"Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming long live all the magic we made
And bring on all the pretenders
One day, we will be remembered."
—Long Live by Taylor Swift

Chapter 16: The Wicked One

Leslie tightly gripped my arm again, causing me to grit my teeth. We were now shaking with absolute fear. I took a look at my queen, and she gazed back at me with a mask of horror and uncertainty that made my heart ache. This was the first time I saw her this scared, because she isn't the kind of girl who gets frightened easily. This meant we were both dead meat.

Good-bye, world.

I furiously shook my head. No! I shouldn't be having these kinds of thoughts. There was still a way. I was Leslie's king and knight in shining armor. I should protect her with my life from this dangerous moment we were in.

I stood straighter, making my best friend gasp. "Jess, what are you doing?" she asked in an urgent whisper and placed a warning hand on my arm.

I ignored her and stepped out from the shadows, hiding my fear behind a mask of confidence. "It's no use hiding?" I started, thankful my voice didn't crack even a bit. "Ma'am, I should be the one who's saying that to you!"

If Conrad were here, his first sentence would be: Ma'am, you should call a hair stylist. Snappy!

The Wicked One held the knife in her hand firmly. "What do you mean by that?"

Even after seeing the knife, I still held my ground. "We found a picture of you and your husband who fell at the grand staircase seven years ago," I said. "Also in the picture was the person who's been living here for seven years and looks entirely different—your son!"

She gasped out loud.

"That's right! He's the one in the cell over there!" I exclaimed. "The only thing that didn't change is the birthmark on his left hand. Dimitri Alson!"

I looked at Dimitri. He was looking down at his quivering hands, maybe not having a clue what was going on outside his prison.

Leslie stood beside me with newly-found confidence, eyes narrowed at Trina. I gave her a warning look, but she ignored me. Such a nice revenge. "I felt something odd the moment I stepped into this mansion," she chimed in. "After the accident, you supposedly moved away, but water still ran out of the faucet. I mean, think about it: no one is stupid enough to pay water bills for a house with nobody in it.

"In addition to that, the plants in the greenhouse are well taken care of. I believe you sell the vegetables in town to earn money, or use them for cooking, even though you still have enough money, since your husband was a successful businessman. And you're using that fire exit—or should I say secret passage—that's hidden from normal view so that you could get in and out of the mansion without being seen. But the reason why you had to make it seem like no one lived here—I guess you're also the person who started spreading those rumors—and why you had to lock your son down here..." I could tell she was trying to get her voice under control.

"We've figured it all out after hearing your conversation earlier," I went on, trying not to let my voice waver and betray me.

"You're the kids from the tree house!" Trina exclaimed. Leslie was right all along that she was the one P.T. and I had seen in the forest.

"That's right! Leslie Burke and Jesse Aarons!" Leslie proclaimed using her royal voice. "The Queen and King of Terabithia have finally come to investigate this ruined castle after all these years!"

I gaped stupidly at Leslie, while Trina gave her a confused look. I'd have laughed if we hadn't been in so much danger. "What're you babbling about? This isn't a child's game, girl!"

Leslie ignored what she'd said. "Given the facts, there are two possibilities," she said, raising two of her fingers. "The first is that you're the one who killed your husband and locked your son down here, 'cause he had witnessed the crime."

Trina gritted her teeth.

"And the second possibility is that the person who killed your husband was your son Dimitri!" Leslie pointed to him, and Dimitri gasped as she mentioned his name.

I caught on what Leslie was getting at. "Because you knew what happened," I said, facing Trina, "you tried to cover up the truth and protect your son. But the crime was too great for him. The groaning coming from this mansion was probably his screams of anguish. Your son probably wanted to give himself up to the police, but you wouldn't allow it, thinking that you did it for his own good." I was now aware that my voice was slightly trembling on the edge of hysteria.

"Yes. You didn't want him to become a criminal," Leslie said sadly, "so you didn't let him out of here and kept him hidden. From your earlier conversation and your reaction just now, your husband's killer is—"

"Th-that's enough!" Trina interrupted her. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" She lunged at Leslie with her knife pointed at her. Leslie stood frozen at her spot, gazing at the Wicked One with frightened eyes.

"LESLIE!" I hastily slid off the backpack from my shoulders and pushed her out of the way, then my back slammed roughly on the stone wall. Trina's left hand was squeezing my shoulder in a painful manner, and her right hand—the one holding the knife—was positioned above her head, the knife directed at me.

