《Shadow Purger》 Chapter 1 - Demons & Dollars There was nowhere to hide. The chakram of light brightened the dark and grimy alley that my target fled into. The creature¡ªa demonic entity allured by sin¡ªsnarled in hopes of scaring me away, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before the demon was purged by yours truly. Hunting pitch-black, seven-feet tall fiends at night would sound crazy and impossible to anyone, so imagine the satisfaction of cornering one after a five-minute chase¡ªblood pumping and heart racing to achieve the unthinkable. That adrenaline only heightened after hurling my chakram and seeing its power exterminate the beast on impact. ¡°Got¡¯cha.¡± My victory taunt came with a heavy breath from fatigue. All was up in this game of cat and mouse except the one downside of purging a demon: its odor. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure which was worse: the smell of sulfur it left behind, or the foul stench of rotten food coming from the dumpsters in the alley. Whatever. Putting down demonic animals was nothing new. For the past three months, I had slain many demons responsible for manipulating human aspirations and manifesting their dark desires into reality. Sometimes I¡¯d wonder what gave me the ability to see and fight monsters only spoken of in fairy tales, but deep down, I didn¡¯t mind not knowing because I now had freakin¡¯ superpowers. Like, who cares, right? A trail of purple mist meant my night of purging evil wasn¡¯t over. I liked to call it the Shadow Current, a source of negativity created by demons. I followed the trail through the urban outskirts of New York City and ended up two blocks away in front of a house that desperately needed renovation. Seriously, the unmown lawn and broken mailbox flooded with envelopes were giving abandonment vibes. If a demon was inside, it most certainly manipulated the homeowner by now. They love to mess with people living in this type of environment. The theme song from the movie, The Exorcist, played in my head as I knocked on the door expecting to fight some possessed person ready to curse my mother''s name. But after receiving no answer for what felt like three minutes, I knew my fantasy version of the film wasn¡¯t going to happen. Regardless, I needed to get inside and slay the demon. Who knew what twisted desire someone in there might¡¯ve had. It could¡¯ve been to wish death on someone, to destroy the city, or something far worse than I could think of. A burgundy brick on the ground from the crumbling exterior of the home caught my eye. I picked it up and did the obvious: smashed the window and prayed no one saw or heard the glass shatter into a hundred pieces. Yes, this was risky, foolish, and could¡¯ve put me behind bars tonight, but the thought of a demonic creature corrupting an innocent man, woman, or child drove me to do whatever was necessary to make sure that didn¡¯t happen. I avoided the shards of glass and crawled through the window into a dark and silent living room. Only torn-up ivory couches and small tables covered with dirty white mats were visible until the glowing red eyes of a demon poked out from behind a wall. ¡°Hey, ugly,¡± I called out while generating light energy in my hand to manifest a chakram. ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± It launched out of hiding with claws spread to tear and maim, but its pursuit came to a swift end after being struck by my chakram. The black saliva oozing from its mouth spilled between the cracks of the wooden floor as the creature disintegrated from the radiance. There was still work to do. No way did a weak demon like that create the Shadow Current that led me here. It would take a horde of them or one powerful fiend to generate that much negativity, so I explored the run-down house in search of the real threat. My rash choice of action began to play with my paranoia while looking around. What if someone saw me break the window? Hell, what if someone already called the police?This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. All of those worries left my mind when an eerie chill breezed through my curly silver hair after stepping into a gloomy bedroom. A middle-aged man was surrounded by dollar bills with his face contorted into a wide grimace. ¡°I should¡¯ve figured someone would try to rob me,¡± he said in a demonic voice. ¡°And of course it¡¯d be a dumb, Black teenager. I can kill you legally for breaking into my house.¡± The thought of this racist asshole possessing a weapon came to mind, but I stood my ground and sneered. ¡°Look, I¡¯m gonna keep this real simple: you''re possessed by a demon that¡¯s feeding your greed for money, and I¡¯m pretty sure all of the cash is actually coming from banks and wallets belonging to other people.¡± ¡°And you think I care? I¡¯m sick of being underpaid in this corrupt world while ungrateful bastards throw money all over the place. And yeah, I¡¯ve done some dirt to make ends meet, but I¡¯ve also worked hard for decades, dammit. Once I¡¯m rich and not struggling to survive in this dump, all of my sins will be erased.¡± Sucks for this guy, really. But I had to break the demonic spell. Sorry not sorry. Before I could do anything, one of the demons crawled its way out of the shadows and stood tall behind the man¡¯s smaller figure. Its crimson, bloodshot eyes glared with vicious intent. It wanted nothing more than to devour me with its razor-like fangs that were only matched in length by its piercing, jagged claws. ¡°Money is everything. Money is power,¡± the man shouted with a maniacal laugh. Ugh, talk about dramatic. His words were followed by a roar from the creature. It stomped with enough force to shatter parts of the floor and knock me off my feet, leaving me vulnerable to an attack. It rushed forward and raised its arm to deliver a crushing blow, but I rolled out of the way and flung a chakram in its direction. The weapon penetrated the monster¡¯s torso, causing it to whimper in agony and stumble back before fading into nothingness. The man charged with his hand reaching for my neck. I couldn¡¯t react fast enough to avoid my back being slammed against a wall with his fingers digging into my throat. ¡°I won¡¯t let you have it,¡± he growled through gritted teeth. ¡°It¡¯s mine, I tell you. Mine.¡± Desperate for air, I stabbed into his right eye with my nails and pushed him back to gain some separation. It was time to free his mind and put an end to this. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry your life¡¯s been rough,¡± I exhaled, raising my left hand at him as he held his face and wailed from the pain. ¡°But money can¡¯t save you from your sins.¡± A ray of light released from my palm, illuminating the room. The shriek of a demon reverberated in my ears as the brightness gradually dimmed until the dull and peeling walls were visible again. The demon controlling him was no more, and the man stood motionless before collapsing on the floor, his unconscious body allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief. A relief that was short lived. ¡°Dad?¡± a child-like voice called out somewhere in the house. I turned my back to the doorway and stood still at the sound of scampering. This is not how things usually went. ¡°Who are you?¡± The kid was now behind me. ¡°What happened to daddy? Where¡¯s all the money for my surgery?¡± Oh, God. See, because of my ability to undo sinful acts caused by demons, the ocean of stolen cash that flooded the room had vanished and returned to its rightful owners. My power couldn¡¯t reverse death or physical damages, but it was good enough to prevent the city from crumbling under demonic influence. However, there were rare moments like tonight that left me uncertain of whether I did the right thing or not. Regardless, I kept my back turned and ran out of the house, hoping to get far away before the kid called the police. The brisk wind of the evening hour made me zip up my gray leather jacket and slide my hands into the pockets while marching a good distance from the home. In doing so, I felt a vibration from my cell phone and took it out to look at the text on the screen. Ali I¡¯m outside. Did u forget about our reservation? ¡°Damn,¡± I muttered, peering down at the message from my boyfriend, Lucas. I texted back, Of course not... I¡¯m not home right now tho. Can u pick me up? Sending the location. Imagining his frustrated face while texting my location filled me with guilt. This wasn¡¯t the first time I had forgotten our plans, and because of how caught up I usually got with chasing demons, I knew it wouldn¡¯t be the last. Instead of texting me back, he arrived ten minutes later in his car with the expression I had visualized. The worst part about it? Today was our anniversary. ¡°Hey, sorry I wasn¡¯t home. I was¡ª¡± ¡°You can tell me about it on the way there. Just get in.¡± Chapter 2 - Disaster Date Soothing jazz music serenaded the rustic Italian restaurant as people sat in their designated seats to feast and converse. Lucas and I were seated in a booth across from each other with our food served on plates that matched the checkered interior design. He stared down at the last portion of his meal with his messy, bleach-blond hair covering his blue eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, watching him dig into his lasagna. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Did you forget I can sense bad vibes? What¡¯s up?¡± He huffed and finally looked at me before speaking. ¡°What do you think? I just had to pick you up from some guy¡¯s house you broke into. All because you wanna play paranormal investigator and save the world with your light magic. It¡¯s crazy and dangerous, Ali.¡± I hated when he got like this. It was times like these when I wished he could read my mind and understand my heart. Maybe then he¡¯d realize that purging demons wasn¡¯t a game to me. It¡¯s what gave me direction in a world I was so lost in. If it wasn¡¯t for the power I had, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with my life. ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡± I asked him. ¡°I know you can¡¯t see the demons or the purple mist that shows up whenever they¡¯re around, but actual monsters are out there making dark desires come true and feeding off that negativity. People are being manipulated, Lucas. You acted like you supported me when I showed you the light in my hand a few months ago, but now you¡¯re against the whole thing?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want you to die,¡± he blurted louder than I had expected him to. His voice caught the attention of a few people sitting at the tables nearby. ¡°You get so caught up in your own pleasures that you don¡¯t realize the people suffering closest to you. Seriously, Ali. It¡¯s gotten to the point where I¡¯m ready to tell your parents because I¡¯m sick of seeing bruises on your body and not knowing if you¡¯ll be here with me to see another day. How do you expect me not to be worried about you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, okay? But I can¡¯t just ignore it. If I don¡¯t use this power given to me by who-knows-what, can you imagine how messed up this city would be?¡± He slouched back and sighed. His concern for me was being voiced through anger, and I couldn¡¯t blame him for that. But at the same time, I was growing more irritated because I wanted him to listen and understand my side in the argument. ¡°Okay, say I go along with everything you¡¯ve told me,¡± he started, ¡°it still doesn¡¯t explain these abilities you have. You claim demons possess people and give them powers based on their strongest desire, so why is it you can do what you do? Are you blessed by an angel or something?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know, and honestly, trying to figure it out just gives me a headache.¡± ¡°Well, I think we need to talk about it,¡± he persisted, sitting up in his seat. At this point, I was hoping he¡¯d leave the subject alone and take me home, but he kept going. ¡°All of this stuff started happening three months ago after your brother died in that school shooting. I think you¡¯re still blaming yourself for the whole thing and risking your life to help others because you feel it¡¯ll make up for what happened.¡± And of course he¡¯d say the one thing to make me cross my arms and look away with a scowl. I didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he was right. Part of my motivation to make the city a better place came from the loss of my brother, who died in a school shooting responsible for the death of nineteen students. If I had made a different decision before the incident, I could have prevented not only his death, but the loss of eighteen others as well.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to go there, Lucas. Like, I¡¯m done. Take me home.¡± He reached his hand over the table to grab mine. ¡°Babe, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to bring up the shooting, but if everything we¡¯re talking about is true, then there must be others out there with supernatural abilities who can help people with their problems. I just wish you¡¯d stop what you¡¯re doing and live a normal life again. I can¡¯t lose you.¡± Ugh. I hated feeling conflicted, but maybe he had a point. ¡°Fine. Whatever. I do what I do for a reason, but I guess I should¡¯ve thought more about how you¡¯d feel. And yeah, I shouldn¡¯t be putting myself in dangerous situations. So, okay. It¡¯ll be tough, but I promise I¡¯ll only use my power if I have to.¡± ¡°Thanks, babe. I love you.¡± We both leaned in and pressed our lips together in hopes of a tongue-twisting exchange, but the grumbling of a nearby couple caused a quick end to our embrace. ¡°We should continue this at your place,¡± he suggested with a smirk. ¡°Why mine? You and your dad still at it?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know he¡¯s been an annoying piece of crap since my mom passed away, so I don¡¯t feel like getting into it with him if he sees you¡¯re over late tonight. Hell, just a few hours ago, I told him I haven¡¯t applied to more colleges because I¡¯ve been focusing on the band. What does he do? He goes on a rant about my decision and locks away the guitar Mom gave me like I¡¯m still some damn kid. I can¡¯t stand him, Ali. I need some kind of escape from everything that¡¯s been going on lately.¡± I didn¡¯t have the perfect response to make him feel better, which I thought was crazy seeing as I¡¯ve been helping others with their problems for the past three months. All I could do was interlock our fingers and say, ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯ll always be here for you. Always. Now let¡¯s get out of here.¡± After paying the check and tipping the waiter, we exited the restaurant and walked to the parking lot, stopping to take a picture to share on social media along the way. He opened the passenger door of his car and waited for me to sit inside. ¡°Your ride awaits, my lady,¡± he voiced in a polite tone. I snorted at his debonair mannerism. Before sliding into the vehicle, I noticed a purple fog had begun to form around the empty lot, confirming the presence of a malicious demon. The murky beast soon came into view, lurking behind a truck. ¡°Everything cool, Ali?¡± The promise I made to him shot to the forefront of my mind as if it was the most important thing in my life. Breaking it was something I couldn¡¯t do, no matter how much I wanted to at that moment. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good. It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Disappointed, I got in the car and looked out of the window as Lucas drove away from the area. The demon¡¯s aura dwindled, but the regret of not purging it remained in my mind. Saving New York City just got a lot more complicated. *** Sneaking inside my bedroom was never fun for me and Lucas, but it was necessary whenever we wanted privacy. The struggle began with him climbing the tree next to my house and leaping onto the curved roof of the garage attached to the home¡ªwhere my bedroom window was located. He then lifted the already cracked window before I made my way up the tree and extended my arm for him to take. He used both his hands to pull me onto the roof, losing his balance in the process and causing both of us to fall through the window into my bedroom. We laughed as I laid on top of him with my face buried in his chest. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m on top this time,¡± I whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all,¡± he replied, caressing my thighs. I smiled and slid off him, taking off my jacket and throwing it across the auburn room in awkward seduction. He chuckled and rose off the velvet rug, removing his hoodie and tossing it on the burgundy blanket folded at the bottom of my bed. I lifted his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor before we pressed our bodies together and kissed. The dancing of our tongues didn¡¯t last long, though, as they separated at the sound of my cell phone ringing. ¡°You wanna get that?¡± he asked, placing his hands on my hips and looking into my hazel eyes. I slid my hand into my pants pocket and took out my phone to look at the screen. The caller was my best friend, Valeria. ¡°I¡¯ll call her back later,¡± I said, tapping decline and placing my phone down on the nightstand behind me. I needed to put Lucas first. For once. We jumped back into our lip-locking exchange in hopes of rebuilding the sexual tension, but our moment was interrupted yet again by the ringing of my phone. ¡°This¡¯ll be quick, I promise,¡± I assured him, picking up the phone to look at the screen. This time, the caller wasn¡¯t Valeria. ¡°Damn. It¡¯s my¡ª¡± A knock on the door forced my eyes to widen. ¡°Aliyah, I hear your phone ringing.¡± My mother¡¯s voice was stern on the other side. ¡°Open this door right now.¡± Uh-oh. Chapter 3 - Parents Suck. Creeps, Too I had to think fast. Lucas scurried to put his clothes back on as I acted on a whim to take off my outside attire and change into my night shirt. There was no time to throw on my sweatpants. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± he mumbled, growing more nervous from the sound of my mom repeatedly turning the locked doorknob. ¡°Pretending I was here the whole time. Just hurry up and go. I¡¯ll call you later.¡± I waited until he climbed out of the window before opening the room door to see my mother with an angry look on her face. ¡°Hey, Mom.¡± I greeted her with a fake smile. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to act innocent, Aliyah. Why was the door locked? Was Lucas in here? And when did you come back in the house in the first place?¡± I pretended to yawn before saying, ¡°I got back in earlier and fell asleep. No, Lucas was not in here. My door was locked ¡®cause I have a thief for a little sister who likes to steal my makeup when I¡¯m not looking. I don¡¯t wanna see my products on her face when we¡¯re leaving out for school tomorrow.¡± Her eyes narrowed in suspicion until she saw the bruises on my brown skin. ¡°Where did those marks come from? Is Lucas putting his hands on you, Aliyah?¡± ¡°Whoa, chill with the accusations, Mom. The school started a girl¡¯s wrestling team recently and I tried out for it. I ended up getting my ass beat, though.¡± Lying was never my thing, but wow did I get good at it over the last few months. She scrutinized me before inspecting the room and asking, ¡°Why is the window open when you barely have any clothes on? You know the neighbors across the street have a son that¡¯s a year younger than you.