ă€Š20 Days to Prom Nightă€‹


 20 Days Before Prom - Part 1

    Never mention a school prom in Lorraine''s presence.

    That has become an unspoken rule in their house. Alas, Aubrey''s best friend, who is staying for dinner tonight, accidentally pokes the forbidden topic during the table talk. He knows the subject pushes Lorraine''s buttons from time to time, yet he never learns.

    The rest of the dinner is torturous. The silence is thick, but the tension is lethal. A gospel song playing on the radio muffles the rattles of cascading rain hitting the window in the dining room. Between the clinking and screeching cutlery dancing on the porcelain plates, Aubrey silently prays for the dinner to be over soon.

    Her idiotic best friend, Bob, steals glances at her, showing his guilty expression but she responds with a glare. He doesn''t live with Lorraine. He doesn''t have to deal with Lorraine''s antics when it comes to subjects that are considered ungodly, which in this case is the school prom ˇŞnot that Aubrey is planning to go. She''s just had enough of Lorraine''s lecture. It gets increasingly painful these days.

    When they''re finally done with their meal, Lorraine brings both her hands to her chest and interlaces her fingers. "Let''s pray."

    Aubrey and Bob obediently mimic her gesture before chorusing "amen" after her.

    "Thank you for the delicious dinner, Lorraine," Bob says as he stands up to help Aubrey pile up the dirty plates.

    "You''re welcome, Bob." Lorraine''s lips stretch but it''s enough for Bob to acknowledge that she''s attempting a smile.

    Holding the dishes, Aubrey heads to the kitchen counter, careful not to drop anything. She begins scrapping all the remaining solid food to the bin while occasionally glancing out of the window. She sighs. It''s not yet nine o''clock in the evening, but it''s already dark outside. The rain is still pouring, cloaking the swaying trees as the wind blows. This is going to be a gloomy summer with a lot of rain, so the forecast said.

    "I made an extra cherry pie yesterday. Do you want to take one for Sandra, Bob?" Lorraine''s voice pulls Aubrey back from her bubble of thoughts.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    "Yes please, if it doesn''t trouble you too much. Mom will love it."

    "Of course it doesn''t," Lorraine says. "I heard from pastor Marlon that she missed last Sunday''s sermon because of the flu. I hope she''s feeling better now."

    "Oh yeah, she is feeling much better. Actually, she started the counseling sessions two days ago."

    Lorraine heaves a sigh. "This is unacceptable. The church should hire more than one counselor to avoid overworked staff. I''ve been giving this suggestion for months, but they never took it seriously. Sandra shouldn''t handle this task alone."

    "Yeah. But luckily, Mom seems to be enjoying what she''s doing."

    "Very well." Lorraine stands up, causing her chair to screech against the wooden floor. "Let me get the pie ready."

    Aubrey has been listening to the conversation while loading the dishwasher, wishing she could skip this routine. She hates chores, but she has no choice. It''s one of the agreements she has with Lorraine to keep the house intact day by day. While Lorraine works and cooks, she''s responsible for the dishes and other small chores.

    Aubrey has known Lorraine since before she can remember. Even though they are not related by blood, Lorraine is the only family she has now. She would probably have stayed in an orphanage or a random foster home if Lorraine didn''t take her in when her mom died.

    A nudge on Aubrey''s shoulder makes the girl jump.

    "You''re spacing out again," Bob says.

    She narrows her eyes on him. "Never startle a person who is holding a knife."

    "I didn''t startle you. I''ve been calling you, but you''re just staring blankly at the window. You do this a lot lately, though. Is everything okay?" Bob leans on the wall next to the dishwasher. His red curls stand out against the shabby green wallpaper.

    "Do I not look okay?" Aubrey puts both her hands on her hips.

    Bob shrugs. "You''re just different lately."

    "Different how?"

    "Dunno. Different. Can''t really tell how."

    Aubrey rolls her eyes as she closes the dishwasher door, sets the program, and cleans her hands under the running water. "Yeah. That''s super clear, Bob. Thank you."

    Lorraine enters the kitchen. "Bob, your pie is ready. It''s on the dining table. And Aubrey, I need to talk to you after you see Bob out."

    Aubrey dries up her hands with a towel hung on the dishwasher door handle. Something inside her ignites, accompanied by a twist in the pit of her stomach. She turns her head slightly. "Is it about the prom?"

    "No, it''s not. It''s about something else. I''ll be waiting in the living room." With that, Lorraine turns on her heels and leaves the kitchen.

    Aubrey leans back into the kitchen counter, glancing at her friend while biting the inside of her cheek. "Do you think I''m in trouble?"

    "I hope not."

    Bob always comes up with a useless answer.

    ***

 20 Days Before Prom - Part 2

    The rain has finally stopped, leaving a wet pool and muddy ground in the front yard. Even though summer is drawing near, the temperature has not yet gotten any warmer. Living in a town up on the hill, Aubrey is used to the chilly wind. Still, having dark clouds hovering in the sky all week long is something she will never get accustomed to. She needs sun.

    "I''m sorry about what happened at dinner," Bob says once he settles on his bike. "I totally forgot about Lorraine with the prom stuff. I still don''t get why she hates it so much."

    Aubrey shrugs, slipping her hands into her jeans pockets. "As if I know the answer."

    "You''re still not going, are you?"

    "Nope."

    "Even if it''s going to be your last year of school?"

    "I just don''t feel like it, I guess." Aubrey looks down and kicks the small rock next to her feet. "So, Lizzie said yes, huh?"

    Bob''s lips curl up into a grin. "Yep."

    "Don''t mess it up this time, dude."

    "I won''t." Bob winces, looking unsure with his own answer. "Alright, then. I gotta go before it rains again."

    "Okay." Aubrey nods. "See you tomorrow at church."

    "Yep. Night, Bree." Bob adjusts his glasses for the last time before starting to pedal his bike.

    As Bob''s figure disappears into the dark shadows of the trees that swallow the narrow gravel street, Aubrey closes the gate and saunters back to the house. She glances up to the old building that stands proudly in front of her. The white wall has turned several shades darker, the worn-out window panes barely seal the cold wind from the outside, and the roof threatens to crumble any day. It has definitely seen better days.

    She''s been living in Lorraine''s family house for over a decade now. It''s a two-story building with an attic that''s hardly counted as a third floor. Lorraine doesn''t talk a lot about her family, but she once told Aubrey that her grandparents were farmers. That explains the existence of the abandoned barn in the backyard. Lorraine has been wanting to get rid of it, but she never gets around to doing it due to her work, church responsibilities, and money.

    Aubrey vaguely remembers how rough it was when she moved into this old and spacious house. She even went through a series of nightmares when she had to start sleeping on her own because she''d always shared a bed with her mom since she was born. One night, she woke up from a terrifying dream and begged Lorraine to let her sleep in her bed. The woman said "no". After tucking Aubrey back in, Lorraine walked out of her room without glancing back. She missed her mom terribly during those days.

    Lorraine has never been a warm and friendly person, but she gives her shelter and food. Aubrey just needs to suck up the rest.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Knowing that her adoptive mother wants to talk to her now, Aubrey lets out a heavy sigh as she trudges to the house. She keeps her eyes down, making sure she doesn''t step on the mud. Once she reaches the front door, the light suddenly flickers. Aubrey looks up to the porch ceiling to check, and the light stops blinking. Frowning, she starts to think that maybe she was just imagining it.

    At the same time, she feels growing tension in the pit of her stomach while the hairs on the back of her neck stand. Aubrey grabs the door handle, yanks it open, and slips inside the house. Despite her gut feeling telling her to shut the door immediately, she forces herself to have a look at the porch for the last time. The wooden railings sway as the gust of wind sweeps through. The creaking sound reminds her of the raspy voice that fills the corner of her head lately. With a shaky hand, she pulls the door and locks it.

    When she enters the living room, Lorraine is sitting on her floral reading chair, glasses on and a book in hand. An old metal floor lamp stands next to her chair which is also the only source of light in this large room. Lorraine hates wasting money on energy bills. As she sees Aubrey walk in, she takes off her reading glasses before putting them on the table, together with the book.

    Aubrey sits on the red sofa quietly, waiting for Lorraine to start.

    "I want to let you know that I''m going to clear out Claire''s stuff from the attic."

    Aubrey feels a tug in her heart when Lorraine mentions her mom''s name. Lorraine rarely does that. "Are you going to throw them away?"

    "Maybe. But first, I need you to go through her stuff and pick what you want to keep. Then I will bring the rest to the church to see if some of them can be of any use."

    Aubrey nods. She doesn''t have a lot of recollection about her mother. Claire died when she was five and the memory of her is all blurry. Aubrey has tried to look through her mom''s stuff in the attic, but none of it helps her connect to her early years, except for one. And it''s now sitting in her room.

    "I already went through her stuff a few months back. I think you can bring them to the church."

    "Please, have a final look before it leaves this house for good."

    "Okay. I can do that, I guess," Audrey says, biting her lower lip.

    "I''m sorry they need to go. It''s been over ten years. It''s time to let go."

    Lorraine seldom talks about her mom, and when she does, she always has this stoic expression. But tonight, Aubrey can almost see the sad glint in Lorraine''s eyes. Rumor has it that Lorraine and her mom used to be very close. Maybe it''s true after all.

    "Yeah, sure." Aubrey shrugs, unsure about what to do next. For a moment, she feels the urge to come closer and hug Lorraine, but it''s not the nature of their relationship.

    As expected, Lorraine is back to her guarded expression. "We will bring them to the church by the end of the month. So you have plenty of time to decide."

    "Okay." Aubrey nods, feeling deflated for some reason. "If that''s all, I''m going to go to my room. I need to study for the exam."

    "One more thing. I know I said it wasn''t about the prom, but I need to know if you''re really not going this time."

    Aubrey knew all along that Lorraine was going to ask her this. She bites her inner cheek, ignoring the familiar sensation that slowly awakens in her. "No, I''m not going."

    "Good. I just wanted to make sure you''re safe."

    "I don''t understand."

    "School prom nowadays is more associated with drugs, alcohol, and sexuality. It''s not that I don''t trust you, but as God''s children, it''s our responsibility to keep ourselves away from the potential temptations."

    Unsolicited faint laughter rumbles in the back of Aubrey''s head.

    Lorraine clears her throat and a rigid smile breaks accross her face. "Knowing your mother, she would agree with your decision, too."

    The laughter turns into a gurgling sound. Aubrey shifts uncomfortably in her seat as the noise grows louder every second. Nausea hits her stomach when the familiar raspy voice growls in her ear.

    Liar, Liar, pants on fire! She knows nothing about Claire!

    ***

 19 Days Before Prom - Part 1

    The Sunday sermon has never been this long and excruciating for Aubrey. The whole congregation solely listens to the Pastor as a hum of approval echoes from every corner of the room. People nod at the preacher''s messages, eyes glowing with agreement. Everyone is content. Everyone, except Aubrey.

    Despite the cool summer breeze that gusts through the partly open stained-glass windows, Aubrey can''t stand the heat that comes out of nowhere. It urges her to keep shifting in her seat. The tile floor is burning her feet, the wooden pew is smoldering her legs, and every word that slips through Pastor Marlon''s lips ignites a flare of anger within her for no reason.

    "We, the children of God, are placed in this world to carry a holy task: to bring the light to our surroundings. Darkness is looming over us, alluring us, tempting us to question our Creator, to raise our skepticism toward Him, and eventually to deny Him. But remember one thing, as long as we stand together, hand in hand, we build an abiding light. Therefore, we leave no room for the darkness to claim its spot."

    The bile rises in Aubrey''s throat as nausea hits her stomach. Beads of sweat are forming on her forehead and dripping down her cheeks. Her heart pumps so fast that it''s getting hard to breathe and causing her vision to blur. She needs fresh air. She needs to get out of here.

    "Isaiah forty-one, verse ten: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. We are bigger than this world, we shall stand strong against the darkness because we are standing in God''s grace. In the name of His Holy Son, Jesus Christ, we have all the strength we need."

    "Are you alright?" Bob, who is sitting next to her, asks in a low tone when Aubrey unintentionally tightens her grip around his wrist. His eyes are fixed on her face, studying her.

    "No. I''m not. I need fresh air."

    Without asking more questions, Bob picks up Aubrey''s bible from her lap and sticks it into the small bookshelf attached to the pew. He secures his hand around her arm before quietly escorting her out of the church building.

    "You look like you''re going to faint," Bob says once they are outside. He guides Aubrey to a metal bench in the church front yard. "Wait here. I''ll grab some water for you."

    Aubrey shakes her head. "No need. I just need fresh air. Thanks, Bob." She closes her eyes while she sits up straight, both hands clutching the edge of the bench. With that, Aubrey tries to focus on her breathing, inhaling as much air as possible.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    "You''re so pale. Maybe it''s the flu. Everyone is getting it nowadays."

    Aubrey''s breathing starts to get steadier even though she still fights the urge to vomit. When the tightening in her chest eases up, she shakes her head, careful not to trigger nausea. "No, it''s not the flu. Maybe I''m just too exhausted from studying and I didn''t have enough sleep last night."

    Bob sighs. "Bree, you know you can''t do this to yourself. Remember what happened the last time you pushed yourself over your limits."

    "Nah, it''s nothing like that."

    "How do you know? You''ve been acting weird lately, too. Something is off," Bob argues. "Maybe you should start seeing my mom again."

    Faintly, the familiar growl is awakened inside her, bringing back the discomfort in her chest. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. And Pastor Marlon is almost done with his preaching. You should get back inside."

    Bob and some other guys from the church youth community are performing today, and they are scheduled after Pastor Marlon''s preaching. Bob definitely knows he has to head back inside, but the boy looks reluctant to go. He shifts on his legs while rubbing the back of his neck. "Do I need to get Lorraine for you?"

    "No. Don''t." Aubrey massages her temples as the queasiness is creeping back in. "I''ll just head home after this."

    "By yourself? No way. Look at you! If you walk home alone like this, you''re as good as dead!" Bob glances at the church behind him. "I''ll get Lorraine."

    Aubrey''s breathing is picking up pace again. Her eyes shoot open as she hears herself growling. "I SAID NO!" The words roll off Aubrey''s tongue but she doesn''t recognize her own voice. She then snarls at her best friend.

    Bob stands rooted to his spot, too stupefied to move. He opens his mouth as if he''s going to say something, but he speaks no words. His eyes are wide as saucers, glued to Aubrey''s face.

    "You better run inside now, gospel boy. The closing prayer is finished in three... two... one¨C" Aubrey sneers "¨Cchop, chop."

    After several seconds of staring at each other, Aubrey feels a sudden blow of air hitting her inner chest, prompting her to clutch her stomach and cough.

    "Bob! There you are! Get back inside now. It''s our turn!" A feminine voice calls from the church''s direction.

    The pair immediately turn their heads to the source of disruption and find Lizzie standing in front of the building entrance. She''s wearing a knee-length botanical sundress and a white knitted vest. Her wavy blonde hair dances in the air as the wind sweeps over.

    "I''m c-coming," Bob says once he finds his voice again. He reverts his eyes to Aubrey, looking hesitant. "Umm, I gotta go. Are you sure you''re alright?" When he sees Aubrey nod, Bob begins to take some steps backward, still eyeing her with caution. "Stay here, will you? I''ll be right back when we''re done with the choir." With that, he turns on his heels and jogs toward Lizzie.

    "Is everything alright, Bree?" Lizzie asks, the concern evident in her voice. Despite being involved in the same community, they''ve never been close friends, but Lizzie is always the caring type.

    Aubrey forces a smile and clears her throat. "Yes, of course. I was just a bit dizzy and needed some air. Good luck with the performance!"

    "Thanks. I hope you feel better soon." Lizzie smiles before turning around and following Bob inside.

    The boy holds the door for Lizzie as he takes another glance at Aubrey. A mix of curiosity and fear coats his grey eyes.

    ***

 19 Days Before Prom - Part 2

    Once Bob and Lizzie disappeared behind the church wooden door, Aubrey puts both her hands over her face, trying to make sense of everything.

    What happened inside that church is something she''d never experienced before. She was on the verge of fainting as if her consciousness was abruptly being ripped out. The urge to scream out of rage and the agony that shattered her body was horrifying. She fought so hard not to lose herself there.

    What''s happening to her? Is she sick like Bob has said? But why is she feeling fine now?

    Contemplating going back inside, Aubrey glances at the old building in front of her, and her stomach churns. No, she doesn''t want to go back there. Even though she can''t put a finger on it, something about the church is off. Plus, the excruciating moments she endured during the sermon are still fresh in her head. It''s too painful even just to think of it.

    The other strange thing also took place when she talked to Bob a few minutes ago. Something inside her was sucking her in. She thought she was about to pass out but she didn''t. She spoke and moved mindlessly as if her body was disconnected from her brain. Was she hallucinating? Or had she maybe some kind of blackout?

    Aside from that, she''s been having weird stuff going on inside her head lately. She''s been hearing things. It started with rough breathing, sometimes accompanied by a faint growl. Some other days she heard a laugh. Not the kind that brought her joy, it often gave her a twist in the gut. But since the sound was weak and felt so far away, Aubrey wasn''t sure if it was real or she was just imagining it.

    However, what happened last night in the living room changed the whole game.

    The thing spoke, loud and clear. It was a low throaty sound that came from deep within. It mentioned her mother''s name as if it knew her. And it was the very voice that she heard a few minutes ago when she talked to Bob.

    Maybe I''m going crazy. Maybe Bob is right about me seeing Sandra again.

    With a shiver coursing her entire body, Aubrey once again turns her head to peek at the big red-brick building with a pointy roof and a cross on top. It has been her second home after her bedroom in Lorraine''s house. Not only does she feel accepted in the community, but the church also connects her to her mother in a way; it gives her an identity.

    But can she still call it her second home now?

    As much as she wants an answer, she doesn''t want to stay here any longer. Someone from the congregation might find her and she''s not in the mood of answering questions. With a loud grunt, she gets up from the bench. Once she makes sure she can walk fine, she trudges away, leaving the church front yard.

