Web of Lies
Chapter 1: Sent Away
A/N: I originally was going to have this as Robyn's story only, but I figured that many readers wouldn't want to read that since the Turtles wouldn't appear until later. So instead, this story is about both April and Robyn and how they deal with everything that happens in their lives. The first chunk of this story will be about both sisters until April dies and then it will focus entirely on Robyn. I hope that you enjoy it and if you're confused about anything, I suggest you read Truth and Lies for a start.
Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing else.
Summary: Lies can sometimes benefit you, lies can sometimes haunt you, and lies can sometimes hurt you. For two sisters, the lies they tell will ultimately turn one sister into a monster and will cost another her life. A Truth and Lies novel.
April O'Neil and Robyn O'Neil were twin sisters who used to be inseparable. Their mother once told them that when they were in her stomach, they were even holding hands together as though they didn't want to be parted from one another. When they were born, they cried whenever one of them was separated. When one of them was sick, the other would get worried and stay by her sister's side. It looked like the two sisters would always be close, and they promised each other that when they were six.
But that all changed the day their mother died.
It was their eleventh birthday, and their parents promised that they'd take the girls out to eat after they returned home from school. Both girls were excited and hurried home as fast as they could. Their father, Kirby, was home and was waiting for them. He greeted his daughters with a kiss and hug and told them to wait for their mother to get home so they could go out to eat. Then their mother, Lauren, called Kirby and told him that she was going to be working late at the office. Lauren O'Neil was a prominent lawyer and always handled some very tough cases. It disappointed the girls that their mother was going to work late, but she promised that she'd get home as soon as she could so that they could go have fun. The girls kept on waiting, but as time passed, they began to worry that their mother wasn't coming home at all.
"Maybe we should wait until next weekend or on Sunday," April offered.
"No, Mom said she was coming home, so we need to wait for her," Robyn contradicted.
And so they continued to wait, but as time passed, both girls got a horrible feeling that something was terribly wrong. It grew dark, and still their mother didn't come home. Kirby told the girls to go back inside and do their homework while he stayed and waited for his wife to come home. Both girls did so even though they wanted to stay and wait for their mother.
Not long after a police car pulled up and two officers got out. They approached Kirby with solemn looks on their faces.
"Are you Kirby O'Neil?" the first officer asked. He had red hair and green eyes.
Kirby nodded. "Yes, I am," he said. "What's going on?"
"Your wife, Lauren O'Neil, was in a terrible car accident," the first officer said. "A drunk driver hit her head on when he swerved into her lane."
Kirby gasped. "Is she okay?"
"No, sir, she's not," the second officer said. He had a dark complexion and brown eyes. "She was killed instantly. We found you in her list of contacts and had to notify you immediately. We're very sorry for your loss, sir."
Kirby sat down on the steps, hardly daring to believe it. How could his wife be dead and gone? This was supposed to be a celebration of the day their daughters were born.
The girls had come back outside and heard everything, despite their father's order to remain inside.
"Mom's dead?" April gasped.
Kirby turned, surprised that the girls were there. "Yes, April, your mother is dead," he answered. "Now please go back inside while I talk to the nice officers."
"What happened to her?" Robyn demanded.
"We'll discuss it after I talk to the policemen," Kirby answered. "Now go inside."
April took her sister's hand and led her back inside even though Robyn struggled. She didn't want to stay inside. She wanted to find out what had happened to her mother.
"Let me go, April!" Robyn snapped. "I want to go back out there!"
"Dad said we have to stay here until he comes back," she replied. "Just do what you're told and shut up."
"You can't tell me what to do!" Robyn snapped. "You're not my mother!"
"No, but we have to listen to Dad, so just stop being so stubborn," April ordered.
Robyn stuck out her tongue at her sister but said nothing more. She was angry that her mother was dead. Why did it have to happen? This was supposed to be a happy day, not a sad one.
Kirby came back in and sat the girls down on the couch. "Girls, your mother was killed by a drunk driver," he said. "The driver swerved into her lane and hit her head on."
"Did they take her to the hospital?" April asked.
"No, she was dead already when they got there, so they took her to the morgue. I'm going to go over there and identify her body."
"But the police just said it was Mom!" Robyn protested. "Why do you have to identify her body?"
"Just to make sure that it's really her," Kirby answered. "April, I want you and Robyn to stay here."
"But we want to go with you!" Robyn begged. "We have to see Mom again!"
"I'm sorry, Robyn, but you can't come with me," he replied. "Please, just do what I say and don't argue. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Robyn sulked, but she knew she couldn't argue with her father even if she wanted to. Both girls watched him go and then Robyn stormed up to her room. She slammed the door and sat on the bed. How could this have happened? Mom wasn't supposed to die this way. Then a new feeling spread through her. This was April's fault. She remembered April telling her mom to hurry home before the girls left for school. Maybe that was why the driver had hit their mother. She was probably speeding to get home and had been hit. Yes, this was all April's doing.