¡± ¡°Okay? He shouldn¡¯t be looking in here like some creep. Why do I gotta be uncomfortable in my own room?¡± She walked over to the window and closed it. Thank God she didn¡¯t peek her head out and spot Lucas¡¯s car parked a block away. ¡°Aliyah, I''m telling you right now: either you keep this window closed, cover up, or you turn off the lights. Goodnight.¡± She walked out of the room and shut the door behind her, leaving me to get ready for bed. I put on my sweatpants before opening the window and looking outside to check if Lucas¡¯s car was still there. Though I didn¡¯t see his vehicle, the view of something disturbing made the hairs on my body stand on end. ¡°What the¡­ Who is that?¡± I stared with apprehension at a pale-skinned girl with red highlights in her jet-black hair. She stood under the streetlight across from my house wearing a black denim jacket and boots, appearing to be around my age. Looking up at my window with a blank expression, her gray eyes only added to her mystique. What frightened me more was that I couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s aura or sense her negative emotions like I could with anyone else. If she didn¡¯t have cruel intentions, why did her presence cause such an unsettling feeling in my stomach? Creeped out, I shut the window and pulled the curtains together before backing away and getting into my bed. Tonight, I had fought demons and a possessed man ready to take my life, but the alarming image of the girl outside terrified me the most.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. *** Walking through the maize brick halls of Ravenvale High School the next morning was unnerving with thoughts of the strange chick still lingering in my mind. I did my best to shake them off and maneuver past a group of students to reach my locker, where I grabbed a textbook for my second class of the day. What I didn¡¯t expect to see after turning around was my childhood friend towering over me. ¡°What the hell, Tyler?¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Don¡¯t be a weirdo.¡± He half-smiled, combing through his box fade. ¡°Damn, you get scared too easily to be a superhero. How was the date last night?¡± ¡°Normal,¡± I said as we sauntered in the direction of my classroom. ¡°What happened in my room afterward was hot, though. Until my mom ruined it.¡± ¡°Yeah, like I need that image in my head first thing in the morning.¡± He gave me a look of disgust. ¡°Anyway, I heard a ton of money was returned to the bank last night. I¡¯m guessing that was your doing?¡± ¡°Of course, but I feel a little bad about it. Some of the cash was gonna go to a kid¡¯s operation. The stuff I deal with can be hard, but I¡¯m the only one who can do it.¡± ¡°Well, someone¡¯s cocky. You might wanna check out something I saw online, though. Maybe it¡¯ll bring you back down to reality.¡± He removed his cell phone from his pocket, causing me to snort at the sight of it. ¡°Uh, I think you¡¯re the one out of touch with reality if you¡¯re still using that old thing.¡± ¡°Just read the damn article. Not everyone¡¯s obsessed with the latest tech.¡± I rolled my eyes and took the phone, peering at the words on the screen. The article stated that a trio of drug lords were found dead last night after evading police custody. No word yet on who tipped off officials, or if the person played a pivotal role in the murders. My brows creased in confusion after reading. ¡°Uh, what does this have to do with me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± he asked with a mocking grin. ¡°Someone¡¯s out there doing your job, but better.¡± I shoved the phone against his chest for him to take. ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence, and I¡¯m saving people from their sins, not killing them for their crimes.¡± ¡°Either way, it¡¯s still strange. You mind explaining how the whole magic show works again?¡± Did he really ask that? I had explained it to him a thousand times already. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. It¡¯s like everything I¡¯ve told you and Lucas for the past few months went poof. Gone. Zero. Like, it¡¯s simple: after I use my light on someone influenced by a demon, their sins are reversed, and the person forgets everything that happened while they were under its control. It¡¯s clean and effective.¡± ¡°Yeah, and super convenient for you. Don¡¯t you ever feel like you¡¯re stripping away a person¡¯s free will? I mean, think about it. People have reasons for wanting what they want and doing what they do. If you take away someone¡¯s desire, good or bad, wouldn¡¯t that be robbing them of their freedom?¡± We stopped outside of my classroom before I answered. ¡°It¡¯s not that deep, Ty. My Enlightenment only works on those being manipulated by demons. I¡¯m not some crusader spewing woke agendas at people while flashing them¡­¡± I paused, the two of us giving each other questionable looks. ¡°Okay, that last part didn¡¯t sound right.¡± ¡°It really didn¡¯t,¡± he laughed out before I punched his arm. He shrugged after and said, ¡°But I guess you¡¯re right. Man, I wish I had superpowers. I¡¯d make you my sidekick.¡± ¡°Whatever. I wish Lucas could be this enthusiastic. I promised him last night that I wouldn¡¯t do anything crazy, but it¡¯s hard for me to fight the feeling I get whenever I sense someone¡¯s in trouble. Maybe this is my way of changing society for the better, you know? And I don¡¯t wanna stop now, especially after I¡¯ve gotten used to it. Sending demons back to hell these days is almost as easy as beating you in Call of Duty.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s that conceitedness again,¡± he mumbled with his brown eyes looking everywhere but at me. They landed on my disapproving face when he was ready to ask a question. ¡°By the way, have you seen or spoken to Val today?¡± ¡°No. I forgot to call her back last night, but I hit her up this morning and didn¡¯t get a text back. Why, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It could be nothing, but I¡¯m a little worried. Her foster parents have been treating her worse these past couple of days. Since you two tell each other everything, I figured she¡¯d talk to you about what¡¯s going on more than she would with me.¡± Before I could voice my concerns, the late bell rang. ¡°I¡¯ll find her after class,¡± I told him. After a quick nod, he turned to walk away as I stepped into the classroom. I took my seat in the front row and tried to concentrate on the lesson, but thoughts of Valeria clouded my focus. With time slowly passing, I knew it would be quite a while before I could run to my best friend¡¯s aid. Chapter 4 - To Lose Everything Overtaken by an odd sensation during the final minutes of class, my attention turned to the purple mist circulating outside of the classroom. You can¡¯t be serious, I thought to myself. With the amount of negativity radiating off the students in this school, it didn¡¯t surprise me that a demon would come here to find a puppet to string along. I contemplated whether to act or keep my word to Lucas. A decision came a minute later after I could no longer resist the urge to rid the evil in the air. ¡°Can I use the bathroom?¡± I requested, raising my hand. ¡°It¡¯s an emergency.¡± The teacher groaned. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Getting out of my seat, I rushed into the hall and followed the Shadow Current, bumping into a man wearing a navy-blue suit in the process. After running up a secluded stairway to the third floor, I halted after seeing the girl from last night coming down the stairs that led to the roof. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go up there if I were you,¡± she said so nonchalantly. She was less scary now without the creepy stalker vibe, but I still couldn¡¯t sense any emotion from her. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re gonna get your ass killed. There¡¯s too many of them to fight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who are you? What do you mean there¡¯s too many of them?¡± ¡°Too many demons, obviously. Isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re here? And who I am isn¡¯t important, just know that the girl up there ready to kill herself is too far gone. You¡¯re only gonna die trying to save her.¡± Who the hell did she think she was? ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know who you are, how you know about the demons, or why you were stalking me last night, but if you¡¯re not gonna do anything about the problem up there, I suggest you mind your own business.¡± She snickered at my remark and walked past me with a brush of her shoulder. ¡°Your funeral, sweetheart. I¡¯ll see you on the other side when I get there.¡± Ignoring her comment, I walked upwards to the roof door and opened it. The cloudy sky came with an ominous wind that smacked across my face, but nothing was more chilling than the sight in front of me. ¡°Val?¡± my voice quavered as a gut-wrenching feeling dispelled my confidence. ¡°What are you doing up here? Are you about to¡ª¡± ¡°Go away. Don¡¯t try to stop me.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. My best friend stood near the edge of the building with her vision fixated on the ground three stories below. A strong gust blew her chestnut-brown hair into the air, bringing with it an evil presence. My eyes widened at the ogre-like demon now hovering over her. ¡°No. Not her. Get away from her.¡± My shaky words diminished into silence as I took small steps forward. Valeria turned to face me, her eyes red and puffy. ¡°Please, just let it be over. I¡¯m tired of being abused, and I¡¯m sick of being judged by everyone. I can¡¯t wake up to the same sad life anymore, Aliyah. I just can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Val, no. Please, you have to fight the voice in your head. One of the demons I¡¯ve been telling you about is manipulating you.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I just want an escape. And once I¡¯m gone, Tyler can be happy again. All I do is make him miserable because I¡¯m so depressed about my own life. I want to leave this place and be forgotten. Why can¡¯t you understand?¡± I stepped forward and reached out to her, but the demon threatened to intervene by wrapping its sizable frame around her. Normally, I¡¯d try aiding the person in defeating their own demons so they could remember their wrongdoings and not hold on to the same sinful desire, but this was far from the usual situation. Valeria could die at any second. The demon opened its mouth and whispered an incoherent message in Valeria¡¯s ear. I had seen enough. It was time to risk it all. I dashed toward the demon, chakram in hand. Smaller fiends appeared from all angles to strike me down, but most were purged after being hit by rapid throws of my chakram. It was tough to keep up the pace and manifest repeated rings of light, but I was not going to lose my best friend. Not now. Not ever. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to it, Val,¡± I called out, fighting through the army of darkness. ¡°I¡¯m almost there. I¡¯m gonna save you.¡± Or so I thought. A frontal assault from the remaining demons ripped through my attire and pierced my skin, a hard thrust forcing me back to where I started. They cackled at my failure, but their uncanny expressions were a joke compared to the sudden eerie view of Valeria. ¡°Save me?¡± Her voice now demonic. Her face contorted into a devilish grin. ¡°How can you save me when you¡¯re always too busy helping strangers instead of those closest to you? Why waste your time on me when you have a perfect life? A perfect boyfriend. A perfect family.¡± ¡°Val, you are my family. You¡¯re like a sister to me. Please, don¡¯t let the demon influence you.¡± Tears began to break free from my eyes. I had encountered people with strong resolves in the past, but none with the complexity and personal attachment to me as Valeria. She wasn¡¯t just someone with a sinful desire, but my best friend who I knew and loved. ¡°Why do you want me to stay here and suffer? So you can be happy? You¡¯re so selfish.¡± ¡°If saving you means I¡¯m selfish, then I don¡¯t care. I already lost a brother, Val. I am not losing you too. You need to understand that no one knows what the future will bring. Staying alive gives you options. It means life can get better. You¡¯ll never know if it will if you do this.¡± My speech erased her twisted smirk, and it would appear the demon¡¯s manipulation was broken had the creature not spoken into her ear once more. Seeing her step on the edge of the building, I released a ray of light toward the beast, but the beam failed to reach its target due to the lesser demons grouping together to absorb the radiance in a cloak of shadows. Valeria lowered her head and said, ¡°I love you¡±. Her words were heavenly even coming from the voice of hell. ¡°Val, no. Please.¡± I had to save her no matter what, but the swarm of lesser demons prohibited me from reaching her while the larger entity delivered another message. The creatures continued to pile on, now blocking my view of Valeria. I pressed forward with relentless force, but I feared it was too late. They backed away to give me a clear view of the truth: my best friend was gone. The demons shrieked in pleasure as tears streamed down my face like a running faucet. I was defeated, unable to rescue someone dear to me. For the first time, I wasn¡¯t the winner. I was the loser. Not wanting to end their reign of terror, the demons pounced on top of me like a pack of wolves, sinking their teeth and claws into my skin. I screamed from the torment being inflicted while managing to unleash a combination of strikes and throws with my chakram to purge the circle of animals. The nightmare continued, however, with another round of bloodthirsty fiends. They ravaged my body and tore my clothes to shreds, putting cuts on my legs and torso. My best attempts to fight back were useless as more joined the battle whenever the fight would sway in my favor. ¡°Give her back.¡± I fought on, cutting through as many as I can. ¡°I said give her back.¡± Slash. Another one down. Slash, they came again. And again. My mind, body, and soul could take no more. I just wanted my friend back. ¡°Just give her back. Please.¡± Covered in blood with no strength or will to carry on, I begged for my suffering to end. The horde of demons fulfilled my wish with a conjoined swipe that sent my body off the roof of the school. Falling to the ground, I expected the last images in my head to be of my family, my boyfriend, and my closest friends. But as I plummeted faster, the only visuals were fragments of unexplainable thoughts until there was only darkness. Chapter 5 - Back To Reality A white gleam illuminated the blurry scene. Was this heaven? No. An antiseptic scent and the beeping sound of a machine gave it away. With my vision clearing, a hospital room ceiling came into view. I saw the faces of my mom and dad; their joy expressed through broad smiles. ¡°Aliyah¡­¡± my mother began, weeping as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around my neck. ¡°My baby¡¯s awake. Thank you, God.¡± ¡°Mom? Dad? What happened? Why am I in the hospital?¡± ¡°You were found unconscious and injured outside of the school,¡± my father told me. ¡°Police suspect there was an altercation on the roof and either you had fallen or were thrown off. No one has been able to explain the claw marks on your body, though. It¡¯s like an animal tried to kill you.¡± I stared at the white blanket covering me and tried to recollect my memories. ¡°Why would I be on the roof? Please, tell me everything. Anything.¡± My parents turned to each other with distress written all over their faces. I felt the squeezing of my chest at their crestfallen expressions. My father said gravely, ¡°No one knows for sure why you were up there. It¡¯s believed that Valeria attacked you before attempting suicide.¡± Flashbacks of the moment began to reform in my mind. I sat in a state of shock and looked at my parents with glassy eyes. It took all the courage I had to ask my next question. ¡°Is she alive?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± my father replied, gripping onto my hand. ¡°But unfortunately, sweetie, she suffered severe brain damage and has been unresponsive since the fall. There¡¯s a high possibility that she may never recover. I¡¯m sorry.¡± And just like that, I felt the pain of losing her all over again. My dad held me close, sharing my heartache. ¡°I let you down,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s my job to know when people need help. I should¡¯ve seen the signs.¡± It may have been his job as a social worker to see the signs, but I had the power to sense it. Yes, Valeria¡¯s difficulties with her home life created an aura of negativity, but it shouldn¡¯t have been enough to attract as many demons as there were on the roof. Something must¡¯ve happened the night before the incident. Something she tried calling me about. I just didn¡¯t know what. I laid back and let my thoughts wander in silence. My parents sat in the chairs near my bedside and waited until I was ready to talk. ¡°Where¡¯s Mya?¡± I asked, curious about my younger sister¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°She¡¯s at an art gallery downtown,¡± my mother informed me. ¡°One of her paintings was chosen to be on the show floor. It¡¯s unbelievable how much she¡¯s improved these past few weeks.¡± ¡°Weeks? Mom, what do you mean? Mya started showing us her art just a few days ago.¡± My father grumbled before my mother took a deep breath and addressed my question. ¡°Aliyah, we planned not to tell you this until you fully recovered, but I guess it¡¯s too late for that now.¡± She paused, glancing at my dad and back to me. ¡°You¡¯ve been in the hospital for four weeks.¡± I gaped in reaction. The reveal of my absence from the world left my chest heaving and lips quivering. So many days gone. How could I have been asleep for so long? ¡°Four weeks? Was I in a coma or something? I don¡¯t remember ever being here.¡± ¡°You did open your eyes a few times,¡± my mom said. ¡°But it was only for a few seconds. Maybe you just don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°No, this can¡¯t be real. Mom, Dad, tell me you¡¯re lying. Please. There¡¯s just no way this is possible.¡± The sound of the heart monitor increased. ¡°Aliyah, you need to calm down,¡± my father urged. ¡°I know that was difficult for you to hear, but this is serious. You can go into cardiac arrest if you don¡¯t relax.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°How do you expect me to relax, Dad? You just told me I¡¯ve been in and out of sleep for weeks. I can¡¯t keep calm and sit here. I have responsibilities. I have people that need me. I¡ª¡± ¡°Aliyah, please. We can¡¯t lose you again. Listen to your father.¡± My rebuttal ended at my mother¡¯s words. I exhaled and shut my watery eyes, lying motionless for what seemed like hours as my parents left the room and reentered on several occasions. My heart sank deeper and deeper into a pit of despair until a familiar face called my name and walked inside. ¡°Lucas,¡± I gasped, using the small bit of strength I had to tie my arms around his neck after he rushed over to me. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m here, Ali,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been here every single day. I knew you¡¯d wake up. I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re back.