Dirty Little Secrets

Epilogue

"I forgive you, forget you, the end." –Breaking Benjamin, Without You

I woke up alone, hot, disoriented and sweaty. My whole body ached and my head hurt. I opened my eyes to pitch darkness, and looked around to find a source of life, but it was as black as night.

I tried to sit up, and hit my head on something. I groaned and fell back down, moving my arms around. I couldn't extend my arms up or across, as if I were in some kind of box, or something.

I could hear a distant thudding noise, and frowned as I listened closer. I realized with a jolt what it was, and everything fell into place.

A confined space. Complete and utter darkness. A distant thudding sound.

I was in a coffin. Being buried alive.

"No," I whispered, reaching up and hitting the top of the coffin with all my might. I was losing oxygen, and my head ached. "Help!" I screamed. "I'm alive! Somebody help me!"

The thudding continued, unaware of what was going on six feet beneath the soil. "Help!" I screamed, so loud my voice cut off hoarsely. "Help me! No! Please!"

My hands fell down to my side, and I felt something cold and metallic pressing into my hip. I reached down and grabbed it, and felt relief flood me as I realised it was my phone.

It lit up in my hands, and I felt my whole body shake in terror as I saw I had no reception. I tried to make an emergency call, but my efforts were futile. I was trapped.

I had one new text message, and opened it with shaking fingers. I felt my mouth go dry at the words.

"You made some grave mistakes, Cam. Now let them bury you."

I screamed and dropped the phone, beating hard on the coffin. I knew it was a lost effort, and I couldn't think of anything worse. Tears streamed down my face, and I sobbed.

The truth is, everyone is to blame and no one is to blame.

Maybe it was Leighton Fields' fault, for being as awful and all-consuming as it was. Maybe it was Zach's fault, for producing a weakness I hadn't realized I had in me. Maybe it was my father's fault for pushing me over the edge with his infidelity. Or Natalie Clavera's, for beginning this whole thing. It could be Perrie's fault, or my mother's. Even Jeremy freaking Quagmire was to blame.

But, then again, maybe it was my fault. If I hadn't been so desperate to rule, hadn't fed on secrets, hadn't killed those people, things would be different. Maybe if I had've learned to enjoy life instead of constantly trying to find ways to rule it, I would still be here.

Everybody has secrets; it's a fact of life. It's what makes us weak; but also what makes us strong. No one can ever get close to us. Which could be the best or worst thing in the world.

And you can pretend that you don't; that you've never craved something you couldn't have. That you've never blackmailed or done something ruthless to get something you want.

But you and I both know you'd be lying.

The truth is, down deep, everyone is hiding an ugly secret. It's what makes us human. We are born free of scars, and die with a million lies scarring our souls.

The truth is, everyone lies.

Everyone has their own Dirty Little Secrets.

~The End~