Someone once told me that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s’ cover. So why are people so quick to judge people by the clothes they wear, how they’re raised, or what part of town they grew up in? It’s because being judged is what makes people human. Maybe, just maybe, that person should’ve told me: “Lucas you should judge a book by its’ cover because you’ll never have to find out what the book contains.”

I’ve been judged and that’s what probably landed me in this hell hole. Though, I could say that I wasn’t judged until Sarah died. For years I was surrounded by kids who, for their birthday got a brand new $33,000 Chevy Camaro, kids who were accepted if they were rich, or kids whose ancestors founded the town. So what happened when a kid like me moved into town? A kid who didn’t have rich parents, but put up a front so all that people got to see was a guy who was 6”,broad-shouldered, straight pearly white teeth, with green eyes, and dark brown hair that was cut into the latest style. A guy who started dating the girl everyone wanted. You can say I did a lot to hide that I wasn’t really like them, but my façade crumpled faster than the kid who pulled the wrong wood piece in Jenga when my first (and last) love died: Sarah Road. I remember her, but I wish those memories could be taken away.

“Sarah you shouldn’t be with him; you should be with me,” Ken.

“Ken, I love Lucas not you,” Sarah.

“Maybe you’ll change your mind after I tell you...”
That conversation took my life and turned it upside down. Ken hated me since the day I stepped into Indian River High School no scratch that, since the day I stepped into Saint, Pratt. Ken was like a rhino. He’s a hothead. He didn’t like the fact that Sarah liked me. He did everything in his power to separate us. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING.

I can hear the sounds of their shoes touching the pavement. If I listen closely I could hear the water running from the pipes above me. Blink. Plat. Blink. Plat. I feel like I’m stuck in a long corridor with nothing but the smells of a thousand trash cans, urine, and molded fish to guide me out. Phh. Phh. Phh. I can hear my breathing as I crouch down beside a dumpster, hoping to bid time.
That was my first mistake that night. I had Sarah’s dad drop me off at (of course) a fallacious house. I proceeded to bluff and say I forgot my key and I had to go around back. I waited until her dad pulled off and started walking towards my actual home.
It was a fine walk that night the autumn breeze had just blown into town; the leaves were beginning to diminish from the trees, and ahead of me was the next street lamp. I wondered what people would’ve thought about seeing a boy wearing an elegant black and white tux standing casually underneath the lamp with the light luminosity around me. Would people think I was a ghost… an angel…or something else? That’s when I heard them.

…hoping to bid time. I frantically glance around me right in front of me was my exit, if I could only climb a brick building.
My second mistake that night was letting them play a game of cat and mouse. Third time’s the charm isn’t it? Mistake number three: not realizing they knew this town like the back of their hand.

“Look what we have here,” Ken while pulling me up.

“Well, if it isn’t the big man on campus or Luke Lightwood.” the boy beside Ken.

“It’s Lucas, L- u- c- a- s.”
With that said I’m back on my ass and I quickly move my hand to touch the cut on my lip. Ken crouches down in front of me. We make eye contact and from that second it becomes a game of who intimidates who. I see the silhouettes of the other boys, but as I resume looking into Ken’s eyes I see that he’s the lion and I’m his prey. I guess he knew neither of us was going to back down because he spoke.

“Look here. You listen to me and I want you to listen closely. I’m this close to knowing your little secret.” He held up two fingers about an inch apart to demonstrate. “And when I do, you’re going to wish I don’t. Now, you’re going to act like this didn’t happen.” He leans closely so only I could hear: “Oh, and one more thing, break up with Sarah. Immediately.”

“And if I don’t?”
He gets up and backs up towards his friends.

“You’ll see.”
They walked away from me that night. Ken kept on making threats after he saw that I had no intention on breaking up with Sarah, but on October 21 he said something that caught my attention.

I walk into town square, headed toward the front of the library so I can do research. Ken walked out. I start to walk past him but he blocks my path.

“Hey Lucas, I found out some really juicy details about the Roads and Lightwoods. Next time you see that mom of yours you might want to ask her why she came back to Saint, Pratt because it isn’t what she’s telling people.”
I notice he speaks in a quizzical tone and pointed during every pause.
“What are you talking about?”