¡± My eyes drifted toward my parents, who were standing near the door of the room. ¡°We¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± my father said. ¡°We love you,¡± my mother chimed in. With my parents exiting the room, Lucas and I were alone, gazing into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m so¡ª¡± His lips pressed against mine, leaving me marveling at his affection. Our tongues then intertwined, taking in the moment. Breathless, we stared at each other. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to do that for a long time,¡± he admitted with a chuckle, taking a seat in the chair by my bed. I wanted to keep the mood lighthearted, but thoughts of the past led me down a darker path. ¡°Lucas, I tried stopping Val from killing herself, but a swarm of demons attacked and knocked me off the roof of the school. Val wasn¡¯t trying to kill me. She¡ª¡± ¡°I believe you. I knew something else had to be up, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you broke your promise, Ali. Not unless you were dragged into it or had an idea that it was Val being possessed.¡± My lip curled with disgust. ¡°Wait, so it¡¯s okay if I help when one of our friends is in trouble, but not when it¡¯s somebody else? What the hell, Lucas?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he replied with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna start an argument, alright? This is a happy moment for us, and I just want you to know that I¡¯ll support any choice you make going forward; but I want you to be safe. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to handle seeing you in the hospital like this again. So please, Ali, I don¡¯t wanna be selfish, but think about what you¡¯re doing to me.¡± His words caused a heavy confliction to weigh on my mind, becoming heavier the more I tried to think of a solution. All I could do was let go of my frustrations and tell him the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m gonna do,¡± I told him, feeling pain all over my body and weakness in some areas. ¡°But it¡¯s not like I can do anything anytime soon in this condition. How¡¯s everything outside of this place, anyway? Is the city more corrupted?¡± ¡°I think so. Everything has gotten weird and depressing lately. The new craze on social media is people posting videos of themselves doing things that should be impossible. A lot of those people who managed to go viral went missing a few days later.¡± ¡°I bet the government killed them off. Are you sure the videos are real?¡± He confirmed with a nod before slouching back in his seat. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable. Another thing is that a bunch of people we¡¯re cool with are flat-out miserable now. I lost so many connections because nobody wants to hang out or do anything.¡± ¡°The demons must be causing that. They can increase any negative thoughts or emotions you might have until they take over your entire persona. I hope nothing¡¯s happened to Tyler after all this.¡± He huffed with his head low. ¡°I hate to tell you, Ali, but that guy¡¯s lost it. I mean, we¡¯re still cool and all, but he¡¯s not the same person he used to be. Val¡¯s suicide attempt hit him hard, and the only time I ever see him is during band practice and gigs.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I couldn¡¯t imagine what Tyler had gone through for the past month. Valeria may have been my best friend, but she was the love of his life. She knew him better than I did, regardless of how long me and him have known each other. I rested back and decided to talk about an easier subject. ¡°So, how is the band?¡± His grin caused me to sit back up in anticipation. ¡°What, you guys finally decided on a name?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going with Broken Limitations. The whole group decided the name was pretty sick. Check out our newest song.¡± He took out his cell phone and played the band¡¯s latest track. I was more of a Hip-Hop and R&B kinda gal, and the heavy metal instrumentals were a much different sound than I had expected, but I was still overjoyed to hear him on the recording. ¡°Okay, this is a vibe,¡± I said, almost wanting to squeal like a fangirl. ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s like a wave of energy just hit me one night, and I knew for sure this is what I wanted to do with my life.¡± The sound of a female voice on the track made me raise my brow. ¡°There¡¯s a girl in the group?¡± He muted the song and put his phone away. ¡°Yeah, her name¡¯s Robyn. She¡¯s my co-writer and co-singer. We met about three weeks ago, and I was surprised when she told me she goes to the same school as us.¡± I pursed my lips, deciding not to voice my worries when a male doctor stepped into the room. ¡°Good afternoon. I¡¯m pleased to see you¡¯re awake. Your recovery has been nothing short of a miracle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a miracle,¡± Lucas said, caressing my hand. ¡°It¡¯s just her. She¡¯s a fighter.¡± ¡°Well, despite her improvement, she¡¯ll need to undergo rehabilitation for a month. I can assign a physical therapist today if she feels ready to get started tomorrow.¡± I turned to Lucas and saw his encouraging smile. With him by my side and my desire to purge the demons still somewhat alive, there was only one answer to give the doctor. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Chapter 6 - Changes My days of recovery came and went in the blink of an eye, and I was more than eager to see anything outside of the white walls I grew to hate. As much as I wanted to leave this place and go home, there was still one last thing for me to do. One last person to say goodbye to. I stepped out of my hospital room and into the hallway, where I took the elevator up to the fifth floor. After passing by the receptionist desk and a few doctors standing in the hall, I stood outside of a room and took a deep breath before entering. ¡°Val?¡± I said, knowing she couldn¡¯t hear me. The machines surrounding her bed were the only things keeping her alive. And maybe, just maybe, the person sitting in the chair near her bedside. ¡°Hey, Ty. How are you?¡± I asked him, placing my hand on his shoulder. I didn¡¯t expect a response, for every time I came to visit Valeria during my rehabilitation, he would be in the room staring at her in silence. I turned my attention to my best friend, who laid with her eyes closed and an oxygen mask covering her mouth. I leaned in and kissed the side of her face before saying, ¡°I love you. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± My actions must¡¯ve sparked something in Tyler, because he looked at me and simply asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why is it that you get to walk out of here, but she doesn¡¯t?¡± The stern, aggressive tone in his voice offended me. ¡°Tyler, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sad too, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair to¡ª¡± ¡°Life isn¡¯t fair, Aliyah,¡± he shouted, cutting me off. ¡°Why is it that everyone else can make their wishes come true, but not me? I¡¯ve been praying for her to get off this damn life support every single day, and nothing ever happens. Why do I have to suffer while everyone else is happy? It¡¯s not right.¡± I didn¡¯t have the words to console him, and I lacked the knowledge of why some people could manifest their desires and others couldn¡¯t. It was moments like these that made me feel powerless, regardless of what I was capable of. ¡°If only I was a better person,¡± he continued with teary eyes. ¡°A better listener. A better protector. If I had put in more effort into loving her, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Something happened the night before Val was manipulated. Whatever it was made the demons attracted to her. You can¡¯t blame yourself for something out of your control.¡± He said nothing and looked back at Valeria in his usual trance-like expression. There wasn¡¯t anything I could do to make the situation better, so I decided to walk out of the room, but not before saying, ¡°She¡¯s not dead, Tyler. Just remember that.¡± My brief exchange with him was not how I wanted to start my first day out of this place. I brushed it aside, however, and took the elevator down to the first floor of the hospital, where a man with shaggy gray hair confronted me. ¡°Aliyah Dawn, I presume?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah? Who¡¯re you?¡± He adjusted his glasses before speaking. ¡°My name is Alvin Steinberg, and I oversee this facility that you¡¯ve been a patient of for the past two months. I must say, your case for being here intrigued me. Tell me, what will you do now with this second chance at life?¡± This guy was giving off creepy vibes that made me want to turn around and leave out the back door. He didn¡¯t have a strong negative aura around him, but something about the way he spoke and looked at me was off-putting. ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna finish high school,¡± I told him. ¡°Afterward, I don¡¯t know. Maybe do some volunteer work over the summer until I figure things out?¡± ¡°I see. And would this volunteer work have something to do with¡­ saving people from themselves?¡± Okay, red flag. That couldn¡¯t have been a coincidence. ¡°Um, what? How do you¡­¡± The nurse who had been my therapist approached us with a smile. ¡°Good afternoon, sir,¡± she greeted him before addressing me. ¡°Aliyah, your family is waiting for you outside.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I replied, keeping my eyes on Alvin. Either I was being paranoid, or this man knew about my abilities.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Very well. It was a pleasure speaking with you,¡± he said to me as if we had a full-blown conversation. ¡°I do hope we meet again, Miss Dawn. Carry on with your ventures in life.¡± He sauntered away and left me in the company of my therapist. She sat me in a wheelchair and pushed me down the bright corridor of the hospital. I waved goodbye to the staff and patients I became acquainted with until my therapist opened the door at the end of the hall. When the sun¡¯s rays beamed down on my skin, a feeling of freedom and deliverance overcame me as I covered my eyes with my arm. ¡°Aliyah,¡± my mom¡¯s voice called out from a short distance away. I blinked a few times before I stood up and saw her and my dad standing in front of their car. After giving my therapist a goodbye hug, I reunited with my parents. ¡°There¡¯s my girl. I¡¯m happy to see you,¡± my father said, embracing me with a tight squeeze before kissing my forehead. ¡°You ready to go home?¡± my mother asked, holding me close as well. I nodded and got into the vehicle, waiting for my dad to start the engine. Looking out of the window, a daunting, familiar sensation shot through my body, and all I could do was whisper my angst at the shroud of purple mist and shadowy creatures consuming the area. ¡°Welcome back to hell.¡± *** We arrived in my neighborhood of Pelham Bay after an hour drive, a residential area in the Bronx that embodied the perfect mix of an urban and suburban environment. I unbuckled my seat belt and stepped out of the vehicle while examining the beige exterior of my house, examining the verdant lawn surrounding our driveway. I was quite surprised at how tall the grass had grown. ¡°Looks like Dad¡¯s been slacking.¡± ¡°Hey, I heard that,¡± my father chirped as we walked in through the front door. ¡°Where¡¯s Mya?¡± ¡°She¡¯s at an art show displaying her latest work,¡± my mother answered before opening the door. ¡°She¡¯s been really motivated lately. I¡¯m so proud of her.¡± Walking into the house, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I looked around the off-white living room. It didn¡¯t take long for my dog, Cinnamon, to rush down the wooden stairs and pounce on me. ¡°I missed you so much, girl,¡± I laughed out, excited to kneel and rub my hand through her dark-brown fur again. ¡°Aliyah, your room¡¯s all ready,¡± my father told me. ¡°I made a few adjustments, but don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re gonna like it.¡± His face widened into a comical grin. The same expression he would have whenever he tried to fool me. ¡°Uh-huh. What did you change?¡± ¡°Hey, now. Your mom insisted I do it. Go on and check it out.¡± I rolled my eyes and walked upstairs to my bedroom, expecting a disaster. But wow was I left in awe at the lavender walls and stylish interior design that was fresh and sophisticated. I could not stop rubbing the back of my hand against the mauve, cotton bedspread that complimented the violet rug and lilac drapes hanging from the window. My fascination came to an end after spotting a photo of Valeria on top of my shelf. I picked up the vintage frame and held it close to my chest, shutting my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Val. I should¡¯ve answered the phone that night. I should¡¯ve been a better friend. Maybe then, you¡¯d still be here.¡± Maybe I¡¯m just not good enough. Valeria falling off the roof of the school replayed in my mind over and over again. I placed the frame back on the shelf in hopes of moving on and getting the moment out of my head, noticing a picture of my brother beside it. His gentle smile and soft features began to wash away the ghastly, vivid thoughts of the incident. ¡°I¡¯m scared, but I¡¯ll keep going. For you.¡± With nothing particular to do, I fell flat on my bed and considered calling Lucas. I had planned to surprise him in person by keeping my discharge from the hospital a secret, but the urge to speak to him right away couldn¡¯t be fought. When I tried to call him, though, all I got was his default voicemail. Curious of his whereabouts, I decided to scroll through his activity on social media. Upon viewing the images on his page, my heart skipped a beat. ¡°Oh, hell no.¡± My eyes narrowed in anger at the photos on the screen. The girl with jet-black hair who I met on my way to save Valeria was in each picture, standing happily next to Lucas. It was no doubt in my mind that she was Robyn, Lucas¡¯s co-singer. I didn¡¯t trust her one bit. Scanning through the rest of his page, a video played of the band performing. The aggressive tune and graphic lyrics were difficult to withstand, and I could just feel the disgust shaping my face as I watched Lucas and Robyn match each other¡¯s vocal intensity. At this point, I was more than ready to march over to his house and find out what the hell was going on, but my eyes landed on a post that read the band would be performing tonight at a house party. This was my chance. I rushed downstairs and approached my parents, who were sitting together in the living room on the brown linen sofa. I put on a broad, fake smile that resembled my dad¡¯s comedic grin. ¡°Oh boy, now she¡¯s doing the face. What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Mom, Dad, Lucas and his band are performing tonight at this party, and I really wanna go and support him. I remember telling you guys not to let him know when I was being released ¡®cause I wanted to surprise him. So please, it¡¯s my only chance. I won¡¯t be able to¡ª¡± ¡°No, Aliyah. You just got home, and there have been reports on the news of people disappearing. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I frowned at my mother¡¯s sharp response and looked over at my father, who appeared almost as disappointed as I was. ¡°Honey, I think we should let her go. She needs to¡ª¡± ¡°No, Richard. It¡¯s not happening.¡± I was ready to turn around in defeat and walk back up the stairs, but I gave my father one last pleading look before doing so. ¡°Diana, please, let her go out and have fun. It¡¯s just for one night. Lucas will be there, and you know he¡¯ll look after her no matter what. She¡¯ll be okay.¡± My mom groaned and sighed, glancing down at the beige rug before looking back up at me. ¡°Aliyah Dawn, you be back by eleven and not a minute later. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°Yes, Mom. I promise. Thank you so much. I love the both of you.¡± I sprinted back upstairs and into my room to get ready. My anxiety and determination for answers had driven me to tell a white lie, but it was one I decided to live with to confront Lucas and Robyn face-to-face. Chapter 7 - Fame Is A Drug I got out of a cab later that night where the house party was taking place and opened the front door to the booming sound of the music. My nose wrinkled at the smell of drugs, sweat, and alcohol, which were all surprisingly strong in the early hours of the party. Despite the unfamiliar tune that filled my ears as I pushed past a horde of my drunken peers, I knew it was Lucas¡¯s voice singing to the heavy metal instrumental. My heart clenched in my chest when I made it to the front of the crowd. He was in plain sight, strumming his guitar with a fiery passion. Halfway through the song was when I felt an uncanny vibe that only intensified when Robyn stepped out of the shadows and started to sing. My suspicions of her only increased after sensing her anguish, wondering why I couldn¡¯t feel her emotions in the past. Wanting to scream and warn Lucas about the witch he¡¯s been working with, I stopped myself knowing my words would only fall on deaf ears. Even if I could voice my fears, no one would believe me. With my only option to wait for the end of the performance, I stood in the rowdy crowd and glowered at Robyn until another unsettling feeling came over me. A purple mist had begun to replace the marijuana smoke in the air, and after analyzing the audience and following the Shadow Current, the sinister source was identified: a demon that hovered its murky body over a hooded male. The person appeared out of place in the loud, active environment, and I watched in horror as the demon leaned down and whispered into his ear. It reminded me of the beast who had influenced Valeria to end her life. Though afraid, I forced my way through a group of dudes vaping and got closer to the hooded man. His eyes were on Lucas, and he foamed at the mouth before grunting and taking a gun out of his pocket. An adrenaline rush took over my body at the sight of the weapon. ¡°No, don¡¯t shoot,¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs, getting the attention of a few people and causing them to panic and react with screams. The crowd began to scatter around the large house, and the gunman, exposed, pushed his way toward the front door and scurried out. ¡°Ali?¡± I turned around at the sound of my nickname being called out from the microphone. Lucas was a short distance away, gasping and approaching me in disbelief. Even though I wanted to stay and warn him about Robyn, I had to take care of a more immediate threat: the gunman. ¡°I have to go,¡± I said to him before running out of the house in pursuit. The chase went on down several busy streets, with vocal concerns from onlookers being silenced by the rumbling chug of the passing train on the elevated track. Clouds in the night sky began to drop pearls of water until the rainfall intensified. The gunman rushed in between two apartment buildings, where a barred gate prevented him from running any farther. He turned around to look at me, his hood dropping to reveal his curly, brown hair. ¡°Get the hell away from me,¡± he demanded in a devilish voice, pulling the gun out of his pocket. I put my hands up in surrender. ¡°Relax, okay? Please, I wanna help.¡± ¡°Help? No, it¡¯s too late for that. Someone¡¯s gonna die tonight.¡± I turned my head at the sound of footsteps on the wet concrete. ¡°Lucas?¡± ¡°Ali, thank God you¡¯re safe.¡± The assailant aimed the weapon at Lucas, who stepped in front of me like a shield. ¡°Listen, dude, you don¡¯t have to do this. Just put the gun down.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Shut up.