly six months has gone right.” Sophia ranted, upsetting Lily again.

“No! Daddy, please don’t hurt her. She doesn’t mean it!” Lily whined, begging her father.

“Your company is still required, Ms. Stone. You will continue to oversee Lily’s health and wellbeing. I know she’ll be in good hands with you as a mother figure. Find that as your inspiration for breathing, Sophia. Let go of the past and erase it from where you are now. It has no place here. Harry might have let you sulk on whatever tragedy that was your life but I however will not. Him, his gang, your family, brother, father, mother – friends, work…they are no longer relevant in the here and now because from here on out, you will no longer mention them. In passing or otherwise, is that understood?” Elliott demanded, putting his fork back down and looking Sophia straight in the eye.

“If I don’t?” She challenged, hugging Lily when she started shaking her head.

“Daddy, please!” She begged, her voice scared.

Elliott glared, his teeth gritting.

“Well, I’ll have to put you down in the basement for an undisclosed amount of time until you control your emotions. You’re upsetting Lily. This conversation is closed. You brother, Harry – if you speak or ask about any of them you will be wearing a muzzle for the day. If you break the rule again, you will be locked in the basement until I say otherwise. So go ahead, your move.” Elliott shrugged.

“Check mate.” Sophia muttered, feeling a hand on her shoulder. It was Andros.

“Why don’t we all go watch a movie? How’s the Lion King sound?” He smiled, glancing at Lily.

Lily instantly became excited releasing herself from Sophia.

“Yeah!” She yelled, grabbing Sophia’s hand and pulling her towards the room.

Sophia frowned at the idea.

“Uncle Scar.” She whispered, remembering her uncle and wanting to cry, thoughts of her and Dylan when they were younger with their uncle watching The Lion King in front of the TV.

She began to cry on the thought, her knees buckling and giving out, falling to the ground.

Andros stopped with Lily letting out a surprised gasp.

“Mummy? Are you okay?” She asked with concern, looking at Andros who kneeled next to her.

Sophia covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

“Uncle Scar.” She sobbed.

“What the –“Andros scratched his head.

“Okay, no Lion King. How about Cinderella or 101 Dalmatians? No Aunt Cruella, right? Okay?” Andros tried consoling her but she shook her head.

Elliott walked in front of them, already hearing the commotion.

“What on earth?”

“No Lion King!” Sophia begged, trying to will the thought away.

“Okay! Ok, no Lion King. Cinderella? Snow White? Peter Pan? The Gremlins? – it’s not Disney but –“ Andros didn’t know what she was hysterically sobbing about but he needed her to stop because it was pissing Elliott off and severely upsetting Lily that was starting to cry too.

“Jesus H Christ,” Elliott muttered, coming forward and gently lifting Lily up. “Andros? I want her calmed. She’s not seeing Harry, she is not to talk about her past life and she needs to bloody get control of herself! MAKE IT HAPPEN!” He yelled and walked away to Lily’s room.

Andros scratched his head, leaning in to speak quietly into her ear.

“I’m not allowed to talk about my brother either but I do sometimes. I keep his memories in a journal that Ms. Dawson let me keep. I could talk about him with her when Elliott wasn’t around, you can talk to me if you want. I won’t tell.” He whispered, keeping his eyes down the hall.

Sophia leaned into his comfort, her forehead on his shoulder.

“My brother was kind. He died and when we were younger, Uncle Scar – we called him Uncle Scar and he called me Nala and called him Simba. We watched the movie all the time, when my father would let us. We were close. I’m a murderer, I brought him into my mess with Harry when I was kidnapped by him and Dylan was going to Damien’s cabin. He got scared and committed suicide. He wouldn’t have been forced to do that if I didn’t bring his name up. I thought he was responsible for my kidnapping and he wasn’t. He wasn’t, Andros. He didn’t know and I brought him into this. I forced him into suicide and the Lion King was the one movie him and I would watch on our bad days as kids and I just want him back.” Sophia sobbed, not bothering to keep her voice quiet.