She heard a knock on her door and knew April was there.
"Robyn, can I come in?" she asked.
"No, you can't," Robyn said. "This is all your fault, April. If you hadn't asked Mom to hurry home, she wouldn't have gotten hit by that driver."
"It's not my fault!" April protested. "I didn't cause that accident at all. She was hit by a guy who was drinking too much."
"Yes it is your fault," Robyn countered. "You told her to hurry home, and it killed her. You're a murderer, April O'Neil."
"I am not!" April shouted.
"You are too!" Robyn retorted. "Go away and leave me alone!"
April left, and Robyn was glad. She didn't want anything to do with her sister anymore. As far as she was concerned, she wished her sister had never even been born.
Kirby came back and told the girls that the body was their mother's. Then he shut himself in his office he used when he needed to think about things while the girls went to their separate rooms. April wanted to spend time with Robyn, but Robyn ignored her and locked her door so April couldn't come in. When it was time for bed, April offered to sleep next to Robyn like they used to whenever there was a storm, but Robyn refused and told April to go away. Then Robyn settled into bed and cried for the loss of her mother.
22222
Robyn made her way downstairs wearing a black dress her mother had bought her. Today was the day her mother was being laid to rest, and Robyn wasn't looking forward to it one bit. April came down soon after wearing the same dress she was. Robyn scowled at her but said nothing more. She was still angry about all of this and still believed it was April's fault that their mother was dead.
"Robyn, please talk to me," April pleaded. "I can't have you mad at me right now. We need each other."
Robyn glared at April and gave her the middle finger as a way to express her feelings. Then she turned and stalked to the living room and plopped on the couch. Kirby came from his office dressed in one of his best suits.
"Girls, it's time to go," he said softly.
The girls followed him to the church where the service would be held. They didn't have a viewing ceremony since Lauren's body was so mangled from the crash so the casket remained closed. Robyn gazed at it, hardly daring to believe this was real. Any moment, she expected the lid to open and for her mother to come out and say that it was all a bad dream and that she was fine again. But the lid remained as closed as ever, making her heart ache even more.
More relatives and close friends entered the church and the service began. Robyn sat next to her sister and barely listened to a word of the service. Kirby got up and eulogized his wife, talking about how she was a wonderful wife and mother to April and Robyn. April was crying openly, but Robyn was like a stone. She had already cried her well of tears and had no more to give. Instead, rage built up in her body at the injustice of all of this. None of this should have happened. Her mother should be there, giving her love and affection as she always did. She glared at her crying sister and wanted to hurt her. She wanted to tell her to stop crying and face up to what she did, but April would never admit it was her fault. That was just the way she was. Robyn looked away from her sister because she was afraid she'd do something she'd regret.
When the service was over, they went to the cemetery where their mother's remains were interred into the ground. Then they went to a building where food was served for them. Robyn barely ate, but she knew she had to keep up her strength no matter what. Kirby led them away and back to the apartment afterwards. Robyn hurried upstairs to change out of her clothes into something more casual. April was in her own room and didn't seek out her sister, much to Robyn's relief. She didn't want to even talk to her sister right now. She lay on her bed and tried to remember the last time she'd spoken to her mother. It had been before her mom went to work that fateful day. She remembered telling her mom she loved her and listened to her say it back. But now those words would never cross her lips again.
Once again, rage built up inside Robyn, but she did her best to beat it back. She knew one thing that absolutely had to be done no matter the cost.
Her sister had to go.
22222
Days passed and things didn't change for the sisters. Robyn refused to speak to April, and Kirby was very worried about all of this. He did his best to play peacemaker but Robyn wouldn't listen to him. Knowing that he couldn't do much more, Kirby let them be and left to go run some errands, thinking that maybe the sisters needed some time alone.
Robyn sat and watched TV while April stayed in her room. The rage kept building up as Robyn saw a mother and daughter hugging on the show she was watching. She tried to beat it back, but it kept coming up. Finally, Robyn turned off the TV and went to the kitchen where she retrieved a knife.
That's it, a voice in her head said. Get rid of her. You don't need her around. She killed your mother, and she should die, too.
Robyn nodded and made her way upstairs to her room. She hid the knife under her bed and smiled a wicked smile.
"April, can you come in here?" she called.
April hurried into her sister's room, her eyes filled with concern.
"Robyn, what's wrong?" she asked.
"I just wanted to let you know that I hate you," Robyn answered. "You're one of the worst sisters ever."
April was shocked. "Robyn, how could you say that?" she gasped.
"You killed our mother," Robyn hissed. "You put her in the ground, and now it's time for you to pay the price for your crime." She pulled the knife out and advanced on her sister.
"Robyn, don't!" April cried. "You can't hurt me!"
"I can and I will," Robyn snarled.
April gasped and ran, and Robyn ran after her. April tried to close her door, but Robyn stuck her foot out and jammed it in so that the door wouldn't close. Then she advanced on her sister, who backed away and then tripped on her rug, causing her to fall on her back. Robyn pinned her down and held the knife to her throat.