¡± The gunman shifted his target to me by pointing the weapon over Lucas¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s your main chick, huh? I¡¯m gonna kill her and ruin your life, just like you did mine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know you, bro. But okay, you want me? Fine. Just let her go. She has nothing to do with whatever problem you have with me.¡± The gunman laughed. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re the cool guy, right? All the girls just wanna hop on your stick so damn bad. That was gonna be my spot, you thief.¡± ¡°Why the hell are you accusing me of stealing? I told you I don¡¯t know you.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah? That¡¯s exactly the damn problem. Nobody knows me, and it¡¯s all because of you. You stole my lyrics and got recognition for them. All those songs you¡¯ve been posting online and performing at those stupid gigs were made because of me.¡± I saw the scarlet eyes of a demon in the dark, secluded area. It crawled out of the shadows and surrounded the gunman, growing larger as if it were a bloodsucker leeching off his vexation. ¡°Whoever you are, you have to calm down. Lucas is telling the truth,¡± I said to the gunman before tugging Lucas¡¯s arm to get his attention. ¡°You are, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m telling the truth. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about, Ali. Robyn¡¯s been writing our songs since she¡­ Wait.¡± An expression of revelation formed. ¡°She didn¡¯t write those songs,¡± he whispered to himself. ¡°Dammit.¡± The gunman stepped closer, waving the weapon at both of us with a shaky hand and an unbalanced posture. ¡°You have my life, and I¡¯m taking it back. The music, the followers¡ªI want it. It should be mine. You wouldn¡¯t be as popular as you are if it wasn¡¯t for me.¡± ¡°Is being famous worth killing someone?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. If you¡¯re not somebody, you¡¯re nobody. The world looks down on guys like me, someone in their mid-twenties who still lives with their mom and doesn¡¯t own a car. Hell, I don¡¯t even mind that stuff, but people don¡¯t care about how I feel because the media has already implanted in our brains what we should and shouldn¡¯t like. Even in this terrible economy where everyone is suffering, people look down on me even though we¡¯re all in the same boat. Then I go online and see the lucky ones¡­ How do you think it feels seeing people my age and younger becoming successful and doing things with their lives? It stinks.¡± I understood him well. The pressure of wanting to be someone important and not just a random face in the crowd weighed on me a lot before I got my powers. Regardless, he was going about achieving success in the wrong way. All he wanted was fame; to receive attention and swim in a sea of praise. The aura pouring out of him was guzzled down by the demon. Its appetite led to whispers that caused him to vent his frustration even more. ¡°I wrote catchy songs, I just wasn¡¯t getting noticed. Then I heard this thief here using my lyrics for his crappy band¡¯s tracks and got a huge boost in his followers. No one even bothered to listen to me when I told them that this rock star wannabe stole my words. I was hopeless until I found this gun on the ground near my house. I knew I had to use it to kill the prick who did this to me.¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± I began, ¡°I know this is going to sound crazy, but I¡¯m positive a demon manifested that gun so you can carry out your desire to kill Lucas.¡± ¡°And? You think I care?¡± he cackled. ¡°You think some stupid ass story like that is going to save him?¡± Lucas took small steps toward him. ¡°Dude, I didn¡¯t know. I swear I didn¡¯t know they were yours.¡± ¡°Listen to us,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t let fame and social media define you. The validation you get from it is not real. What¡¯s popular today is irrelevant tomorrow. It doesn¡¯t last.¡± ¡°Liars. It¡¯s all that matters.¡± Lucas grabbed the gunman¡¯s arm and the two tussled over the weapon. Looking on in trepidation, I couldn¡¯t understand my hesitation to do something about the demon in the background. It snorted in amusement and watched the physical altercation unfold. When I finally raised my left hand to purge it, not even a shimmer of light released from my palm. What¡¯s wrong with me? I thought to myself, trying to fight back an unexplainable feeling of doubt and fear. My attention shifted to Lucas, who was struck with a forward thrust from the attacker that pushed him against the brick wall. I looked around frantically for a weapon, spotting a steel rod on the ground. The only thing left to do was wait for the right moment to strike. The two guys fought hard on the concrete, exchanging a few blows before the gunman stood up and backed away with the gun still in his hand. He pointed it down at Lucas, ready to fire. On instinct, I swung the rod at his head, making direct contact. Just as he collapsed on the ground, a loud gunshot rang through the alley. ¡°Lucas,¡± I screamed. ¡°I¡¯m alright, I¡¯m alright,¡± he stood up and repeated. ¡°The bullet didn¡¯t hit me.¡± We both looked down at the gunman, watching the blood leak from the side of his head into the puddle of water on the ground. I bent down and grabbed his wrist just as the demon vanished from the scene. The absence of a pulse made me stand and back away. ¡°I-I killed him,¡± I fretted with my hand over my mouth. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, okay? This guy was going to kill us. We defended ourselves. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Lucas took me by the hand as we escaped from the harrowing incident that would haunt us for the rest of their lives. Chapter 8 - Me Or Her A sigh of relief escaped my lips as Lucas and I approached my house. Nearing the front door, I tugged his arm and looked him in the eye. ¡°Lucas, before I go inside, I need to know something. Is there anything going on between you and that Robyn girl?¡± He brushed my wet hair to the side. ¡°No,¡± he answered with an intense stare. ¡°I swear, Ali. I just thought she¡¯d be a great asset to the band. That¡¯s it. I¡¯m so sorry about tonight, too. You don¡¯t know how happy I am now that you¡¯re back.¡± He lowered his head to kiss me, but was met with a face-turning rejection. ¡°I want you to stay away from her,¡± I demanded, backing away from him. ¡°I don¡¯t care if it sounds unfair or whatever. She¡¯s bad news. If anyone found out she was stealing someone¡¯s lyrics and giving them to the band, you may as well say goodbye to your reputation.¡± ¡°Yeah, it could be a problem. But right now, we need her as my co-singer. I can¡¯t cut her out the band and ignore her forever, either. She goes to the same school as us.¡± Excuses. ¡°Wow, so she means that much to you that you¡¯d go against my decision and not kick her out? What don¡¯t you understand? She¡¯s evil.¡± ¡°Ali, chill. Don¡¯t you think evil is a little overboard?¡± Screw him. I dug into the left pocket of my jeans and took out my house keys. ¡°Fine, whatever. Have fun with your new girl. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, either. I¡¯ll probably be in prison for murder.¡± He tried grabbing my arm, but I swatted his hand away. ¡°Chill out and keep your voice down,¡± he muttered. ¡°I told you we had no other choice with that guy. It was him or us, and you can at least be more considerate of the other guys in the band. Yeah, Robyn might have stolen some lyrics, but who doesn¡¯t nowadays? We have over fifty thousand followers online right now. We¡¯re really taking off, and I don¡¯t want our momentum to fade because you think Robyn¡¯s possessed by a demon.¡± ¡°She is, Lucas. I felt it, okay? Why can¡¯t you believe me?¡± He looked away, sliding his hands into his cargo jean pockets. ¡°The band means too much to me right now. It¡¯s too important to give up. I¡¯m sorry.¡± His words were like daggers piercing my soul. Feeling betrayed, I pushed him back with force and glared. ¡°I¡¯m done talking to you.¡± I unlocked the front door and walked inside without giving him a second look. Premature tears had begun to form in my eyes as I shut the door and started walking up to my room. ¡°Aliyah, you¡¯re soaking wet,¡± my mom shrieked from the top of the staircase. ¡°Where was Lucas? Why didn¡¯t he drive you home?¡± ¡°His car broke down.¡± And the lying queen strikes again. ¡°Alright, fine. You better be telling the truth. Go upstairs and get out those clothes before you get sick, because despite me telling your father not to, he signed you up to go back to school in two days.¡± Great, back to that place. I nodded and continued walking to my room, only stopping after seeing my sister step out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head. ¡°Mya, hey. I missed you, sis.¡± I approached her with open arms, but she took a step back and turned away. ¡°Yeah, hi,¡± she said before walking into her room and closing the door. I wanted to go in there and see what her problem was, but decided not to, as the overwhelming events of the day had already taken its toll on me. I figured the best option was to take a shower and call it a night.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. *** My eyelids opened and closed repeatedly as I laid in bed later that evening. With my body wrapped in the sheets like a caterpillar in a cocoon, my consciousness was beginning to fade until a blood-curdling chill sent shivers down my spine. Quickly sitting up and observing the dark room with apprehension, I got out of the bed and stepped in front of my closet. It was then that the demon¡¯s red eyes glowed after sliding the door open. I raised my hand in its direction, hoping to pacify it with ease, but the light that would radiate in my palm refused to shine and disperse. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working?¡± ¡°You killed someone today. You can¡¯t save or protect anyone.¡± The demon¡¯s raspy, sinister voice echoed inside my head. It began to cackle as I backed away in terror. ¡°It was an accident.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe that. Do you think Lucas will take the blame for you if the police discover the body? He won¡¯t. He has someone new in his life.¡± ¡°Shut up. Just shut up.¡± The creature stomped out of the closet and continued its intrusion into my thoughts and emotions. I covered my ears and turned away, but what good did that do? This thing was in my mind, and I had no way of getting it out. ¡°He¡¯s sleeping with Robyn right now.¡± ¡°No, Lucas loves me. I don¡¯t believe anything you¡¯re telling me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you what you tell yourself. Lucas won¡¯t be alive for much longer. Robyn will devour his heart. He¡¯s going to die. Just like Valeria.¡± Nervous, hopeless, and unhinged, I rushed out of my room and ran into the bathroom, praying that it wouldn¡¯t follow me. Powerless to stop my tormentor, I curled into a fetal position inside the bathtub and trembled thinking about the demon¡¯s words. He¡¯s going to die. Just like Valeria. *** The next morning, I returned to my room in distress and contemplated my relationship with Lucas while lying in bed with Cinnamon. I couldn¡¯t entirely put my mind at ease after last night, but at least the demon was gone for now. Brushing Cinnamon¡¯s fur, I said to her, ¡°He¡¯s going to be okay. Right, girl?¡± She responded with a whimper, which didn¡¯t do me any favors. I sighed and leaned my head back on the headboard. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here and do nothing.¡± Putting our argument aside and calling him was the right thing to do. I grabbed my cell phone from underneath my pillow and dialed his number. The phone rang about four times before there was silence on the other end. ¡°Lucas?¡± I asked in worry, feeling my heart beating faster. ¡°He¡¯s busy,¡± a female voice answered. ¡°I see you¡¯re still alive. Too bad so much has changed since you¡¯ve been gone. I don¡¯t think Lucas has time for you anymore.¡± This slut. ¡°Oh really, hoe? I know this is Robyn. You better put him on the phone right now or I swear I¡¯m gonna kill you.¡± ¡°Oh, so now you wanna kill? That¡¯s funny, but you shouldn¡¯t make threats like that. You might get your ass whipped. Again. Now wait and let me see if he¡¯s able to talk.¡± Slurs of profanity spewed out my mouth like a volcano. My blood boiled as I waited for him to answer the phone, feeling the urge to throw my cell across the room before finally hearing his voice. ¡°Ali? Hey.¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing with her? Where are you? Tell me right now.¡± My frustration couldn¡¯t be contained. I banged on the headboard with a closed fist, causing Cinnamon to grow uneasy and jump off the bed. ¡°Babe, I¡¯m at the studio. Just calm down, alright? The other guys are here too. You can talk to them if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about none of that. She was taunting me, Lucas. Are you gonna let her do that? She¡¯s a fraud and a slut. Get rid of her.¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m not gonna allow her to mess with you, and I¡¯m not gonna let her get away with taking that guy¡¯s lyrics, either. But I can¡¯t let her go right now. I told you this.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe him. He was really choosing her over me. ¡°And why can¡¯t you?¡± I yelled before cooling down. ¡°You know what? I¡¯m starting to realize that all you care about is the band and your new girlfriend. After what happened last night, I need you now more than ever. I can¡¯t get over something like that so easily. But fine, whatever. I see where your heart is, so I¡¯m done. Go do what you want.¡± My finger was inches away from ending the call when I heard him shout. ¡°Wait. You¡¯re right. You¡¯re absolutely right. I just don¡¯t know what to do. I don¡¯t wanna lose you, but we need Robyn for a few more tracks until the demo is done.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need her. The song you played for me in the hospital was just fine until I heard her disgusting voice. Not to mention she has a lot of evil inside of her. You¡¯re not safe around her.¡± ¡°Listen,¡± he huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll be there as soon as the next session is over, alright? I promise. Don¡¯t give up on us.¡± I rolled my eyes and remained silent for a brief moment before saying, ¡°Fine.¡± Chapter 9 - Fine, Lets Talk Sitting in the passenger side of his car, I rested my head back against the vinyl seat and stared out the front window with my arms crossed. I couldn¡¯t wait to hear more of his lame excuses. ¡°You¡¯re going to be like this the whole day, huh?¡± he asked. He placed his hand on my knee, and you can bet I jerked my leg away. ¡°So much for wanting me here.¡± ¡°Yes, Lucas, I want you here. With me. I¡¯m trying to protect you. Why can¡¯t you trust my instincts?¡± ¡°Alright, answer me this: was there a demon controlling Robyn last night?¡± He couldn¡¯t be serious. Was he still questioning me and trying to find holes in my reasoning to keep this chick? ¡°No, but I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s dangerous. Demons might start manipulating her, and who knows what sort of sinful desires she has.¡± ¡°Look, Ali, I know I said I was cool with you still helping people and fighting evil spirits, but after seeing you put your life in danger last night, I don¡¯t know if I can handle it. You always make it sound so easy when you go out and do that stuff, but last night, you could¡¯ve been killed.¡± Ugh, he was right. Something was definitely off with me last night. But it didn¡¯t matter. He needed to leave Robyn alone for good and let me continue doing what I do best. ¡°I had it under control,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Okay, fine, something¡¯s different about me since I came out the hospital, but I¡¯ll get back on track. I don¡¯t want people to die like my brother ¡®cause of some demon, and I don¡¯t want what happened to Val to ever happen to anyone else. So that¡¯s why I have to keep fighting, Lucas.¡± He groaned and slouched back in his seat. ¡°Okay, can I ask you a question? Do you honestly think Val would want you fighting monsters from hell like you¡¯re a damn superhero? No. She would want you either by my side, cheering me on, or finding an actual career path after graduation.¡± Wow. He went there. ¡°Oh, an actual career path? You mean like the one you¡¯re chasing after with the fake lifestyle and fake fans who pretend to be real friends until your ten seconds of fame are up? No thanks. Making it big is your dream, not mine. That¡¯s why you won¡¯t kick that hoe off the band, isn¡¯t it? You want her so damn bad ¡®cause you think she can help you achieve your unrealistic dream of being somebody important in the music industry. That¡¯s it, am I right?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. My life has been hard since you¡¯ve been gone, but all you wanna do is fight invisible creatures and accuse people of being corrupted with sin. Not once did you ask me how I was doing when I visited. Other than that one time you were worried about Tyler, not once did you ask how any of the other band members were handling Val¡¯s death. No, you just came out the hospital the exact way you went in: self-centered.¡± All rational thoughts left my mind as I reacted in anger by smacking him with as much force as I could muster. His face snapped to the side, my actions leaving a red print on his cheek. I covered my mouth in disbelief. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m sorry, I¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. We can just sit here and say nothing.¡± I faced the front of the window, speechless, depressed, and angry with myself. It was as if my beliefs were wrong and unjust. That everything I tried to stand for was pointless. I was hesitant to look back at him. Seeing the mark that I created on his face was almost too much to handle, but after a few minutes of silence, I couldn¡¯t help but lean over and rest my head on his arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucas. I don¡¯t know what came over me, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry for hitting you. For making everything so toxic. I don¡¯t know what to do anymore, and I feel so lonely.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not alone. I¡¯m sorry for pushing you away, Ali. I¡¯ll try harder to understand you. I just want us to live comfortably and be happy, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m doing something that makes me happy, and I wanna take it to the next level so I can be in a position to take care of you and get my life in order.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. I lifted my head to kiss his bottom lip while gazing into his eyes. ¡°Okay. I wanna be happy with you too. That¡¯s all I ever wanted. To live in a peaceful world and be with the one I love the most.¡± We leaned in for a heartfelt kiss, our hands caressing each other as the passionate moment turned into a steamy occasion. I was happy to push away the negative thoughts and share the moment with him. *** After Lucas drove away, I walked to the front door of my house and was ready to turn the knob before sensing an alarming presence. My body turned quickly to catch a man with a faded beard and blond quiff staring at me from across the street. His attire consisted of a navy-blue suit with a black tie that matched his dress shoes. Surprisingly, he walked across the street to greet me. ¡°Aliyah Dawn. Just the person I was looking for.