    Being one of the oldest buildings in the village, the church was built right in the middle of the town center. But since it''s a Sabbath day, everything is closed. Not that she can do a lot with her purse still sitting on the pew at church. All she can do now is walk home. Luckily, she doesn''t need to worry about getting in the house without a key since the window in her bedroom doesn''t lock properly. It''s been like that for some time but she doesn''t want to bother Lorraine with it. Money has been tight.

    Aubrey strides along the narrow pavement, hoping no one spots her and stops her for a small talk. When she finally exits the town and begins to walk on the tapering street through the pine forest, she releases a breath of relief.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    The sun is still low this morning, streaming lazily through the pine trees. The sound of the leaves rustling when a gust of wind blows over is hypnotizing. Aubrey feels the tension gradually leave her body as she saunters along the street and hums her favorite song. Her jet-black hair that''s pulled into a ponytail sways back and forth while she walks. The wind caresses her exposed neck.

    It has been a while since she was this peaceful. The silence of the forest numbs the exasperation that has been weighing her down lately. Her days went by with a constant battle, but she doesn''t know what for. She goes to bed completely worn-out every night, yet she wakes up stiff and sore the next morning.

    Feeling the increasing humidity in the air, Aubrey looks up and frowns. From how low the clouds are hanging in the sky, the rain will be falling soon. She just hopes that she makes it home by then.

    A sound of a vehicle roars from behind her, followed by a blue truck with loud banging house music riding past her. A few hundred meters ahead, the car halts and begins to drive backward. It stops next to her, and a face she recognizes as one of the jocks at her school comes into view. His blond hair is disheveled and the dark shadow under his eyes is evidence of a sleepless night.

    "Hey, you''re the girl from the biology class," he says, resting his hand on the open window frame. His eyes roam over her figure from head to toe, and a smirk rises in the corners of his lips. "That''s not what you wear for a morning jog, right?"

    Aubrey is wearing her usual Sunday attire: a white plain dress with a pleated skirt that reaches her knee level, a green cardigan, and her brown flat shoes. It''s nothing daring but the way the boy is checking her out stirs something strange inside her.

    Before she can respond, a hand pokes the boy''s head from behind. "She''s a churchgoer, you dummy. She is going to pray of course."

    The jock looks annoyed. He glares at the person in the back seat. "Fuck off! I know she''s a church girl. But the church is there, she''s heading the other way around."

    A girl giggles from the back seat. "Asher, are you going to flirt with her to get back at Britney? Really?"

    Asher rolls his eyes but doesn''t reply to the girl''s remark. He shifts his gaze back to Aubrey. "Don''t mind them, they''re drunk from the party last night. And completely useless."

    Aubrey stands still, not sure how to react to this situation. Unlike the church community, the school is a whole different game for her. It''s harsh, unpredictable, and full of fake people. Aubrey can never distinguish those who are genuinely nice from those who aren''t. Everyone smiles yet they talk nasty about other people behind their backs. That''s how she ends up becoming an outcast in her school; she never bothers to be a part of any group. She''s just lucky that she has Bob.

    "So, are you heading home?"

    "Yeah," Aubrey says with a low voice.

    "Hop in then, I can give you a lift."

    The couple in the backseat snort. Aubrey can''t see them behind the tinted window, but she has an idea who they are: Tessa and Roy. The infamous pair who keeps breaking up and getting back together, the partygoers, and also Asher''s pals.

    "No, it''s fine. I''ll just walk. Thanks." Aubrey smiles before starting to walk again, but the car drives slowly next to her.

    "You live in the Garner farmer house, right? It will take you at least forty minutes to walk there."

    Aubrey shrugs. "I don''t mind."

    Tessa howls in high-pitch laughter. "Let her be, Ash. She''s a dork, you know. Walking in the mud is more arousing for her than being in the car with us."

    "Shut up, Tess."

    "What? You know I''m right. What do you even see in her? She''s fat and a weirdo. Instead of making Brit jealous, you''ll make her laugh in your face so hard."

    Asher clenches his jaws. "I said shut the fuck up or get out of my car!"

    "Woah, calm down, man!" Roy howls. "Tessa is wasted, don''t take her words seriously."

    "Then tell your girlfriend to watch her mouth." Asher glares at his friends before turning his attention back to Aubrey. "I''m just trying to be nice here. Look, it''s going to rain soon. If you get in the car with us, it will take less than seven minutes for you to get home."

    As Asher stops talking, a drop of water lands on Aubrey''s forehead, followed by another drop, and another. She sighs and forces a smile. "I guess I''m getting in then."

    ??????

 19 Days Before Prom - Part 3

    The seven-minute ride is going to be a bizarre moment for Aubrey. Not that her day can get any weirder than it already is. Despite her constant problem in making small talk around people she''s not familiar with, she knows that it''s rude not to engage in the conversation while she''s sitting in the same car. At least, she should show them interest. Eye contact, a few nods, and a smile will suffice.

    Staring at the downpour obscuring the sight of the forest, Aubrey is silently following the banter of the other three.

    "Man, I still can''t believe you punched Sebastian. You ruined his face royally, dude!" Roy chuckles at his friend while leaning back against the headrest.

    "So? He deserved it. I should''ve shoved him to the lake after kicking his rotten balls."

    "Woah, as much as I want him to pay for what he''s done, I don''t want you to get arrested, man. There were too many people at that stupid party last night. We can figure out something else, though." An ominous smile tugs on Roy''s lips, prompting Aubrey to gulp.

    "That guy is a prick. Britney will see it sooner or later, trust me," Tessa says, a slur in her voice. Then she grunts as she leans forward, pressing her forehead on the passenger''s seat backrest. "This hangover is killing me. Do you have painkillers somewhere here in the car, Ash?"

    "I guess so." Asher extends his hand to the glove compartment and pulls it open. While keeping his eyes on the road, he rummages through the cubby-hole but he can''t find what he''s looking for. He looks down to take a better look, causing his car to swerve into another lane line. Frantic honking and blazing headlights from the opposite direction prompt him to yank the steering wheel to the side. As the other car drives past them with blaring horns, Asher''s truck slips completely off the road, earning a shriek of horror from his passengers. Asher skillfully swings it back to the road, making his truck go zigzagging for brief seconds until he finally gets full control of it.

    "What the fuck, Asher!" Tessa bellows, followed by Roy roaring with laughter.

    "That was hilarious, dude!"

    Asher glances at Aubrey who is now sitting stiffly, eyes on the road. "Are you alright?" he asks but she''s too stupefied to respond. Asher pokes her arm softly. "Hey, are you okay?"

    Aubrey turns her head to him and forces a smile. "Oh yeah, I''m fine."

    Asher keeps shifting his gaze between the road and Aubrey''s face. He opens his mouth to ask further when Tessa groans again, complaining about her headache.

    "Let me find it this time. Keep driving," says Aubrey before bending over to find the painkillers from the cubby-hole. Once she finds the yellow bottle, she hands it to Tessa.

    Tessa takes it from her hand. "Thanks."

    "No problem."

    "Um, I don''t wanna sound rude but I can''t remember your name?" Asher asks, followed by a soft snort from the couple in the backseat.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "It''s Aubrey."

    "Aubrey. Nice name." Asher grins, showing his killer dimples. "I''m Asher."

    "I know."

    "You do?" Asher raises his eyebrows.

    Tessa groans again, not from the headache this time. "Of course she does. Every girl at school knows you, dimwit."

    Asher chuckles, a smug expression plastered on his face. "So, Aubrey, why did you walk alone in the woods this early? Don''t you have a mass to attend?"

    "I do." Aubrey tucks her rebellious bangs behind her ear. "But I''m not feeling well. So I thought I would just go home to have some rest."

    "By going three miles on foot?"

    "I''m used to it."

    "Don''t you find the woods creepy to walk in alone?"

    "No, not at all."

    Asher purses her lips. "Most girls do."

    Aubrey plays with the hem of her green cardigan before saying. "I guess I''m not most girls then."

    Asher doesn''t push further but from the corners of her eyes, Aubrey can feel his blue eyes on him when he doesn''t look at the street. For some reason, it causes her stomach to flutter. She turns her head to the passenger window, hiding from Asher''s gaze while watching the rain thumping the glass furiously.

    Tessa giggles and leans forward. Her stinky breath from last-night drinking evades Aubrey''s nostrils while the girl''s warm breath fanning her neck. "So, Aubrey, has anyone asked you to prom?"

    Aubrey glances at her and shakes her head. "I don''t go to prom."

    "Why not?" Tessa grins from ear to ear. "You can go with that redhead with glasses, right? Isn''t he your boyfriend?"

    "No, Bob is not my boyfriend. And he''s going with Lizzie."

    "Naughty Bob. Abandoning his friend like that." Tessa clicks her tongue. "So, you''re not going because no one is asking you or because you don''t have the balls to ask someone?"

    "Tess." Asher glares at his friend.

    "What? I''m just asking. You don''t mind me asking questions right, Aubrey?"

    "No, of course not," Aubrey says. Noticing that they''re about to get out of the forest road, Aubrey secretly sighs in relief. Soon, the small street to Lorraine''s farmhouse will be in sight. She just wants to get out of this car as soon as possible. "Prom is just not my kind of thing."

    "So, what is your kind of thing then?" Tessa presses her chin on the passenger''s headrest, the smirk never leaving her lips. "Sitting on the rooftop and watching the stars?"

    "Sort of."

    "But if someone asked you, would you consider coming?"

    The first answer in her head is "no". The school event never interests her since people at her school have never been her favorite, except Bob. But again, no one has ever asked her to go to prom. Would she even consider it if someone proposed?

    "I wouldn''t know. Maybe." Aubrey shrugs. "I''m not sure."

    Tessa leans back, sneering. "You should. It would be awesome to bump into you on the dance floor."

    ??????

    Once Aubrey manages to jump into her bedroom, drenched, she quickly undresses and throws her wet clothes into the laundry basket. After drying up, she walks to her wardrobe to grab something comfortable to wear. Her hand stops abruptly on the cupboard knob when she sees her reflection in the mirror.

    She steps back, letting the mirror take in her whole figure. In front of her, stands a girl with pale skin and a curvy body. Her loose black hair that is still wet from the rain barely covers the swells of her breast. Her oval face frames her big charcoal brown eyes, straight nose, and wide lips perfectly. Her mother was a redhead with a slender body. She must have gotten this look from the father she never met.

    Slowly, Aubrey runs her hands over her neck, down to her breast, then caresses her abdomen in a circular motion. A bizarre sensation courses her body as she recalls Asher''s eyes roaming over her body. Her core is tightening, in need of something but she doesn''t understand what.

    A gem like you shouldn''t be hidden under those hideous garments, says the voice inside her head. You should let the world see how special you are. Let that Asher boy know what real beauty is.

    Aubrey''s pupils dilate as her eyes glimmer in the amber shade. A sneer grows from the corners of her lips.

    ??????

 18 Days Before Prom

    The darkness is suffocating, and Aubrey doesn''t know where she is.

    After giving herself time to adjust to the absence of light, she roams her eyes over her surroundings. Walls run on either side of her, caging her in a dim hallway. She can''t see what is waiting for her at the end of the path; it''s too dark to observe. A row of doors lines up along the walls, reminding her of a hotel corridor. Aubrey turns around and is welcomed by the same view: a dark hallway with doors.

    Extending her hands to touch the surface of the cold wall, Aubrey tries to rack her brain to recall how she ended up here, but her memory is clouded for some reason. Random things pop up in her head but they are all the memories from a long time ago, which makes no sense. She''s not even sure if some of them belong to her. Carefully, she reaches out for a metal handle, hoping that whatever she finds behind the door will give her answers.

    The door is locked.

    Aubrey moves to the next door and again, it''s locked. She pivots and walks over to the door on the other side but it also refuses to open. Frustration grows as she trudges ahead and checks every door. Aubrey starts to breathe heavily; panic courses her entire body. She is now standing in front of the fifteenth door, or maybe the twentieth, yet it doesn''t budge from her violent jiggle on its handle.

    She''s a second from screaming for help when she catches a glint of light from the corners of her eyes. Aubrey freezes for a few seconds before she slowly turns her head in the direction of the light, farther down the hall.

    The dim light creeps through an open door, swallowing the blackness that once sealed the corridor. It allows Aubrey to take a better look at her surroundings. Rusty walls and decayed wooden doors stand proudly before her eyes. The cracking cemented floor is covered with used plastic cups, torn newspapers, and any kind of trash. Hesitantly, Aubrey walks towards the source of light. A part of her is telling her to stop right now, but her curiosity wins.

    Between her frantic breathing, Aubrey hears the sound of someone whimpering in agony. It feels distant and different from the voice she''s used to hearing, making her wonder if the voice is not from inside her head. Ignoring the gut feeling that keeps telling her to stop, Aubrey sidles along the corridor, bringing herself closer to the source of light.

    Please don''t hurt Obby... my baby...

    The voice is getting clearer now that Aubrey is only a few doors away from the room. Her heart beats faster when the realization dawns on her. It''s not just a voice in her head; it''s coming from that very room she''s approaching now. Aubrey can tell it belongs to a female. And the woman is now sobbing and wailing over someone named Obby.

    Aubrey frowns. The name feels so familiar. And that voice, too...

    No, it can''t be.

    Aubrey finally reaches the door that is left ajar, letting the golden light stream through the open space. Her heart drums furiously against her chest, her hands tremble, and her stomach churns, but she just can''t stop now. She doesn''t want to stop despite not knowing what to expect. She only wants answers. With a shaky hand, she pushes the door open.

    The room is as damaged as the hallway. Under the amber light hanging on the ceiling, the worn-out brown wallpaper is partly ripped off here and there, revealing the moldy concrete wall. Dirt stains forming dripping handprints are smeared on the wall, scattered near the window that is sealed by wooden planks. There is nothing else in the room except for a woman who is curling up in the corner. She sits with her knees pulled up and her head down, her long auburn hair cascading down around her feet. It''s hard to tell what the original color of the dress she''s wearing now is, but Aubrey suspects it was once white.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "Hello," Aubrey says. The woman keeps weeping, not noticing her presence. Unsure if she should enter the room without the woman''s permission, Aubrey clears her throat. "Hello there! Are you okay?"

    The sobbing stops. After a few seconds of deafening silence, the woman lifts her head slowly, hair sprawling over her face. "Obby?"

    "I''m not Obby. But are you okay there?"

    The woman turns her head in the direction of the door, right where Aubrey is standing but she doesn''t seem to notice her. "Obby, is that you? I can hear you... but where are you, baby?"

    "Who''s Obby?" The name rolls off Aubrey''s tongue for the second time, and suddenly it throws her into a memory from a long time ago. Still, everything is too blurry in her head right now.

    "Oh, my baby girl... it really is you. You''re here." The woman sighs before letting out a panicked shriek. "But... but you shouldn''t be here! No, no, no!" She makes a sudden jolt of movement and crawls quickly to the door, making Aubrey instinctively jump backward. The woman halts abruptly before she reaches the door, followed by a loud painful groan escaping her mouth. It''s when Aubrey notices that one of her feet is tethered, and the chain is secured by an iron hook on the wall.

    The woman pulls her leg, attempting to free her ankle from the iron cuff, but it''s useless. The clanking sound of the chains fills the air as she grabs the cuff with both her hands and jiggles it with a loud grunt. Her frantic movement shoves her hair to the side, revealing her pale face and hollowed eyes.

    The familiarity of her voice and her figure has been giving Aubrey uneasiness, but once she takes a better look at the woman''s face, her breath is sucked out of her lungs.

    "Mom..."

    Right when she wants to run inside, the door swings forward, slamming shut in her face, parting her from the woman she''s been dying to meet once more. The darkness wraps the corridor again. Aubrey stands rigidly against the door, too stupefied to move.

    As soon as she regains her senses, she roams her hands to search for the door handle. "Ouch!" She hisses when her forefinger hits something sharp on the wooden surface, but it doesn''t stop her. Still, there is no handle to be found. Aubrey takes a stance and pushes the door with her body, yet it doesn''t budge. Not giving up, she bangs on the door with all she might.

    "Open the door! Mom! Hang in there! I''ll find someone to get you out of there!"

    "No, Obby, run! Run as far as you can and never come back! Don''t listen to him! He is¨C" before her mother finishes her line, Aubrey hears a loud thud of an object, or rather someone, hitting the wall, followed by a clinking chain and her mother''s excruciating scream.

    Aubrey continues banging on the door, shoving it, and throwing herself against it just to make it move, yet the wooden barrier stands still as the assault inside the room goes on. The sound of her mother crying in agony takes away Aubrey''s ability to feel her legs. She falls to her knees and starts to sob.

    "Leave her alone, please!"

    The next thing Aubrey hears is a cracking bone and a horrific scream, followed by silence. No more crying, no more panting, no more clinking chains. Just silence.

    ??????

    Aubrey wakes up in a jolt. Propping herself into a sitting position, she sweeps around her surroundings with her eyes. No dark hallway, no decayed doors, no clinking chains. She is in her bedroom, snugged comfortably under her cover. The sunlight streams through the gap of her window shutters while the birds are chirping happily, welcoming a new day.

    Realizing it was just a dream, Aubrey lets out a sigh of relief. It felt so real, so vivid, but she''s glad she''s back in her room now. Feeling sore all over, Aubrey grunts as she shoves her cover to the side, but the pinching sensation on her finger prompts her to stop moving. When she takes a better look at it, she spots dry blood on her forefinger.

    ??????

 15 Days Before Prom

    Days go by in a blur, and the dream becomes a vague scene in Aubrey''s head. She''s convinced that it was just how her head plays tricks on her after all the weird occurrences in her life in the past few weeks. At least, that''s what the voice in her head tells her. Still, the agitation refuses to leave her completely; there''s something about the dream.

    Aubrey stopped dreaming about the woman who gave birth to her when she was ten. After that, the memory of her became hazier every day. The only thing that helps her remember what her mother looked like is the pictures in the church photo albums. However, what she saw in her dream that night wasn''t just a woman posing in front of the camera. The woman was moving and talking to her. It felt real.

    But again, her mother is dead. Her rational mind settles with the fact that a dream is an unconscious mixture of her memories, fear, and yearning. It wasn''t real.

    Aubrey carefully rips off the band-aid wrapped around her forefinger. It has been days but the wound from that night hasn''t healed.