"JESSE!" Leslie cried as Trina plunged the knife at me, but I quickly stopped its descent as I grabbed her wrist with my left hand. My other hand was shoving away her hand on my shoulder, but to no avail. Then it found its way to my throat. This lady was so much stronger than she looked.

I must save my queen.

"Leslie!" I croaked. "Get away from here now and call the police! Don't worry about me!"

"No! I'm not leaving you!" She shoved Trina away from me, and I immediately gasped for air.

Trina turned to Leslie with a smile, but there was no mirth in the expression. It was just a baring of teeth, like a tiger preparing to strike. "Why you little—"

As she took a menacing step toward Leslie, I immediately pushed her to the wall and pinned her arms to her back. I got the knife from her hand and tossed it to the far side of the room. The Wicked One shrieked while squirming in my grip. "Go now, Les, while I'm holding her!"

Leslie shook her head furiously. "I can't just leave you here, Jess!"

"It's the only choice! You're the fastest runner I've ever known!" I encouraged her desperately as I looked at her directly in the eye. "You can do it, Leslie! GO!"

Tears started to fall on Leslie's cheeks, making my heart tighten. "J-Jess..."

Just then, Trina escaped from my grip and quickly grabbed me by the throat, lifting me off the ground that I didn't get a chance to react. I did my best to struggle, but she was too strong. "Yes, Queen of Terabithia," she said mockingly while looking at Leslie, savoring her moment of triumph. "Step out of this place while I kill your king!"

Leslie took a step in our direction, but Trina warned, "If you take another step forward, I'll crush his throat!" She paused. "But then again, even if you leave, I'll still kill him."

Her gaze returned to me, and I saw a wrinkly, chalky-gray skinned scary lady, her eyes in circular shadow and an unruly mop of bushy hair that probably had bugs crawling around in it.

I blinked again, and her face returned to normal. Maybe that was what Leslie had seen when she'd stood frozen in her spot earlier. I closed my eyes as I found it hard to breathe. I was now losing consciousness, but I could still hear Leslie sobbing while pleading "Please, no!" over and over again. Yellow spots danced in front of my eyes. My throat nearly screamed in pain.

"Good-bye, King of Terabithia!" the Wicked One spat. Literally. A spray of misty saliva landed on my face. I didn't have the strength to say gross!

This was it. I wouldn't get to confess my feelings to Leslie. I would die in this mansion in the hands of the Wicked One.

I love you, Leslie!

"JESSE!"

"STOP IT!" someone screamed so loud, it pierced my eardrums painfully. "YOU STOP IT RIGHT NOW!"

Trina instantly dropped me to the floor. I panted for air heavily, feeling dizzy, and Leslie ran to my side in record time. "Jesse!" She hugged me so tightly.

"Leslie, can't breathe," I managed to choke out.

Leslie released me from the hug and looked at me sheepishly and with relief. "S-sorry, I-I'm just..." We looked to the cell and saw Dimitri gasping, his hands grasping the cell bars firmly.

"S-stop this, Mother!" he yelled in a deep voice, fresh tears streaking his face. "It's just like they said, and they're right! The person who killed Father is me!" Dimitri fell slowly on his knees with a heart-wrenching cry.

"D-Dimitri!" Trina cried.

"It happened on a rainy night seven years ago," Dimitri continued, still kneeling. "That night was when I had failed my college entrance exam at New York University for the third time. Father told me that I was a shame to our family, that I was scum. No, that I was no better than scum! He even mentioned Veronica's death, telling me I was still very depressed about it. That's why I couldn't concentrate on the exam." He laughed without humor. "When I heard his harsh words in the depressed state I was in, my mind went black. Then, when he exited the study and was about to descend the stairs, I followed him and pushed him hard.

"When I returned to my senses, I was on my knees at the top of the stairs, looking down at Father's lifeless body with frightened eyes. Then after Mother saw me, she told me she'd protect me. The rest is just like how you two said—my mother made it seem like an accident, and then she locked me in here." He grimaced inadvertently. "BUT I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE! I can't stand being scared anymore whenever I've nightmares of Father's murder!" Dimitri clamped his hands over his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. "I want to be atoned for my crime and be at peace!"

Trina ran to the cell. "Pull yourself together, Dimitri! Try to bear with it until the statute of limitations is over!" She paused. "I-if we stay silent, no one will find out..."

Leslie stood up and gazed at them with a look of pity. "It's true. If you keep hiding here, you'll be able to escape the police. But you'll never be able to escape from the crime you've committed."