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± He flashed a badge in his wallet. ¡°I¡¯m Agent Grant. I was assigned to investigate the incident that occurred at Ravenvale High School. Now that you¡¯ve recovered from your condition, I would like to ask you some questions.¡± I slid my fingers into my pocket and took out my house key. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything that happened. Sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± And he¡¯d know that, how? ¡°Um, can you leave me alone? Seriously.¡± ¡°For now. But answer me this: where were you yesterday evening around nine o¡¯clock? I had stopped by, but you weren¡¯t home.¡± What an annoying asshole. ¡°Uh, at a party. What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°A party, you say? Interesting, because the body of a young man was found last night just a few blocks away from a party in Morris Park.¡± My heart thumped in my chest. I even dropped the house key and had to pick it up off the ground before inserting it into the lock. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. Have a good day, sir.¡± ¡°You too, Aliyah. You too.¡± Opening the door, I scurried inside to the unnerving sounds of my parents arguing in the kitchen. ¡°Mom, Dad, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The problem is that I¡¯m upset with your father for registering you for school so quickly. You¡¯re moving too fast in your recovery.¡± ¡°Diana, you shouldn¡¯t prevent Aliyah from having a life outside of her family. She¡¯s a big girl. She can handle it.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡ª¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not all,¡± she interrupted me with a solemn tone. ¡°We know you¡¯re still suffering from Valeria¡¯s suicide attempt. And is Lucas cheating on you?¡± Whoa, that question came out of nowhere. ¡°Uh, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°You might think this is a little extreme, but your father and I decided to place audio recorders in your room as a means of listening to you in case there was something you wouldn¡¯t tell us.¡± I could feel my forehead wrinkle at my mother¡¯s confession. My jaw dropped and my body stiffened with tension. ¡°You did what? Am I on suicide watch now? Or do you think I actually tried to kill my best friend?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s to make sure you¡¯re alright and not suffering from any aftereffects,¡± my dad told me. ¡°And while you were outside with Lucas, we listened to the recording from last night. Aliyah, we¡¯re worried about you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t invade my privacy like that,¡± I shouted at him. ¡°This is so damn unfair.¡± ¡°Watch your tone and your words, young lady,¡± my mom demanded. ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll go to school and come straight home. No other activities. Do I make myself clear?¡± ¡°Crystal,¡± I replied before walking upstairs. Outside of her room was my sister tying up her black hair with a frown. ¡°Hey, Mya. Mom and Dad are being so annoying. Love the braids, by the way. How¡¯d Mom do¡¯em so fast?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really care to talk about my hair, okay? But it would be a change of conversation from talking about you for the past month and a half.¡± Her words disheartened me. ¡°That¡¯s all this family ever did while you were gone. Fight about you.¡± The animosity in her voice was clear. Had I known she was feeling this way, I would¡¯ve gone in her room last night and spoken with her. ¡°Mya, trust me, I¡¯m not trying to be the center of attention.¡± ¡°You sure about that? ¡®Cause it seems to me like you¡¯re so special and everyone cares about what you¡¯re doing and how you¡¯re feeling. Mom and Dad missed my play at school and my art showcase because they were either visiting you in the hospital or too busy shopping for supplies for your luxurious bedroom¡ªone that you took upon yourself to move into after Noel died, might I add. Do you wanna see mine in comparison? Mine doesn¡¯t look that fancy. And did you know Dad works later at the office since Noel died? Probably because he hates coming home and not seeing his son. Our brother. But you don¡¯t care about any of that because everything is all about you.¡± Her glassy eyes made me step toward her in hopes of consolation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you felt that way.¡± ¡°Well, I do,¡± she retorted, neglecting my advance and stepping into her room. I stood in the hallway as she continued. ¡°It¡¯s always been like this. When Noel was alive, he was the favorite. And now that you¡¯re back, all the attention in the house goes to you. My freshmen year is ruined because of you. Everyone in the school only talks to me about what happened to you on the roof that day. That¡¯s it. They don¡¯t care about me, and all you care about is your damn self.¡± Wincing at the sound of Mya¡¯s door slamming shut, I started to believe everyone was right: I was selfish. I mean, I had to be, right? Everyone seemed to be telling me that, and unfortunately for me, a familiar demon was waiting inside my room to convince me I was. Chapter 10 - Class Is In Session The next morning was the worst. I had spent most of the night going back and forth with the demon and finding the devices my parents hid in my room. Not even all the makeup I applied to my facial features in the bathroom mirror could mask my restlessness. A knock on the bathroom door startled me. ¡°Hurry up, your sister¡¯s already downstairs waiting,¡± my mom said. I checked out my outfit one last time to make sure everything was on point, and it damn sure was. The new black and purple Nikes that my dad had bought me while I was in the hospital looked good on my feet, and they matched perfectly with my black jeans, purple shirt, and gray leather jacket. Despite how much I was gonna kill it in the looks department, I couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous about how other students would treat me on my first day back. I mean, they all thought Valeria tried to kill me, which is wild considering our reputation of being best friends. We weren¡¯t crazy popular in Ravenvale High, but those who were definitely knew we existed, and they should¡¯ve known Val would never attempt to harm me or anyone else. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs to see my parents in awe of Mya¡¯s attire, complimenting her with broad smiles. And she thinks I get all of the attention, I thought to myself, watching as my mom took pictures of my dad and Mya standing together. ¡°Uh, Mom, weren¡¯t you just rushing me a minute ago? We¡¯re going to be late.¡± She clearly didn¡¯t hear me as she continued to shower my sister with praise. Annoyed, I rolled my eyes and went into the kitchen to grab a glass of orange juice. ¡°I should¡¯ve asked Lucas to drive me,¡± I grumbled before taking a sip. Finally, my mother walked into the kitchen. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t see you come downstairs. You look nice.¡± ¡°Wow, you look great,¡± my father said as he stepped into the kitchen and hugged me. Looking over his shoulder, I saw an irritated expression on Mya¡¯s face just as an uncomfortable shiver came over my body. I prayed my nightly tormentor wasn¡¯t loitering around the house, but Cinnamon¡¯s sudden bark only raised my suspicion. I looked out into the living room to see if I¡¯d catch a glimpse of the demon, but my mom¡¯s voice reverted my attention. ¡°You two all set? Let¡¯s head out, then.¡± *** My mother parked the car outside of Ravenvale High School. I used the opportunity to look out of the window at the familiar exterior of the building. The off-white cemented walls competed with the gray discoloration that was due to wear and tear. The cracked, rugged path that led to the front of the structure reminded me of the times Val and I would sit in front of the school and talk about whatever. Those memories turned into flashbacks of us chillin¡¯ on the fire escape outside of her bedroom window and dancing in the hallway of her apartment building. I missed her so much. ¡°Maybe everyone will leave me alone now that you¡¯re back,¡± Mya muttered as we unbuckled our seat belts and stepped out of the vehicle. ¡°You two call me if something doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± my mom urged. ¡°Especially you, Aliyah. I¡¯m serious.¡± We both nodded and walked down the craggy entrance until we blended in with the other students entering the school. It was uneasy sensing the bleak and depressing emotions of my peers who filled the hallway. I looked to the side and realized Mya had already gone off on her own. I sighed knowing that my sister wanted nothing to do with me. Memories played in my head of how close we used to be, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed by our emotional separation. Continuing in the direction of my first class and stopping along the way to converse with a few acquaintances, I looked around for Lucas, who I figured was already in the building. The school bell reverberated through the hallways just as I took out my phone to text him. Groaning, I hurried inside the classroom and realized that the teacher hadn¡¯t come in yet. Before taking my seat in the front of the class, I looked to the back of the room where two guys and a dark-skinned girl were seated. Her curly, black Senegalese twists stood out to me. They were wrapped in a gold headband that complimented her amber eyes. She wore an orange zip-up hoodie matching her orange and white Jordans as she slouched back with an opened manga in her hand. The two dudes near her were Bruce and Jerome, Lucas¡¯s bandmates. They spoke to her in a flirtatious manner with sly grins. She held a look of doubt and disgust the entire time. ¡°Y¡¯all leave her alone,¡± I called them out. They looked at me in shock before coming over and embracing me with hugs. ¡°Stop bothering these girls. Y''all be doing too much.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Nah, she just ain¡¯t doin¡¯ enough,¡± Jerome said, waving off the girl with a smirk. ¡°She ain¡¯t that cute, anyway. We can find a better baddie in this school to talk to. What¡¯s good, though? I¡¯m happy you back.¡± Before I could even reply, they spotted another female in the class and walked over to converse with her. Their desperate attempts at getting laid were always ridiculous, and this time was no different. Some things never change. I turned back to the curly-haired girl and walked over to apologize on their behalf. ¡°Hey, sorry about those weirdos. I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t get on your nerves or whatever.¡± She smiled. ¡°Thank you ¡®cause one of them had killer bad breath. I¡¯m talkin¡¯ onions for dinner without brushing in the morning. Straight murder.¡± We shared a laugh before I introduced myself. ¡°I¡¯m Aliyah.¡± ¡°Janet. I don¡¯t wanna be rude, but can I get back to this?¡± She pointed at the manga in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m at the end of this volume, so.¡± Her thumb was bookmarking the middle of the manga, but I took it as a sign that she wasn¡¯t the social type. ¡°Oh, yeah. Cool. Have a good day.¡± I walked back to my seat in the front of the class. It wasn¡¯t long before Jerome saddled into the seat next to me with Bruce standing by him. ¡°Did that chick ignore you, too?¡± Jerome asked me as Bruce snickered. ¡°I ain¡¯t never known a girl to turn down the J-Master.¡± ¡°No one calls him that,¡± Bruce whispered to me loud enough for Jerome to hear, who stuck up his middle finger in retaliation. Bruce leaned back on the teacher¡¯s desk and shrugged. His heavyset build intimidated even the football team. ¡°It¡¯s almost the end of senior year,¡± he started, ¡°so we¡¯re trying to have fun before we go to college and have to take life seriously.¡± Jerome nodded with a grin, his dreads dancing in motion. ¡°That¡¯s right. These last two months are all about hooking up with the baddest broads in the building, and shorty with the twists back there is bad as hell.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she wasn¡¯t that cute? Plus, she can read, so she¡¯s already out of your league,¡± I joked, chuckling at my own words. ¡°Damn, she played you, bro,¡± Bruce voiced through his snickering. ¡°Yeah, whatever. But what¡¯s up with you, Aliyah? You coming to band practice after school? Luke already has the music room reserved. It¡¯s small, but it¡¯s better than spending a whole bag just for a lil¡¯ studio time.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good. If that lying hoe is there, I don¡¯t want anything to do with the band.¡± The two burst into laughter before Bruce spoke. ¡°Damn, you talking about Robyn? Not gonna lie, I tried hitting on her once, but she cursed me out. It feels like my boy, Luke, is the only one who can talk to her without getting flamed.¡± As I had figured. Ugh, how could Lucas be so oblivious? ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it, though,¡± Jerome said, grinning. ¡°You¡¯re a ten compared to her. She ain¡¯t got nothin¡¯ on that nice, slim body of yours, and that fat¡ª¡± ¡°I think you should shut up now.¡± My attention turned to the speaker behind Jerome. ¡°Oh my God, Tyler,¡± I exclaimed in excitement, rising from my seat to give him a tight hug. ¡°Chill, I was just playin¡¯,¡± Jerome said. ¡°You know I ain¡¯t tryin¡¯ to start nothin¡¯.¡± Tyler tittered before sitting at the empty desk behind me. I sat in my chair and turned around to observe him, asking, ¡°Um, so how¡¯ve you been since, you know, everything?¡± ¡°Not great, if we¡¯re being honest. Oh, and I don¡¯t know if Lucas told you yet, but¡ª¡± The sound of heels clicking against the floor made me rotate to the front of the classroom, where our teacher, Ms. Walters, placed some books and paperwork on the front desk. ¡°Bruce, Jerome, I don¡¯t have the two of you until next period. Please leave the room. Now.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Walters,¡± they grumbled at the same time. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Tyler whispered in my ear. ¡°Senior class of Ravenvale High School, I have an announcement to make. As a requirement for graduation, the Board of Education and the National Mathematics Committee have organized an assignment that you¡ª¡± Ms. Walters¡¯s speech was interrupted by the presence of a freckle-faced, bronze-skinned girl with long, copper hair and glasses, who walked in as the late bell rang. ¡°Candice Santos, you¡¯re late,¡± Ms. Walters¡¯s reprimanded her. ¡°I will not tolerate tardiness again.¡± Candice giggled. ¡°Ms. Walters, you¡¯re the teacher here, right? So why is it that I have to teach you about the difference between being late and being fashionably late? One is irresponsible and downright unacceptable; the other is important and understandable. I, myself, am the latter. As a woman, you should be able to comprehend this. Hashtag Candice Forever.¡± Okay, I believe calling someone cringe is cringe in itself¡ªeveryone should be allowed to express themselves however they want to¡ªbut my god did I cringe so hard at Candice¡¯s words. Even Ms. Walters scowled at her narcissism. Since junior year, Candice had been an obnoxious, mean-girl movie stereotype, and I could never stand being in the same class as her. Still, one couldn¡¯t help but be envious at times. She had announced her acceptance into UCLA three months ago to her one million followers on social media, and she was easily in the top spot for prom queen and valedictorian this year. Not that I cared for any of that stuff, but she was clearly going places, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I could say the same. ¡°Candice, if you don¡¯t take your seat right now, you¡¯ll be staying here after school and completing days worth of assignments,¡± Ms. Walters warned her. ¡°Now sit.¡± Candice sucked her teeth and looked around the room until her eyes landed on me. ¡°Oh, no. No, I¡¯m not doing this. Ms. Walters, I refuse to be in the same room as her. I don¡¯t feel safe.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± I was ready to slap this chick. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not being in a classroom with someone as loco as you,¡± she sneered, walking up to me with her hand on her hip. ¡°There¡¯s a new rumor going around that it was you who killed your friend, and that you jumped off the roof after to make it seem like an accident. Not to mention your little freak out ruined my birthday party two days ago.¡± ¡°First of all,¡± I started, getting up from my seat to confront her, ¡°I stopped someone from getting shot. Secondly, only a dumbass would believe a story like that. Third, don¡¯t ever mention Valeria again. And lastly, take your hand off your hip. You already look and sound like a walking clich¨¦, do you have to pose like one, too? I didn¡¯t ruin your whack ass party, a guy with a gun did. So unless you wanna spend your day in the nurse¡¯s office, I suggest you get out my face.¡± ¡°Make me. Puta.¡± With pleasure. Chapter 11 - Fire Starter Hand clenched, target at reach. I was ready to knock Candice the hell out, but a firm grip around my arm prevented that from happening. ¡°She¡¯s not worth it,¡± Tyler said. ¡°Candice, you will be spending your afternoon in detention,¡± Ms. Walters informed her. ¡°Aliyah, take your seat before you join her.¡± We both sat and waited for Ms. Walters to continue her announcement. ¡°As I was saying, the Board of Education and the National Mathematics Committee have organized a paired assignment that all senior students are required to complete to graduate. You and your partner must answer every question in the packet. It¡¯s worth sixty percent of your grade. If you don¡¯t do it, you¡¯ll fail my class and have to attend summer school.¡± Ms. Walters¡¯s announcement brought about tiny whispers and groggy complaints from the students in the room. ¡°Do we get to pick our own partners?¡± Tyler asked. ¡°No. I¡¯ve already decided the pairs for this assignment. It is due at the end of the semester. I will announce the pairs now so that you can get up and introduce yourself to your partner.¡± Ms. Walters went down the list of several students in the classroom, eventually calling out my name. ¡°Aliyah Dawn, you¡¯ll be paired with Janet Jones.¡± I turned to the back of the classroom and smiled at Janet, who returned the gesture before her expression melted into a frown. I got the feeling she wasn¡¯t happy working with someone. ¡°She transferred to the school two weeks ago,¡± Tyler whispered. ¡°It¡¯s weird. Who transfers this late in the school year?¡± It was strange, but nonetheless, I took a deep breath and rose from my seat before taking the packet out of Ms. Walters¡¯s hand. Candice¡¯s irritating giggle infected my ears after I sat down next to Janet. ¡°Bad idea, Ms. Walters,¡± Candice jeered. ¡°One of those girls tried to kill her friend, and the other I saw walking into a mental health center. They¡¯re cuckoo bananas. They¡¯re gonna kill us all.¡± ¡°Candice, why don¡¯t you just shut the hell up?¡± Tyler snapped. ¡°I had to hear your self-absorbed, materialistic mouth all year, and I¡¯m sick of it. People like you are what¡¯s wrong with this damn world. Get a life and leave them alone.¡± His loud, aggressive voice silenced everyone in the room. Candice¡¯s jaw hung low, shocked that he spoke in such a way to her. ¡°Really?¡± she scoffed. ¡°Do you know who I am? I can make your entire life a living hell, loser. Don¡¯t you ever talk to me that way again. I¡ª¡± Boom. An explosive sound resonated near Candice, who jumped out of her seat in a panic. The entire class looked on in terror as her magenta purse was engulfed in flames. Smoke filled the air quickly. ¡°Class, everybody out into the hallway,¡± Ms. Walters ordered. The students appeared flabbergasted by the sudden eruption. ¡°No, my bag,¡± Candice cried out in exaggerated fashion. ¡°My phone. Why me?