Hide and Seek
Aviana
Past
Age 14
Liam had never been good at keeping things small. Even though it was just the three of us at this so-called party, he liked everything big like his personality —loud music, overflowing snack tables, Halloween decor all over the living room, all of it.
This year for him was different as he had recently started to call me his little sister. We really haven’t been close in the last year. He had already graduated school by the time I arrived to live here and he is always in the barn or in the work shed. Why was he getting so close in the last few months, I am not sure but with memories of Maverick, it made me feel uneasy.
Sitting on the couch in the corner of the living room, I fold my arms tightly across my chest as he bores his eyes into mine. I am sure had he not told me what to wear and who it would look like, he would think I was some confused, misunderstood character from a sad fairy tale.
“Hey let’s get you a drink. What do you want?” Ryan comes over and sits next to me on the arm of the couch in his all black costume. Black tight shirt accentuating his muscles, black cargo pants with a fake weapon piece attached to his thigh and a cloth skull mask over his face. A night vision head piece sits atop his head.
“Do you have any soda? I can use something to drink.”
“Liam, get our girl here some soda.”
“Your girl? I am not anyone’s girl.” I say with a slight attitude.
“You are our sister, Aviana. Chill out.” Liam responds
“You never paid any attention to me before, what has changed?”
“Do you have anything better to do, Aviana? If you have a party to go to or you want to go trick or treating, let us know, we will take you.” Ryan remarks.
“Trick or treating? Really Ryan. She is 14, not 8.” Liam hollers from the kitchen.
“He’s right. I am too old to be trick or treating, Ryan.”
“No one is ever too old! Wanna go?”
“No, I don’t want to have to explain to everyone what I am.” I explain.
“What are you, Cinderella?”
“See. That is what I am talking about.”
“Hey man, she is Sleeping Beauty.” Liam walks over with my soda in a blue solo cup.
“If you say so.” Ryan rolls his eyes and leaves the room to grab the house phone to call for pizza. “Pizza anyone? We need some food up in this joint before we get cranky.”
Liam mentions, “We have all this grub, why do we need pizza, man?”
“Really, Liam? Candy, crackers, cheese and even fruit. You call that food. I need a man’s meal. Aviana, you want some?”
“Sure, can you grab one with pepperoni and canadian bacon on it and maybe have them add on some black olives?”
“Well she is a woman after my own heart now. What do you want Liam?”
Liam folds his arms and stands there staring at me.
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
He continues to stare at me while Ryan is in the other room calling in our order of pizza.
“Liam?”
“So you have never seen that movie, huh? Let’s go ahead and get that started and we can watch while we eat pizza?”
“But that isn’t really a Halloween movie. You pin me as the type to watch scary movies.”
He jumps into my space and crowds me on the couch with his strong arms on both sides of my body making me scream .
“We can do that my little screamer. What scary movie do you want to watch?”
“How about you pick one. I am sure there are some you have seen that I have not.” I replied, trying to even out my breath after he jump scared me.
“What’s going on here, Liam?” Ryan asked, walking back into the room.
“Trying to pick out a movie. Little Screamer here wants to be scared.”
“Oh she does, does she? Then let’s make her wishes come true big bro.”
I really don’t like the way these two are now eager to scare me. Maybe I should just tell Liam that I am tired and go up to bed but then again they already think I am childish. Suck it up, Aviana, I think to myself.
“Not thinking of backing out are you, Little Screamer?”
“I only screamed once. You jump scared me. Can you stop calling me that? And no, I am not backing out. Pick a movie and let’s watch it.”
It was Liam’s choice to put on The Ring, and within just six minutes, I was already jumping at every scare. So much so, that Ryan moved to sit next to me on one side, while Liam settled on the other. 48 minutes into the movie, I was startled again, this time landing straight into Liam’s lap with a gasp. He chuckled softly, his mask finally coming off as he wiped his forehead.
“Hey, Little Screamer, I got you. Samara can’t get to you, it’s just a movie,” he said, his hand running soothingly up my back as he pulled my legs further into his lap. I tried to squirm away, but he held me tight.
“Let her go, Liam. You good there, little sister?” Ryan’s voice was filled with concern as he glanced at me.
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, though I was still on edge. “I just didn’t expect that, alright? You both have seen this, but I haven’t.”
Liam gave me a teasing grin. “Do you want to stop the movie? We could always find something else to do,” he suggested, his hand brushing against my leg beneath my dress .
“Liam, please, stop,” I protested, hoping he would take the hint.
Liam’s chuckle deepened, clearly enjoying my unease. “That’s it, Little Screamer. Beg me.”