Dimitri continued crying. Looking at him in his vulnerable state, I felt a twinge of sadness. But the gloom in the room had abated because of his confession.

"Ma'am," I said carefully as I stood next to Leslie, "do you plan to make your son carry this burden for the rest of his life?"

Trina looked at me with tears on her face, then dropped to her knees with a painful cry.

Leslie turned to me with a sad smile. I held her hand for support.

Trina, Leslie and I had watched as Dimitri withdrew into himself for what I later guessed was some sort of inner strength, perhaps the last bit he had. But maybe knowing his burden was about to be lifted once and for all, it was enough to all but shook him out of his previous insane and unstable state and kind of turned him into the man he was meant to be, with a steadier voice and a self-assurance that hadn't been seen in years. We were all rooted to the spot watching this subtle yet overpowering transformation taking place.

"I'm glad," Dimitri suddenly began after a few moments of silence, "that you're the kind of kids who took care of our tree house."

I blinked. "So it's true. The painting and the pictures in your room."

He nodded with a wistful smile plastered on his face. "Victoria and I were the owners of that tree house. Father, Mr. Hanley, and Old Man Chris were the ones who made it."

"But why did they build it there in the middle of the forest?" Leslie asked, intrigued.

Dimitri faced her. "Mother said a new family moved to the Perkins place five years ago, and that they have a beautiful daughter." I noticed Leslie blushing lightly at this. "And then she and a boy claimed the tree house. I'm glad I finally got to meet you." Then he turned to me. "And to you also, young lad. You're neighbors, right?" I nodded. "When I was young, the Perkins place was the only house in the area." Dimitri sighed. "Why in the forest? Because...Veronica lived with the Perkins when we met."

Leslie and I looked at each other, stunned at this new revelation, and I believed there were more to come.

"We met at Lark Creek Elementary School when we were nine years old," Dimitri continued, his eyes distant. "I was a transfer student from New York. We moved here because Father was sick of the city. You see, I was a musician and didn't make friends very easily. I had high standards and demanded the best from myself and from others. But all of that changed when I met Veronica Hanley."

And Dimitri Alson shared with us his story.

000

I was playing the violin in the empty music classroom of Lark Creek Elementary after my last subject, eyes closed because of concentration. Then someone was playing the piano to blend in with the melody of the violin. The pianist was also a perfectionist, I could tell. I didn't open my eyes, though. I just kept on playing with the pianist, and it felt...nice.

After I stroke the last note, I finally opened them to see a curly blonde-haired girl sitting in front of the piano, grinning at me widely. "Thank God I finally got to see you smile! And that I know how to play the piece 'Tristesse.' I know it's the French word for sadness." She paused. "Were you sad before I joined you?"

Wait, what? I'm smiling? Realizing this, I quickly turned it upside-down, narrowing my eyes at her. "That's a simple piece. And what are you doing here?" I chose to ignore her question.

The girl innocently raised her eyebrows. "Why, to play the piano, of course."

My frown deepened.

"Fine. I heard someone playing the violin. I was curious, so I followed where the music was coming from, and I ended up here." She smirked. "Didn't know there was a violinist in this school. Violinists are rare in this town, you know, especially a child violinist. Actually, musicians are very rare in this town."

"You're talking like you're not a child," I said as I cleaned the strings of my violin with a microfiber cloth. I was replying to her because she was a musician, even though she was kind of annoying.

The girl gave me a melodious laugh, it made me pause in what I was currently doing. "Sorry. I guess my thinking skills are advanced for my age." She walked toward me and extended a hand. "Veronica Hanley."

I briefly shook her hand. "Dimitri Alson."

Veronica Hanley smiled. "Cool name. We're not classmates in any of the subjects, but for the last few months I always see you alone and with an impassive expression. Why don't you have friends?"

"Instead of prying into my life," I snapped, "you should go home now. I'm already done playing the violin. You have nothing else to do here."

"Nothing else to do here? Well, I'm talking to you, Dimitri, in case you haven't noticed." I could see she was amused, and this made my blood boil. This girl was whacked! "You're handsome. But if you smiled more often, you'd be even more handsome."

"I don't care." I put my violin inside the case, and then shut it with a loud click. "Good-bye."

"Wait!" Veronica blocked my way, causing me to raise an accusing eyebrow. "You don't have to concentrate that much on your music, you know."

"What do you mean by that?" I replied curtly.

"Like I said a while ago, there aren't many musicians in this town. You should try new things, or get out of your comfort zone for a while."