    "It''s still wet?" Bob asks, frowning while eyeing her finger. "I think you''re getting an infection."

    "Maybe. It''s not painful, though. I''ll just let it breathe for now. It needs air." Aubrey throws the used band-aid into the canteen trash bin. The school lunch break is almost over but she barely touches her lunch. Her appetite has been low lately.

    "I don''t think it''s a good idea. If it has direct contact with something dirty it will make it even worse. You should bring it to the nurse and get it checked."

    "I don''t think that''s necessary."

    "Just do it, Bree." Bob glares at her behind his teashade glasses. "You''ve not been feeling that great, and you haven''t touched your lunch."

    Aubrey frowns, noticing that Bob has been edgy since last Sunday. He''s probably stressed out for the upcoming final tests. Or has something happened between him and Lizzie? But they''ve been spending lunch together since Monday. Things can''t be that bad.

    Despite being genuinely happy for them, when she saw Bob without Lizzie and her friends sitting at his table today, Aubrey secretely felt relieved. She missed her alone time with Bob. Maybe she''s just used to having him for herself.

    "Okay, maybe you''re right. I can do that after school." Aubrey bites her inner cheek. "Come with me to the clinic later?"

    "Uh." Bob scratches the back of his neck. "I promised Lizzie to meet up at the library."

    Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a sly boy. He''s now too busy with his new toy and has no time for his best friend.

    "Oh, okay." Aubrey nods, feeling dejected but she forces a smile. "Things are going well with Lizzie, huh?"

    "Yeah."

    "Good. I''m happy for you."

    "Thanks."

    While the hum of students conversing and the clanking sound of metal cutlery fill the canteen air, the awkward silence envelopes Aubrey''s and Bob''s table. They used to talk effortlessly about anything as if time would never be enough for their never-ending chatter. But now, the pair resume eating quietly.

    See, he doesn''t care about you. It''s time to move on and take control of your own life. No point in pursuing a friendship with him. That boy is useless anyway.

    The first reminder for the next class rings, followed by the shuffling sound from every corner of the canteen. Students get up from their chairs and hurry to return their trays to the cleaning counter.

    "Wanna check out the new series tomorrow evening?" Aubrey asks as they walk side by side out of the canteen. Tomorrow is Friday, their usual time to hang out.

    "Um, about that, we''re planning to move the choir practice to Friday evening because of the exams." Bob glances at Aubrey, apologizing to her through his eyes.

    "Oh, okay. Next time then." With that, they take separate ways in the school corridors.

    Who needs a friend like him? You''re too precious. He doesn''t deserve you.

    ??????Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    "How did you get this?" the nurse asks as she finishes applying an antibiotic ointment on Aubrey''s finger.

    Aubrey shrugs. "I think I hit something during my sleep?" That''s the most reasonable answer she can think of, or she wants to believe. Because, in all honesty, she has no idea how it happened.

    All she knows, she woke up from the unsettling dream with a wound on her forefinger. The same finger that hit a sharp object on the door in that dark hallway. But isn''t that what dreams do? They manifest a current physical sensation into a fitting scene. Something like when she dreamed about a toilet and she woke up leaking on her bed.

    "My bed frame is made of aluminum and it''s not new," Aubrey adds.

    "It doesn''t look good. You shouldn''t have waited to get it checked." The nurse examines her red and swollen forefinger one more time. She then grabs a bandage and carefully wraps it around the wound before securing it with tape. "It needs to be covered until a new skin develops over the wound. Don''t forget to apply the ointment twice a day and put a new bandage on."

    "Okay."

    "And maybe it''s time for a new bed." The nurse smiles warmly.

    After the nurse gives extra bandages and an ointment to take with her, Aubrey says thank you and leaves the clinic. Glancing at her finger, she decides to inspect her bed when she''s home, and fix what she can fix. There''s no way she''s going to ask Lorraine for a new bed.

    Aubrey saunters along the school corridor, heading to the front yard where she parked her bike. The clinic room is at the rear side of the building, with its door facing the school backyard. Unlike normal days, the yard is now empty. All the sports activities stopped last week due to the upcoming exams.

    As she approaches the corridor junction, Aubrey hears a commotion of people having a conversation. She stops dead in her tracks when she learns who they are: Asher and Britney. Not wanting to be seen, Aubrey steps back and hides behind the wall, contemplating what to do. The quarreling couple is standing in the way but she doesn''t want to interrupt them. Maybe she should go back and take a detour. Yet she stands rooted to her spot.

    "He knows better how to handle you than I do, huh?" Asher snorts, his voice is cold and full of venom.

    "Flash news, Sebastian is a gentleman. At least he knows how to say nice things to me."

    "Oh, come on! Every guy who wants to get in your panties will say whatever you want to hear, babe."

    "He isn''t you," Britney seethes. "He''s a genuine guy."

    "Sure. Whatever makes you sleep at night." Asher smirks. "Let''s see how long it lasts before you crawl back to me, begging me to take you back. Like always."

    Britney cackles, but it sounds fake in Aubrey''s ears. "Not happening this time. But you can keep hoping because I know you will never find a girl like me."

    Asher scoffs. "A girl like you? I thought this school was full of girls like you."

    "What is that supposed to mean?" Britney asks, her voice is dangerously low.

    "You know exactly what I mean."

    "Asshole! Do you think you''re the most wanted boy at school, huh? Go look at yourself in the mirror! You''re just a stupid jock who attracts stupid girls with no brain."

    "And that makes the two of us, no?" Asher laughs harder, enjoying the back and forth.

    The tension in the air makes Aubrey anxious. Her grip on the plastic bag from the clinic loosens up and it slips through her fingers, creating a rustling sound when it hits the ground. The pair stop arguing and turn their heads to the source of the noise.

    "Aubrey?" Asher calls.

    "I-I''m so sorry. I didn''t mean to eavesdrop. I was just on my way to the parking lot," Aubrey says.

    Britney scowls at her. "Then why are you still standing there like an idiot? Go!"

    Asher walks over to Aubrey and bends over to pick up the bag from the ground. Instead of handing it back to her, he scans the plastic sack. "Were you from the clinic? Are you injured?"

    "Uh, just a small infection. No biggie."

    Britney rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Unbelievable. I didn''t know you''d made friends with a bible-worm. Running out of girl stocks, Ashy?"

    "Actually, I should''ve done this a long time ago; making friends with genuine girls."

    "Seriously? Is this some kind of a joke? Don''t you have a better chick to fool around with?" Britney breaks into mocking laughter.

    Bile rises in Aubrey''s throat as her vision becomes blurry. The familiar heaviness begins to press on her chest.

    "Better as in thicker makeup and bolder lipstick? No. She doesn''t have to do that and she looks fine. And¨C" Asher makes a clicking sound with his tongue "¨Cflash news for you, she''s got a brain. She has the quality any man could ask for."

    Britney stops laughing. She squints her icy blue eyes at Asher. "Is that so? If she''s your type, then why don''t you ask her to prom instead? I dare you."

    Asher smirks. "Sure." He turns to face Aubrey. "Hey, Aubrey, care to come to prom with me?"

    "Huh?" Aubrey says but her voice feels so distant in her ears.

    Britney laughs again but the sound comes off as a piercing hiccup. "Go on, accept it! I can''t wait to help prepare your outfits! Maybe a priest and a nun costume?"

    Nausea hits Aubrey''s stomach as a low growl rolls on her tongue. "Wrong advice. What about a leather bondage harness, just like the one you''ve been hiding inside your closet? You haven''t worn it since that wild night with your daddy''s friend." Aubrey feels herself sneering.

    "How...I..." The color drains from Britney''s face, horror flaring in her eyes. She opens her mouth but fails to utter any more words.

    "Cat got your tongue, girl? Should I list all the things you''re hiding on the bottom rack of your wardrobe?"

    Britney takes a few steps backward, eyes wide staring at Aubrey. "You''re... freak!" With that, she turns on her heels and runs to her car.

    Asher, who has been gaping for a good thirty seconds, finally finds his voice. "Holy shit! Did she really... do that?"

    Aubrey smiles, her eyes never leaving the girl who is now standing in front of her red mini cooper and rummaging through her bag in panic. "You have no idea."

    "How did you know all of this?"

    "Who doesn''t know Britney?" Aubrey turns her head to Asher. "Don''t you know what kind of girl your girlfriend is?"

    Asher gulps. "Ex-girlfriend. Apparently, no."

    "On that note, yes, I''d like to go to prom with you, Asher."

    ??????

 12 Days Before Prom - Part 1

    Lorraine wakes up to a thumping noise on the door. Or is that on her window? She can''t tell. Glancing at the alarm clock on her nightstand, it reads 3:15 AM. Who is possibly awake around this time? Thinking that it''s probably the sound of the mouse that has been invading their house in the past week, Lorraine rolls on her back and pulls her cover higher. She makes a mental note that she''s going to call pest control tomorrow as she closes her eyes, trying to go back to sleep.

    Thud! Thud! Thud!

    Lorraine''s eyes shoot open. This can''t be a sound a mouse makes. Is it Aubrey? She tosses her blanket aside before propping herself up. For some reason, her eyes roam over her surroundings to make sure there is nothing strange in sight. The moonlight shimmers through her window, illuminating the floral brown wallpaper in her spacious bedroom. While sliding her feet into a pair of slippers, Lorraine glances to her door with anticipation before pushing herself to walk across her room.

    Once she opens the door, the dark and empty hallway on the second floor comes into view. The stillness is so thick that what Lorraine hears now is only her own breathing. She tiptoes towards Aubrey''s room, not wanting to wake up the sleeping girl -if she''s asleep. Leaning in, she carefully presses her ear to the door but she catches nothing. There is also no sign of light from the gap under Aubrey''s door. She must be asleep.

    If it wasn''t the mouse or Aubrey, where did the noise come from?

    THUD! THUD! THUD!

    Lorraine jumps as the sound is louder this time, brutally piercing the morning stillness. There is no doubt the thumping is coming from downstairs. Is there someone at the door? Who would that be? Since her family house is located between the pine forest and a large farm field, people wouldn''t be that stupid going through all the trouble to get here at 3 A.M. for whatever reason. Or maybe this is the stupid kind? Lorraine now regrets not keeping her family rifle loaded.

    With heartbeats pounding against her chest, Lorraine trudges down the stairs. Her hand clutches along the stair railing while her eyes sweep over the hallway on the ground floor, anticipating any kind of movement.

    It''s when she hears a screeching sound coming from the main room, making Lorraine freeze on her spot. Is there someone in the room? Is it Aubrey? Ignoring her growing uneasiness, she sidles to the source of the noise.

    There is no one in the living room, but the television is on, revealing the static screen glaring in the darkness. Did Aubrey leave it on? Has it been like this all night? Sighing at the thought of an unnecessary electricity bill, Lorraine strides to the table and picks the remote control before turning off the TV. She needs to remind Aubrey to be more aware of their financial situation.

    Still curious about the thudding sound, Lorraine walks over to the window and peeks through the gap of the curtains. She sees nothing except for an empty and dark front porch. If there is no one there, who made the noise then? Was it a wandering goat from the other farm again? Or maybe the boar from the forest? Her father once told her about an injured boar making a commotion in the backyard when she was still an infant. Thinking of the possibility, she makes a beeline to the kitchen and skims through the window, but the backyard is as empty as the front yard.

    Lorraine stands in the middle of the hallway, waiting for the next thumping sound to strike. She needs to make sure it''s not coming from inside the house, otherwise, she will need to call the local sheriff. Every second is torture as her anxiousness escalates. It feels like she''s being watched but she fights the urge to run back upstairs. She has God on her side. There is nothing to fear.

    A sudden hissing sound fills the air one more time, prompting Lorraine to leap in fright. Not believing her ears, she jogs to the living room. To her horror, the TV screen is on again, displaying the random black and white dots.

    She quickly snatches the remote control from the table and presses its red button. Something is definitely wrong. Goosebumps prickles across her arms and neck as the incident reminds her of all those strange things that happened eighteen years ago. This is just too familiar. Without thinking twice, she jumps to the TV stands and unplugs the cable before dashing back to her room.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    No, this can''t be it. Not again.

    ??????

    Lorraine can''t sleep for the rest of the morning. With a bible pressed to her chest, her eyes remain open while her mind wanders. After an hour of contemplation, she lets out a deep breath, interlaces her fingers, and closes her eyes. It''s time to let the peacefulness of the Holy Spirit take over her mind. God will never give her more than she can handle.

    "Dear Lord, I pray for Your protection as I begin this day. You are my hiding place, and under Your wings, I can always find refuge. Protect me and Aubrey from trouble wherever we go, and keep evil far from us. Amen."

    When the clock strikes six, Lorraine gets up and prepares herself for the Sunday mass. She''s planning to see Pastor Marlon after the service to consult about the strange occurrence from a few hours ago. Besides God, he''s the only person she can confide in since he''s also the man who helped her and Claire through those dark moments.

    Oddly enough, Aubrey''s bedroom is still shut when Lorraine is done getting dressed. This is unusual because Aubrey is always up early on Sundays. Softly, she knocks on Aubrey''s door.

    "Aubrey, are you awake yet? It''s time for Sunday mass," Lorraine calls. "You need to hurry up if you''re not dressed yet." When she hears nothing from the other side, she knocks again. "Aubrey?"

    Nothing.

    Despite their agreement on not entering each other''s room without consent, Lorraine still believes that she should still be able to do it for a possible emergency reason. Like now. After the weird occurrence a few hours ago and Aubrey not responding to her, Lorraine can''t think of a better idea than pushing the door open.

    In the next second, Aubrey''s dark bedroom comes into view. Sunlight streams lazily through the gap between the window shutters that don''t close properly. Aubrey is lying under her cover on her bed; her heavy breathing is evidence that she''s still in deep sleep. Judging from the books that are scattered over the floor next to her bed, she must have stayed up late studying.

    She needs to wake up nonetheless. The Sunday mass is important. After missing it last week, Aubrey should attend the service today because distancing herself from the church is a bad sign. Lorraine can''t afford the same mistake she did with Claire; if only Aubrey knew. But Lorraine promised Claire that the story will be buried so deep that no one will ever hear it again, including her own daughter.

    Lorraine strides to the window and pushes it open, letting the warm sun sneak in and wake up the sleeping girl. Turning around, she sweeps her surroundings with her eyes. The room doesn''t look like a little girl''s chamber anymore. The pink wall has now turned to deep teal color and the posters of those fairy tale characters are no longer there. After Aubrey turned thirteen, Lorraine gave her more privacy and liberty to do whatever she liked with her space.

    Shivering from the sudden coldness that pricking her skin, Lorraine rubs her palms over her arms as she steps closer to the bed. It''s when the sight of a familiar object on Aubrey''s desk stops her from walking farther. Slowly, she averts her eyes to the old wooden jewelry box that makes her blood run cold.

    Is that...? How did it end up here on Aubrey''s desk? No, this is impossible. It can''t be the same box.

    With a shaky hand, Lorraine reaches out to touch the box. She needs to see if it''s real. She has to know what is sitting inside; if the mirror is there. The forgotten memories are beginning to come to the surface, sending the twist in Lorraine''s gut.

    "What are you doing here, Lorraine?" Aubrey croaks, causing Lorraine to shriek.

    "Aubrey." Lorraine put her hand over her chest, calming her thumping heart. "I''ve been trying to wake you up, but you didn''t hear me."

    Aubrey brings her hands to cover her eyes. "Can you close the shutters? The light is too bright. My head hurts."

    "Are you not feeling well?" Lorraine hurries to close the window. "It must be the flu."

    "Maybe. I''m just so tired right now. I''m going to rest today. Can''t miss the exam tomorrow."

    Lorraine weighs the situation before she finally sighs. "That sounds like a reasonable choice. Do you think you will be alright if I''m back in two or three hours?"

    "Yes. I will be asleep anyway. Please, convey my apology to Pastor Marlon for skipping Sunday mass today."

    "Alright." Lorraine nods as she turns on her heels and heads to the door. Something about this room gives her the urge to flee. Before she closes the door, she decides to ask the question that is now burning into her head. "Aubrey, how did you find that jewelry box?"

    "Huh?"

    "The one you keep on your desk. The wooden box."

    "Oh. Found it in my mom''s box in the attic a couple of months ago. I thought I would keep this one. It''s special."

    "How so?"

    After a dreadful pause, Aubrey says, "It spoke to me. And they said you would love to have it back, too."

    ??????

 12 Days Before Prom - Part 2

    Lorraine has just finished tidying up the last row of the spew. She glances at the gigantic analog clock hung above the church entrance. She has five minutes left, but she still needs to collect some trash and bag it.

    "It''s time. Leave the rest to me, Lori." Sandra, who is standing next to the podium, smiles at her. "Barb and Rita are helping out with the snacks now. So, don''t worry about the refreshment, too."

    Lorraine nods. "If you need help, just knock on Pastor Marlon''s door." With that, Lorraine takes her bag and starts walking to the pastor''s room.

    Two knocks and Pastor Marlon answers from the other side of the aging wooden door, letting her in. Lorraine turns the knob, and the familiar room that has become her sanctuary comes into view.

    "Judging from your gesture, you''re not bringing good news for us, are you?" Pastor Marlon says. He has taken off his pastoral robe. His black shirt contrasts his gray hair that looks almost white, as white as his clergy collar.

    "I''m afraid not, Pastor." Lorraine sits down in front of the pastor''s desk, her hands fidgeting.

    Pastor Marlon closes his book and puts it aside. Leaning forward, he rests both his hands on the table before interlacing his fingers. "Pray tell, what has been upsetting you, my child?"

    "It''s about... Aubrey¨C" Lorraine gulps an imaginary lump in her throat "¨Cand Claire."

    Pastor Marlon knits his eyebrows, looking intrigued. "Does Aubrey begin to ask more about her mother?"

    Lorraine shakes her head. "No. I don''t know how to explain this. Aubrey has been acting weird lately. I thought it was just a part of her mental growth as a teenager." Lorraine brushes her already tidy hair backward and tugs it behind her ear. "But this morning, something unusual happened in the house."

    "Unusual?"

    "I woke up to a sound, it''s like someone knocking on the door or maybe the wall. I went out of my room and checked, but I couldn''t find anything or anyone. Then I found the television was on."

