Truth
A Story Every Day in 2024 Oct 16th 290/366
"Alright, Matt?"
I'm nervous. My mind has gone over, imagining, what he wants to tell me. None of the scenarios I've imagined have been good.
Matt looks up from his pint and places a smile on his face. It's for my benefit, to show that he's still able to smile despite it all. I don't know much about his life outside of our recent conversations but I know he has something, someone, a family to go back to after our chat. Lucky bastard.
"Want another?" I ask and he shakes his head.
"Na, I got to drive back. Can't afford to lose my license." I go to turn and he says, "I'll have some crisps though," and I smile and head to the bar.
When I come back, we sit like we did before, eating and sipping our drinks.
"So," he finally says, and looks directly at me. His eyes search mine and he must see my curiosity mixed with fear of what he is going to confess and he falters. He raises his glass and says, "To Mark" as a toast and I repeat his words and do the same with my Coke.
Silence descends again and it is my turn to speak. The lurking tension pokes at my nerves, making me jittery, my legs jiggling.
"So," I find myself saying and it is the invitation that Matt needs.
"I find it difficult...to talk about that day," he opens.
I nod.
"But there's something that you ought to know about..." He trails off but I know what he's talking about.
"What do you remember?" and he looks at me, enquiringly, eyes kind but hurting.
"I remember "Tag"." He nods. "I remember Laney being so fast." I whisper her name. He smiles, knowingly, remembering too. "I remember getting frustrated. I was too slow. Out of puff. Always was a bit of a chubber." Matt laughs lightly at this and I see him as his ten year old self, briefly, like time has rent itself.
"Mark was getting...annoyed," and at this, Matt lowers his eyes.
"Yeah, he was," and, like a flash, the truth arrives but if I'm honest with myself, I always knew.
Mark pushed her.
***
366 words
Lana, I think it was you who guessed this. It's back to the past for the next one to see how it all happened.
This is all started here:
Here's yesterday's:
Thanks for stopping by! If you do read this, please leave a comment as I love to interact with my readers.
290/366
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Comments (23)
I had always figured that Mark, in some foolish endeavour had pushed her. Still lands like a ton of bricks in my heart! Well done on this part getting Top Story, chum!
So Fantastic Oh My God❤️Brilliant & Mind Blowing Your Story ❤️ Please Read My Stories and Subscribe Me
had an inkling but somehow still surprised. You are the master of tension building!
Very intriguing and well done !!
What???? I can't even.... he pushed her????!!! 😳 ps congrats on Top Story!!
Keep sharing more; I can’t wait to read the next part! Congratulations on top story.
Congratulations on top story, Rachel. I am out of sync, lol, but I will catch up! 👏🥰
Congrats on Top Story!! I haven't read it yet because I'm a few behind but I will get there soon!!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Back to say 'congratulations' on the Top Story achievement! Well done!
How sad! And shocking for Luke! And huge secret for Matt to keep! What a mess! Congrats on top story!!
well written
I was wondering if that was why he killed himself. You kept leading us on with little nodules of info like pigeons after breadcrumbs. Excellent work Rachel and congrats on another TS for this series!
Whoaaaa, nothing could have prepared me for that! Like that's one solid plot twist right there. My god, Mark pushed her? Gosh! I don't know what to even say. I'm in shock!
Oh dear!😀… I was clueless🙃
Oh Mark. What a mess. This is such a joy to read Rachel, wish I could express it better than this.
We. Start knowing something is off and you lead us on with perfection to the discovery
I love the line "like time has rent itself" - seems to be true throughout this entire saga. Who would have thought it? But wait, was Mark paid to do such a thing by Laney's father?
You drew us in and made the characters so real. It was a tragedy from the beginning, can it be even more so? Well-wrought, Rachel. Well-wrought, indeed.
Oh! I don't believe I was expecting that. No. I definitely wasn't. I knew there had to be a reason for Mark's depression, but not that. What? I don't know. That was a great twist.
wow! really good writing here. i feel like i am on a adventure. so good.
I wondered what the true secret was, the secret that broke the spine of their friendship. This is so good, I’m reading and accepting that your characters are real.
That's a twist again! No, I suggested that it was Laney's father who pushed her accidentally because he wanted to take her camera. But Mark, of course, would make more sense, as he was there playing tag.