Who does she think she is? This girl has nerve. "Not interested."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on!"

"Why are you bothering me, anyway?"

Instead of replying to that question, she just said, "Can you play Wieniawski's 'Polonaise Brillante No. 1 in D major, Op. 4'?"

Now that got my full attention. She was challenging me, and I never back out from a challenge that involves music. "Of course."

She smiled. "Let's play it together now. What do you say?"

Sighing in frustration, I put my violin case back on the table and opened it to get my violin. I positioned the shoulder rest below it. Veronica grinned and sat back in front of the piano while stretching her fingers. Then she started the first few notes, and I followed suit.

After a few minutes there was that feeling again, and I felt my mouth forming a soft smile. Her skills were more superb than mine.

I froze. Where did that come from?

"Dimitri, what's wrong?"

I turned to Veronica to see she was gazing at me with worry. She'd also stopped playing. Then I suddenly felt anger. Veronica was just pretending! Deep inside, she was smirking smugly at me, telling that she was a better musician.

I quickly put my violin back inside the case, and then ran from the music room as fast as I could.

"Dimitri, wait!"

I didn't stop in my tracks. But I knew full well the real reason why I was pissed.

I lost to a girl.

000

"Young master, you have a visitor," Butler said after knocking on the door of the music room, then opened it, stopping me from practicing.

A visitor?

"Who is it, Butler?" Then a curly blonde-haired girl in a ponytail came in. "Butler, she's not my visitor, nor do I have anything to do with her. Please get her out of here. Thank you."

Butler looked confused. "Um, your mother was the one who let her in."

"Nice to see you, too, Dimitri," Veronica deadpanned.

My mother came inside the room with a smile. "Now, Dimitri, don't be rude to this young girl here. Veronica told me she's also a student of Lark Creek Elementary and wanted to visit you. Why don't you two go out for a while to get some fresh air?"

I scowled. "I'm practicing, Mother."

"Take a break, Dimitri. It's still early." Her tone didn't leave for any argument. "Be back before lunch, okay?"

I sighed in defeat. "Yes, Mother."

000

"Didn't know your family owned that mansion," Veronica started as we trekked in the forest. Actually, she was just following me. I had to distance us from our house so that I could do the thing I wanted to do to her ever since the first time we met without another soul hearing or seeing it. I ignored her. Let her follow me.

"Were you practicing Bach's 'Badinerie' earlier?"

Silence. Yes, I thought.

"Do you know how to play 'Ave Maria' by Franz Schubert?"

Silence. Of course.

"I hope I'm not talking to a wall. Or a tree, since we're in a forest."

Silence. Blah, blah, blah.

"Why do you only call him 'butler'? I'm sure he has a name."

"Because he likes to be called Butler! Yes, with the capital B!" I shouted as I whirled sharply to her, my patience breaking. We were already far enough from the mansion, anyway. "WHY ARE YOU SO PERSISTENT?"

Veronica was taken aback by my sudden rage, but I didn't let her answer yet. "I already lost to you!" I continued shouting. "You already ruined my Saturday morning! What more do you want from me?"

She blinked as I panted heavily after my outburst, then raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me? Did I hear that right? You lost to me? Since when did that happen? We last saw each other a week ago, I remember."

That was true. I'd been avoiding her every break time. I'd go outside of the school and hide behind a thick tree, hoping Veronica would give up looking for me. It hadn't crossed my mind that this stupid girl had had another alternative. "How did you know my address, anyway?" I growled.

Veronica smirked. "From the school's information room. Duh!"

"Don't pretend already, Veronica Hanley. I know you were challenging me when we first met," I said with a scowl. "Then I admitted to myself you're a better musician than I am because—gah! Why am I even telling you this?!"

"Oh," Veronica said, shocked. "Why, thank you for thinking that, Dimitri Alson."

"Don't let it go to your head!"

Unexpectedly, she sadly smiled at me, and my frown deepened ten times, if that's even possible. "I didn't know everything was a contest for you. I just want us to be friends. That's why I'm being persistent."

"You should go home now, because you're only wasting your time!"

"I just want to have a friend who's a musician," she blurted.

I faced her with a doubtful look.

"I mean, yes, I have many friends," Veronica continued," but I can't talk about classical music to them because they can't relate, or just tired to try. I just want someone to talk to about it with aside from my family. I know you feel the same way, Dimitri."

"The reason why I don't have friends who are not musicians is because it's a waste of time," I said. "And no, I don't."

Her blue eyes beamed with hope. "So we can be friends, right?"