“Yearbook, 1979, Indian River High School, page 110,”said with a smirk and walked away.
I enter the library and ask the librarian where I can find the section. She happily shows me downstairs to the basement where they keep town records, and grabbed the book I was looking for.

“Now you won’t be able to take anything home, but there’s a copier over in the right corner of the room. Come get me if you need anything,” she said while passing the book over to me.

“Thanks.” I wait until she left and sat down. This desk looks like it hasn’t been touched in years. I bet if I look under the table I’d find old gum and dust bunnies on the floor. I wipe the book off with my sleeve. The words Indian River High School slowly appeared. I flip to page 110. Scrolled across the top it read Memory Lane. I turn page after page until finally I saw a black and white picture of a boy in a sweater shirt, and tan pants on kissing a girl on the cheek. I notice that Indian High stood in the back. I pull my eyes to the caption and it read: “In this photograph, taken by Kasey Landford, is all-star Jake Road” (12) and Kathy Lightwood (9).They are the star couple on campus and we wish them the best. - class of 1979.”
What the hell? My mom dated Sarah’s dad? I better do a little research of my own.
I found out a lot that day, but I couldn’t connect the dots until October 31. Sarah and my last Halloween.

I don’t know how she talked me into being vampires with her. It might be because she pulled the whole I’m older than you card. I hadn’t told her about her dad and my mom. I’m just waiting until the right time. I broke out of my thoughts.

“Babe, let’s go to Old Willows Barn.” When I hear her say this.

“I bet it’s not even hunted but fine, we can go.”
I regret going to that barn that night, I wish I could’ve resisted her baby blue eyes, and wide smile. Just that once I should’ve said, “No, we should do what other couples are doing and went to the drive- in to watch Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare.

“Did you hear that?” she says while she stops and looks at me.

“I bet its Old Willow’s ghost,” I say while I pretend to be scared.

“That’s not funny!” she exclaims as she playfully hits my chest.

“No what’s funny is you dragging me in here and getting all scared over a noise that’s not-”
Boom!

“Ah!” Sarah shrieks, “What was that?” she whispers.
I could see the fear in her eyes. I didn’t know I was holding my breath until I exhale loudly.

“I don’t know, but were not staying here to find out lets go.” I took her hand and as I turn around there was a shadow in front of me, I was hit, and the last thing I hear before the darkness engulfed me was Sarah, screaming my name.
When I came to that night I was strapped to a chair and in front of me Sarah was staring at me her eyes were wide with fear and her mouth was covered with duct tape.

“Look who finally woke up.”
I look around to see who it was but I can’t find the person that is speaking. He steps out the shadows.

“Ken you’ve gone too far!” I exclaim as he steps over to Sarah and rips the duct tape from her mouth.

“Ken, why can’t you leave us alone?” Sarah pleads.

“Sarah, you shouldn’t be with him. You should be with me,” Ken says.

“Ken, I love Lucas, not you.”

“Maybe you’ll change your mind after I tell you, both of your families little secrets.”

“This is crazy man. You have everything, but as soon as someone comes in and dates the girl you had your chance with and blew it, you go all crazy. I wonder how you behaved when you were a kid!” I shout.

“That’s none-”

“Wha -what family secret?”

“Sarah, Sarah, Sarah!” he shook his head. “How could I forget? I bet you didn’t know your lovely, almighty, father, dad or whatever you call him, dated Lucas’s mom back in high school.”
He squeals in delight when he sees the look on her face.

“And I bet you didn’t know your dad was 17 and Lucas’s mom was 16.”

“What are you trying to say Ken? That you think it’s wrong for our parents to have dated.”

“No, what I’m trying to say is Sarah is, that Lucas’s mom is your mom.”

“My mom left me on my dad’s doorstep and you know that.”
I hated to see silent tears pour down her face.

“Lucas’s mom did do that.”

“My mother wouldn’t have done a thing. I like how you’re just saying these things like we’re actually going to believe you.”

“I guess this is the moment I hand you these,” he says and he sets down the picture I saw in the yearbook, several more pictures of our parents, and Sarah’s birth certificate. He steps behind me and whispers in my ear.