¡± Even I was a bit spooked by the blaze, but that was before I saw something far more terrifying: Janet¡¯s hypnotic trance at the incineration. Her inflamed pupils gazed at the burning fire as if she were dazzled by its beauty. ¡°D-did you do that?¡± I questioned her. The negative emotions pouring out of her ranged from sorrow and grief, to self-hatred and enmity. ¡°Does it matter? She deserved it.¡± Ms. Walters doused the fire with an extinguisher. ¡°Didn¡¯t you two hear me? I said go out into the hallway.¡± Janet stood up from her seat and grabbed the packet of papers off the desk where I was sitting. Tyler approached me after I had walked into the hallway.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Janet caused the fire,¡± I told him, watching her walk down the hall and into the library. ¡°She has powers too.¡± I had never seen a person who could conjure flames or manifest such a powerful desire without a demon¡¯s manipulation, and that alone gave me shivers. What¡¯s scarier is that I knew I¡¯d have to confront Janet sooner or later. *** The struggle was real. Mentally exhausted with thoughts of Janet, I sat in science class with my pen in hand and eyes trained on the assignment sheet in front of me, but no matter how hard I tried to concentrate, the only thing I could think about was the fire in first period. ¡°Screw it,¡± I whispered to myself while scrawling answers on the paper without care. When it came to math and science, forget about it¡ªI totally sucked¡ªand probably would¡¯ve failed anyway even with a clear head. Now English and history, those were my specialties. The bell had rung soon after, with every student in the room jumping out of their seats and leaving their worksheets on the teacher¡¯s desk. Following suit, I stepped out of my last class of the day and walked down the crowded hall filled with my frantic peers. Nearing my locker, my vision was suddenly covered as the pressure of an unknown figure pressed against my back. I turned around and pushed the person with force before shouting, ¡°Get off me.¡± With my sight uncovered, I realized the person was Lucas. A breath of relief was let out as I held my chest and looked around at the few students gossiping near their lockers. ¡°Ali, whoa. Why¡¯re you so jumpy? You almost made me drop these.¡± He presented a bouquet of roses in his hand. ¡°Oh, wow. Thank you, Lucas. Sorry. It¡¯s been a weird day.¡± We held hands and walked down the staircase leading to the first floor. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re good, I want you to come to practice with me now and tell me about your day,¡± he requested after we made it to the front of the music room. ¡°It¡¯ll feel good having you there. The band is already hyped because our popularity is skyrocketing.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t today. My mom wants me home right away after school. I found her stupid audio recorder in between two of my video games consoles. It¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s like she thinks I¡¯m gonna confess to a crime or say out loud that I want to kill myself.¡± ¡°Damn, that does sound extreme,¡± he agreed, pulling me close with his arm around my waist. ¡°But c¡¯mon. I promise if you come inside, I¡¯ll call your parents and tell them that you¡¯re here with me. They¡¯ll say okay, trust me.¡± Ugh, why was he so convincing? It had to be those sapphire eyes. They got me every time. ¡°I guess. But is Robyn in there? You know how I feel about her. I¡¯m letting things slide and giving you time to kick her out the band, but I¡¯m not gonna wait much longer.¡± ¡°I know, and I totally get it. I told her not to come to rehearsal and that we¡¯ll need to talk soon.¡± I smiled hearing that until someone approached us. ¡°Excuse me.¡± My heart skipped a beat. It was her. Janet. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to intrude, but can I speak with you for a moment?¡± ¡°Uh, sure,¡± I replied before pulling Lucas a few feet away and telling him, ¡°Wait right here.¡± ¡°Um, okay?¡± He leaned against the locker and took out his cell phone. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to her with a fake smile and avoided eye contact. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Why are you looking all over the place? Stop being weird.¡± She called me weird, but she was the one setting purses on fire. Okay. ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re not busy today,¡± she paused and glanced over my shoulder at Lucas, ¡°I would like to get that math assignment over as soon as possible, preferably in one day. Can you meet me in the library in twenty minutes?¡± ¡°The packet is going to take longer than one day, and I have to get straight home. Moms, you know how protective they can be once they¡¯re worried.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know about that,¡± she said, looking down. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I like getting things done early so I don¡¯t have to worry about them later. I¡¯ll stop by your house in a few hours so we can get this done in one sitting. You¡¯ll thank me later.¡± Inviting her over to my house was not a good idea. Not after what I saw she could do. My family was at risk if she got out of control, but damn was I curious to know how she could conjure fire so easily with just her emotions and not from demonic influence. I figured asking a few questions could help me to understand my own powers. ¡°Alright, Janet. I¡¯ll give you my number and address.¡± After we exchanged information, I walked back over to Lucas, who was transfixed by whatever was on his phone. ¡°Lucas,¡± I called out. ¡°Lucas.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± he yelped, now fully attentive. ¡°What are you so hooked on?¡± ¡°I was reading all the positive comments about the band¡¯s performance on social media and saw Cassandra Blackwood followed me. She¡¯s a producer and model with over two million followers. If she¡¯s following me, her fans probably will too.¡± ¡°Yeah, great. I bet a lot of her fans are girls.¡± I rolled my eyes with a smile. ¡°Just as long as they¡¯re following you ¡®cause of the band and not ¡®cause you¡¯re the cutest guy in the world, I¡¯m happy for you.¡± He chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s all it¡¯ll ever be. I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± After a quick embrace, he pulled away from our lip lock. ¡°You ready to go inside and check us out?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. That girl, Janet, is coming over to my house later, so I have to clean my room. I literally destroyed it last night.¡± He sighed. ¡°Alright, but you owe me some quality time.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just come over tonight? My mom¡¯s cooking a fancy dinner, and hopefully, I¡¯ll be done working on the project with Janet by then.¡± ¡°Cool. Maybe after, we can sneak upstairs and be alone.¡± I bit my bottom lip. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± We kissed one last time before going our separate ways. I hurried down the hall toward the exit of the school to catch the bus, eager to get home and prepare for the most interesting guest I¡¯ve ever had. Chapter 12 - Fire & Desire Hours had gone by, and the day turned into night. I sat on the side of my bed and watched as Janet¡ªwho was sitting at the computer desk¡ªwrote down the answer to the math problem we had just solved. We were surprisingly getting along. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re halfway done,¡± I said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have answered any of these questions without you. I usually cheated off my best friend when it came to math problems like these.¡± ¡°Is that her?¡± Janet asked, pointing at the picture frame on the shelf. ¡°She¡¯s pretty.¡± I smiled. ¡°Yeah, and she was really smart. Like, she legit wanted to be a scientist. I so envied her sometimes.¡± Janet rose from her seat and picked up the frame. ¡°You said, was. What happened to her if you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± I looked down at the rug to gather my thoughts before telling her, ¡°Valeria attempted suicide at our school. She survived, but suffered severe brain damage and hasn¡¯t been responsive since. She lived with abusive foster parents and suffered through depression. I wanted to ask my dad¡ªwho¡¯s a social worker¡ªto help her find a better home, but she didn¡¯t wanna risk moving too far away and leaving me and her boyfriend, Tyler. Through it all, I tried my best to make her happy and talk her out of it, but my words weren¡¯t stronger than the demon¡¯s influence.¡± My eyes brimmed with tears. Not wanting Janet to see me cry, I walked over to the window and looked out at the empty street. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your friend,¡± she said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my place to ask. I have to say, though, the way you spoke of a demon, it¡¯s almost as if it were real.¡± Wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I turned to Janet and revealed the truth. ¡°They are real, and I have to deal with them every single day.¡± A quick realization shot in my mind that I had just told someone my biggest secret. Her response was even more shocking. ¡°Sounds like fun. Tell me about¡¯em.¡± A surge of excitement took over me. We both sat on the bed before I began. ¡°Okay, uh, I guess I should start from the beginning and explain everything as best as I can. There are people who can make their strongest desire come true without any sort of logical explanation. It¡¯s almost like magic.¡± ¡°Sounds like an anime. I¡¯m interested.¡± A quick smile turned into laughter at her comment, but my happy expression dwindled at the thought of telling the next part of the story. ¡°So, these desires have to come from somewhere. They can be personal problems, lifestyle choices, or a bunch of stuff like ambitions, passions, and even past experiences. Part of mine came from what I went through after the Navelwood High School.¡± ¡°Now that I actually heard about,¡± she said. ¡°Were you directly involved?¡± ¡°Honestly, I feel like the whole thing was my fault. I was volunteering at the school that morning for a fundraiser partnership between Navelwood High, and our school, Ravenvale High. I didn¡¯t really know where to go, so I ended up in the back of the school and saw some guy banging on the door for me to let him in. I asked who he was, and he said he was a student who forgot his ID at home, so they wouldn¡¯t let him in through the front entrance.¡± ¡°You opened it, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked. Her question made my eyes drift away from her. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to tell me the rest if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. About ten minutes after I had let him in, I heard gunshots and people screaming through the building. Everyone around me started running for their lives, and so did I until I spotted my brother in the crowd. His name was Noel, and he was a senior at Navelwood. I called out to him, and I was surprised he heard me through all the commotion. He covered me as we ran toward one of the exits, but I felt his arm slipping off my shoulder. I turned around and saw him lying on the ground, bleeding from a bullet in his back. I leaned over him and cried out for help, but no one came. When I looked up, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. One second.¡± Silence filled the room as I paused and gripped my sheets in frustration. Janet sat attentively with a dreadful stare. It was almost as if my retelling of the past impacted her as much as it did me.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I saw the guy who I had let in the building. He was pointing the gun straight at me, and behind him was this hideous, dark creature that terrified me more than anything. I would¡¯ve died that day if a police officer hadn¡¯t entered the school and shot the guy before he pulled the trigger.¡± After concluding my story, I caught a glimpse of Janet¡¯s hand reaching over to comfort me before it was jerked back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to experience that,¡± she said. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°You know what was the craziest thing about all that, Janet? The demon. Why was I able to see it but no one else could? I mean, yeah, I¡¯ve always tried to help people ¡®fight their demons¡¯ so to speak, but I wouldn¡¯t call it my deepest desire, you know? Especially not before my brother¡¯s death.¡± She appeared in deep thought with her legs crossed and her chin resting in her hand. ¡°I think I figured it out. Can you describe your exact thoughts during everything that happened?¡± ¡°Well, I remember asking myself what could push a person to do something so horrible. I recall making excuses in my head for why the shooter did what he did, ¡®cause I couldn¡¯t understand how someone could be so evil and take so many lives.¡± ¡°Bingo,¡± she shot, breaking me out of my thoughts. ¡°It was that curiosity mixed in with your good nature and desire to help people. It gave you the ability to see what causes violence and corruption: demons. That moment awakened your power.¡± In just minutes, Janet may have helped me to understand myself better. Was she someone I could converse with and open up to? Maybe. I wasn¡¯t sure yet, but our friendship was building fast. I liked it. ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± I told her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I never thought of it that way before, especially during the grieving stages. I locked myself in my room and started to think life had no meaning¡ªthat anyone around me could be just like that guy. Eventually, I got better and started purging demons using this magical light I was given. So yeah, that¡¯s my story. I¡¯m amazed you haven¡¯t called me crazy and ran out the door.¡± She chuckled and looked down at her sneakers. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re crazy. At least you¡¯ve been gifted with something that can help people. I can¡¯t say the same for me.¡± Well, it was now or never. I inhaled an air of bravery and exhaled the question, ¡°How is it that you can conjure fire? Usually, someone with a power that strong is being influenced by a demon, but you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Demon or not, this power has caused me to do harmful things to the people around me, and it¡¯s only gotten worse in the last month or so. I don¡¯t even get burned from the flames anymore.¡± I could hear the remorse in her voice and sense the sadness from her aura. She needed to release those emotions, and I wanted to help her achieve that. ¡°Regret from what, exactly?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you or I could change now. It¡¯s best to leave it in the past.¡± ¡°Janet, you can talk to me. I sensed the negativity inside of you when you lit Candice¡¯s bag on fire. I know you need help, and you can get it by telling me what happened.¡± Her brow twitched as she leered at me with fiery eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you anything, first of all. I don¡¯t appreciate you using whatever ability you have to intrude into my emotions, either. Don¡¯t ever do it again.¡± I remained silent, not wanting to ignite a fuse that could set my house ablaze. She stood up and gathered her school supplies before walking to my room door. ¡°Coming here was a mistake,¡± she mumbled. I got off my bed and latched onto her arm before she could walk out. ¡°Janet, wait.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± A crackling sound made me turn around. The packet Ms. Walters assigned us was burning away in a ball of flames on my desk. ¡°I¡¯ll get the extinguisher,¡± I exclaimed, ready to run downstairs. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Janet approached the fire and extended her hand into it. With a simple touch, the flames evaporated into thin air. I was left speechless at her taming of the blaze. It was illogical and inhuman. ¡°Now do you see what happens when someone tries to get close to me?¡± she sneered, gazing into her palm that showed no signs of being burned from the fire. ¡°Don¡¯t try it again.¡± ¡°Why are you being like this to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being like anything. You¡¯re the one trying to get personal information out of me. Others have tried before you, Aliyah, and it never ends well.¡± Those words alone informed me of how troubled she was, and that she had been living with her dark emotions for some time now. If anyone needed my help, it was her. ¡°If you keep living in this introverted bubble, you¡¯re only going to feel more miserable at the end of the day,¡± I told her. ¡°That¡¯s when the demons come. They¡¯ll prey on your weaknesses and make you do something you¡¯ll really regret.¡± ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s too late for me. ¡®Cause I already have.¡± Her last words before leaving the room left me in dismay. I rushed downstairs to the savory aroma of my mother¡¯s cooking to chase Janet. To my surprise, she was still in the house, conversing with my mom near the front door. ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°Aliyah, I insist your friend stays for dinner. I¡¯m making the plates now, so you two can go sit down at the dinner table.¡± Not good. ¡°Mom, she¡¯s probably not hungry,¡± I said, not wanting my mother to test Janet¡¯s patience. ¡°I don¡¯t think you cooked enough for an extra person anyway.¡± ¡°Since when do you pay attention to how much food I make? There¡¯s enough. I made a lot in case Lucas was stopping by.¡± Janet glared at me as my mother walked into the kitchen. ¡°Is everyone in this family so pushy?¡± My nerves tingled as the dreaded feeling in my gut intensified. She was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. I just prayed no one at the table cut the wrong wire. Chapter 13 - Heat Of The Night The heated tension between Janet and I as we sat across the table from one another was hotter than the feast my mother spent all evening preparing. The food consisted of pork chops smothered in mushroom sauce with side dishes of rice, yams, and string beans. A homemade sweet potato pie sat on the stove for dessert. ¡°Can you pass me the salt?¡± my mother asked Lucas, who had arrived just before the food was served. He sat next to me, but my attention was solely on Janet. ¡°Lucas, my man, how¡¯s the music thing going? You got any plans in case the buzz fizzles out?¡± my father quizzed from one end of the table. ¡°It¡¯s going good, actually. The band¡¯s growing more popular by the day. I put a lot of passion into the music and it¡¯s really my only focus right now, so I can¡¯t say I have a specific plan in mind if it doesn¡¯t work out. But if I had to go a different route, I¡¯d probably go to college for sound engineering or something related to music.¡± ¡°That¡¯s smart,¡± my mother proudly declared at the other end of the table. ¡°You should always keep an open mind and have options available for the future.¡± ¡°Who is the girl in the band?¡± Mya blurted out. ¡°She¡¯s pretty.¡± Lucas took a sip of his drink before answering. ¡°Her name¡¯s Robyn. She¡¯s not going to be in the band for long, though.¡± ¡°Why not? I like her. She¡¯s a really good singer.