"No." I started to walk away, but Veronica stopped me in my tracks.

"I promise I wasn't thinking that it was a contest," she said. "And I think your skills are more superior than mine."

I turned to her, but felt something rising on my cheeks. "You don't have to say that. Your last sentence, I mean."

"Oh, no." Veronica cocked her head to the side, noticing something. "Wait, are you blushing, Dimitri?" she asked teasingly.

"O-of course n-not," I stammered. What the heck?

Veronica laughed again melodiously, just like how I remembered it when we first met. "Don't be shy 'bout it, Dimitri. That's natural when someone praises you."

"Good-bye, Veronica Hanley."

"Why can't we be friends?"

"Because you're annoying."

"But I'm a musician!" she protested.

"Still, I hate annoying people."

"If I stop annoying you, we'll become friends?"

I paused. What she'd said earlier was true: wanting for someone to talk about what you love aside from your family. Then I took the chance. "I guess so."

"Please give me a concrete answer."

I sighed. "Yes."

"Really?" Veronica gasped and suddenly hugged me. "Yay! Thank you so much, Dimitri! I promise you won't regret it!"

I winced. "Stop hugging me!"

"Um, sorry." She released me from the hug with a sheepish grin, and then looked up at the trees standing beside us. I could tell an idea was forming in her head. "We should make a memorial or something to commemorate that this is the spot where you let me become your friend."

"Like what?"

"These trees are sturdy. We can build a tree house here. Then we can practice in this special place to our hearts' content anytime."

I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "We? Sorry to ruin your reality, but that's impossible, Veronica. And don't tell me you'll bring a piano here."

"Let's ask our dads, then. I'm sure they'll agree." She giggled. "And no, silly. I also play the trumpet."

I respected Veronica Hanley all of a sudden, but didn't tell her this. For now. "I hope so."

Veronica smiled, then tilted her head to the side, listening for something. "Do you hear that?"

I could hear it, even though it was faint. "Yeah, the rushing water from the creek." Veronica suddenly ran, and I followed her. "Wait, Veronica!"

After a few moments of running, we reached the side of the creek, and she gasped out loudly. "I remember this area!"

I panted heavily beside her. "Please don't do that again. I'm not good at running."

But she ignored me, or just didn't hear me. "I was exploring that area over there one time when I was bored to death." Veronica pointed to the opposite side of the creek. "Oh, my gosh, Dimitri! My grandparents' house is just at the other side! Well, a few minutes of jogging, to be exact, but still near. I'm living with them while my parents are away on a business trip." She turned to me with a grin. "Do you have a rope at your house?"

"I think so," I replied. "You're thinking of hanging a rope on a tree branch, aren't you?"

Veronica nodded. "I'm planning to tie it there." She pointed to a tree on the other side beside the creek. "And its branch is strong, too. We can use the rope as a swing. After that, we can meet anytime at our special place. It's also a shortcut to your house and to my grandparents' house. You should totally go there next time, Dimitri."

I showed a genuine smile. "Yeah, I will."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Depends on your question."

Veronica pursed her lips, somewhat nervous. "Why do you think that everything is a contest? Are you pressured by your parents?"

"Those are two questions," I pointed out.

"Oh, never mind. Forget I asked anything."

After a moment of silence, I answered, "Not by my parents, but by my cousins. They're musicians, see. My parents are not, so I have to do my best to show to them that, even when you don't come from a musician family, you can still be a talented musician."

Veronica smiled softly at me. "Now I understand. My parents aren't musicians, either, you know. But my grandparents like classical music. Maybe that's the reason why I wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument in the first place," she shared, then grinned. "But still, you shouldn't shut off other people because, well, let's face it: not everything revolves around music, and that you're not always at the top. Learn to accept defeat. You should understand those things."

I just rolled my eyes as a response.

Veronica leaned toward me, and my eyes opened wide in pleasant surprise. "I'm going to change those perspectives of yours, Dimitri Alson," she whispered in my ear that made me blush furiously. "I promise you that."

000

"And she really fulfilled her promise," Dimitri said with a smile.

We were now sitting in the living room of the mansion, a lighted candle on the mahogany table. Leslie and I were very awed about the history of the tree house and the rope. We also shared with Dimitri and Trina how Leslie and I had met.

Dimitri chuckled. "Seems like we have similarities, the four of us."

"How 'bout the broken down truck on the other side of the tree house, Dimitri?" Leslie asked with sparkling eyes.

