Chapter 24 - Confrontation

250 or so years ago a big fire almost destroyed rosewood. the people in charge thought it was better to ignore the problem and build above it instead of fixing it. The result was that the whole north side of the town sits higher up on the hill than the rest of it. The last stories of the important (taller buildings) became the basements of the new ones. the old police station was now beneath the new one, the courthouse became the city hall/courthouse, the old cemetery with its church sits underneath the new one and so on.

Following that idea a set of sewers was dug under around the perimeter of rosewood in order to provide useless water in case of a similar fire. Those sewers go under my side of the suburbs. In fact all of the basements on my street have emergency trap doors leading to those sewers (which stopped being in use around 20 years ago due to to unbelievable stench) that in turn lead to the old Rosewood.

That Saturday after the cops finally stopped interrogating me and Jason thanks to the divine appearance of our lawyer - Spencer's dad - and a not so subtle reminder that Garrett Reynolds had an affair with a high school girl that had just died and that the whole street saw him shoot at me before taking his own life.

A little after the sun rose Mr. Hastings drove me and Jason to our homes. Following a hunch I changed out of my bright clothes to a pair of black yoga pants and a red tank top with sneakers, I leased Zoe (that had been locked up in the kitchen and hated it), took my phone, a copy of the old city plans (thank you internet), a swish army knife and a flashlight in a small bag around my waist and went down my trapdoor.

I walked in absolute darkness in the sewer following it to the other end of the town where another set of unused sewers and a few broken walls led the way to the Old Rosewood. Every few steps I'd stop and check the maps and was more than a little surprised when Zoe took charge and helped me find the buried town.

I took a deep breath feeling as if I stepped in a ghost town. The ground beneath my feet was made of stones, perfect for horses. The buildings around me were in a surprisingly good condition. There even were road signs. The only comforting thing was the lack on sky above my head.

"Oh my god"

I moved slowly foreword, minding my steps to see that I was in a plaza of sorts. The street sign read 'Clay street' (A/N: yes I did watch 'Ghost Whisperer' when I wrote this chapter. also living in Greece I know a lot of buried towns - so read on please)

"clay street"

I haven't been down here since my initiation night and even then I started from Ali's house so I chanced a look at the map in my hands. Straight in front of me should be the old cemetery, on my left the road led to the business part of the town and on my back were the houses. On my right there was nothing, no road. The part of the town that is still in use.

I felt someone's eyes on me and quickly I pulled out my phone and turned the camera and mic on using the loudest setting before putting it back in my pouch making sure it recorded everything. Then I took a few steps to stand in the middle of the old street. Zoe hissed and barked loudly in a bark I had never heard before. Loud, commanding.

"I knew you'd find me"

"When Mohamed refuses to visit the mountain..."

Alison smiled me her alluring smile and leaned casually on a short wall.

.

.

.

"so this is where you've been living. A bit basic don't you think?"

"it fits its purpose"

"which is?"

"fast and easy access."

I nodded.

"how often do you go upstairs?"

"every now and then. I need to shower, eat, play"

"I see. Any reason you kept up the facade? they didn't find that girl's body till after a year. You could easily come back and claim your life. Instead you hid like a coward"

"I'm NOT a coward"

"yes you are. the Alison I know, the one I grew up with, the one I'm proud to call a sister would fight back. not hide in a ghost town like a scaredy cat. That's why you lost your crown Ali. I'm the Queen now"

"you don't know what it feels like"

"bullshit"

"what?"

"you heard me. bullshit. you acted like Jenna's friend only to take back the Book and then burned her garage. You blinded Jenna because she found out you weren't the perfect little girl you acted like. You tried to kill me because I found out about Jenna and Ian. you sent me to a hospital Ali. I slept for six fucking months because of you"

"I was scared"

"why?"

we were both yelling at that point

"I saw him alright! you left to visit your dad and i saw him. for the first time in my fucking life I took that damned diary out in public trying not to have a breakdown. Jenna was there and she grabbed it from me. she read what he did to me."

"Ali..."

"No, Let me finish. she walked up to him and told him something. he turned to look at me and he had this gleam in his eyes. he recognized me."

"It wasn't your fault you were raped Alison!"

"I know. I also know she had to pay."

"Toby never spied on you, did he?"

"No. but I said he did and made a quick smoke bomb and threw it at their house while they were doing it like bunnies. she fucked her own brother and mocked me for being raped! she lost her sight. she should have lost her speech as well"

I was right. Toby never spied on us. Now the Book.

"and those videos? i saw them, someone took them"

"I did. I had seen Jason with his telescope a couple nights while you undressed and thought I'd make my own videos of us undressing. kill two birds with one stone"

she was smiling as if she had just gotten the best news of her life.

"and the note?"

"he was high as a kite and drank like a skunk. I knew he'd feel guilty when i disappeared so i put it in his pocket, right next to your panties"

"you killed that girl"

"why do you say that?"

"it's the only thing that makes sense. if you're not the dead girl then you're the killer ali"

she laughed manically

"congratulations. you figured it out. also, since its confession time, I killed my rapist and Ian as well"

"Figured as much. You also killed Jenna and were behind Garrett's suicide, right?"

she nodded smirking

"why didn't you come to me or mr. Hastings Alison?"

"you have morals Bella, I don't"

I had to nod at that. She had a point.

"So what do I do with you now?"

"You bow and call me Queen. Jason gave me your box Alison. I found the Book, returned it and was passed on the Torch. My Eye is colored Alison"

I was lying through my teeth but hopefully she didn't know that. Her eyes flashed and she took a few steps towards me. I backed away. Why didn't I think of getting dad's gun with me? Zoe was still hissing and barking loudly but it seemed as if Alison was deaf to it. I was too far from the 'exits' to make a run for it. I guess I have to fight. I only had my pocket knife with me. not much of a weapon. I dropped the lease just as Alison attacked me. we started fighting.

I will never be more grateful for the fighting lessons Charlie insisted I take after Ali was attacked. we started pulling each other's hair and kicking. On a light bulb moment I took off my pouch and used it to hit her up the head. she fell back and I made a run for it to the side.

Alison started throwing stones at me from the ground. hiding behind the walls of the old church. I did the same but the ground opened under my feet. chunks of wood fell over me trapping me in place. I heard footsteps running away. I was too tired to try and scrach my way out. The air down here was too thin.

What they say - that your whole life passes in front of your eyes when you die is true, unfortunately. I couldn't help but contemplate how different things are when you fight for yourself and not someone else. With James I fought tooth and nail in order to save Renée. Now I was fighting for me.

And this was me, giving in...