Identity

3rd Person Mode

After leaving South Ashefield Heights, Daniel followed the road, Unique closely following behind, down a familiar trail as before. Most of the roads had seemed familiar due to the rusted hue and darkness of each street corner and alleyway to the left and right, but Daniel seemed almost drawn to a tall building at the end of the corner.

"The hospital?" asked Unique, stopping as Daniel did.

"I know that you told me earlier that you witnessed the killing of your sister, as though you were there as it happened." He paused. "You probably noticed a hooded man with another stranger. You're probably assuming the hooded killer to be myself."

Unique said nothing.

"I will show you that I am not that heartless." Daniel looked back to Unique and took her hand. As they stepped through the double doors at the front, a bright light engulfed them.

And all as was as familiar before. Unique stepped out from a small door and into the hallway as before. She looked back to see that Daniel was still holding her hand. Anxiously, she backtracked several doors before and into the familiar world as her own. She returned to the night of the murder, and watched as it was played back as though a horror film.

She stepped into the home, and walked back to what used to be that of Miranda's room. Again, she jumped when a tall man swept past and through her as though she, a ghost. But this time, she was more observant of the stranger in the shadows. Her heart fell.

"That was you," she said, looking to Daniel.

He nodded. "I supplied the knife, but.." He looked to Unique. "I didn't kill her. I was just the messenger."

"But why?" asked Unique.

"I didn't know what was going on at the time. I was just told to follow Walter to this house."

"So, Walter was the one who killed Miranda?"

"You didn't doubt it was me, listening to the tape player?"

"I never assumed it was you, that is, until you told me," Unique said. "The man in the recording had a gruff voice. That's why I was so slow to respond when you told me that you killed her."

Daniel didn't respond.

"Why do you believe that you killed her?" asked Unique. "You just helped in the murder, but only with the weapon."

"Had I not have been there to supply the knife, there would have been no murder," said Daniel.

"Walter could've killed her with his own hands. Don't you think that was possible? He also raped her."

"No, the police just assumed she was raped because she was naked when they found her. Walter was searching for a birthmark on the inside of her thigh that looked like a Pagan star."

"Miranda had a birthmark like that?" asked Unique.

"Because Dahlia hexed her, yes. You, also, have a mark," Daniel admitted.

"Where?" Unique quipped.

Daniel walked around behind her, and pulled Unique's fine hair over her head. He traced a symbol under the fine hairs on her neck. "Right at the end of your hairline, you have a symbol of a circle with three small circles embedded within it."

Unique's eyes widened, and she pulled away from Daniel. "How do you know all of this?"

"Miranda was hexed and it was borne into her flesh," Daniel continued, "but you were born with that mark on your neck. I have the same mark here," Daniel said, showing the small symbol branded behind his right earlobe.

"So, what does it mean?" Unique asked, irritated.

"It means everyone in this family has the Mark of the Demon." Daniel stopped abruptly.

Unique was silent. "What do you mean 'everyone in this family'?"

Daniel said nothing.

"Are you meaning to tell me that I'm.. related to you?" Unique asked, backing away from Daniel. The ground they stood on turned dark, and soon, the rest of the world was consumed in darkness. They were returned to the hallway in the hospital once more.

"I told you that you were more involved with my family than you knew," Daniel addressed.

Unique held her head, and turned away from him. "This can't be happening." She turned to Daniel, still in a daze. "I can't be related to your sicko family!"

"That was kind of uncalled for," Daniel said calmly.

"Then what are we, Daniel?" Unique screamed.

"Distant cousins," he merely answered.

"Oh, my God. This is so insane," Unique said, turning from him again.

"You'll soon find out how, but it still may not make much sense to you," Daniel said.

"Then at least explain to me why you're lying," Unique spat.

"Why would I lie to you? Your whole family was a fake, including your grandmother's identity, if you're believing that she was related to you at all."

"I have time," Unique said, pressing her weight to the nearest wall. She leaned against it, her arms crossed. "Explain to me my dysfunctional lie of a life. Make things just a little bit more confusing for me."

Daniel shrugged. "If you insist."