“It’s funny how things work out. I guess you never really thought of the real reason you moved into town.”
I can feel him shrug.
“I bet mom said, ‘We’re going to have a new start in this town, don’t you worry honey’.” Right then he moves to face me.
“Little did you know she wanted you to meet; Drum roll please”
He moves his hands in a drum motion.

“Your half-sister!” he exclaims and points to Sarah.
He looks at Sarah and says, “I bet Daddy didn’t know it was poor Lucas over there you were talking about.”
I hated the whine he put in his voice.
“All those days you came home with stars in your eyes, talking about how you met this great guy, and how you wanted him and his mom to come over for dinner.”

“You’re delusional,” she spits at him.
He laughs at her disbelief and walks over to me.

“I bet you didn’t realize your mom’s shock, when she walked into the home of the guy that told her to get out of town.”
He cocks his head to the side.
He turns to Sarah, “He didn’t need a baby on his reputation, and could you imagine the shock on his face when you kissed him?”
His eyes look like they’re bulging out of their head, and spit gather at the ends of his mouth to show his utter disgust.
I’m tired of this so I decide to prove him wrong and I look at Sarah’s birth certificate. Right under the mom’s maiden name was the name Kathy Marie Lightwood, and the father’s name, Jake Lucas Road. I suppress a look of horror but it didn’t fail to be detected by Ken. He walks over to me and gets in my face.

“Now that you know, you should think about everything you’ve done with her thinking you met your first love, but she was your sister this whole time.” He smirks and laughs big heartily.

“It doesn’t matter because I love him!” Sarah exclaims.
All was quiet for a second and I can swear I hear giggles around the corner.

“How could you possibly love him?” Ken yells into her face. “He is your brother and if you think he could possibly look at you the same, least of all love you! You’re the delusional one baby, because I can almost guarantee if you asked him if he loves you, he wouldn’t love you back!”

“Tell him, tell him th-that you’ll still love me.”
She’s trying not to cry. It hurts me to see her like this I love her with all my heart but...

“Lucas?”
I don’t know what to do, my hearts telling me yes and my head is saying no this is wrong.
“What did I tell you Sarah? He doesn’t love you back.” He says breathlessly.

“I love you too.”
She’s crying now and I can’t help but to think everything will be ok as soon as someone finds us.

“You two,” he says while pointing a finger at us both, “are despicable. You know there’s a fable called Oedipus. This mom slept with her son and their kids were punished. The son was blinded as punishment, though I think he should’ve been killed for his act of incest. The difference is you two are brother and sister, I guess what I’m trying to say is this: Sarah, I’m going to kill you for the crime you committed, and Lucas you’re going to watch as I drain the life out of your sister, or would you prefer ‘lover’.”

“No! Oh god! No please don’t!” I plead.
My vision is blurring and I can taste the saltiness of my tears. He advances toward Sarah, who desperately tries to get away from him.
I had to watch as he tied her to the post in front of me and cut long, sharp, deep cuts in her arms and legs. I had to listen to her scream out in pain and say my name over and over again. If I tried to close my eyes he’d torture her some more. I had no choice but to keep my eyes open to try to save her. Every time I thought he’d be done, it didn’t stop. It’s like he had a mind of a thousand serial killers. When he was done he left her body so indistinguishable I couldn’t picture the Sarah I once knew. He left me there and eventually somebody found us and that’s how I ended up here. When police came they found Sarah and me but they said I killed her. I told them my story and they said Ken Eastwood didn’t exist, and that I cut my beloved Sarah until she couldn’t be recognized. They said I killed her because I found out she was my sister. Why would I do that? I loved her. They diagnosed me with a mental disorder and stuck me into Saint, Pratt’s psychological Institute.

“I’m sitting in a jail house waiting for the verdict. I hear people screaming outside, saying I’m worthless, liar, a killer, Satan, and that I belong in hell for killing Sarah. It never mattered what I told them. Others believe I killed her because I was from out of town with no money. I swore to them that I was innocent, but no one would believe me.
“Lucas you should judge a book by its’ cover because you’ll never have to find out what the book contains.” You’ve listened to my story. I swear I didn’t kill her and ill keep on swearing it until someone believes me. So…do you?