Andros shushed her and made sure Elliott didn’t hear.

He leaned in and whispered in her ear.

“My brother was kind. He wasn’t a fighter or a thug – we did everything together. Got girls, hung out at stores – we even got an apartment. When we were kidnapped, Elliott kept us for about a week but separated us. The only time we got to see one another was when we were forced to shower together. It was heartbreaking because he kept crying and would never tell me why,” Andros swallowed, bringing his hand up to massage Sophia’s hair. “One day, I was let into the shower and saw he wasn’t there. I asked Elliott and he told me the he had been taken to The Cage that morning. I didn’t understand at the time but Razor and Blade explained it to me. What it was…and all I could do was cry and ask why I had been spared. Ms. Dawson spared me. She took care of me.” He explained, Sophia’s cries soothing to small sobs.

“My father was a piece of shit, he beat us. He did so much and all I ever wished for was his approval. My brother and I had a falling out and that’s lost time I’ll never get back. We reconnected in captivity and then he leaves. Everyone left and I have no one but Harry. Harry can’t die because I need him, need him to show me how to survive. You can’t let him die!”

“Shhh!” Andros murmured, almost sure Elliott was going to hear.

“He won’t die but I can’t do anything, Soph. I can’t get him out of this house, there’s too many men and if I betray Elliott, he will kill me.” Andros hissed but not in a cruel way.

Sophia didn’t say anything. She simply hugged onto Andros with her good arm.

“Alright, let’s get you up. We’ll go watch the Gremlins –Lily hasn’t seen it yet and she’s been asking me to watch it with her.” Andros forced a chuckle and helped Sophia up off the floor.

Sophia let him help her to the room where Lily was and saw her at her big screened TV, Elliott turning it on to the DVD channel.

“We’re watching Gremlins! Lily has been begging to watch it, haven’t you sweetheart?” Andros asked cheerily, his own pain shining through his voice. The boy was good at putting on a happy face for Lily’s sake.

Lily nodded sadly, seeing Sophia. She wordlessly scooted over on her small child couch and patted the seat next to her.

Sophia sat down and forced a smile.

“You’re okay, aren’t you mummy?” She asked worriedly, reaching her hands over the small edge of the couch and bringing up the red headed doll. “Here, she’ll make you feel better.”

Sophia took it wordlessly and hugged it to her chest.

Elliott rolled his eyes and stood up.

“Bedtime is at nine, pumpkin. Daddy needs to go make a call. Andros? Make sure she gets ready for bed after the movie and please go clean the pasta up off the prisoner’s floor. Smith won’t go back in there – Louis ended up rabbit kicking him in the balls trying to tie his feet. We may end up sedating them sooner if anything else happens.” Elliott shook his head.

“I’ll take over Smith’s charge, they seem to listen to me more anyhow.” Andros shrugged.

“Alright, consider yourself their temporary babysitter. You will take charge tonight inside their room. I don’t want any mistakes – you know what happens when mistakes happen. The evidence is on your back.” Elliott smiled and left, making Andros close his eyes and swallow.

Sophia waited a second to speak.

“You too, huh? Harry has scars on his back – I have a few in front. Damien’s compliments,” She paused before finishing her thoughts. “In a way I feel sorry that is the only solution to mistakes.” Sophia sniffed, petting the doll’s hair.

“It gets the point across, so the gangs have no problem punishing one another like that. I screwed up – and can’t take what I did back.” Andros shrugged, getting up and popping the Gremlins into the DVD player.

He pressed play and sat on the arm of the small child’s couch since it was only a two seater.

Lily took Sophia’s hand and held it.

“It will be alright, mum. You have me and daddy. Daddy can help if you just listen to him. He’s a nice man, not mean like people think.” She smiled but soon became entranced in the movie, leaning her head against Sophia’s good arm.

Andros smiled.

“Someone’s getting sleepy.” He teased, making Sophia look at him. He only nodded to her arm.

Sophia looked and found herself smiling too. Her heart melting just a little bit.