"That was Old Man Chris' truck," he said. "He used it for bringing the lumber to build the tree house, but sadly, it broke down. He was too lazy to fix it, even when Mr. Hanley and Father volunteered to help, so he just left it there. And yes, like the others, he thinks Mother and I moved back to New York after what happened."

"The arrow carvings were made as a trail, right?" I clarified.

"Correct."

"I use that trail, then the rope, so that I wouldn't be seen going to the town through the path of the mansion after the incident. I usually wear a black hood," Trina said. "I was surprised when I saw the tree house wasn't abandoned anymore, so I tried to be extra careful. After a few months, I was amazed two people were building a bridge, replacing the rope. I assume those are your fathers."

"Yes, ma'am," Leslie said.

"You did a great job sneaking around in the forest after all these years," I remarked.

"Um, Dimitri, sir, can I ask you a question?" Leslie said hesitantly.

"Cut the 'sir,' please." He smiled softly at Leslie. "About Veronica's death, I guess."

She nodded timidly. "If it's fine with you, that is."

"I learned from her that sharing helps you to move on, so yes, it's fine." He took a deep breath, then exhaled. "We were nineteen. She and her parents were heading to Australia for vacation. But they didn't make it because the plane they were in crashed to the sea. Reports said it was because of an engine malfunction. There weren't any survivors." Dimitri choked back a sob, even Trina.

"We're so sorry," Leslie and I said at the same time, sympathy written on our faces. I stole a glance at my best friend. If that happened to my best friend, I'd also be devastated.

"But I'm glad I got to confess to her when we were eighteen." Dimitri laughed. "Oh, wait. She was the one who confessed first, because I was still in denial stage that time."

Trina and Leslie laughed with him, while I was in deep thought. Tomorrow, Aarons. You have to confess to Leslie tomorrow before it's too late, I thought, determined.

"Was that why you were playing Vitali's 'Chaconne' earlier?" Leslie asked. "For your dad, Veronica and her parents?"

"Yes." Then Dimitri blinked. "Wait, are you fans of classical music, too?"

"Kinda. Our friend Conrad was the one who told us the title of the piece. He's a virtuoso like you. He even said it was played by a Stradivarius."

He grinned. "Your friend is right. He also has a perfect pitch, huh? Father gave it to me as a gift after I won a violin competition at New York thirteen years ago." Dimitri got his violin under the table, gazing at it. "I named her Lilly. Isn't she a beauty? I want you to give this to him."

Our eyes widened in shock.

"Dimitri!" Trina exclaimed.

"But your father gave it to you," I protested. "You can't just give it away!"

"Jesse's right, Dimitri," Leslie agreed. "That's also expensive. Very expensive."

"Just for safekeeping, then," Dimitri said calmly. "I'll take her back after I'm released from prison. I'm sure your friend will take care of her very well."

Trina suddenly stood up from her chair. "Dimitri! You can't be serious!"

Dimitri gazed at her mother with a determined look. "I'm indeed serious, Mother. And you can't change my mind. I'm sure this is what Veronica would've also wanted. I'm doing the right thing."

Silence, then Trina relented. "We are going to the police station later, Dimitri."

Dimitri smiled warmly and went to his mother to hug her. "Thank you, Mother. We'll finally be at peace." He looked at Leslie after the hug. "You remind me so much of Veronica, Leslie." Then at me. "And you remind me when I was still young in some ways, Jesse." Dimitri was somewhat giving me a secret smile that I couldn't quite grasp what he was implying.

"Wait, where are our friends?" Leslie suddenly said.

"Oh, right. They're outside, sleeping," Trina answered guiltily. "I'm sorry for what I did."

Leslie and I sighed in relief. We were glad Trina hadn't killed them, but now we saw she wouldn't have done that. What she'd done to us earlier was just to scare us so that their secret would've been kept safe.

Dimitri smiled at us again. "I'm glad that we met, Jesse and Leslie. Thank you so much! You have given us new hope to start living once again."

We smiled back.

"We're glad we met you, too, Dimitri," I sincerely said.

000

The terror had come to an end, and the sunset's glow spilled over the mansion. Sarah, Conrad and Nigel were sleeping peacefully outside in the grass. It appeared that Trina had drugged them, and then dragged them outside. That same afternoon after Trina and Dimitri had visited the tree house and the bridge, they'd given themselves over to the police, and the mysteries regarding the mansion finally came to a close after all these years.

A/N: The haunted house chapters were mainly inspired by the 20th episode of Detective Conan.