    "Maybe one of you forgot to turn it off last night?"

    "That''s what I thought, too. So, I turned it off but then, it switched on by itself. This isn''t normal." A shiver runs through Lorraine''s spine when she replays this morning incident in her head. "And the feeling of being watched was very strong."

    If Pastor Marlon is surprised, he doesn''t show it. He tilts his head and takes in the information calmly. "And why do you think it has something to do with Aubrey and... Claire?" He slightly stumbles when he pronounces Claire''s name.

    "Maybe I was reading too much into this, Pastor, but this is just too similar to what happened eighteen years ago when everything started..." Lorraine''s lips tremble. "Waking up at three in the morning, three knocks on the wall and the electronic device¨C"

    "I''m sure it''s just a coincidence," Pastor Marlon says. "We all randomly wake up in the middle of the night, and the sound can mean anything."

    "But it''s the three knocks, Pastor. Isn''t it an insult to the Holy Trinity?"

    "It''s possible, but let''s not jump to any conclusion here."

    "But how do we explain about the television?"

    Pastor Marlon pauses briefly while he rubs his gray subtle with his callous fingers. "Did you say you turned it off before it turned on by itself?"The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Yes."

    "Did you use a remote control?"

    "Yes."

    "Is it possible that your remote control has an issue with the switch-on button?"

    Lorraine wants to say further, but Pastor Marlon''s theory actually makes sense. She''s been told that she should look for all the logical explanations before jumping into the paranormal ones. But what about the box? What logical explanation can clarify that occurrence?

    "I saw the box in Aubrey''s room."

    "The box?"

    "The jewelry''s box. The one Claire found from inside that house."

    Pastor Marlon freezes for a few seconds before carefully asking, "Are you sure it''s the same box?"

    Lorraine nods, closing her eyes. "Yes."

    "But how? You two have destroyed it and threw it away, correct?"

    "Yes, Pastor, we did it. But it''s there now somehow, sitting on Aubrey''s desk." Since Pastor Marlon is still too dumbfounded to respond, Lorraine adds, "She said she found it among Claire stuff from the attic."

    "That is strange."

    "I know. And¨C" Lorraine holds her breath "¨CAubrey also mentioned that they said I would love to have it back too."

    Pastor Marlon straightens up his posture, looking fully alarmed now. "They? Who?"

    "I don''t know." Lorraine has an idea who they might be, but she refuses to say it. "And I was probably just imagining it, but Aubrey''s voice was different. It reminds me of..."

    Pastor Marlon raises his eyebrows.

    "I''m sorry, I know I should look for some logical explanations first. Maybe she''s having the flu."

    "That is a possibility, yes. And for the box," Pastor Marlon leans back against his headrest, "I want to see the box myself."

    "Would you also bless our home once again, Pastor?"

    Pastor Marlon nods. "Of course, I can always do that. And Lori, this evidence can mean anything. It can be just a coincidence, but it can also be what you think it is. All I ask is, stay calm, fear not and keep praying for God''s protection. We will get the bottom of it."

    ??????

    "Look what I found." Claire''s eyes twinkled in excitement as she took a small wooden box out of her bag and put it on Lorraine''s desk. "It''s from that house. I managed to sneak to its second floor."

    "You''re still going to that place?" Lorraine frowned in disagreement.

    Claire rolled her eyes. "Come on, Lori, don''t be such a buzzkill. Everyone is going there. It''s fun!"

    "Everyone, huh? Did you mean you, Franz, Cecilia, and the twins? And what do you guys do exactly?"

    Claire shrugs before throwing herself on Lorraine''s bed. "Nothing. Just hang out. And chill."

    "And smoke and play dangerous games?"

    "Life is boring if you don''t try dangerous things, you know?" Claire twirled her ginger hair while looking at the ceiling. "The feeling of being at the edge of the cliff is the greatest reminder that you''re actually still alive."

    Lorraine plopped down next to her friend. "Nope. I don''t need that kind of reminder to know that I''m alive."

    Claire scoffed playfully. "How can you survive eighteen years living a boring and predictable life?"

    Lorraine shot her a glare. "Reminds me again why we are still friends?"

    "Because," Claire batted her mascara-coated eyelashes, "I''m the awesomest person you''ve ever had in your life."

    "Awesomest? Is that even a word?" Lorraine scrunched her nose, hiding her smile.

    "Oh yeah. I''ll add that to the Oxford dictionary soon."

    Lorraine picked up the box from the table and examined it. The wooden box was old and rusty with an ancient floral pattern crafted on the lid. A musty odor invaded Lorraine''s nostrils, urging her to distance the object from her face.

    "Why did you take this with you? You don''t know what kind of germs it brings with it."

    "Open it. It has a mirror inside and it''s black. If you look closely, it gives you some sort of funny feeling."

    "Funny how?" Lorraine asked while slowly opening the box.

    An oval mirror was attached on the inner side of the lid, encircled by a golden metal frame. The mirror was dark as if there was a black film coating its surface. The inner part of the box was slightly decayed, explaining where the musty smell came from. While Lorraine was tipping and turning the box, the sunlight that was streaming through the window hit the mirror, reflecting a blazing light. Lorraine squinted her eyes.

    "Did you feel it? Like it speaks to you?"

    "Huh?"

    "Nevermind. I''m not sure what it is yet, but I''m going to experiment a bit when I''m home."

    "It looks like occult stuff. I don''t think Luna will approve of it."

    "I don''t need her approval." The playful demeanor left Claire''s face. "She''s just our bible study leader. Not more than that. She can''t decide what I want or what I can do with my life."

    "Okay, fine. But still, this doesn''t look like a normal jewelry box at all."

    "Because it''s not." Claire propped up with her elbow supporting her body. "It said it knew about Jack and how much I was hurting. It offered me revenge."

    ??????

 11 Days Before Prom

    After making sure her bike is locked, Aubrey slips her keys into her jeans pocket and trudges along the stone path that leads to the building entrance. This is still early, but the school is already packed. For the first day of the final exams, everyone seems to be enthusiastic. The feeling that Aubrey is lacking right now.

    Despite how much time she''s spent studying, Aubrey feels unprepared. Maybe she overdid it this time and got burnt out. The thing is she doesn''t even care about it.

    "Hi, Bree," Bob greets as he strides next to her. "I''m glad you made it to school."

    "Morning. Of course I made it. Why wouldn''t I?"

    "You didn''t show up at church yesterday. Lorraine said you caught the flu and couldn''t leave your bed. Your phone was also off the whole day for some reason," Bob says, glancing at her. "So, I thought you might be too sick to go. How are you feeling?"

    Aubrey adjusts her bag strap that slid off her shoulder. "Good. Better. I just needed to rest yesterday, I guess. Didn''t even notice my phone was off until this morning."

    Judging from the frown on Bob''s face, Aubrey knows that he doesn''t buy her answer. But she can''t tell him the truth. Not now, or he will use it again to push her to go on counseling again.

    However, the idea of seeing Sandra again has been on her mind, especially after what happened yesterday. She doesn''t have trouble connecting with her own feelings this time, but she spaces out a lot as if her mind is being sucked into a pit of nothingness. Once she''s thrown back to reality, the time has leaped to the next several hours. Yesterday was the worst. She has no recollection of what she did all day.

    She needs professional help, and Sandra is the closest she can think of. Also, seeing her doesn''t cost money.

    "How''s your finger?" Bob asks.

    Aubrey looks down at her finger. It''s no longer wrapped by a bandage. "It''s healing."

    Silence takes over as they walk side by side towards the building. For some reason, Aubrey starts to feel uneasy around her best friend. Bob avoiding her has put strains on their friendship, and this is nothing like the quarrels they often had before. This shouldn''t affect her this much. Instead of being forgiving, as to how she''s taught to be, all she feels now is resentment.

    "Hey, Bree, Lizzie and I are planning..." Bob''s voice falters when he sees who is standing at the entrance, staring at Aubrey.

    "Hey, Aubrey." Asher grins, showing his dimpled smile.

    "Asher." Aubrey returns the smile. Butterflies swarm in her stomach. "What''s up?"

    "I need to talk to you." Asher glances at Bob who is still standing next to her, speechless. "About the prom."

    "Oh, yeah. Sure." Aubrey turns to Bob who drops his jaws now. "Good luck with the test, Bob."

    It''s a cue for Bob to leave but the idea seems to take some time to land on the boy''s mind. He finally nods while pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Thanks. You too." With that, he walks ahead, glancing a few times at Aubrey and Asher before disappearing into the school corridor.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "So." Aubrey turns her head, giving Asher her full attention.

    "So," Asher says, his smile never leaving his face, "what color is your gown for the prom? I need to know so that I can wear the same color for the tie."

    Claire''s red velvet dress from the attic flashes in Aubrey''s mind. "It''s red."

    "Daring. I like it." He winks, causing Aubrey''s cheeks to heat up. As if enjoying the effect he has on her, the boy grins from ear to ear. "Hey, wanna hang out sometimes after school?"

    "Like, during exams week?"

    Asher bites his lower lip. "Why not?"

    "Don''t we need to study?"

    Asher shrugs. "Not on Friday. Our brains need to rest. And we''ll still have Saturday and Sunday to study."

    Aubrey pulls her backpack straps down while considering Asher''s invitation. "Are we talking about going to a party?"

    "Do you want to?"

    Aubrey shakes her head. "No, not really."

    "I thought so. And there is no party during exam weeks for sure, at least not after school."

    "Right." Aubrey bites her inner cheek, suddenly feeling stupid. "Where are we going then?"

    Asher stares at her for a couple of seconds as if he''s calculating what he''s going to say next. "There''s a place where I often hang out with my friends. It''s really cool. Wanna check it out?"

    "What kind of place?"

    "It''s an empty building down the woods; an abandoned house. Rumor has it, it''s haunted or something, but you know it''s all bullshit, right?" Asher chuckles. "Long story short, it now becomes our usual spot to chill. Well, it''s nothing like a sophisticated ice cream shop, but it''s free from people''s curious eyes. We can always bring our stuff there and do whatever we want. So what do you say?"

    A faint alarm goes off in the corner of Aubrey''s head, but the growing excitement urges her to ignore it. Hanging out with him in a secluded place sounds tempting, and the thought alone wakes up an unexplained craving inside her.

    "Count me in."

    ??????

    Aubrey spots Pastor Marlon''s yellow car in the driveway. It''s weird that he comes to visit on Monday afternoon. As far as she knows, there is almost no church activity on the day after the Sabbath. Aubrey wonders if there is some emergency news that he needs to share with the church council in person.

    After securing her bike in the shed, Aubrey saunters to the back door. It''s when she hears the sound of Lorraine and Pastor Marlon conversing in the kitchen. Usually, it doesn''t stop her from entering the house, but the tone in their voices compels Aubrey to slow down with anticipation.

    "... isn''t there. Apparently, it''s not the same box we thought it was," says Pastor Marlon.

    A metal teaspoon clinks against the porcelain cup, followed by Lorraine sighing. "I''m sure it''s the one. I remember the blotches on the crafting. But I don''t know why the mirror isn''t there anymore."

    Then there is a pause. The pair seem to be absorbed into their own thoughts. Aubrey knows it''s time to enter the kitchen and greets everyone, but for some reason, her feet stay rooted to the ground.

    "This is... it just doesn''t make any sense. How did the box turn back up after... being destroyed? I do think it''s not the same box, Lori. Maybe Claire found two boxes instead of one back in the days?"

    "Not that I know," Lorraine says. "I''m going to ask Aubrey. Maybe she knows about the mirror."

    Aubrey''s mind runs a thousand miles in an hour after she realizes that they''re talking about her, her mom, and a mysterious box. Wait, are they talking about the jewelry box?

    "What time will she be home?"

    "In any minute. Then we can start the blessing ceremony."

    Another silence fills the kitchen''s air, contrasting the commotion inside Aubrey''s head. The familiar animalistic growls begin to occupy every corner of her mind. She feels the rage and the strong urge to destroy everything within her reach, but she doesn''t know what''s for. The more she''s trying to make sense of it, the more she''s being pulled into a hazy thought.

    A sneer rises to her lips as a gush of saliva starts to pour out of her mouth. Despite her attempt to walk into the kitchen, Aubrey feels her feet are now stepping backward, taking her farther from the house. She then dashes to the abandoned barn. All she can hear is her frantic breathing, followed by a low guttural sound escaping her lips while her teeth screech furiously. Once inside, she crawls to the corner and crouches under the rusty wooden table that has lost one of its legs.

    The feeling of being sabotaged from her own consciousness is striking again. Aubrey wants to fight it, but she doesn''t know-how. After a few minutes that feel like forever, she finally gives in and lets the nothingness suck her in.

    ??????

 10 Days Before Prom

    Smearing apricot jam on her bread, Lorraine glances at Aubrey who is now quietly munching on her breakfast. She notices that the girl has been slightly off since yesterday. She came home three hours later than the usual time, drenched from the rain and looking distraught. Something must have happened at school, but as always, Aubrey chose not to talk and went straight to her bedroom.

    "Are you sure you''re feeling alright?" Lorraine asks for the third time in the past thirty minutes. "We can always call Mrs. Cornard to reschedule your tests."

    Aubrey looks up, her dark irises contrasting her pallid face. "I''m fine. No need to reschedule. It''s just a cold, Lorraine. No biggie."

    "You should''ve given me a call yesterday. I could have picked you up."

    "My phone died. I didn''t charge it long enough in the morning."

    Lorraine takes a sip of her soy milk. "Pastor Marlon also waited for almost an hour. Then we decided to proceed with the house blessing without you."

    "Why did we need a house blessing?" Aubrey takes another bite of her bread.

    Lorraine clears her throat. "It had been a while since this house was blessed. I thought I would ask again to bring more positive energy into our home."

    "I see."

    If Aubrey notices her dishonest answer, she doesn''t show it. But for now, Lorraine can''t tell her the truth yet.

    "I''ll take you to school this morning. Sandra let Bob bring her car today so that he can take you home." Seeing Aubrey frowning, Lorraine quickly adds, "I understand you don''t like it when people make extra effort to help you. But this is different, Aubrey. As much as we don''t want to be a burden, our health is also our number one priority. Not taking care of ourselves means we are not thankful enough for what God has given us."

    Still with a scowl on her face, Aubrey nods. "Okay."

    The silence slowly creeps in, revealing the growing anxiousness that Lorraine''s been trying to suppress the whole morning.

    She can''t hold it anymore.

    "Aubrey, can I ask you about... your mother''s jewelry box?"

    "Sure. What about it?"

    Lorraine takes a deep breath, feeling hesitant but it''s too late to back out. "When you found it up in the attic, did it have something else inside it?"

    "Something else like what?"

    "A red fabric that covers the inner part of the box, and a golden metal frame with a mirror in it?"

    Aubrey tilts her head before shaking her head. "Not that I know. Is there supposed to be a mirror?"

    "Yeah," Lorraine mumbles, her head full with questions that have been bugging her since she saw the wooden box in Aubrey''s room. Who took out the mirror? Who brought it back to the attic? And the biggest question is: how did it reappear in one piece after being smashed into pulps? Maybe Pastor Marlon is right. Maybe it''s just an identical box that Claire happened to keep without telling her.

    "But I''m sure there was no mirror."

    "Okay. Maybe your mom took it out for some reason." Lorraine bites her lower lip, feeling guilty for giving Aubrey another nonsense. "And I have one more question if you don''t mind."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Aubrey glances at the clock above the fridge. "Hit me."

    "Two days ago, when I woke you up for Sunday sermon, I asked about how you found the box. You said you found it in the attic amongst your mother''s stuff. But you also said something else." Lorraine pauses, her heart drumming faster against her chest. "You said they told you I would be happy to have the box back. Who are they?"

    Aubrey knits her eyebrows. "Did I say that? I don''t remember."

    "You don''t?" When the girl shakes her head, Lorraine waves her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Nevermind. I might have heard it wrong."

    ??????

    Claire sat on her bed, shakingly clutching the blue stick in her hand. Her face was as white as the loose shirt she was wearing that day.

    "I''m scared, Lori," she said, half whispering. Her lips quivered as she brushed her red hair backward.

    "That''s understandable, but you need to do it now, Claire. The sooner the better, then we can think of what to do next."

    "I suppose you''re right." Glancing at the pregnancy test in her hand, Claire stood up and trudged to the bathroom. She turned around when she reached the door. "You''re not leaving yet, right?"

    "I will be here as long as you need me. I promise." Lorraine smiled at her best friend, earning a nod from Claire before she disappeared behind the door.

    Claire had been sick in the past few weeks, which Lorraine believed was just the stubborn stomach flu. She urged her to see a doctor, but when Claire finally confessed that she missed her three-month period, the idea of seeing a doctor wasn''t that appealing anymore. At least not there, in their small town. On the next day, Lorraine drove to the city down the hill, where people didn''t recognize her, to buy a pregnancy test for Claire.

    Lorraine was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Claire''s sharp squeak. She dashed out of the bedroom and found Claire squatting on the bathroom floor, both her hands hugging her knees as she sobbed. The blue stick was sitting next to her, showing two strong red lines on the result window.

    ??????

    "I know what I''m going to do. It''s a ticket to exit all of this mess," Claire said as she arranged the colorful plastic cups into a pyramid shape. For some reason, she looked more alive and full of spirit that day.

    The Sunday mass was almost done and soon, the congregation would fill the church meeting room. Lorraine and Claire were assigned to handle the refreshment that week, and they left for the pantry before the closing prayer.

    "What are you going to do?" Lorraine asked. The paper napkins almost flew out when she tore the plastic bag.

    Instead of replying, a mischievous smile played on Claire''s lips.

    "Claire? Why do I feel like I''m not going to like this?"

    "That sounds about right." Claire laughed.

    "Please, tell me this isn''t another prank plan for his wife. You know it''s not going to solve anything."

    "Oh no, I''m not going to touch his trophy wife. My problem is with her husband. He''s denying me and," Claire glanced at the door before pointing her forefinger at her belly, lowering her tone, "and this unborn child. So, he''d better pay attention to what''s coming his way."

    "Pray tell! What are you going to do?"