¡± I glowered at my sister until I noticed my mother staring at me. ¡°Mya, that¡¯s Lucas¡¯s business. No more questions about it,¡± my mom demanded, probably realizing that the topic was bothersome to me. ¡°So, Janet, are you enjoying the meal?¡± Janet¡¯s eyes were glued to the burning candles on the dinner table. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Dawn. It¡¯s delicious.¡± I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. I jumped out of my seat and grabbed the candles before putting on a fake smile. ¡°I¡¯m gonna take these and put them over here.¡± I placed the candles on the kitchen counter and sat back down. ¡°So, what were we talking about?¡± My mother¡¯s forehead creased as she observed me. ¡°I was going to ask Janet what her parents do for a living.¡± ¡°My parents are gone. They died last month on my birthday.¡± Janet¡¯s revelation silenced us all at the dinner table. The only sound that resonated through the home was the chomping bites made by Cinnamon, who chowed into her food vigorously. ¡°Janet, I¡¯m very sorry for your loss.¡± Janet stood out of her seat after the mournful words of my mother. ¡°If it¡¯s not a problem, I should be getting home now. My grandpa worries if I¡¯m not in the house at an appropriate time.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s alright,¡± my mother said. ¡°Thank you for staying, Janet. You¡¯re always welcomed here.¡± Janet gave her a small smile. ¡°May I use the restroom before I go?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± my father answered. ¡°It¡¯s up the stairs to your right. Can¡¯t miss it.¡± She left the table and walked upstairs with her head down. I felt tempted to follow her, but the strong vibration of Lucas¡¯s cell made me turn to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go as well,¡± he said after looking down at his phone. ¡°My dad wants me to grab a few things before the market closes tonight, so I¡¯m gonna need to go now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk him to the door,¡± I told my mom, rising from my seat and seeing the disappointed expression on her face. ¡°Okay, Lucas. Get home safe,¡± she said. ¡°Tell your father I said hello.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± He nodded at my mom and exchanged a fist bump with my dad. ¡°Goodnight, everyone.¡± We walked to the front door. My eyes flickered looking up at him. ¡°Lucas, was that really your father who texted you?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ali, listen, there¡¯s a lot I need to tell you, but I can¡¯t do it right now.¡± ¡°Why? What are you hiding?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t wanna say it in front of your parents, but¡ª¡± ¡°Just say it. It¡¯s Robyn, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re cheating on me with her.¡± His face contorted into a scowl. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. But alright, since you wanna know so damn badly. My dad¡¯s drinking again, okay? The fact that he could sit there and pick up a bottle every night knowing Mom died in a drunk driving accident kills me. I¡¯m going through a lot right now, and it¡¯s hard to keep it all in because I don¡¯t wanna worry you.¡± I pressed my body against his. ¡°Then don¡¯t. Keeping things from me will worry me. I wanna be there for you through it all. You don¡¯t need to feel ashamed.¡± ¡°I know. Things are just hard right now and really confusing. But thanks, babe. I¡¯ll call you tonight.¡± He gave me a quick peck on the lips before walking out of the door. I closed it and leaned my back against it, thinking long and hard about his situation until Janet walked downstairs.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t try to stop me.¡± ¡°Look, as much as I¡¯m afraid of you being in my house right now, I¡¯m not moving until you tell me what¡¯s going on with you.¡± She chortled as if I was a joke. ¡°Cute. Now move.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not moving. It¡¯s about your parents, isn¡¯t it? I saw the way my mom¡¯s question bothered you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, and don¡¯t ever mention my parents. I won¡¯t hesitate to burn this place down, Aliyah.¡± A tense staredown resulted in me stepping aside, allowing her to open the door and walk to her car. I couldn¡¯t help but follow behind, eager to speak one last time in hopes of convincing her to talk. ¡°Janet, did you kill your parents?¡± I asked, regretting that decision seconds later. The wrong choice of words could¡¯ve gotten me killed. ¡°You need to talk to someone. I can see and feel the dark aura around you. It¡¯s eating you up inside. If you don¡¯t do something about it soon, you¡¯re going to attract the demons I¡¯ve been telling you about.¡± ¡°Then maybe that¡¯s for the best,¡± she hollered. I must¡¯ve jinxed it, because her vicious shout summoned a small group of demons that lurked across the street. ¡°Dammit, they¡¯re here.¡± I mustered enough courage to grab her hand. ¡°Stop getting so angry and open up before they start manipulating you.¡± She shot a searing glare. ¡°I told you not to touch me.¡± I screeched in agony and released my grip, peering down at my hand to see a burn mark on my palm. ¡°Stay away from me,¡± she demanded, getting in her car and putting the key in the ignition. ¡°You don¡¯t have to run,¡± I cried out. Feeling the harsh sting of my scorching flesh, I contemplated if I should go after her. Watching the pack of demons follow the vehicle as she drove down the street did me no favors. My desire to save her encouraged my next move. ¡°Dad, forgive me.¡± *** My heart pounded in my chest after stepping on the gas pedal. The motion of my dad¡¯s moving car through the night streets of New York made me scared for my life, almost as if it were tugging the strings of my soul. This was only my second time behind the wheel, but I had to put my fear aside and save Janet. All I could hope for was that the demons in pursuit wouldn¡¯t influence her to do anything life-threatening. A red light halted my chase. ¡°Dammit,¡± I uttered, hitting the wheel with a closed fist. The pain in my hand reminded me of how dangerous she could be. ¡°Why don¡¯t you turn around before you get hurt? She isn¡¯t worth it.¡± The deep, grueling voice of my demonic tormentor echoed in my mind. The demon was seated in the back of the car, its presence making the journey even more unnerving. ¡°She killed her parents. That¡¯s unforgivable. She deserves to die.¡± ¡°Shut up. She¡¯s not dying.¡± We debated as I drove through the busy streets. The sirens of police cars driving by made me panic. ¡°You should go home. The girl is going to die no matter what.¡± Taking a deep breath, I ignored its callous words and concentrated on the road. The Shadow Current soon became visible, allowing me to track Janet¡¯s location to a bridge where several cars were parked. My eyes widened at the unsettling view of Janet standing at the edge of the bridge, her vision locked on the water below. The brisk wind brushed against my face after unbuckling my seat belt and getting out of the car. I pushed past the people who had gotten out of their vehicles with their cell phones in hand and made my way toward Janet, who stepped one foot on the railing. The heart-wrenching reminder of Valeria¡¯s suicide attempt shrouded my mind with doubt and despair. ¡°Not again,¡± I said to myself. ¡°This is not going to happen.¡± I approached Janet with caution, who turned to me in anger. ¡°I told you to stay away from me,¡± she yelled through the loud commotion from the people nearby. A collection of demons were also present, one bigger than the others with a striking resemblance to the ogre-like demon that had manipulated Valeria. ¡°I¡¯m not strong like you,¡± Janet continued. ¡°I can¡¯t live through this anymore.¡± ¡°Yes, you can. This isn¡¯t the answer, Janet. It never will be. Think about the people who love you, like your grandfather. You can¡¯t leave him like this. He needs you. You have your whole future ahead of you. Life can change.¡± Her eyes shut with a single tear trailing down her left cheek. She placed her other foot on the railing, causing me to scream in anguish. ¡°Grandpa will be safer without me,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t want the same thing to happen to him.¡± ¡°Whatever happened, we can get through it together. I won¡¯t be afraid of you. You can talk to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault they¡¯re dead, okay? I played with fire and they got burned. There¡¯s nothing else to discuss.¡± A deafening explosion erupted with her shout. Panicked pedestrians began scampering away from the bridge as vehicles began to explode. More demons surfaced with delight and watched the catastrophic show on display. ¡°They would still be alive if I wasn¡¯t so captivated by something so destructive. You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to love something so dangerous, to be anxious every minute for something you know is wrong. To desire the one thing that destroyed your family, your home. I can¡¯t even look at myself in the mirror anymore ¡®cause if I did, I¡¯d see the person responsible for my parents¡¯ death. If I was a normal person like everyone else¡ªlike my therapist claims I am¡ªmy parents would still be here with me.¡± Her fit of rage generated multiple explosions nearby. Onlookers scurried away in a frenzy, with some being trampled and lost in the stampede. Tears were ready to roll down my eyes. I could feel every bit of Janet¡¯s suffering. ¡°Janet, you are normal. I know your parents wouldn¡¯t want you to end your life this way. It was an accident, and I know they¡¯d forgive you. Please, you have to believe me.¡± ¡°What would you know? You can¡¯t talk to the dead. You have the perfect family and a boyfriend who loves you. You can never relate to me. Hell, you don¡¯t even know me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to know you to understand and relate to you. You may feel like no one cares about you, but those feelings can change. We all make mistakes, Janet. We all have regrets, but we can¡¯t let the past control our present and shape our future. You¡¯re coming down from there, you hear me? I¡¯m not gonna let the darkness take you.¡± I reached out my arm and pulled Janet off the railing. Police sirens and relieved citizens brave enough to watch were heard in the distance. ¡°I told you, you don¡¯t have to run,¡± I said, hugging her. ¡°The best thing about being alive is that there¡¯s always tomorrow, and tomorrow can be anything you want it to be.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she admitted, gripping the back of my shirt while crying tears that were held back for so long. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hurt innocent people or anyone I care about.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡± The demons scattered in search of other potential victims, but the giant one stayed and glared at me from afar. There was no doubt anymore. It was the same one that influenced Valeria. Several officers rushed over and covered me and Janet with large blankets while escorting us away from the scene. I smiled feeling her grip onto my hand. It was a scary night, but going through it all for her was worth it. Tonight, a friendship had been born. Chapter 14 - Seal My Fate ¡°I could¡¯ve sworn I left more gas in the tank.¡± My dad shot a sarcastic comment my way as he pulled up in front of Ravenvale High the next morning. He had picked me up at the police station last night after the officers were done with their questions about Janet¡¯s suicide attempt. ¡°Oh, wait, that¡¯s right. One of my daughters went on a fast and furious chase through the city last night,¡± he said, looking at me out the corner of his eye. ¡°Dad, I said I was sorry. Can you drop it? Please?¡± ¡°Alright, you won¡¯t hear about it from me again. But your mom¡¯s a different story. You scared her half to death, you know?¡± He was right. My mom also came to the station last night, but unlike my dad, she was in tears. I knew she was angry with me, but that frustration was overshadowed by fear and sadness. She was afraid of losing me to the unknown again, and I honestly couldn¡¯t blame her for feeling that way. If only there was a way to be a superhero to the world, and a daughter to my parents. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again, I promise,¡± I assured him. ¡°But speaking of Mom, isn¡¯t it a little weird she let Mya stay home from school today?¡± ¡°Well, she did use one of your infamous excuses.¡± ¡°Yeah, the one that never works. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say she¡¯s the favorite in the house.¡± ¡°Maybe she is,¡± he said with a smirk before shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m joking, sweetie. Now go on inside before you¡¯re late.¡± ¡°One more thing,¡± my eyes wandered everywhere as I contemplated voicing my thoughts, ¡°have you been staying at work late ¡®cause you¡¯re not happy at home? You know, ¡®cause Noel is gone?¡± He froze before letting out a heap of air. ¡°Aliyah, no. Not at all. I¡¯m always happy to be home with the family.¡± He hugged me before continuing. ¡°Yes, Noel¡¯s death has been really hard on me, but I use it as motivation to help people who are struggling. There are so many problems in this world, Aliyah, so many issues that people go through. If me working overtime prevents someone from going on a mass shooting spree, you¡¯re damn right I¡¯m gonna work my ass off and counsel that person until they understand that¡¯s not the answer. Bigger plans are in our motion at the office, and I can¡¯t wait to share them with you. So don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m just trying to make the world a better place, like I¡¯m sure you are in your own way.¡± I responded with a fake laugh at that last part. ¡°Sure, Dad. And thanks for always being here.¡± I smiled, though wondering if he knew about my abilities. After exiting the car and walking to the entrance of the school, I turned back around at the sudden beep of a car horn. ¡°Hey, I forgot to ask,¡± my dad started, ¡°are you sure your hand is alright?¡± I raised my bandaged left hand for him to see. ¡°This? Yeah, it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°How did that happen again?¡± I had forgotten the lie I told my parents last night and had to think fast. ¡°Uh, curling iron?¡± He tittered. ¡°I expected a better lie than that. I¡¯ll see you at home, sweetie.¡± Uh-oh. Were my lying skills beginning to fade? The thought crossed my mind upon entering the school until I saw a large group of students circled together in the hallway. They fought for a better position with their cell phones in hand to record whatever was going on. Peering through the crowd, I saw Bruce and Jerome holding down a brown-skinned boy on the floor and forcing a pink dress over his head. The agony and humiliation of the moment was written all over his face. ¡°What the hell are you two doing? Let him go,¡± I ordered, making my way to the center of the scene. My eyes landed on Candice, who stood next to Bruce and Jerome, laughing at the boy¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°Is this boy your friend or something?¡± Candice asked in an arrogant tone. ¡°Or is that your ugly dress and you came to take it back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny. You sure it didn¡¯t come from the tasteless wardrobe you wear to slut around?¡± I shifted my glare to Bruce and Jerome. ¡°I said let him go. Are you two her lapdogs or something?¡± ¡°Now hold on a minute,¡± Jerome started, ¡°this kid¡¯s been starting trouble with us all year.¡± ¡°For some reason, I doubt that¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s right,¡± Bruce jumped in, standing the boy up for the amusement of the entire school. ¡°This sophomore¡¯s been looking at us the wrong way for months, so we¡¯re showing him we¡¯re the bosses around here.¡± ¡°Boys, you don¡¯t have to explain anything to her,¡± Candice said. ¡°She¡¯s nobody. She¡¯s probably bitter because her boyfriend is gonna dump her soon.¡± I approached her with vicious intent, ready to knock her ass out for the pleasure of the entire school. ¡°What did you just say?¡± More students gathered around us. A fight was definitely gonna go down. ¡°Let me make it clearer for you,¡± she began, ¡°You¡¯re nothing. After your boyfriend becomes famous, he¡¯s going to leave you. You¡¯ll feel all sad and cry about how your life is so miserable, and then you¡¯ll try killing yourself just like your friend. That¡¯s the summary of your life. Judging by your hand, the misery has already started. Hashtag Candice Forever.¡± ¡°Kill her.¡± I launched myself on top of Candice, digging my nails into her throat with gritted teeth. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was her insults or the words of the demon that sprung me out of control, but at that point, all I wanted to do was cause pain. Even death, perhaps.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Fight, fight, fight,¡± the students chanted in sync as they watched the two of us claw at one another. She kicked me off her and stood up to deliver a slap across my face, which only fed my adrenaline. I swung a hard hook with my uninjured hand that connected with her face and sent her glasses flying. She stepped backwards in a daze, my rage pushing me forward to take another shot that knocked her stuck-up ass to the floor. Someone¡¯s arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back. I turned to see it was Tyler, who appeared frustrated by what was unfolding. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you two?¡± he yelled at Bruce and Jerome. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop it?¡± ¡°Not my problem, bro,¡± Jerome said with a sly grin. ¡°Yeah, dude. We were just having fun,¡± Bruce said with a smug expression. Multiple security guards marched to the scene. ¡°Everyone, get to your classes,¡± one of them demanded, making the throng of students scurry away. Candice spit in my direction as a guard pulled her to the side. Another guard pointed to me, Bruce, Jerome, Candice, and the bullied boy. ¡°You five. To the office, right now.¡± Candice barked every foul name in the Spanish language as security escorted us to the principal¡¯s office. This was not how I envisioned the start of my day. *** I was fortunate enough to avoid detention after explaining to the principal what had happened. Afterward, the school day went by pretty quickly, and I was happy to see Lucas standing outside the door of my science class. ¡°Hey, Ali. I got your text about what happened earlier. I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t there. You know all my classes are on the other side of the school.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just hate Candice, and what Bruce and Jerome did was not cool at all.¡± He held my uninjured hand and kissed my forehead. ¡°I know. I spoke to them about it. They apologized, but Tyler¡¯s still pissed. He can get really heated over stuff like this.¡± We began walking down the stairwell to the bottom floor with our fingers entwined and our bodies close together. ¡°You know, maybe you should kick their ass,¡± I jokingly proposed. ¡°Knock some sense into their heads. Do it for me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ruin this face just yet, you know?¡± He smiled. ¡°Wait until we¡¯re rich, then I¡¯ll kick their ass and make them work for us.¡± We both laughed as we neared the music room. Other students stopped us on the way there to converse and take photos with Lucas. He was really getting popular. ¡°So, how¡¯s your new friend?