Before I could say anything, he scooped me up and dropped me back on the couch next to Ryan, where I sat, a little stunned. Liam put his mask back on, but his voice remained loud and clear. “Ryan, hold her down,” he instructed.
Ryan, though, was clearly not in the mood for Liam’s games. “Whatever you’re planning, don’t, Liam. Mom and Dad will be back in a couple of hours, and we still need to clean up this mess.”
Liam’s tone remained playful. “We’ve got plenty of time. How about we make things a little more interesting, Little Screamer?”
My unease only grew as I looked to Ryan, who gave me a reassuring nod. “Sure, what do you have in mind?”
Liam’s grin widened. “How about a game of hide and seek? You hide, and we’ll seek you out.”
“Wait, we?” I groaned. “That doesn’t sound fair at all.”
Liam waved away my concerns. “It’ll be fair, I promise. There are just a few rules, that’s all.”
“Rules?” Ryan retorted sarcastically. “She hides, we seek. No need for rules.”
“Oh, but there are rules, little bro.” Liam shot him a wink before focusing back on me. “We’ll count to 50 while you hide, then we come after you. If we find you, we get to keep you as our toy until Mom and Dad come back. So you’d better start hiding, Little Screamer.”
***
Hiding in the barn, I knew they were done counting only by the sound of Liam’s footsteps—heavier than Ryan’s. Only one set echoed in the silence, confirming he was alone. But the question gnawing at me was whether Ryan had chosen not to play or if he was lurking somewhere, waiting to chase me. I should have asked if there was a safe zone, a place they couldn’t catch me, or if I had already doomed myself to lose.
Crouched in the corner of a horse stall, I held my breath as Liam’s footsteps grew louder, each one making my heart skip. His steady, determined breathing cut through the still night air. He was close—too close. Instinct took over. I ran, blind to his exact position, hoping to disappear into the darkness.
The night swallowed everything, but I used it to my advantage, darting between trees, weaving in and out of the shadows like a ghost. My pulse hammered in my ears, adrenaline propelling me forward. I pushed toward the house, barely able to see my path, but I had spent a year here—watching Liam work, walking these grounds with Ryan. I knew this land. I just had to use that to escape.
I glanced over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of Liam’s silhouette just as he rounded the corner of the work shed not too far off. I only knew it was Liam because he didn’t bother grabbing a coat and I could see the moonlight hitting his bare chest. I am sure his eyes were locked on me, determined, and it made something in my chest tighten. I could hear his voice calling after me, teasing but urgent, “Run Little Screamer because once I catch you, you are mine,” and it only made me run faster. I ducked low, weaving through the tall grass on the side of the house, hoping the night would hide me long enough for me to catch my breath, but I could already hear him getting closer again. There was no way I could outrun him for much longer, but I wasn’t going down without a fight. I pushed myself harder, my lungs burning, but the thrill of the chase was too much—this was no longer just a game. It felt like something else entirely.
I didn’t hear him at first. One second, I was ducking beside the house, catching my breath, praying I could stay hidden just a little longer, and the next, I felt a hand clamp around my mouth. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest as Liam’s free hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me back to the solid wall of his chest. I twisted in his grasp, trying to yank myself free, but it was no use. I could feel the smile tugging at his lips as he held me steady, his breath warm against my ear as he had it lifted off his chin and mouth.
“You’re not getting away that easy,” Liam teased, his voice a mixture of triumph and amusement. “I told you when I catch you, you are mine to toy with until Mom and Dad get back. It seems we have plenty of time to play now don’t we little Screamer?"
I had come so close. My legs were sore from the run, and I could feel the frustration bubbling up in me. But I knew he was grinning down at me like it was the best thing in the world. The chase had been exhilarating, but now that it was over, there was this strange, sudden silence between us, only the soft rustle of the night air filling the space. Panic shot through me as I struggled against him, kicking my legs and twisting my body, but his hold was too strong. He’d caught me. The game was over—but this felt wrong, like something was off.
“Let go, Liam!” I did my best to yell against his hand that still held firm over my mouth, his fingers digging into my skin. His laugh was too close, too heavy, and it made my skin crawl. My chest tightened, my lungs struggling to draw in air. I couldn’t let him win like this, couldn’t let him have control of the situation. I tried to twist my body again, digging my shoes into the ground, but he held firm. His grip tightened, and suddenly it felt like I was trapped—trapped in his arms, trapped in the dark. My hands clawed at his arm, my panic rising with each second I couldn’t break free. He wasn’t just playing anymore. And the way his fingers tightened, it felt like something more dangerous had slipped into the game.
Mumbling against his hand again, I did my best to demand he let me go but he stood firm. I could hear him breathing, his body pressing into mine like he was savoring the moment, and that made my stomach churn with fear.