“No I’m not.” Lily argued, making Andros chuckle.

“I give it twenty minutes.” He bet, making Sophia let out a small genuine laugh.

Lily huffed but her eyes didn’t leave the screen.

Sophia watched the movie, her red eyes visibly tired from the day’s events. If it weren’t for getting to see Harry – she’d be falling asleep with Lily.

Andros watched over them both while occasionally glancing at the screen. A big part of his job was overseeing the family members. Even Eli – which is why he was roped into Sophia and Harry’s kidnapping. His feelings still confused as he was responsible for her being her. How could she not hate him?

He didn’t ask though because he was afraid of the answer. Instead, he simply kept on with his job and let the quietness set into the air.

*

Elliott kneeled next to Harry, the gag already undone from his mouth. He held a phone up, the buzzing sound of a ring sounding.

“If you talk out of turn, your tongue will be cut off. Just sit here and listen, I’ll give you your signal when you can speak.” Elliott glowered as the ringing finally stopped.

“Damien Styles, what do you want?” He growled with venom, making Harry flinch.

“Damien old chap! It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” Elliott feigned surprise, chuckling.

“What the fuck do you want, Dawson?! Where’s my son!?” He screamed, making Harry try to back away from the phone, his chains tinkling with the movement.

Elliott laughed.

“Pissing his pants. Chill old chap, he’s right here – listening to the adults. Isn’t that right, Harry?” Elliott nodded.

“D-dad? I’m really sorry.” Harry begged, earning another vicious hiss from the other end.

“Oh son, when I get you back you’re going to be. WHERE ARE YOU?!” He continued to yell, making Dawson tsk and pull the phone away.

“You still haven’t changed, mate. Still the same old asshole from years ago.” Elliott sighed.

“Yeah? Well, at least I’m not a washed up has been. People still know and fear my name on the streets, Dawson. Let my son, let Malik and Tomlinson go!” He seethed, slamming his fist into something.

“Let them go, huh? What about the girl? She doesn’t count in your gang? Is she not good enough?” Dawson pressed, smiling while forcing the gag Harry was wearing back into his mouth none too gently.

Harry murmured something unintelligible, shaking his head from side to side.

“Aw, your son is adorable Damien. He pissed himself and he’s trying to talk,” Elliott cooed but ended up laughing. “Personally, I have no use for him but your girl, Sophia is it? She’s becoming a beautiful resource to our little gang. Harry and the other two will be dead by tomorrow evening, if you’re smart you won’t need the tracking device to locate them as I just gave you a big fucking clue. Goodnight, old mate. Happy hunting!” Elliott taunted, ending the phone call.

Harry’s cheeks reddened, his eyes downcast to his lap.

“Aw, don’t look so down, Harry. You’re getting out of here tomorrow. Why, with your fighting skill you’ll be the perfect addition to The Cage. Tomlinson – he’ll be the crowd favorite. Malik?” He laughed. “Well, Malik might die his first night but you two will surely be around for years, I bet my money on it.”

Louis snorted.

“Asmhlm.” Louis muttered.

“Asshole? That’s not very nice, Tomlinson.” Elliot tsked, keeping his eyes on Harry, continuing what he was saying. “If you’re around next year, I’ll bring Sophia by to see you but by then she will be truly adjusted to our ways and if I can help it, I will plant that little seed of sadism in her head that paints you as the bloody monster you are. God as my witness, Styles, you would have followed in your father’s footsteps soon enough and I will be fucking damned if I let that happen.” Elliott ended with a glare, grabbing his hair, fisting it to force Harry’s face close to his.

“If you truly loved Sophia you would have tried harder to protect her, tried harder to shield her from this world but you didn’t. You fed her this darkness and guess what? She will become what you exposed her to. She will transition into this world. You can’t stop it but with a little work, I can. I will be her God – her savior and you will just be another one of her nightmares. One she won’t remember in a few months. I win and you lose. For once I fucking WON!”

Harry whimpered from the pain but remained still.

