Chapter 9: The Birthday That Was Never Meant to Happen
"Tomorrow?""
I stared at the photograph.
It showed Lily sitting at a table with a pink birthday cake. Beside her stood the teenage girl named Ella.
My father was behind them, smiling.
The photograph was dated October 31.
Tomorrow.
But the date wasn't what frightened me.
It was the writing on the cake.
*WELCOME HOME, ELLA.*
I turned toward my father.
"Where is she?""
He remained silent.
I grabbed the front of his shirt.
"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?""
He smiled through his split lip.
"You're going to have to be more specific.""
I wanted to hit him.
Instead, Claire pulled me away.
"Ryan, listen. We have to find Lily.""
My mother was already typing at the computer.
"There's a second building on the property. An old guesthouse.""
I looked at her.
"Why didn't you tell us?""
"Because your father said it was empty.""
Daniel's face appeared again on the monitor.
"He's lying.""
My father laughed.
"You're one to talk.""
Daniel ignored him.
"Father moved the children yesterday. The guesthouse has a basement. That's where they're keeping Ella.""
I stepped closer to the screen.
"How do you know?""
"Because I helped him build it.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
Daniel looked away.
For the first time, he seemed ashamed.
"Because I wanted to meet the sister I never had.""
My father suddenly lunged toward the desk.
He slammed his hand against the computer.
The screen went black.
Claire grabbed the USB drive.
"We're leaving.""
I picked up the pistol.
My mother caught my arm.
"Ryan, don't shoot him.""
I looked at her.
"He deserves worse.""
"I know. But the children need you.""
She was right.
I lowered the weapon.
Then I looked at my father.
"If anything happens to those girls, there won't be a place on earth where you can hide.""
He smiled.
"You sound just like me.""
I turned away.
We hurried through the passage toward the garage.
The night air hit my face as we emerged outside.
Rain had started falling.
The old guesthouse stood about fifty yards from the main house, half-hidden behind tall trees.
Its windows were dark.
Claire ran toward it.
I followed.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, everything looked ordinary.
A couch.
A small kitchen.
A television.
A family photograph hanging above the fireplace.
It showed Claire and me with Lily.
I stopped.
The picture had been taken at Lily's third birthday.
But there was something strange.
A fourth person stood behind us.
A teenage girl.
Ella.
I'd never noticed her before.
I moved closer.
The girl was wearing the same silver necklace I had given Claire on our wedding anniversary.
I turned toward my wife.
"Why is she in this photograph?""
Claire stared at it.
Her face went white.
"I don't know.""
My mother walked toward the fireplace.
She examined the frame, then pulled it away from the wall.
Behind it was a small metal panel.
"There's a switch.""
She pressed it.
A section of the floor shifted.
A staircase appeared.
Claire grabbed my hand.
"Ryan, wait.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She pointed toward the staircase.
There were small footprints in the dust.
Three sets.
One adult.
Two children.
And the smallest footprints were moving upward.
Someone had recently come out.
I took the stairs slowly.
At the bottom was a narrow hallway with three doors.
The first was locked.
The second was slightly open.
The third had a small window.
I looked through it.
A teenage girl sat on a chair.
Her wrists were tied.
She was crying quietly.
I opened the door.
"Hello?""
She jerked her head up.
Her eyes widened.
For a moment, she simply stared at me.
Then she whispered:
"Dad?""
My heart nearly stopped.
I approached slowly.
"Are you Ella?""
She nodded.
"Please don't let him come back.""
I cut the rope around her wrists.
"Where's Lily?""
Ella looked toward the ceiling.
"With Grandma.""
My mother froze behind me.
"Which grandmother?""
Ella began crying.
"The one who says she's Mommy's mother.""
Claire grabbed my arm.
"That's impossible. My mother died before I met Ryan.""
Ella shook her head.
"She comes every night.""
I looked at my mother.
She seemed as confused as I was.
"Where is she now?"" I asked.
Ella pointed toward the second door.
"She's in there.""
I moved toward it.
Before I could open it, Claire grabbed my shoulder.
"Ryan, wait.""
She looked at Ella.
"How old are you?""
"Nineteen.""
Claire covered her mouth.
"That's impossible.""
Ella nodded.
"I know.""
She pulled a small photograph from her pocket.
It showed a newborn baby wrapped in a yellow blanket.
On the back was a hospital bracelet.
The name was familiar.
*ELLA BENNETT.*
But the date was twenty years earlier.
I looked at her.
"Why did you say you're nineteen?""
She swallowed.
"Because that's what they told me.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who?""
"Grandpa.""
She pointed toward the locked door.
"He said I was created to replace someone.""
My mother began crying.
Ella continued.
"He said the real Ella died when she was a baby. He said I was the second version.""
I stared at the girl.
"What do you mean, second version?""
She lifted her sleeve.
There was a small surgical scar on her arm.
Then she looked directly at me.
"Because he made me in a laboratory.""
Nobody spoke.
Claire stepped backward.
"No.""
Ella began crying harder.
"He told me you were my father. He showed me your pictures every night. He said one day you'd come and take me home.""
I knelt in front of her.
"How long have you been here?""
"Since I was little.""
"Where's Lily?""
Ella pointed toward the locked door.
"Grandpa took her downstairs.""
I tried the handle.
It wouldn't move.
Then a voice came from the other side.
"Ryan?""
It was Lily.
I pressed my face against the door.
"Sweetheart, I'm here!""
"Daddy, please open it.""
I pulled the handle harder.
Nothing.
Then I heard a second voice.
A woman's voice.
"Ryan, don't open that door.""
I turned.
A woman stood at the top of the staircase.
She wore a long gray coat and held a flashlight.
She looked remarkably like Claire.
But older.
Claire stared at her.
Then whispered:
"Mom?""
The woman smiled.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
Claire began shaking.
"You're dead.""
The woman stepped down one stair.
"Your father told you that?""
She looked at me.
Then she held up a photograph.
It showed Claire as a little girl, standing beside a newborn baby.
On the back were three handwritten words:
*THE ORIGINAL DAUGHTER.*
The woman looked directly at me.
"Ryan, before you open that door, you need to know something.""
I tightened my grip on the handle.
"What?""
She smiled sadly.
"Lily isn't the child your father switched.""
She paused.
"She's the child I gave birth to.""
Claire screamed.
And from behind the locked door, Lily began pounding with both fists.
"Mommy! Don't let Grandma take me!""
The woman slowly raised the flashlight.
Its beam illuminated a second staircase behind her.
At the bottom stood my father.
And beside him was Daniel.
Both men were holding photographs.
But the photograph Daniel held showed something I had never seen before.
My mother.
Standing beside a newborn baby.
And the baby was wearing a hospital bracelet with my name.
My father spoke from the darkness.
"Now that everyone's here, we can finally finish what we started.""
Then the locked door behind me clicked.
May you like
And a small voice whispered:
"Daddy, there's someone else in here with me.""
