Lara's Secret

I haven't done one of these for a while but this is my entry for #ThursThreads.

 

Lara’s Secret

By Lisa McCourt Hollar

 

 

“Lara, was that Michael I saw driving away?

“Yes.”

Lara’s back was turned, but Stephanie thought her voice sounded strained, as though she’d been crying. She put her hand on her friends shoulder. “Well, he is coming back, right?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Lara turned around and brushed past her friend. “I’m thirsty. You want a drink?”

“No. Was he cheating on you?”

Lara laughed. “Michael? No way. He’s a saint.”

“Then what happened?”

“He asked me about the basement.”

“So? I’ve wondered about it myself.  You’ve kept it locked tight, ever since David’s death…“

Lara flinched, but ignored the pain she felt at her son’s name. “You’ve never pushed me. Michael went down there. He tried to break the lock.”

“No secret’s worth keeping, not if you lose the one person you love most.”

“If he knew, I would lose him anyway.”

“I don’t understand. Lara, what’s in that room? A shrine? It’s been ten years, you need to move on.”

“Leave it alone Steph.”

Stephanie’s eyes fell on the crowbar by the basement steps. She waited until Lara reached into the fridge for a beer.

“Stephanie, please… you don’t understand.”

Lara chased her down the steps, but Stephanie was already prying at the weakened lock. It didn’t take much to finish what Michael’s started. The lock broke, the door opened and inside the room, a roar sounded.

“David never died,” Lara sobbed. “It would have been better if he had… Stephanie, run!”

 

Word Count: 250

@jezri1