    "I''m going to make a deal."

    "A deal? What kind of deal? And with whom?"

    "With a guy who hangs out in that house; it doesn''t matter who he is." Claire swatted her hand. "Anyways, he said he will take care of this if I agree with their terms."

    Lorraine gulped. "What do you mean by taking care of this?"

    "To give him a lesson, of course. And no, they''re not going to kill him. It''s just a soft reminder."

    "Claire..." Lorraine''s voice faltered as she heard footsteps thumping from the hallway.

    "Need extra hands, ladies?" The church organ player emerged from the door, flashing his toothy smile.

    "Thomas! Just in time! We need a macho man to move that huge lemonade dispenser to this table, please!" Claire called in an over-excitement tone.

    That was a cue for Lorraine to drop the topic, but the uneasiness never left her. She knew Claire couldn''t think straight right now because she was hurting. The man she was falling for treated her like garbage after she told him she was pregnant with his child.

    Lorraine had been pushing Claire to bring this situation to the church since Jack was also a part of the church congregation. Not only that, the very man was also her school teacher who happened to be Pastor Marlon''s son-in-law. But Claire refused the idea. She was adamant that she was going to fix this by herself, without involving the church.

    Weeks went by and Claire started to wear loose dresses to hide her bump. Lorraine never heard of the continuing of the plan. Until one day the church announced the news about the tragic accident that caused Jack to lose his legs.

    ??????

 7 Days Before Prom

    Aubrey throws the rest of her pens into her bag, letting them scatter on the bottom of its lower compartment. Typically, she arranges them inside her pen case into a rainbow color order. Not today. The stiffness and the exhaustion take away her willpower to serve her needs for conformity. And it''s because of the incident she had last Monday.

    The last blackout was the strongest one she''s ever had. When she was awake, she was lying in a fetal position on the humid ground of the barn, body aching all over. Once she managed to get up, she trudged to the house under the pouring rain. She mumbled incoherently about having to stay back in the library when Lorraine asked her whereabouts.

    "How were the tests? Did you nail them?" Bob plops down on the seat in front of her, pulling her mind back to the classroom.

    Aubrey shrugs while eyeing the last group of students heading to the door. "We''ll see soon enough."

    "You''re still pale. Don''t you need to get checked up by the doctor? To see if there is nothing serious."

    Aubrey rolls her eyes. Bob and his obsession with health sometimes poke her nerves. "I don''t need to see a doctor, Bob."

    "Why not? It won''t hurt to know that you''re actually fine. You should take good care of yourself more, Bree."

    "Stop talking like Lorraine," Aubrey says, irritation growing in her. "I don''t need you to preach right now." Feeling the sudden heaviness in her head, she massages her temple.

    "Okay, sorry."

    Things with Bob are gradually warming up since he''s no longer avoiding her. To Aubrey''s surprise, Bob seems to reach out to her, especially after he saw her talking with Asher last Monday. Yet, not a single word has been spoken about the jock. Maybe he wants to give her more room, like what she did to him when it comes to Lizzie.

    "Is that true that you''re going to prom with Asher?"

    Aubrey bites her inner cheek. Too early to say that Bob is going to stay out of her business. "I guess. Who told you?"

    "Lizzie. And she said every girl in this school is talking about it."

    "Oh, wow. So I''m like, popular now?" Aubrey scoffs as she stands up and slings her backpack over her shoulder.

    "Bree, do you think it''s a good idea? I mean, this doesn''t sound like you." Bob looks up at her, frowning. "I still remember last month you said you''d rather sit on your roof, watching the stars instead of going to this prom. Even two weeks ago, you still didn''t want to go."

    Aubrey shrugs. "Things change."

    "Are you in some kind of trouble now? Or is he tricking you to come?"

    Aubrey clenches her jaws. "No."

    "You know Asher is a douche, right?"

    "Kinda."

    "Then why did you agree?"

    Aubrey crosses her arms over her chest, eyes glaring at her so-called best friend. "Because."

    Bob sighs. "What about Lorraine? I thought she was against this prom stuff."

    "Yeah, and?"

    Bob narrows his gaze on her for several seconds before shaking his head. "You should not let a guy like Asher get closer to you."

    Aubrey grits her teeth. The rage that she''s been trying to ignore is now boiling inside, ready to erupt. "Why is that?"

    "I know he''s up for no good. I''m afraid he just wants to mess around with you. You can''t beat him in his game, Bree."

    Before Aubrey has a chance to reply, the very person they''re talking about emerges from the door, carrying a black helmet in his hand. His lips curl up into a grin as his eyes dart over Aubrey, but the smile leaves his face immediately when he sees whom she is glaring at.

    "Am I interrupting something?" Asher asks.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Yes-"

    "No," Aubrey says before turning her head to Asher. "I''m ready. Are we going now?"

    "Yep."

    Aubrey nods and shifts her gaze back to Bob. Slowly, she walks backward without breaking eye contact with him. "Watch me."

    ??????

    The house is exactly how Asher described it. Abandoned.

    Its iron gate doesn''t fully stand anymore and is buried under thick ivy. If Aubrey visited this place by herself, she wouldn''t be able to guess where the entrance was. Asher has to pull up a layer of Ivy for her to spot a narrow opening that is just enough for one person to pass through.

    Once inside, Aubrey takes her time taking in the building in front of her. The house is rather small with a few identical windows, also with ivy adorning most parts of it. It''s hard to tell the color of the wall until Aubrey walks closer to the entrance. Between the overlapping branches and twigs, she spots the faded yellow paint. Out of curiosity, Aubrey glances at the nearest window, hoping that she can have a quick view of the interior. The shutters are held open by the ivy branches but the cracking glass and the dirt on it block her sight from seeing through it.

    "Come on." Asher''s hand lands around Aubrey''s waist. With a gentle push, he ushers her to the door.

    "Where are the others?" Aubrey asks, ignoring the fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

    Asher shrugs before pushing the front door open, welcomed by a creaking sound. "Not sure."

    Following the boy, Aubrey steps into the house and sweeps the hallway with her eyes. The inner part of the building is as abandoned as it looks from the outside. The beige floral wallpaper is peeled off hither and thither, revealing the dull grey concrete wall. Spider webs hang low, covering the ceiling while the floor is tarnished, hiding the black granite under the dirt.

    "Don''t try to go up there if you don''t wanna hurt yourself," Asher says when Aubrey observes the broken wooden stairs.

    "Who lived here?"

    "Don''t know." Asher slips his hands into his jeans pockets. "I heard this house had been long empty until the legal heir claimed it more than a decade ago, but they never did anything to this property."

    "So, they''re not from around here?"

    "Nope," Asher replies, popping the p letter. He then wraps her hand around Aubrey''s wrist, sending butterflies straight to her belly. "Come." He guides her to the room that appears to be the living room.

    At one glance, it looks like a hobo camp. Empty chips bags and beer cans are scattered all over the floor, an ashtray is full of used cigarettes, and dirty pizza boxes pile up on the table. When Asher unexpectedly pulls her to a sofa, that she doesn''t dare to guess what the original color was, Aubrey makes a soft shriek. The next thing she knows, she falls on his lap with his hands holding her waist, preventing her from tipping over.

    "Sorry." Holding her breath, Aubrey scoots over to the spot next to him at a respectable distance.

    Asher smirks. "No problem. I don''t mind if you sit back on my lap though."

    Another wave of butterflies swarms wildly inside Aubrey''s stomach. She''s never experienced this, or at least, not this strong. The indescribable desire that has been building up inside becomes unbearable to control. The very soft voice in the corner of her head tells her to run, yet the familiar voice, which she''s grown to listen to recently, tells her to stay and see what the jock has to offer.

    "So, your friends aren''t here yet."

    Asher moves closer, resting his hand over the headrest behind Aubrey''s back, nearly hugging her. "Seems like. They will be soon, though. Tessa needed to pick up a crate of beers from her cousin''s house." He runs his fingers over Aubrey''s shiny dark hair, his touch light as a feather. "You have beautiful hair."

    Aubrey feels her cheeks warm up. "Thanks."

    "I bet it smells good. Can I?" Asher asks, leaning closer before inhaling the lock of her jet black hair between his fingers. He groans. "Exquisite."

    The excitement and the anticipation intertwine. Aubrey''s breath hitches in her throat as Asher''s fingers slowly caress her cheek. Her heart beats so fast that it''s getting hard to breathe at a normal pace. When he leans in and their lips are mere inches apart, Aubrey closes her eyes.

    A shiver runs down Aubrey''s spine as Asher''s lips finally meet hers. This is her first kiss and she''s clueless. As if he notices her inexperience, Asher smiles before starting to move his lips against hers, guiding her. It''s when the front door swings open, prompting Aubrey to jerk away from Asher. A blonde girl walks in with two boys hot on her heels; one carries a crate of beers and the other hugs three bags of chips.

    "Party time!" Tessa shouts before narrowing her eyes at Asher and Aubrey. "Did I just see what I think I saw a few seconds ago?"

    While Asher responds with a smirk, Aubrey quickly says, "I don''t know what you''re talking about." She props herself up from the sofa. "And I-I need to use a toilet."

    Tessa raises her eyebrows in amusement. "This is an abandoned building, babe. Even if there is a toilet, there is no running water to flush. You should go outside and do it somewhere in the bush. Unless you can handle the rotten toilet smell, then go ahead. It''s the first door behind the stairs."

    Doing business outdoors is out of the question. Aubrey prefers to endure the nasty toilet than expose herself in the open. After digging into her bag for a bottle of water and traveler tissue pack, she walks to the door Tessa has pointed out.

    Once she opens it, a strong and nasty odor hits Aubrey''s nostrils, urging her to gag, yet she goes in and closes the door behind her. At least the bathroom window is open. Kissing Asher gives her a weird sensation in her lower region, leaving uncomfortable dampness inside her pants. She needs to clean up.

    Trying to inhale as little air as possible, she stands in front of the basin with its almost non-existent mirror. Whoever smashed it left only a tiny part of it that Aubrey barely sees her reflection. When she begins to unhook her jeans, her eyes catch a glimpse of a shiny object on the floor. As she bends over to have a better look, a golden metal frame is staring back at her. She carefully picks it up. To her surprise, the golden metal frame holds an oval glass, and it''s as black as the granite bathroom floor.

    ??????

 5 Days Before Prom

    Lorraine checks her reflection in the mirror for the last time. Her brown hair is neatly pulled up into a bun. A white vest adorned with golden floral embroidery snugs perfectly against her mustard yellow dress. Her grandmother''s old pearl necklace hangs around her neck. Satisfied with how she looks, Lorraine heads out of her room.

    When she sees Aubrey''s door is open, Lorraine sighs in relief. After two Sundays of missing the sermon, Aubrey is now back to the routine. Sabbath mass is important, especially with all that has happened this time around.

    Despite the strange occurrence and the return of the mysterious jewelry box last Sunday, the week went by fairly fine. No more unexplained noise or acting-out remote control; even Aubrey has been less jittery. Lorraine believes it''s because of the house blessing. The prayers have successfully removed the bad spirits from the house.

    "Good morning. It''s good that you''re awake already," says Lorraine when she notices the girl is already sitting at her desk, her back facing the door. "I''ll make a quick toast for us."

    Twenty minutes later, Aubrey hasn''t come down to the kitchen, which is weird. She was already wearing her usual Sunday outfit, the white dress, and a green cardigan. Also, Aubrey doesn''t typically need more than fifteen minutes to apply makeup and get her hair done. What makes her so long?

    "Aubrey! You need to hurry up, or we will be late for the sermon!" she shouts in the hallway direction. A few minutes pass, and still no sign of movement from upstairs. Glancing at the time, Lorraine sighs and makes her way upstairs. They need to leave in ten minutes.

    To her surprise, Aubrey is still on her seat, sitting straight with her back facing the door. "Aubrey?" Lorraine calls but the girl doesn''t respond. The alarm in her head instantly goes off but she ignores it. Slowly, she takes several steps closer.

    When she reaches Aubrey''s desk, she senses that something is seriously off. Aubrey is mute and motionless as if she''s not breathing at the moment. The way she sits is rather rigid and unnatural. Her jet black hair cascades over the seat headrest, while her eyes are open, staring blankly at the wall before her.

    "Aubrey, is everything okay?" asks Lorraine, suppressing the uneasiness that''s growing stronger every second. Goosebumps rise on her skin. A small voice in her head tells her to leave the room, but she can''t. Aubrey is in trouble. She refuses to leave the girl under this circumstance.

    Right when she''s considering calling Pastor Marlon, Aubrey''s door shuts with a hard force, causing Lorraine to jump from its deafening bang. Before her head can process what is happening at the moment, a gurgling sound escapes the girl''s lips, followed by a deep throaty laugh.

    "Hello, Lori. Surprise, surprise. Look who''s coming to visit." Despite the movement on Aubrey''s lips, her face stays stoic, her eyes never leaving the empty wall in front of her.

    Lorraine freezes for several seconds before she can open her mouth. "Who are you?"

    Aubrey lets out an ominous laugh. "Take a guess."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    "I..." Lorraine''s voice falters as a realization comes down on her. "No."

    "Oh, yes." Aubrey grins, making a screeching sound out of her mouth. "It''s been a while, but it''s about time to reclaim what is mine."

    Unconsciously, Lorraine steps backward, but her foot stumbles upon the leg of Aubrey''s bed, causing her to land on the mattress. "No, you can''t... she''s not yours."

    "There you''re wrong. The girl is always mine; her mother gave her to me. Or are you going to deny your friend''s wish, Lori? Is that what a loyal friend does?" The eerie laugh resonates across the room once again, yet Aubrey''s posture remains immobile. "I wonder what Claire will say when she finds out what you do. The friend she trusts the most is now siding with a woman who hurt her tremendously."

    "What?" Lorraine''s breath hitches in her throat. Why does it talk as if Claire is still alive? Is Claire...? Lorraine shakes her head to shake away the thought. Claire is dead. She saw her friend''s corpse that night with her own eyes, burnt and ruined. "Claire is dead."

    "Souls don''t die. Care to have a tour and meet your friend?" The voice purrs. "She''s been missing you."

    Lorraine clutches the edge of Aubrey''s bed frame. "Please, leave Aubrey alone."

    "And let her mother''s traitor friend seal her from the truth? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is that what you learned from the bible study, Lori? The deception?" The voice snarls, almost animalistic.

    "I''m d-doing what''s best for her f-for now."

    A ripple of a cynical laugh escapes Aubrey''s lips before it gurgles to a halt in her throat. "Keep lying to yourself, human! But you will not stand in my way. I''m taking what is mine. Soon."

    With that, the door swings open, and Aubrey''s shoulders slump as if the tension has left her rigid body. In the next second, she tips over her chair and lands on the ground, unconscious.

    ??????

    "Claire! For Pete''s sake! Where have you been? I''m so dead worried about your disappearance!" Lorraine said once she heard her friend''s voice on the other side of the phone line. Realizing that she was probably a little bit too loud shouting at Claire, she turned her head to the end of the hallway, where the kitchen door was. She hoped her hearing-impaired grandma didn''t catch her voice. She pressed her lips to the phone''s mic and lowered her tone. "How are you? How''s the baby?"

    "We''re fine. And I''m sorry for disappearing on you, Lori. I just... I needed to process this alone. So much has happened and I just couldn''t... stay there. I wish I wasn''t that stupid. I killed him, Lori." Claire''s voice was shaking.

    "You did not kill him. He killed himself. He committed suicide, Claire."

    "And it''s because of me!"

    "No, don''t let yourself believe that. Jack was drunk driving when he got into that accident. It was also his wrongdoing! It''s not your fault that he couldn''t live with the consequences."

    "They said they wouldn''t hurt him like that, and I''m too naive to believe that."

    "Just come home, Claire. Please."

    "Where is home? The orphanage?" Claire laughed bitterly between her sobs. "I''m eighteen now, Lori. They won''t take me back."

    "Stay with us then. I believe my dad won''t mind."

    "I... don''t know if I want to see everyone yet, especially her."

    "Sandra is worried about you too, even after she found out about you and the baby. Jack left her message before he killed himself, you know."

    "Don''t mention him and his wife''s name in front of me ever again."

    "Okay. Sorry."

    There was a brief silence between the two friends before the time-limit warning beeped on the line.

    "Wait, let me insert another coin," Claire said, followed by a shuffling sound and the beeping stopped.

    "Please, just come back, Claire. Your home is here. We''re going to go through this together. Let me help you."

    A high pitch of a baby screaming filled the background all of sudden. "Look, I''m going to think about it, okay? I need to go. Obby needs me."

    And the line went dead.

    ??????

 2 Days Before Prom

    In one swift movement, Aubrey empties her locker with her hand and pushes the remaining stuff into a plastic bag. She still has to take a few make-up final tests on Friday, but she doesn''t want to wait for this. She''s just glad that she''s going to leave high school for good, despite the fact that not all her problems will go away once she graduates.

    Another blackout struck again last Sunday, and Lorraine was there witnessing it.

    That morning, she was reluctant to attend the Sunday sermon for a reason she couldn''t explain. However, her sense won the battle, and she forced herself to get ready. Then a strange thing happened. Once she got dressed and looked at her reflection in the mirror, the rage started boiling inside her. She was angry, and the anger was addressed to the person she was glaring at. Herself. It was so confusing as if she was split into two persons, with two different minds and two different emotions. The last thing she saw was her eyes turning into pitch-black and a sneer forming in her lips.

    Later in the day, she woke up in her bedroom, lying on her bed with awfully sore muscles all over. Bob sat on her seat next to her bed, reading his textbook. In the next few days, Bob, Sandra, and Pastor Marlon took a turn to help Lorraine look after her until she felt better.

    Aubrey is not sure if it''s a good thing that her adoptive parent has finally discovered her current issue. Lorraine might not say it out loud, but Aubrey can tell how nervous and extra cautious she''s now around her. It pushes Aubrey''s buttons down. She just wants to be treated as a normal person, not as a teenage weirdo with a mental illness.

    A movement next to her locker pulls Aubrey''s mind back to the quiet school corridor. When she closes her locker door, Asher''s face comes into view, a smirk adorning his face.

    "Hey, you. I haven''t seen you around for a while," he says.