Elliott rolled his eyes and released Harry’s hair, reaching behind him, pulling his head down to pull the gag taunt, knotting the fabric in a way that allowed no slack to pull it out.

“You won’t see Sophia again; it’s for the best. No goodbyes, no I love you’s because we both know you’re incapable of loving someone else. Being raised by Damien usually aren’t capable of being human and you are a wonderful example. So sit there and think about the years to come. I can promise that they will be miserable for you and I ravage in the thought.”

Harry coughed from the material tickling the back of his throat, his head bowed submissively. He just wanted Elliott to leave but he had to admit to himself that the older leader’s words stung.

“I’ll leave you with those thoughts, do with them as you will.” Elliott advised, standing up and walking over to Louis, looking down at him and laughing.

“You look positively pathetic. Maybe next time you should keep that mouth of yours closed? I know that’s kept me out of trouble.” He smiled, seeing Louis glare up at him.

“Fum yom.” Louis grunted defiantly, flinching when Elliott kneeled down and reached behind him, pulling the cloth tighter and making sure to tie three knots on top of one another to guarantee it was secure.

“There, let’s see you insult me now. Go on, asshole, talk!” Elliott demanded, making Louis wince.

“Mck…” Louis gagged when he tried and closed his eyes to even his breathing.

“That’s what I thought. Have a good night, Tomlinson. At least something was able to get you to shut the fuck up for once.” He patted Louis’s cheek, directing his attention to Zayn.

Zayn didn’t attempt to interfere but his face showed worn stress. He had been tied to Louis since morning and all he wanted to do was lay down.

“You’re the only well behaved one here, Malik but let’s continue that streak, shall we?” Elliott hummed, untying his gag before pulling it tight.

Zayn groaned, gagging at the sudden intrusion of the cloth against the back of his throat.

He felt Elliott knotting the gag in different places, his hair getting caught in the knots.

“There. Well, you boys are ready for bed now, so I’ll leave you to it.” Elliott smiled and stood, finally leaving the three prisoners to their own thoughts.

Harry slammed his head against the wall a few times, jerking his chained hands to free them. All was unfortunately in vain.

Louis watched Harry lose it and wondered what exactly went on that week, Harry was the calm and collected one…this wasn’t the leader that had left them.

To top it all off, he watched as Harry’s eyes filled with tears, his head shaking back and forth while he screamed out into the quiet atmosphere, the gag stopping his scream and muffling it to a low unintelligible grunt.

If Louis could, he’d ask him what was wrong but truth be told – what wasn’t wrong with this scenario? Sitting in one’s own piss and being taunted by your enemy wasn’t normal…but, what was normal for a gang?

*

Sophia watched Andros change Lily expertly, her small body limp like a rag doll as he finished dressing her and tucking her in.

“I remember doing this when she was first born, was a lot easier.” Andros smiled.

Sophia looked down at the sleeping girl, glancing at Andros.

“You’re a good person. To love a child not your own.” Sophia observed, seeing the way Andros looked on at her with admiration.

“As are you, lass. You don’t give yourself enough credit. Hell, you changed Harry and he was Satan’s spawn. There must be a place in Heaven for an angel like you.” He chuckled.

“I didn’t do anything and how do you know about his reputation, is he that feared?” Sophia asked, sitting gently beside Lily and stroking her small cheek.

She yawned but didn’t wake up, making Sophia smile.

“Everyone knew of Style’s reputation, pretty easy to see when all drug trades were oversaw by one of them and then there are the kidnappings, ransoms, and murders – Harry was Damien’s prodigy but after what I saw this weak – something’s changed.” Andros murmured, sitting down beside Sophia his hand gently going to her shoulder.

Sophia looked over at him, studying his face. He was beautiful both inside and out. She could feel his energy lift her soul some, letting her know that it was going to be alright.

“Thank you for helping me.” Sophia whispered, reaching over to gently place a kiss on his cheek, smiling softly.