"Robyn, you don't want to do this," she pleaded. "We're sisters. I love you."
"Well, I don't love you," Robyn replied. "I hate you and you need to die." She paused with the knife at her sister's throat, ready to drive it in, her eyes filled with hate.
April let out a scream and struggled, but Robyn's weight was too heavy for her to buck her off.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded on the stairs as Kirby burst into the room. He took in the sight of Robyn pinning April to the floor with a knife at her throat. He grabbed Robyn and pulled her off. Robyn kicked and struggled, but Kirby held her fast.
"Let me go!" she screamed. "She deserves to die for what she did!"
"I didn't kill Mom!" April cried.
"Yes, you did!" Robyn screamed. "Let me go, Dad! Let me go!"
But Kirby didn't relinquish his grip and dragged Robyn out of April's room. He put her in her own room and closed the door and locked it with a key he had. Robyn pounded on the door and continued yelling about how April should die, but no one would let her out.
Furious, Robyn flopped on her bed and cursed her father. He'd taken the knife away from her, so she didn't have a weapon to use. She could hear voices downstairs and then her father was on the phone. What was he doing? Was he calling the police? Were they going to take her to jail? If they tried, she'd tell them April was the one who needed to go to jail for the death of their mother. Kirby hung up the phone and then made his way upstairs. He entered April's room and began talking to her. Robyn went to her wall and began to listen.
"Honey, are you okay?" he asked his daughter.
"She tried to kill me, Dad," April sobbed. "Why would she try to kill me?"
"I don't know, sweetie," said Kirby sadly. "Something's terribly wrong with her, but I know of a way we can help."
"How?" April asked him.
"There's a facility that treats people like Robyn," he replied. "I'm going to send her there and hopefully they can get to the bottom of this. But it's obvious she's very sick and can't stay here anymore. But you have to make the final decision since you're her sister."
Robyn's eyes widened. A facility? They were going to send her away from her home, from her life? They couldn't do that! She wouldn't go! She'd die first!
"Are you sure you can't help her, Dad?" pleaded April. "You're a psychologist. Maybe you could talk to her."
Kirby sighed. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to get through to her, and I don't think it'd be ethical for me to treat her seeing as I'm related to her. I think the only thing we can do is send her away. I know you'll miss her, but this is the only way to make her get better. You want her to get better, don't you?"
April sniffed. "Yes, I do," she answered. "I want my sister back."
"Then it's settled," Kirby declared. "I'm going to go tell your sister that she's going away tomorrow. That was the earliest they could get an opening there."
Robyn heard him kiss April and then make his way to her room. She sat on her bed, furious at the turn this had taken. This wasn't fair.
"Robyn, I need to talk to you," Kirby said as he unlocked the door and entered her room. Robyn thought about bolting and escaping, but Kirby must have sensed she'd try that because he closed the door and locked it behind him.
"What do you want?" she demanded.
"Honey, I know that something's very wrong with you," Kirby began. "I want to know what possessed you to go after your sister like that."
"She killed our mother!" Robyn replied. "She told Mom to hurry home and because of that, Mom did and got killed!"
"Honey, that's not true," Kirby contradicted. "A drunk driver came and hit your mother head on. She wasn't able to swerve or avoid him."
"No!" Robyn cried. "You're wrong! It was April's fault! April killed our mother!"
"Robyn, maybe it's best if you went away for a little while," he said gently. "Maybe being away from your sister will help you to get better."
"Don't try to play games with me!" Robyn snapped. "I heard you talking to that bitch! You're going to send me away to a loony bin, aren't you?"
"It's not a loony bin, Robyn," Kirby corrected her. "It's a special facility to help troubled young people. You obviously resent April and don't want her around anymore, and that's not normal for someone your age. You need help, and this facility can help you."
"I won't go!" she declared. "I'd rather die!"
"You're going whether you like it or not," Kirby told her. "If we have to use force, we will do so, but you're going one way or the other. You can't treat your sister like this, Robyn, and you're not going to get away with it."
With that, he turned and left her room, leaving her to mull over what he'd just said.
Robyn was furious. She knew she had no choice but to go, but she wasn't happy about it. She pulled out her suitcase her mother had given her a few years ago and started packing whatever she felt was necessary. Once it was full, she set it aside and looked around her room. She didn't know if she'd ever be back here, but she was determined she wouldn't stay in that nuthouse any longer than she had to. The best thing she had to do was just go along with whatever they said and wanted her to do. She'd seen enough TV shows to know about mental institutions and how the doctors acted there. If she just did what they said, maybe they'd let her go home early.
And once she returned home, she'd make sure to finish the job and get rid of her sister once and for all.
A/N: So that's the end of that chapter. What do you think so far? I'm having so much fun concocting this story, and it's something I've wanted to do for a long time. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.