    Aubrey''s lips curl up into a nervous smile. Her mind jumps to the scene last Friday on that filthy sofa. The warmth instantly creeps on her face. "Hey. Yeah, I wasn''t feeling that well."

    "Oh?" Asher raises her eyebrows. "I didn''t know that. Feeling better now?"

    "I am." Aubrey nods, glancing at her bags that are lying next to her feet.

    "I just realized that I didn''t have your number." Asher fishes his black smartphone out of his pocket. The colorful light glows on its screen once he unlocks it. "I think it''s handier to have each other''s number, don''t you think? For the prom."

    "Oh. Yeah." Hesitantly, Aubrey''s hand dives into her bag. It''s not that she doesn''t want to exchange numbers with him, she just wishes Asher didn''t see her out-of-date phone. Almost no one keeps a dumb phone with a physical keyboard these days.

    "Sweet. I''ll text you," Asher says after having her number saved. "I''ll pick you up at six-thirty?"

    Lorraine''s face flashes in Aubrey''s mind. "Uh, about that. Can you just wait by the street near my house instead of coming to the door?" When Asher frowns, Aubrey quickly adds, "Loˇ­ I mean, my mother isn''t a fan of a school prom. I need to come up with another reason, then put on my prom gown somewhere outside the house."

    "Oh, wow! Are we planning to do something naughty, Aubrey? I''m excited." Asher bites his lower lip as his eyes travel to Aubrey''s. "I love rebels."

    "Bree, Mom is waiting for us. Let''s go!" Bob calls from the other end of the corridor. He''s going to give Aubrey a lift since Aubrey is clearing out her locker.

    "Okay," Aubrey answers before checking if her locker is locked. She then grabs her bags and smiles at the boy who is now leaning against her locker, hands in his jeans pockets. "Gotta go. See you, Ash."

    "You definitely will." The boy''s eyes are following Aubrey''s movement, ignoring the death glare Bob is sending him.

    ??????This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "I still think it''s not a good idea," Bob says as they enter the small road to Lorraine''s farmhouse. "I have a feeling he''s going to hurt you."

    "Hurt me how? Asher and I are just going to prom together, Bob. Everyone will be there, you and Lizzie included. You can glare at him the whole evening if you want. Plus, people can hurt me only if I let them. It''s not like I like him or something." The lie slips through Aubrey''s lips effortlessly.

    "Have you told Lorraine?"

    Aubrey bites her inner cheek. "Not yet. I''m still figuring it out. Don''t tell her yet, okay?"

    As Bob parks his mom''s car in the driveway, Aubrey jumps out of the car. Being in the car with Bob and arguing over Asher makes her feel jittery again. Carrying her bags, she marches to the house.

    "Did Bob annoy you again?" Sandra asks. She is sitting on the front porch with a book in her hand.

    Aubrey shrugs. "He''s just being Bob," she says, earning a cackle from Bob''s mom. "I don''t see Lorraine''s car. Where is she?"

    The laugh in Sandra''s face dies. "About that, I need to talk to you." Sandra shifts her gaze to Bob as the boy saunters toward them. "I''m going to talk with Aubrey. Privately. Can you wait inside?"

    Bob frowns, glancing at Aubrey before nodding at his mom. "Sure."

    Aubrey plops down on the balcony wooden rails, next to Sandra''s chair. After Bob disappears from their sight, Sandra takes a deep breath and looks up at Aubrey.

    "What I''m going to tell you is probably hard for you to take. But you have to know about this."

    Aubrey knits her eyebrows, feeling nervous all of sudden. "Is it about my sickness?" She just started a brief session with Sandra again yesterday. Has her counselor already figured out what she''s having this time?

    "Yes and no. And I wouldn''t call it a sickness. It''s more of a situation."

    "Okay?"

    "But let me ask you something first. Have you experienced anything disturbing lately? I mean, other than the voices in your head, have you also seen things?"

    "Things? Do you mean something like a hallucination?"

    "Yeah."

    Aubrey frowns and shakes her head. "Not that I remember. I only hear voices, but they are very clear as if someone is living inside me, talking to me. And sometimes it''s hard to tell if it''s me I''m listening to or the other voice."

    "When you were about to have a blackout, did the voice get louder and more intense?"

    "Yeah. Actually, I couldn''t even control my actions at some point. It feels like I was trapped in my own body but couldn''t do anything." Aubrey looks up at Sandra under her eyelashes. "Do you think I suffer from split personalities?"

    Sandra tilts her head, looking surprised. "Why do you think that?"

    "I''ve read about this stuff, you know. Have you read Sybil Isabel Dorset''s story, the girl with sixteen personalities? She also experienced blackouts every time another personality took over. And she couldn''t remember anything during the period. It sounds familiarˇ­"

    "I''m afraid it''s not the case with you."

    "It''s not?" Aubrey asks, feeling slightly relieved before the realization hits her. If it''s not it, what will it be?

    "No. Lorraine talked to whatever took over your body during your blackout. It didn''t only talk back, Aubrey, it could move objects without even touching them. It''s beyond a psychological issue. We believe it has something to do with a paranormal activity."

    Aubrey feels the sudden twist in the gut. "A paranormal activity?"

    "Yes. It also explains where Lorraine is now." Sandra shifts, straightening up her posture. "She and my father are meeting other pastors who are capable of conducting some investigation. They are also eligible to perform an exorcism if it''s needed."

    Sandra''s explanation is like jumbled words in Aubrey''s head. Paranormal. Investigation. Exorcism. "Are you saying I''m being possessed by a bad spirit?"

    "We''re not one hundred percent sure, but we''re looking at the possibility. However, before we proceed with this, you need to give us your permission. Otherwise, it will be ten times harder to work on."

    "I don''tˇ­ wait, how did this happen? I''m sure I never touched any of those occult objects. I never opened any gate to the spirit world."

    Sandra''s face turns sad all of a sudden. "I believe you, Aubrey. You''ve been a good girl, and you always keep yourself from those dark activities. But it''s more complicated than that."

    "Fill me in. I have a right to know. What have I done wrong?"

    "It''s not what you did."

    "What then?"

    "Unfortunately, I''m not the right person to tell you this. All I can say is, you''ve been exposed to this activity since you were born."

    "What?" Familiar nausea kicks in. Aubrey clutches her stomach while her head is getting lighter. Something is pulling her into the pit of emptiness again, but she is trying to fight it. She is still struggling to stay conscious when Sandra stands up and grabs her.

    "Pray with me, Aubrey! We need to ask for God and the Holy Spirit''s protection!" Sandra''s voice is becoming distant every second. "Bob! Come here! Quick!"

    The next thing Aubrey knows is Bob''s grip on both of her arms.

    "Dear God of power, who promised us the Holy Spirit through Your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray to You for this pupil, who presents herself before You. Protect her from the spirit of evil, and guard her against fallacies and sin. Confirm what she professes in faith, so that her words may not be empty, but full of the grace and power by which Your Son has freed the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord!"

    Aubrey hears herself whisper, together with the other two. "Amen."

    ??????

 Prom Night - Part 1

    If Sandra didn''t talk Lorraine out about the school prom, Aubrey wouldn''t be sitting here in her mother''s red dress, enjoying the prom night. With a glass of coke in her hand, she''s watching her best friend dancing with his girl. The couple sways to the music in each other''s arms under the ballroom light.

    Lorraine was adamant about Aubrey not going to prom ¨Cshe still is. But after Sandra talked to her, her adoptive mother finally agreed to let Aubrey go with a few conditions. Aubrey needs to be where Bob can always see her, the dress doesn''t show too much skin, and Bob''s mom will have to pick her up at ten o''clock. Aubrey can''t thank Sandra enough for this.

    The last blackout attack was just a few days ago but Aubrey managed to fight it. Ever since Sandra brought up the possibility of paranormal involvement, Aubrey protects herself with more prayers and meditation. Things have been going well so far. Moreover, Sandra and Pastor Marlon have always been there to watch over her.

    The pastors, whom Lorraine and Pastor Marlon talked to the other day, are coming to visit her on Tuesday. Aubrey''s anxiety has gone through the roof every time she thinks about the appointment. But for now, she wants to enjoy the prom night. She wants to have a good time with Asher. Only, instead of sitting at the designated table with her, the boy is now standing in his usual group on the other side of the room.

    Asher needed to talk to them and asked if she wanted to come along, but she refused. Aubrey doesn''t know how to blend with the group. They always talk about things that make her uncomfortable, and she doesn''t know how to respond to those inappropriate questions. She tried last Friday when they hung out in that abandoned house, and it was torture.

    "Glaring at his friends won''t automatically make them go away, you know?" Britney, who is now standing next to Aubrey''s table, smirks at her. Her electric-blue gown brings out her azure eyes, complimenting her strawberry blonde hair that is pulled into a messy bun. Her three squad members line up behind her, mimicking their queen''s expression.

    "I''m not sure I''m following you?"

    "Gosh, she''s so dumb. No wonder Asher ditches her here alone," says the girl in red, rolling her eyes before crossing her arms against her chest.

    "I still don''t get why Asher asked her to come to prom with him," adds the chick in a royal blue dress. Her fake blonde hair stays rigid when she shakes her head.

    "I told you why. I dared him to ask her, and he''s too proud to turn down the challenge. You see, he just wants to get back at me for leaving him and dating Sebastian. Now he''s trapped in his own game." Britney laughs, followed by the trio snickering happily. Britney snaps her finger at them and the laughter dies down.

    "He must have come to realize that the princess he''s bringing has turned to a frog." The third girl cackles, but her laugh sounds almost like a strangled noise. Her floral green gown is painfully too tight, prompting Aubrey to hold her breath just by looking at it.

    Britney''s hips sway as she takes a few steps toward Aubrey. "Seriously though, you can''t have Asher''s if he''s still hanging around with his rubbish friends. They are all trouble, and Asher is too dumb to see it."

    Noticing Asher''s ex is now standing too close to her, Aubrey straightens her sitting posture. "I don''t think I need dating advice from you. What do you want, Britney?"

    "Straight off the bat, I love this." Britney purrs as she plops down on the seat next to Aubrey. "I want to make a deal."

    "A deal?"

    Britney looks at the trio and jerks her head to them. The girls nod before begrudgingly leaving her and Aubrey alone. "Here is the deal. I''ll help you make Asher yours if you promise to shut your mouth about what you know."

    Aubrey raises one eyebrow, trying to follow where Britney is getting at. Then the scene after her school clinic visit rushes back to her mind. The next thing she sees in her head is the image of a leather bondage harness. Britney is wearing it in front of her daddy''s friend; a friend who happens to be one of the most important people in town.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Aubrey frowns, thinking how this image was planted in her head. The memory is specific and feels somewhat real, but it''s not hers. Convincing herself it must have something to do with the paranormal thing, she shakes her head. Whatever Britney did isn''t her problem.

    "I''m not making any deal with anyone, Britney. I''m sorry."

    "Are you saying you don''t want Asher?" Britney narrows her eyes on her. When Aubrey doesn''t respond, Britney smirks. "So, you''re okay if I seduce him so that he can go to my place tonight after the prom instead of going with you? Is that what you want?"

    "I don''t think he will do such a thing to disrespect her prom date."

    Britney bites her lower lip, holding her laugh. "You know he won''t be able to reject me, right? He never could, and never will."

    A stinging jab hits Aubrey''s chest. Jealousy creeps in, waking up the familiar rage within her. "I believe he still has self-respect."

    Britney cackles in a high pitch as she shakes her head. "My god. Now I know why he hasn''t dropped you yet. You''re so naive and gullible, yet you''re not clingy like his other typical toys." The laughter disappears all of a sudden, replaced by a mischievous face with a pair of piercing eyes staring at Aubrey. "He will ditch you as soon as he''s done with you, but I know something about him. Something you can use to tie him around his neck and he won''t dare to leave you. Ever."

    Aubrey clenches her jaws. The impulse to throw lethal words at her is boiling inside her, creating familiar nausea she is now attempting to suppress. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Help me, Father, fill my spirit with love and peace. Protect me, Holy Spirit, shield me from harm. Guide me, Lord Jesus, don''t let me walk into this trap.

    Aubrey opens her eyes. "Thank you for your concern, Britney. But no, thanks."

    "What do... wait, your eyes..." Britney blinks. "I swear I just saw they changed color. Maybe it was the light. Anyways, suit yourself." She stands up and looks down at her with a sneer. "Don''t run home and cry if he doesn''t leave the prom with you tonight."

    Britney spins around and is about to walk away, but she stops and turns on her heels to face Aubrey again. She knits her eyebrows, looking hesitant for a split second. "How did you know, by the way?" When she sees Aubrey''s blank expression, she adds in a low voice, "About Mr. Portland and me."

    Before Aubrey has a chance to answer, Asher strides toward them and stands behind Britney. "What''s going on here?"

    Britney''s uneasy expression is instantly replaced with a flirty smirk. She turns around and rubs Asher''s arm. "Hey, handsome. We were just trying to make friends. I hope you don''t mind."

    Asher''s eyes follow the movement of Britney''s hands. Her delicate fingers are now crawling to his chest before she leans into him. "Why don''t I believe you?" Asher says, smirking back at her. The boy doesn''t even bother to detach himself from Britney''s willing body.

    The girl giggles, wrapping her hands around Asher''s neck. "Okay, you got me. We did talk about something important."

    Their faces have become dangerously close. His eyes twinkle under the glowing ballroom light. "About what?"

    "Why don''t you find out while we''re dancing?"

    Watching the pair, Aubrey''s stomach churns. The stinging sensation from Britney''s words about Asher not being able to reject her hits her. Apparently, Britney was right.

    Not able to see the intimate gesture before her eyes, Aubrey gets up and runs to the exit. She needs fresh air.

    ??????

    Aubrey doesn''t know how long she has been sitting behind the big tree in the schoolyard. When footsteps create crunching noise on the gravel, she turns her head to check. The last person she wants to talk to comes into view.

    "Aubrey, there you are!" Asher calls.

    "Leave me alone."

    "Aubrey." Asher sighs. "Why did you leave the ballroom?"

    Aubrey scoffs and shakes her head in disbelief. Is he plain dumb or just playing it?

    "Did you get mad because Britney was trying to mess around with me? It was just a game, Bree. You know how she is."

    "Do not Bree me. The name''s not for you. And I saw it myself, Asher. The way you look at her says enough. I should''ve known that this is a joke." The words taste bitter on Aubrey''s tongue. She gets up and looks him straight in the eye. "You''re not over her."

    Asher opens his mouth before closing it again, unable to deny her.

    "I''ve been so stupid thinking that you might like me after what happened in that house." Aubrey shakes her head. "I let you kiss me. My first kiss."

    "Aubrey..." Asher steps closer, reaching out to her but Aubrey takes a step backward.

    "Don''t touch me!"

    "Please let me explain."

    "Bob is right all this time. I don''t want to have anything to do with you ever again," Aubrey says, feeling the growing anxiety as the commotion they''re creating now starts to attract people''s attention.

    After giving Asher a hateful glare, Aubrey turns on her heels and is about to run inside to find Bob. It''s when the unexplained rage bursts inside her, coursing her entire veins. The lightness in her head is starting to take over his ability to process things, prompting her to lean on the tree for balance. Rubbing the back of her heavy neck, she''s trying hard to fight the urge to faint.

    "I know Britney and I have so much history together. She''s just... familiar, but I swear I''m not planning to get back to her. That girl is toxic. On the contrary, I think I kinda like you and wanna see where this is going."

    After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Aubrey finds herself turning her head and flashing a seductive smirk toward the boy. "Me too."

    ??????

 Prom Night - Part 2

    The sun is low and hidden between the towers of pine trees, yet it brings enough light into the house. Its pale tint of orange glow beams through the filthy and fractured window. The cracks splinter the light into fragments of ocher shades, blanketing the room that is now thick with lust. No more blaring disco light, blasting upbeat music, nor groups of girls squealing in excitement. What Aubrey sees is the boy she''s falling for, also the one she despises, hovering over her, trailing kisses down her neck on an overused sofa. In the abandoned house.

    Aubrey is trapped in her feelings for Asher. His touch, his kisses, and his seductive groan wake up something primal within her, throwing out her ability to use her senses. She wants him, but not like this, yet her body betrays her completely. The animalistic growl echoes in her head, followed by painful nausea every time her conscience tries to fight the unholy desire coursing her entire body.

    Tears are forming in the corners of her eyes as the boy begins to undress her. When Asher notices her glassy eyes, he stops short.

    "Hey," he says, bringing his fingers to caress her cheek. "Do you want to stop?"

    Aubrey wants to scream "yes", instead, her head shakes firmly. "I want you. Now!" the strange voice rolls off her tongue.

    Asher smirks, his eyes coated with lust. In one swift movement, he pulls down Aubrey''s red velvet dress, revealing her breasts. She''s never felt so humiliated like now, yet the goosebumps and the way her body arches into his touch confirm she is ready for mating.

    When the boy starts to explore the part of her which has never been touched before, Aubrey''s hips jerk, causing the two to scoot closer to the edge of the sofa. To prevent herself from falling, her hand clutches the closest object she can reach before Asher ushers her back to the deeper part of the sofa.

    While the boy resumes devouring every inch of her, Aubrey looks away and closes her eyes, ready to give in. This is the battle she can''t win; she has no more control over her body. All she can do is silently say the prayers that her muffled mind can muster, ignoring the jab of excruciating pain in her entire muscle every time she calls for her Maker, her Savior.

    It''s when she realizes that her hand is clutching a thin object that is now digging into her palm. She opens her eyes and is met with a dark mirror with a golden metal frame glaring back at her.

    A strong wave of nausea hits her again but she refuses to close her eyes. Something about the object gives her unexplained willpower to keep fighting the unsettling churn in her stomach. In the next second, the lightheadedness strikes as her mind begins to leave her body, swirling and twirling into the very mirror in her hand.

    She''s then welcomed with darkness.

    ??????

    Aubrey trudges along the dark corridor with rusty doors lining on either side of her. She was here before. It''s the creepy hallway in her dream; the very place she met her mother. Wondering that her mom may still be here in one of the rooms, she roams her eyes over her surroundings, looking for a sign of light that hopefully glimmers through the gap under the door.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Then she sees it.