“You let me talk about Aiden. I haven’t been able to talk about him in a long time. I miss my brother every day and I don’t know if he’s still alive. He wasn’t a fighter so I doubt it but…I don’t feel like he’s dead, you know? We both had this twin connection to one other and I don’t feel like he’s passed.” Andros sighed, leaning his head against Sophia’s shoulder.

Sophia used her good hand to rub his back.

“Just have to keep faith, right?” Sophia tried to lighten the mood but he just looked at her sadly.

“It’s been seven years, Soph. My faith on him being found alive…I don’t know, I guess if I pray hard enough,” He admitted, glancing at the clock and saw that it was eleven. He decided to switch the subject a little. “Elliott goes to bed at twelve and the whole house is usually asleep by two AM.” He explained.

Sophia nodded.

“What time does your shift start?” She asked, putting her hand in her lap.

“Twelve, when Elliott goes to bed.” He replied, looking over at Lily and smiling. She looked so innocent, unlike Eli – he never saw anything remotely human in that girl, even when she herself was a mere child.

“We have an hour then.” She noted and stood up, going over to the small couch and sitting down on it. He took the hint and moved with her from the bed to let Lily sleep.

“That we do, Ms. Stone.” He chuckled.

He sat with her, their weight making the small piece of furniture wilt.

“You know my surname but I don’t know yours. Is it a secret?” She asked, playing with a loose piece of string in the fabric of her night pants.

“It’s Deprave. Andros Michael Deprave. My brother’s name was Aiden Hunter Deprave, my father’s name was Michael Hunter – go figure. Piece of shit anyhow.” Andros muttered, his good mood slowly disappearing.

“I’m sorry.” Sophia apologized, her voice sincere.

Andros shrugged carelessly and un-paused the part of the movie where the evil gremlins were in the movie theater watching Snow White.

Sophia decided to just keep quiet, knowing she struck a nerve on the subject. Instead, she wrapped her hand around his and they simply finished watching the movie both lost in their own thoughts.

When twelve rolled around he turned to leave but stopped and turned toward the young, lost girl.

“Come to the prisoner’s room at two AM, not a minute before.” He instructed, his eyes hardening.

“You have my word. I’ll watch another movie and pass the time, not a minute before.” She promised, seeing him nod and leave.

Sophia saw the Lion King DVD by the Gremlins and picked it up with slightly shaking hands. She hadn’t watched it since she was little but the memories of that time were painful, even more so now. Dylan was gone, Uncle Scar – everyone.

She felt tears slip from her eyes but she put the DVD in and closed her eyes, the beginning of the movie playing in time with her mind.

She could hear her brother’s voice roaring like a lion and laughing. She could hear Uncle Scar giving off an evil laugh and she herself could hear an off sound version of herself singing ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

“You can’t sing Sophie!” Dylan laughed, starting to sing, his voice coming out much more in tune.

Uncle Scar did his impression of Scar, laughing and being silly. It was a sad memory for her but in a way, a comfort. She wanted to remember Dylan the way he used to be and all she had were those memories. Ones she hadn’t thought to think about in years.

“I’m going to miss you, D.” Sophia whispered, seeing Dylan’s childish face look at hers and grin – a genuine smile that only a brother could give to a sister. It wasn’t much at the time but it was his face that she remembered. His innocence and that’s how she wanted to remember him.

She sat crying softly, opening her eyes and reaching out her good hand to touch the screen where Simba was.

She smiled at the nickname their Uncle gave them.

“Time can’t move back. The memories are there in that time, held only by remembrance. There is no rewinding, there is no regretting,” Sophia thought to herself aloud, smiling at the ghost laughter of her brother in her mind.

“I have to leave my memories there and look at the here and now. I have to survive – help Harry survive.” She nodded, closing her eyes one more time. The stilled image of her brother in her mind lighting aflame like a picture melting in a fire. It burned to nothing but still left the pain.

“Goodbye, Simba.” Sophia whispered, turning off the TV. She’d much rather the silence and for two hours, that’s exactly what she relished in.

Notes