    Aubrey dashes to the room and instantly recognizes the decayed door with no handle. She pushes it but it doesn''t budge.

    "Mom," she calls tentatively. "Are you there?"

    A shiver runs down her spine when her head replays the last scene in her dream. It was just a dream, right? But then why is she revisiting the dream now? Does it mean her mom is still here?

    After a painful silence that feels like forever, a faint voice murmurs from the other side. "Obby?"

    Aubrey''s heart leaps. The surge of emotions from hearing her mom''s voice again makes her want to cry and laugh at the same time. "Mom! You''re still here! I can''t open the door!" Aubrey takes a few steps backward before pouncing on the door.

    Nothing happens.

    "Yes, I''m still here and you can''t open it. It''s shielded." Claire''s voice is shaking, followed by a familiar clanking sound of the iron chains. "You shouldn''t be here, Obby. This isn''t the place for you."

    Aubrey glances at her dark surroundings. "What kind of place is this?"

    "The place you don''t belong, and you need to get out of here as soon as you can."

    "But why are you here then?"

    "I belong here. I did this to myself."

    "Why?" Aubrey presses her ear against the wooden surface, trying to catch any sound coming from the room.

    "Because I made a big mistake. A mistake that cost someone''s life."

    Aubrey frowns. "I don''t understand."

    "This is the place where they keep the souls, Obby. The bad ones." The sound of iron chains being dragged across the room screeches, splitting the stillness. Aubrey pictures her mom now standing in the middle of the room, under the golden light.

    "Who are they?"

    "The demons."

    "What?" Aubrey holds her breath, not believing her ears.

    "I was in a very bad place back then, and I made a deal with a demon. I offered him my unborn child. In return, I could take revenge on the man who ruined my life, your father."

    Was she that unborn child? Did her mom want to get rid of her? Aubrey loses her ability to speak. She drops on her knees and waits for her mother to continue.

    "Long story short, your father is dead. He killed himself after a terrible accident that took his legs and his willingness to live. But that wasn''t how we agreed upon. I never wanted to hurt your father like that." Claire''s voice trembles, sounding so close from breaking into sobs. "And I broke the deal. I went back home so that you were protected under the church community and people who truly loved you. I did everything I could to prevent them from taking you, to buy some time. Because when you turned five, they couldn''t have you anymore. You were too old to be sacrificed."

    "But, how did you end up here?"

    "Demons never let you go away without payment, Obby. I sold my soul once I made a deal with them. But little did I know, they wouldn''t stop there. They still demand a child that is promised to them. A child who has my blood. Your child."

    Aubrey''s blood runs cold as a realization comes down on her like a bucket of water. The scenes from the last hours flash through her mind. Bailing from Bob at the prom, demanding Asher to take her to the house, the uncontrolled lust, and losing the battle against the entity that was taking over her body. Aubrey''s throat turns dry all of a sudden.

    "They will get you pregnant and bear a child for them."

    Aubrey closes her eyes. "Oh, God." She shakes her head, her mind going blank. "No! They''re not doing this to me. I need to go back! How do I go back?"

    "How did you even get here?"

    "The mirror! It was sucking me in!" Aubrey jumps up, roaming her eyes over the dark corridor. "I need to find it! And Mom, I''ll get you out of here, too!"

    ??????

 Prom Night - Part 3

    The phone receiver almost slips off Lorraine''s grip as she hears Bob rattle off on the other side of the line. She can''t make out every word he says because of his frantic breathing, but she gets the idea. She knew that this would happen. She knew it all along. If only everyone listened to her.

    "We''re going now," Lorraine says after she finds her voice, her eyes fixed on Sandra who is looking at her with anticipation. "Bob, please stay there until we arrive."

    The next scene is a blur. Lorraine spaces out on the passenger seat while Sandra speeds to Aubrey''s school. Her mind is full of speculations about Aubrey''s whereabouts. Her first guess is the church, but Pastor Marlon just confirmed she''s not there. Lorraine has come to realize that she doesn''t know much about the girl anymore. Ever since Aubrey grew into a reserved and distant teenager, Lorraine has been trying to reach out to her. But the more she tried, the more she created the gap between them. Lorraine is so close to giving up trying. All she needs to know is Claire''s daughter is a good kid.

    Silently, Lorraine makes a vow that she will try harder once she finds Aubrey. Please let her be safe, dear Lord.

    When they reach the school, Bob and Lizzie are already at the school gate, talking with a group of girls. As Lorraine and Sandra stride toward them, a girl in a silver blue dress and with a crown on her head is pacing back and forth, her phone pressed on her ear.

    "Nope. He''s not picking up," she says before turning off her phone screen.

    "Who? The Coleman boy?" Lorraine asks and is answered by a nod from the girl. "Can I have his number, please?"

    As Lorraine adds Aubrey''s date number to her phone, Bob rubs his face in frustration. "This is my fault. I was too busy dancing with Lizzie, I didn''t pay attention to her. I should''ve known better. This is my fault!" He then buries his face in his hands. Lizzie is standing next to him, her face pale and her lips quivering.

    Sandra positions herself between the couple, pulling them in a big embrace. "We all took part here. I also shouldn''t have asked Lori to let Aubrey go. But now, we need to focus on finding her. It''s not only her I''m worried about, the boy might be in danger, too."

    "I think I know where they are!" the prom queen shouts. "They are going to the house!"

    "What house?" Bob asks.

    "The deserted house down the woods. He and his group often go there to hang out. Ew! It''s a gross place."

    Lorraine''s breath hitches in her throat as her knees wobble. "I know that place..."

    ??????

    "The house is empty again," said Claire as she ran her fingers through her five-year-old daughter''s hair. The little girl''s eyelids kept dropping but she fought the urge to sleep.

    "Oh? What happened to the new owner?" Lorraine put down her book and gave Claire her full attention. "They still stayed there last summer, but I never saw them again after that."

    Claire shrugged. "Franz and Cecil said that the new owner is planning to sell it after experiencing several disturbing occurrences there."

    "You''re still talking to them?" Lorraine frowned. She never liked the gothic-look couple and how they represented themselves as spiritual experts. Because they knew nothing about it. Unlike those misleading satan and demons drama series on television nowadays, the spiritual world was way more dangerous than that. No human should try to communicate or open the gate to that dark world.

    "No, not really." Claire shook her head, avoiding eye contact. "I just happened to bump into them at the supermarket the other day. They''re engaged now."

    "Good on them. I''m happy for them." Lorraine opened her book again before adding, "I hope that the house is empty again doesn''t give them the idea to use it for another occult practice."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    "Yeah." Claire reverted her eyes to her daughter and started humming a lullaby to her sleeping child. "The basement is blocked. They built a wall to replace the door, you know. So yeah, it''s good that it can''t be accessed anymore."

    "Talking about the house always gives me the creeps. Can we change the subject? Obby is turning five next month, then she will be freed from this messed up situation."

    Claire stared out of the window, watching the congregation who are now busy talking, laughing, and enjoying the barbeque at the churchyard. She then stood up and laid Aubrey down on their bed. After her coming back, Pastor Marlon offered one of the space behind the church building for Claire and her baby to live. His pastoral home was right next to it ˇŞthey even shared the same yardˇŞ so that he could watch over her.

    "I have to say, I''m nervous now. I''m so afraid that they will get me, or her before then. I have a feeling they won''t let me escape it just like that."

    "I''m sure you and Aubrey will be just fine. You two are safe here."

    But Lorraine was wrong. In the next few months, Claire was found dead in that forest, not far from the house. According to the news, it was an animal attack that was suspected of coming from the deeper forest. They left the fact that her body was not only ruined from the assault, it was also burnt.

    ??????

    Despite being covered by dense foliage and the intertwined ivy twigs, Lorraine can still recognize the house. Surprisingly, the dark gambrel roof, despite its poor condition, is still very much intact. It takes more than five minutes for them to find the way in. They have to climb over the iron fence since the usual entrance is blocked by bushes.

    Lorraine strides to the house, followed by Sandra, Bob, and Lizzie. She can''t lie that she was relieved when she saw the Coleman boy''s jeep by the fence. The two teenagers must be inside, or somewhere around here, doing the thing she doesn''t dare to think about. If he ever hurts Aubrey, she will ˇŞGod forbidsˇŞ make the boy pay, at any cost.

    Bob kicks the front door open. Once they see the scene in the main room, Bob sprints to the sofa to pull the nearly naked Asher off Aubrey. Lorraine quickly takes off her trench coat to cover Aubrey who is now curling up on the sofa.

    "You man-whore bastard! Don''t you dare touch her!" Bob blows a punch square on the boy''s jaw.

    Even though Asher''s body is bulgier than Bob''s, he is thrown backward, hitting the dirty wall behind him. Instinctively, he covers his throbbing jaw while roaming his eyes over the room. His eyes widen once he recognizes who they are. Quickly, he brings both his hands over his private area.

    Asher is about to open her mouth when Bob cuts him. "One word from your filthy mouth, you''re a dead meat!"

    It''s when a deep throaty laugh rumbles across the room, followed by clapping hands. All heads turn to the source of the noise.

    Aubrey, who is now sitting straight on the sofa, shakes with laughter. She lifts her head facing the ceiling before the gurgle in her throat halts. Her face has turned a few shades lighter; it looks almost white even for the room that is lacking the light. Her pupils have turned darker while her corneas are coated with amber color. A snarl rises into her lips as she fixes her gaze on Bob.

    "Don''t you dare lay your hand on my toy, you stupid gospel boy!" A harsh grunt escapes her lips. "I''m not done with him."

    Lorraine''s knees buckle when she realizes what is happening. While everyone''s eyes widen in horror, Lorraine grabs her adoptive daughter by the shoulders and shakes her. "Aubrey, honey, can you hear me? Please, come back to us! Fight it! Don''t let it take over your body completely!"

    Aubrey roars into laughter again, shaking the sofa she''s now sitting on. "Lori, Lori, Lori... You are five minutes too late. Your girl has given in and she''s in a happy place with her mother right now. Wanna join them?" The monster sneers at her.

    "Leave Aubrey alone! Your deal is paid off the day you killed Claire. You have no right to take her daughter!"

    "I''m not taking her daughter, I''m just borrowing her body and soon reclaiming my prize: the child offering. Her mother bailed on me, meaning, she needs to finish what her mother has failed to accomplish." Aubrey makes a slurping noise before turning her face to Asher. "Come, boy, let''s finish what we have started. Put your delicious seed into this girl''s womb. Let''s get her pregnant."

    Asher shrieks in horror as Aubrey flies and pounces on him. Her feral growl thunders across the room, followed by the boy screaming on the top of his lungs. Asher wriggles away with all he might when Aubrey sits on his hip, trying to finish where they were left off.

    "Help him!" says Sandra to her son while she grabs Lizzie''s and Lorraine''s hands. "We need to pray now. We need to stall, my father is on his way."

    While Bob helps Asher off the monster''s grip, the three women begin praying.

    "Father, in the name of Jesus, we lift up ourselves to You and pray a hedge of protection around us. We thank You, Father, that you are a wall of fire round about us and that you set Your angels round about us. We thank you, Father, that we dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty..."

    The prayer loosens Aubrey''s grasp on Asher. She snarls at the women, saliva gushing out of her mouth. Once Bob manages to pull Asher, the boys scoot away and join the rest. Aubrey growls louder, crouching on the floor like an animal yet she stays rooted to her spot.

    It''s when a group of people shouting from the yard, followed by flashlights randomly glazing through the window. When one of the lights falls on Aubrey''s face, the girl squeals in a throaty voice before she crawls on the wall, and up to the ceiling. Her jet black hair hangs down as she moves quickly and disappears behind the living room wall.

    ??????

 Prom Night - Part 4

    Aubrey can''t find the mirror.

    She strains her eyes to search for the very object that can bring her back to that abandoned house, but it''s nowhere in sight. If the mirror is the one that pulled her into this place, it has to be her way out too. But where is it?

    "I can''t find it anywhere," says Aubrey in frustration as she stands back in front of her mom''s room. She plops down on the filthy floor, her back leaning on the door. A soft clanking of Claire''s iron chains gives her the assurance that her mother is still there, listening to her.

    "Is it the black mirror with a golden frame?"

    "Yes." Aubrey cocks her head to the side. "How do you know? Have you seen it before?"

    It takes several seconds before she hears her mother reply. "Yes. But it shouldn''t be... Wait, it''s the one in the wooden jewelry box, right?"

    Lorraine''s weird question about the box that morning flashes in Aubrey''s head. Her mom and Lorraine definitely refer to the same box and the same mirror. "No, or at least not anymore. The jewelry box sits in my room. I found it in the attic, among your stuff. But the mirror was lying in the toilet of an empty house down the woods."

    "Huh? How did you find that place?" Alarm wraps Claire''s voice.

    "People from school hang out there, Mom. And I know that you and Lorraine are talking about the same box and mirror. So, what''s the deal about it?"

    Another clanking sound cuts the thick silence in the dark hallways.

    "The house is where the story about the box started. It was also where people hung out and chilled back then. In the beginning, it was just to smoke and try alcohol, some brought drugs. But then a friend of mine introduced us to his friend. It''s where things got dangerous."

    "Dangerous how?"

    "He could see things we couldn''t and he could even tell us what''s going to happen in the near future. Everyone was in awe, of course. But looking back at it, I should''ve seen the sign, I should''ve run away at that point. We began to explore the Ouija board, calling spirits with rituals, reading tarot cards, and so on. It was when a spirit led me to the jewelry box in the basement. It had a mirror attached to the inner side of the lid, and it talked to me."

    "It talked to you?" Aubrey turns to the side and presses her ear on the door surface. "What did it talk about?"

    "My pain." Claire pauses, giving Aubrey another wave of anxiety. "That time, I was involved with my school teacher, your father. He was unhappily married to the pastor''s daughter, but of course, he did not dare to leave her. So, we were having an affair. I was so head over heels. One day, I heard that his wife got pregnant with their first child. It hit me hard because it meant that all the things he said about his marriage were big fat lies. After lots of fights, he wanted to stop seeing me, for his wife and the baby. Little did we know, I was also pregnant."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Aubrey takes a sharp breath. "It was me, wasn''t it?"

    "Yes."

    "What happened after that? Did you tell the situation to the pastor?"

    "No," Claire says, almost whispering. "No one would believe it was his. Not until you were born so that I could run the test. I was only seventeen, Obby. The idea of going through the pregnancy alone without any support was too scary. Lori did push me to talk about this to Pastor Marlon, but the mirror gave a better offer."

    "What did you say?" Aubrey almost chokes on her saliva. "Pastor Marlon was the pastor that day? Does it mean my father was married to... Sandra?"

    "Yes."

    Aubrey''s mind runs a mile in an hour, trying to make sense of everything. "Does it mean, Sandra''s son is my half... brother?"

    "Yes, Obby. Bob is your brother. Didn''t they tell you this already?"

    Aubrey shakes her head even though she knows her mother can''t see her. "Lorraine rarely mentions you as if your name is a taboo word in the house and I hate her for that."

    "It must still be too painful for her. Lorraine tried everything to fix all the mistakes I made. Literally everything. Never did she leave my side, even when everyone started to treat me like the garbage of the congregation. The failure."

    "If she loved you that much, why did she treat you like you never existed?"

    All the scenes from her earlier years rush to Aubrey''s mind. How cold Lorraine was handling her while she needed motherly affection. How Lorraine always abruptly changed subjects when Aubrey started to ask about her mom. Lorraine had no idea how much it hurt her. She needed to connect to something, or someone, to remind her that she was loved once, that she mattered, but Lorraine burned all the bridges and all the memories. What Lorraine did was leave her on a hard cold floor, alone and unprotected.

    "She was also hurting as much as you were, Obby, and I believe she still is," says Claire as if she can read her daughter''s mind. "She must be livng in guilt now. She didn''t believe me when I said something was off and that I''d been followed by something sinister. I know she just wanted me to stop being paranoid. And the fact that I lived safe and sound, under Pastor Marlon''s care, gave her enough reason to start doubting me. But then I was killed right under her nose."

    Aubrey closes her eyes, feeling the soft jab in her heart. She never knew this. Lorraine never told her all this painful story about the past. Is this the reason she can''t handle having her mother''s picture in the house? Because it will always remind her of her failure. The ultimate pain.

    "But I don''t understand. Why did she take me in? How can she bear looking at me every single day if this is too much for her?"

    "I guess... she loves you more than the pain itself. She''s loved you since the day you were born. She also took care of you during your first years while I had to work and make a living. You were also so fond of her, you know. You don''t remember any of this, do you?"

    "No. I guess your death changed all the memories I had about my earlier years." When her mom doesn''t respond, she continues, "Mom, do you think Lorraine still loves me?"

    "Yes. I did ask Pastor Marlon to send you to the orphanage I grew up in if something happened to me. Because I knew something was going to happen. So, Lori didn''t have to take you in. Yet she did. And she''s been taking good care of you, hasn''t she?"

    Aubrey pulls her knees up and wraps her arms around them. "And I''m blaming her for all these years, for the love I thought I never had. I''ve become so bitter and ungrateful toward her." Aubrey buries her face in her knees. "Oh, God. What did I do? What should I do?"

    "Find your way back to her while you still can. Because you don''t belong here. You belong with her."

    ??????

 After Prom - Part 1

    It has been more than twenty-four hours since Aubrey went missing. After the girl crawled upside down on the ceiling and disappeared into the dark hallway, Lorraine hasn''t heard any news about her adopted daughter''s whereabouts. And it tears her apart.

    Sandra and Bob have been staying with her to keep her company and to keep her sane. She can''t argue because she knows that she''s close to losing it. Aubrey''s disappearance throws her back to the day Claire got killed. After so many years, the wound of losing her best friend is still raw. She wakes up every day thinking about how things would turn out if she listened to Claire''s warnings. She wishes she took her words seriously. The idea of losing someone she cares dearly once again, to the same demon, wrecks her.

    Lorraine hasn''t changed clothes since prom night. For now, her appearance and hygiene is the last thing that bothers her. She just doesn''t want to waste another minute on getting dressed when she hears some news. And that''s what happens when Bob bursts into the kitchen.

    "They found her! She''s alive and they''re bringing her to the hospital now!" he says in one breath.

    Lorraine ditches the tea she''s just finished brewing. Grabbing her purse from the hallway, she dashes to Bob''s car in the front yard. "Where did she find her? Is she alright? Is she awake? Is she hurt?" Lorraine asks with a shaky voice, mirroring her tremor hands that are trying to fasten the seat belt.

    "Let me." Bob takes the latch plate from Lorraine before inserting it into the buckle. "Aubrey is unconscious but they said there are no serious injuries. A group of hikers found her deep in the forest."

    ??????

    "One of these doors must be the exit." Aubrey paces back and forth in the dark corridor. "But none of them is accessible. They''re all locked."

    "How did you get out of here the first time?" Her mom''s voice echoes from inside the room. "Can you do the same thing?"

    "I was dreaming. Everything stopped when I woke up... wait, what brought me here then? Because I found the mirror after the dream." When there is no response from her mother, Aubrey calls, "Mom?"

    "Aubrey." Claire calling her real name instead of her nickname prompts Aubrey to hold her breath. "Before your first visit, I''d been calling out for you. I knew it was around the time for him to come to you. And then I did the thing that I wasn''t supposed to do."

    "What did you do?"

    "I prayed for you. I prayed to whom I shouldn''t pray."

    Goosebumps prickle all over Aubrey''s skin when the scene in her dream replays in her head. "Is that why you got tortured like that? Was it even real?"

    "Yes, but listen. My prayer must''ve reached you and brought you here. The demon didn''t plan it, because you shouldn''t be able to access this place unless you find the gate. And as far as I know, it''s not that easy. The other possibility is the demon summons you but then your soul is held captive, like us."

    Aubrey''s blood runs cold. "Does it mean I''m now held captive and going to be stuck here forever?"

    "No. If that was the case, you would have occupied one of the rooms." Claire''s voice sounds tentative. "I do believe it''s the mirror. It used to be my gate to the spirit world when I played around with the occult objects back in the days."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Aubrey frowns. "If it was the mirror, how do I go back without having it with me?"

    "Did you hold the mirror when you entered here?"

    Aubrey tilts her head, trying to recall the scene in that living room. "I believe so."

    "You should have had the mirror with you when you arrived here..."

    The image of Asher undressing her and assaulting her body makes Aubrey whimper. "I was on the verge of fainting when I jumped here. Maybe I dropped the mirror in the process? Or..." Aubrey glances at her surroundings.

    "The demon who possessed you dropped the mirror deliberately to prevent you from coming back," Claire finishes her line. The screeching sound of her iron chains indicates she''s walking back and forth across the room. "My friends and I often used the mirror to communicate with the spirits and visit their world, but never this place. Until I learned that it brought more harm than advantages. I then tried to destroy it a few times, but it kept coming back. I remember Franz told me that the mirror needed to be destroyed in the spirit world, where it belongs, then it will be destroyed forever. We need to bring it here."

    "But how?"

    "I was already dead when my soul was sent here for good, and I didn''t have the mirror with me when I got killed. But your body is still out there; alive and breathing. We should be able to bring it here through you."

    "But if it''s destroyed here, how are we going to get out of here?"

    "We will find a way. Once we get you out of here, I''ll destroy it for good."

    "What do you mean by¨C" Aubrey''s voice falters as a familiar growl thunders in the air before the door in front of her swings open.

    The room is exactly how she remembers it. Worn-out wallpapers, the wooden planks over the window, the hanging golden lamps, and the iron chains. Only, her mom is now levitated. Between her auburn hair that is falling all over her face, her eyes widen in horror but her lips are tightly pressed into one line. An immense dark figure stands behind her. It looks almost like a human. Two horns protrude on both sides of its bullhead, and its eyes gleam a golden-red hue.

    It sneers. "Hello, my child. Enjoying a reunion with your beloved mother?"

    ??????

    Lorraine wraps her interlaced fingers around Aubrey''s limp hand. Prayers never stop flowing from her lips. Her eyes are fixed on the girl who is still lying unconscious in front of her. An IV fluid is hooked up to her arm, as well as the wires from the EKG machine. Sandra, who is standing behind her, puts her hand on Lorraine''s shoulder as she says her prayer too.

    "She will be alright, Lori. Things could have been way worse than this, but they didn''t. Because they can''t kill her. Aubrey''s body and soul aren''t theirs," says Sandra.

    "But she hasn''t been awake for two days." Lorraine feels the sting in the corners of her eyes, the familiar sensation before the tears start forming. She''s never cried this much in her life. Even when Claire died, she didn''t cry for a while because she was angry at herself. "I''ve never been so scared like this, Sandra."

    "We will keep praying for her. Hopefully, it will bring her back to us." Sandra squeezes Lorraine''s shoulder gently. "The pastors are coming tomorrow. We will get help."

    Lorraine places her hand over Sandra''s. "Thank you for being here with us for all this time."

    "Don''t mention it. Aubrey is a family to me despite what happened in the past. You are a family."

    Lorraine sniffles. "I should''ve told her about Bob. I should''ve done it a long time ago. I was just not ready to answer the rest of the questions about Claire. I''m still not."

    "I understand. But I agree that you should''ve done it earlier. She has a right to know about her brother. Also, Bob is dying to call her sister in front of everyone."

    With a stiff smile on the lips, Lorraine reverts her eyes to the girl. "I kept telling myself that not telling her now would protect her. But it turned out, it was me I was protecting, not her. I''ve been so selfish." Lorraine wipes off the tear on her cheek with her fingers. "I promise I will make it right. She just needs to wake up."

    "She will. And on that note, I''m going to go home now," Sandra says as she glances at the bag on the table. "I''ll bring some clean clothes for you later. Is that your coat that Aubrey was wearing when they found her? I can wash it for you."

    Lorraine follows Sandra''s eyes. "Oh, yeah. I don''t think it''s still in one piece."

    Lorraine stands and trudges to the table. When she pulls the black garment out of the bag, a small object glides down and falls on the floor, creating a cracking sound. Lorraine looks down. A dark mirror with a golden metal frame lies on the floor, split into two.

    ??????

 After Prom - Part 2

    "Who are you?" Aubrey asks after she can find her own voice.

    "I''m Molech, the demon that owns your mother''s soul and your future child."

    "You don''t own us."

    "You were promised to me, but the promise has been broken. It means her only blood, which is you, is bound to fulfill the promise."

    "She made a mistake and she paid with her life! Please let her go. You''ve been having her captive for more than a decade! Isn''t that enough?"

    A roaring laugh rumbles through the space between Molech''s muzzle and lower jaws, revealing its dark canines. "Forgiveness does not exist, human. What you have is only regret, resentment, and eternal burn. That is the purpose of you being brought into this world."

    "That''s not true. God loves and forgives."

    A red flame blazes in Molech''s eyes. "Do not mention His name before me!"

    Aubrey takes a step back, intimidated by the bursting anger. Gathering her courage, she takes a deep breath. "Acts thirty verse thirty age: Through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him, everyone who believes is set free from every sin. A justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses."

    "Enough!"

    The voice booms in the air, followed by a shooting pain and familiar nausea in Aubrey''s stomach. She clutches her abdomen as she drops to her knees.

    "Good girl. Be on your knees before your master, as you should be."

    Aubrey looks up and glares at the demon, her breath raging from the growing pain in the pit of her stomach. "You''re not my master. You never were and never will be."

    Once again, the laugh thunders across the room, causing the hanging light to swing back and forth. "The day you gave in to lust when that boy was about to fuck you is when you lost the battle. Or shall I remind you of the grudge you''ve been holding against your caregiver? How can you claim that you''re being set free, child? Your flesh betrays you all the time."

    "Obby..." Claire whimpers, her voice is so weak that Aubrey almost misses it between her own frantic breathing. "Don''t listen to him, don''t reason with him, focus on praying to God-"

    The next thing Aubrey sees is the demon throws her mom to the other side of the room, only to jerk her back using the iron chains. Her mom hits the wall next to the window as a weak scream escapes her lips, muffled with the sound of cracking bones. Then her limp body falls on the ground with a loud thud.

    Silence.

    "Mom!" Aubrey screams as she rushes to her mom but a force throws her backward to the dark corridor. Her shoulder hits the door frame in the process, making her yelp from the excruciating pain. Then she lands flat on her back.

    With glowing eyes, Molech walks over to her slowly, prompting Aubrey to prop herself up with her elbows. She bites her lower lip, holding back the urge to groan from the shooting pain that is now traveling to her upper arm. Her feet struggle to push her body backward in an attempt to keep her distance from the angry demon.

    ??????

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Aubrey''s body jerks as her head turns from side to side. Lorraine, who has been sitting next to her, jumps and grabs her hand.

    "Aubrey, sweetheart, are you there? Can you hear me?"

    Aubrey only mumbles incoherent words between her rough breathing. Her eyes remain shut.

    "Bob, get the nurse!" Lorraine calls.

    "Lori... the mirror... Obby... mirror... in her hand... now..." Aubrey says, her voice low.

    It takes a few seconds for Lorraine to realize that it''s not Aubrey who is talking to her. It''s Claire''s voice.

    "Mirror...please..."

    Lorraine jumps up. With shaking hands, she grabs her bag from the hospital cupboard.

    "Obby is hurt..."

    Once she pulls the cracking mirror out of her bag compartment, Lorraine rushes back to Aubrey''s bed. She freezes there for a few seconds, not knowing what to do.

    "Mirror in her hand... Pray to the Lord... " With that, Aubrey''s body shakes vigorously, pulling off the EKG wires in the process.

    ??????

    From the corners of her eyes, Aubrey catches her mother commando crawling in her direction. Her trembling hands dig into the decayed wooden floor so that she can pull her weak body upfront. Not wanting the demon to notice what Clair is doing right now, Aubrey fixed her gaze on the demon in front of her, holding eye contact.

    Pray with me, Aubrey! A voice echoes inside her head. Aubrey blinks, thinking that she''s going crazy because it''s Lorraine''s voice she just heard. Father, we come boldly to Your throne of grace, and find mercy and grace to help in time of need.

    Aubrey freezes as the prayer is being invoked in her head.

    "Pray with her, Obby," says her mother from inside the room. "Pray to our Father in heaven."

    Claire''s line ignites the rage in the demon''s eyes. His growl reverberates as he turns his body to Aubrey''s mother. "How dare you mention the name here in my throne, you filthy whore!" he barks, followed by Claire''s scream as her right arm is snapped in the wrong direction. A loud rupture sound fills the air.

    "Grant us release from the bondage to strongholds of the enemy. We plead the blood of Jesus to cancel all commands of the power of darkness in our life," Aubrey says, repeating the prayers in her head.

    The demon snarls at Aubrey yet it stays rooted to its spot, giving Aubrey enthusiasm to continue her prayer.

    "Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. His blood defeated the god of this age. In Jesus'' name, take back all the ground we gave the enemy. Draw us out of bondage and deception!"

    A shiny object next to Claire catches Aubrey''s eyes. She recognizes the mirror right away. She jumps to her mom while resuming calling out to her Savior, to seal them both from the demon. The growl from Molech''s mouth grows louder every second, brutally shaking the ground.

    Claire grabs the mirror and places it in front of Aubrey''s face. "Look at the mirror. Think of home. Think of God''s grace." She whimpers as she mentions God, arching her body and grunting in pain. "Go back to Lorraine... I''ll destroy this mirror when you''re gone."

    "No!" Aubrey shakes her head. "You''re coming with me! Or we both stay."

    "Good call," the demon interjects, beginning to take a step forward. The pause of prayer seems to allow him to regain power. "Both of you may stay. No child should leave her mother alone in the demon''s hand and let her soul be rotten and forgotten." The laugh roars again, shaking the ground even more.

    "Don''t listen to him. He''s the father of deception. Do it now, Obby, or it will be too late!"

    Aubrey closes her eyes as tears are forming in the corners of her eyes. She''s torn between leaving her mom or coming home to Lorraine.

    I love you, Aubrey. Please, come home.

    "I love you, Obby."

    ??????

    Aubrey''s eyes snap open. Her breathing is rough and uneven. Once her brain registers the white surroundings, her eyes roam over the room, but everything still looks blurry. Feeling her nails digging into her palm, she looks down to her closed hand, the one which tightly held the mirror a few seconds ago. Slowly, she opens it and black powder is scattered on her palm.

    "How..."

    "Claire did it. She was here and took the mirror with her, through you," a voice says.

    She recognizes the voice, but hearing her mother''s name, Aubrey breaks into sobs. A pair of warm arms wrap around her shoulders as Lorraine''s floral scent invades her nostrils, waking up all the emotions inside her. She cries harder.

    "I''m sorry," she says between her sobs. "I''m so so sorry."

    "Sssh, there, there. Easy, Aubrey. You''re here now, you''re safe." Lorraine slightly pulls away to take a good look at Aubrey''s face. After wiping the girl''s tears off her cheeks, Lorraine brushes her black lock before tugging it behind her ears.

    "I should''ve listened to you, Lorraine. I shouldn''t have gone to the prom."

    "It doesn''t matter anymore. You are here now. You''re home. That''s all I ask." Lorraine smiles, her eyes never leaving Aubrey''s face. "Because you matter the most to me."

    ??????

 Epilogue

    A cold wind gushes through the gap of the church''s closed windows. It has been a problem since last Christmas that the church council has yet to fix. Nonetheless, the congregation never sees it as an obstacle to attending the Sunday service. It''s just another bitter winter. That''s what Aubrey believes too.

    After the prom incident seven months ago, she''s been through a series of exorcisms and counseling with a professional outside the church organization. It''s not that she doesn''t appreciate Sandra''s help, but Sandra is practically a family. Having a session with someone so close to being labeled as a parent is never a good idea.

    Once Pastor Marlon says the blessing, everyone begins to move from their seat, hurrying to the church refreshing room to have some snack and a cup of hot beverage over social chat.

    "Look who is waiting for you." Bob pokes her elbow as they''re about to leave their pew. When Aubrey turns her head to him, her brother pointed his finger at the boy who is now standing by the church gate. "I''ll be in the refreshing room. Or do you want me to stay behind?"

    "Nah. I''ll talk to him alone," Aubrey says, answered by a nod from Bob.

    Asher smiles nervously when he sees Aubrey saunter in his direction.

    "Hi," Aubrey greets once she stands in front of him, fiddling with the strap of her sling bag. "I didn''t know you attended Sunday mass now."

    "Hi. Yeah, I thought it would be good for me after... you know."

    Aubrey nods. "How is it going? How''s the new school?"

    "It''s okay. It''s just school." Asher shrugs. "How are you?"

    "I''m fine. Still seeing a counselor though. But I feel much better now. How''s your treatment?"

    "Good. It''s been good. Well, actually, it''s the reason why I wanted to see you before I go back to my boarding school."

    "Oh?"

    "I owe you an apology, Aubrey." Asher looks down at his feet when he says the word.

    "Asher, we know what happened. The," Aubrey pauses and gulps, "entity that possessed me provoked you. It had been their mission to get me... pregnant."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "If I wasn''t such a dick, I wouldn''t play along with it. I don''t know who is worse, the demon or me."

    "It''s the demon."

    If someone says that humans can be crueler than the devil, she hopes that the person doesn''t have to meet with the devil itself. From the session during her exorcisms, Aubrey''s learned that nothing is more dangerous than exposing herself to any occultism activities, even the slightest. It''s also the very reason for the pastors to keep her mom''s jewelry box with them, even though the real occult object was the mirror.

    "I need to get going," Asher says after a brief silence between them. "My dad is going to drive me there before lunch. Thanks, Aubrey, for not hating me."

    Aubrey shakes her head. "I never hate you, Asher. And thank you for making time to see me. Have a safe trip."

    "Thanks. I''ll see you next summer break, I guess."

    "Sure." Aubrey smiles at him, a little bit too bright.

    After Asher disappears behind the door, Aubrey sighs and turns around, only to meet with Lorraine''s frowning face.

    "What did he want?"

    "He just wanted to apologize before he had to go back to his boarding school."

    Lorraine purses her lips. "How is he?"

    Aubrey shrugs. "Honestly? I don''t know. But he looks fine." When she notices Lorraine''s frown hasn''t left her face, Aubrey bumps her shoulder to hers. "Hey, you look twenty years older if you do that. Come on, smile. You don''t want Max to see you like this."

    Lorraine opens her mouth in disbelief. "What?"

    Aubrey grins. "I know about you and him. And don''t worry, I''ve done some research about his background and stuff. I approve."

    Lorraine drops her jaws, causing Aubrey to burst into laughter. The girl wraps her hands around Lorraine''s arm and ushers her to the refreshing room.

    "It''s time for you to date someone again, you know. It''s been a while."

    "Uh-uh."

    "Seriously. You need to move on, we need to move on."

    Lorraine smiles and pats Aubrey''s hand. "That I agree. We need to move on."

    Things with Lorraine have been progressing well. Besides Aubrey''s counseling, they''re scheduled to have a family session every month. It helps a great deal for the two to learn to reconnect.

    "Hey, Lorraine, I''ve been wondering." Aubrey glances at her adoptive mother. "Why were you so against the prom by the way? It''s not like you''re against me having a date or something."

    Lorraine halts and turns herself to face Aubrey fully. "I know I haven''t told you this. But I had a vision about the prom."

    "A vision?"

    "Yes. Actually, your mom, Claire, visited me in my dream. She took me for a walk, but instead, we jumped from one scene to another scene. It was so weird, yet so vivid. All I could see was you in a red dress, Bob, the ballroom, and then you''re crying somewhere in the woods, against the tree. It was when I saw it... the demon, standing behind you, glaring at me. And then I woke up."

    Aubrey''s heart leaps when she hears Lorraine''s explanation. "Do you think it was... Mom warning us?"

    "I''d like to believe that." Lorraine nods before putting her arm around Aubrey''s shoulders. "Looking back at it, we were so lucky to have Claire who kept looking out for us."

    The pain that has never left Aubrey bounces up to the surface. "Do you think God will free her soul from the demon''s hand eventually?"

    "This is something we don''t know because it''s His prerogative. But I know for sure, God forgives."

    ??????