¡± he asked, the two of us now standing outside our destination. ¡°Janet, was her name?¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s not in school today ¡®cause of what happened last night. You know, what I called you about at three in the morning?¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounded insane. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright.¡± He kissed my cheek. ¡°I hope Janet¡¯s gonna be okay. She¡¯s being examined today and may be put on suicide watch. As for the math assignment, I managed to get a new packet from Ms. Walters, but now I¡¯m without anyone who knows the answers.¡± ¡°Damn. I¡¯m paired with a guy who has no idea what he¡¯s doing, so I share your pain. But speaking of pain, how¡¯s your hand?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, actually.¡± Okay, that was a lie. Truth be told, an agonizing sting could still be felt in my left palm, but at least Lucas¡¯s question reminded me of the lie I told my parents: a stray cat bit my hand when I tried to pick it up. Terrible, I know. We stood outside the music room and chatted with other students. I even joined in one of their dance videos for social media, but when the fun ended and the hallway started to empty, I caught a glimpse of the bullied boy from earlier. ¡°That was James¡± Lucas said, realizing who I saw. ¡°The sophomore Bruce and Jerome put the dress on.¡± He took out his cell phone and scrolled through it. ¡°Look here. Seven people from the school posted a video of him wearing the dress.¡± I shook my head in disgust. ¡°That¡¯s so messed up. It¡¯s like no one¡¯s satisfied unless the world sees what they see. They don¡¯t even care how the person in the video feels.¡± ¡°I hear you,¡± he agreed. ¡°It¡¯s going viral, too. My dad even saw it, oddly enough, and texted me about it this morning. Surprised he wasn¡¯t passed out on the couch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that bad, huh?¡± I squeezed his hand in comfort. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t wait to get my own place. But anyway, I want you to come in the music room and watch us practice for a bit. I¡¯ll drive you home in an hour or two, I swear.¡± Mom would kill me if I wasn¡¯t home right after school, especially after what happened last night, but damn was it hard to resist his invitation. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯m coming. But aren¡¯t Bruce and Jerome in detention?¡± ¡°They should be, but I got a text from Bruce saying they¡¯re not going. You know those two don¡¯t care about the rules.¡± We entered the music room to a foul stench filling our nostrils. My face twisted in repugnance at the smell as I closed the door behind me. Bruce and Jerome were already inside. ¡°Dude, you two really rolling up in here?¡± Lucas asked Bruce, who was facing the wall in a corner of the room. Jerome chuckled as he held a small paper wrapped around narcotics. ¡°Yeah, bro. Bruce needed this to cool down.¡± ¡°You trying to get us expelled?¡± Lucas retorted, swiping away the smoke that had already clouded the room. He then grabbed the drugs out of their hands. Bruce grumbled and started setting up his equipment. ¡°Ali, can you take my guitar out while I open the window?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°I wanna get some of this smoke out of here.¡± I removed his guitar from its case and saw my reflection gleam in the black and white aesthetic. The memory of being there with him when his mother gave him the instrument played in my mind. Reminiscing on the moment made me smile. A few minutes had gone by before the door of the room opened. Tyler walked in carrying a box of donuts, much to the delight of everyone inside except me. Why? Because she was right behind him, stepping into the room with a scowl. ¡°Where¡¯s Lucas?¡± Robyn questioned. ¡°He texted me not to come. Why would he do that?¡± I approached her with my brow raised and arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯re not a part of this band anymore. Sorry, but your basic services are no longer needed.¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve known something wasn¡¯t right,¡± she hissed. ¡°What, you¡¯re here to replace me or something?¡± ¡°No, but here¡¯s a question: heard any good lyrics lately? You know, ones that aren¡¯t stolen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean. Are you implying that I stole someone¡¯s music? Even if I did, how would you know? A bunch of demons knocked your ass out for a month.¡± ¡°Funny. With all that devil worshiping you were doing in those lyrics you stole, I¡¯m surprised the demons haven¡¯t come after your satanic ass yet.¡± Bruce and Jerome looked on in confusion as the two of us stared each other down. Robyn snickered and sucked her teeth before asking, ¡°Are you angry because I made this band relevant? Let¡¯s be honest, sweetheart, this group was going nowhere until I joined. If you don¡¯t like the style, that¡¯s your opinion. You can be cute and take your generic criticisms elsewhere.¡± ¡°Generic? How many indie artists did you steal from to come up with half of the material I¡¯ve heard from this band so far? Like, are you so delusional that you don¡¯t realize you¡¯re nothing more than a useless co-singer?¡± ¡°Well, the voice in my head tells me I¡¯m doing just fine, as well as the audience. Did the band ever reach eighty-thousand views online before I started singing?¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Everyone in the room turned their attention to Lucas after his shout. ¡°Why are you here, Robyn? I told you not to come.¡± ¡°And why the hell not? Because of her? My appointment is today, Lucas. You have to be there, remember?¡± What the hell was she talking about? ¡°Uh, what?¡± I asked, stepping in front of Lucas. A gut-wrenching pain in my stomach formed as I watched his eyes avoid mine. ¡°Lucas, tell me what she¡¯s talking about right now.¡± ¡°Ali, I didn¡¯t want you to find out like this. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡ª¡± ¡°Can you please stop with the dramatics,¡± Robyn exclaimed with her hands in the air theatrically. ¡°Just tell the girl already. We¡¯ve been through this charade enough.¡± My throat tightened from the fear and disbelief of the answer that awaited me. Lucas separated his lips to speak, but it was Robyn who sealed my fate. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Chapter 15 - The Monster You Made, Pt. 1 As if I had fallen into a deep slumber, all of my senses shut down. The miserable, empty feeling of betrayal sank deep into my heart. A stream of tears began to roll down my cheeks as the burning sensation in my lungs prevented me from screaming. Why?¡± I managed to breathe. ¡°Why?¡± Lucas appeared at a loss for words. The bright, soulful eyes I loved to stare into were now full of regret and sorrow. ¡°Aliyah, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said in a soft, fragile tone. ¡°I don¡¯t want it to be real, but it is. I¡¯m sorry.¡± We looked at one another, speechless. Unmoving. It wasn¡¯t until a loud screech piercing the brick walls of Ravenvale High that a sound was heard. ¡°What was that?¡± Tyler questioned. Everyone in the room stood at attention as more alarming screams resonated in the hall. ¡°Sounds like something¡¯s going on in the school,¡± Lucas said, putting his guitar back in its case. ¡°I think we should pack up and get out of here. Ali, I¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Bruce walked from behind the drum kit. ¡°Relax, I¡¯ll check it out,¡± he yawned. He turned the knob and mumbled, ¡°Bunch of softies.¡± At the crack of the door opening, a purple mist entered the room. ¡°Bruce, wait.¡± I tried to stop him, but he walked out and narrowed his eyes in the direction of the school entrance, laughing as he pointed down the hall. ¡°Say something already,¡± Tyler urged as the rest of us waited inside the room for a response. ¡°Man, it¡¯s just that punk ass loser we put the dress on earlier. He was probably the one screaming like a little girl. Yo, Jerome, get out here so we can¡ª¡± Bruce¡¯s body stiffened, his face contorting as he gasped for air with his hands around his neck. He collapsed on the ground seconds later with a hard thud. ¡°What the hell?¡± Robyn muttered at the frightening scene in front of us. Jerome rushed to Bruce¡¯s lifeless body and kneeled to shake him. ¡°Bruce. Get up, man. Get up,¡± he hollered as we all walked out of the classroom. Tyler bent down and put his head on Bruce¡¯s chest. ¡°He¡¯s not breathing.¡± My eyes widened in shock not only because of Bruce¡¯s death, but due to the eerie presence of James, the bullied student. He walked toward us with a deranged, maniacal grin that was only matched in horror by the unstable, ghastly demon that trailed behind him. ¡°The hurt, the hate. I¡¯ll kill them all for it,¡± he uttered in a demonic voice as he began to twitch. ¡°He should¡¯ve left me alone. Now, he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Wh-what do you want?¡± Lucas asked him before grabbing my hand and shielding me. His arm was trembling. ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill every bully in this school. They¡¯ll all pay for making my life a living hell.¡± Robyn stepped in front of the group to confront him. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything to you. Let us go.¡± James¡¯s expression transformed, his face dropping into a doleful stare. ¡°You¡¯re right. You didn¡¯t do anything to me,¡± he started in a nonchalant tone, ¡°but he did.¡± He leered at Jerome. James¡¯s level of animosity for him was among the highest I had ever sensed. An impulse of dark emotions hit me after he smiled. ¡°You¡¯re next to die.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The five of us fled in terror. We raced through the school in a panic and made our way to the upper floor, rushing into an empty classroom with Lucas and Tyler barricading the door with desks. ¡°What the hell is goin¡¯ on?¡± Jerome asked as he stood in the corner, mortified. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die.¡± I paced back and forth, hoping to come up with a solution. The sound of sniffling caught my attention. I looked underneath the teacher¡¯s desk and saw a familiar face curled in the fetal position. ¡°There¡¯s someone else in here,¡± I announced. Everyone watched as the person stood up and revealed their disgruntled expression. It was Candice, who backed against the chalkboard with a broken glass tube in hand. ¡°Stay away from me. All of you,¡± she warned, waving the sharp edge of the glass in a crazed manner. ¡°Get the hell away from me.¡± I backed away as Tyler approached her. ¡°Can you put that down? We¡¯re obviously not here to hurt you.¡± A flurry of tears flowed down her face. Pieces of glass shattered on the floor after she threw the broken tube down with force. ¡°Why is this happening? I didn¡¯t mean anything I said to him.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Tyler asked. ¡°That sophomore boy. Two of my friends are dead. He killed the detention teacher and the security guards too. He¡¯s after everyone whose ever bullied him.¡± ¡°How exactly did he kill them?¡± I inquired. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He just stared at them until they collapsed on the ground and died. I ran out with a few other people before he got to us. I tried to hide and call the police, but I couldn¡¯t because my damn phone exploded yesterday.¡± Tyler groaned hearing her whiny voice. ¡°What you¡¯re saying doesn¡¯t make any sense. You can¡¯t kill someone just by looking at them. Unless.¡± He looked at me; I nodded in response. ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°I know what I saw,¡± Candice continued. ¡°It was him. I saw the way he looked at everyone in the detention room who always called him names. Most of the time he stinks and never opens his mouth in class, so a lot of us tease him, but we¡¯re just playing around. Personally, I never meant to hurt his feelings.¡± ¡°But you did,¡± I stated. ¡°And I¡¯m betting you¡¯re the one who put Bruce and Jerome up to that stunt with the dress. You¡¯re only apologizing now ¡®cause you¡¯re afraid to die. I can¡¯t stand people like you.¡± ¡°Maybe you should leave her for dead while you escape.¡± My heart clenched at the voice of my demonic tormentor, who stood in one of the empty corners of the room. It vanished just as Robyn approached me. ¡°We need to talk. Unfortunately.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say to you,¡± I shot back. ¡°If all of this wasn¡¯t going on, I¡¯d punch you in the face right now.¡± She curled her lip. ¡°Yeah, whatever. If you care about the people in this room, you¡¯ll listen to what I have to say.¡± I sighed and followed her over to the window to speak in private. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I need you to get everyone out of here so I can kill that sophomore.¡± ¡°What? No. You¡¯re not killing him. He needs to be talked to and treated like a normal person.¡± She moaned in exasperation. ¡°Great. I forgot you¡¯re a saint and think everyone can be saved.¡± ¡°Yeah, and? What, did Lucas tell you that?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve been watching you since before you was put into a coma, so obviously I know you have the power to free people from Shadows.¡± Shadows? And I just knew she was stalking me all this time. ¡°What are Shadows? Are you talking about the demons?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really that out of the loop?¡± She snickered before giving me an answer. ¡°Shadows are different than the Shade Crawlers we kill with ease. They¡¯re the ones that specifically manipulate a person with negative emotions. They look almost the same as Shade Crawlers, but the brighter red eyes give it away.¡± ¡°Shadows? Shade Crawlers? Where are these names coming from? How do you know all of this?¡± ¡°I picked it up from someone who knows about them. That¡¯s all. None of that is important right now. I need you to slay the lesser demons that come into the room while I take out the Shadow. Can you do that?¡± I looked down at my bandaged hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t been able to manifest my light since I got out the hospital.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re basically useless is what you¡¯re saying? Fine, just get everyone out of here so I can¡ª¡± Interrupting Robyn¡¯s speech was a loud bang on the door. I grabbed her arm just as she was about to walk away. ¡°Wait. I need to know one more thing. Are you pregnant just ¡®cause you desire Lucas¡¯s child?¡± ¡°Wow. Look, I get what you¡¯re asking, and the answer is no. A person cannot manifest more than one desire. Lucas and I had sex; I got pregnant. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± She pulled away and joined the rest of the group. Now wasn¡¯t the time to pick up the pieces of my broken heart. Staying alive mattered more. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die here. I¡¯m sorry, bro. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jerome cried out, crouching down to the floor with his head buried between his legs. As Candice screamed in the background, I tried my best to concentrate and think of what to do. Being trapped on the third floor, the window wasn¡¯t an option. And in the hallway was James, his deranged expression visible through the glass window of the door with the demon peeking over his shoulder. Was there no way out of this hellish nightmare? Chapter 16 - The Monster You Made, Pt. 2 "Ali, let me protect you,¡± Lucas said, stepping in front of me. Tyler attempted to reposition the desks against the door, but it was useless. James was breaking down the barricade with his aggressive pounding. ¡°Lucas, really?¡± Robyn questioned. ¡°We¡¯re in danger and you¡¯re putting her before me?¡± He fired a stern glare at her before turning to me. ¡°Babe, please, I wanted to tell you, but I don¡¯t even remember when it happened or how. I don¡¯t want this to be the last memory you have of me. I¡¯m innocent.¡± ¡°Tell her the truth,¡± Robyn yelled. ¡°I am. You did something to me. I never had sex with you.¡± ¡°Guys,¡± Tyler shouted as he continued his efforts in keeping James out of the room. ¡°Get through all that garbage after we survive this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re not guilty of keeping the secret too,¡± Robyn spat out with a devious grin. ¡°You knew?¡± I asked Tyler, who remained silent. I feared his confirmation. ¡°Yes, alright? I wanted to tell you yesterday. I¡¯m sorry. Can we please deal with what¡¯s in front of us? We¡¯re all about to die, dammit.¡± With a hard crash, James rammed his way into the classroom. Tyler backed away as the mountain of desks tumbled down. Candice cried out for help at James¡¯s presence, who looked around the room until his eyes landed on Jerome. ¡°Leave him alone,¡± Tyler demanded. His words fell on deaf ears as James walked over to Jerome, who looked up from his crouched stance and pleaded for his life. ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late for forgiveness.¡± Lucas balled a fist and prompted himself to attack James. He was ready to charge and swing had Robyn not yanked on to his arm and shook her head in disapproval. James¡¯s eyes returned to normal as he stared down at Jerome. ¡°You punched me, kicked me around, and made everyone look at me as if I was weak. Like I was nobody. Now look at you. Tell me how it feels before you die, scum.¡± Candice covered her eyes and turned away as we watched Jerome¡¯s neck snap. His eyes popped out of their sockets, his tongue escaping his mouth. Blood oozed onto the floor from his eyelids and traveled to the back of the room where everyone except Robyn and I retreated. James looked at us like we were nothing but a flock of sheep ready to be devoured. ¡°You,¡± he said, pointing to Candice, ¡°it¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± I shouted, shielding her. ¡°Enough is enough.¡± ¡°You never did anything to me. Go before I kill you too.¡± ¡°No.¡± I stood my ground. ¡°I know these people hurt you in different ways, but taking their lives won¡¯t make anything better.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what will make me feel better,¡± he hollered, the demon behind him growing larger and more demented. ¡°They all torment me and make my life even harder than it is. You can¡¯t imagine what I go through mentally and physically because of them.¡± He glanced over at Candice, making her jump in turmoil. ¡°You and your friends always thought you were better than me. You called me a retard in class every single day because I couldn¡¯t answer a simple question. You wanna know why I couldn¡¯t answer it? Because I don¡¯t have the knowledge. I don¡¯t have the education because I can¡¯t always make it to school. I¡¯m afraid of walking outside my house and getting shot like my brother did. That¡¯s the type of neighborhood I live in. That¡¯s what I have to go through outside of this building.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± Candice cried out, sobbing in despair. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No matter how much I try to better myself and do the right thing, you¡¯re always gonna see me as the same kid who¡¯s not on your level. You¡¯ll judge me like I¡¯m a lesser being, like I¡¯m a different species. I have emotions, just like you do. But every damn day that I come here, I¡¯m abused by those who think they¡¯re above me.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please, don¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°You think I wasn¡¯t gonna reach my breaking point? That I wasn¡¯t gonna wish death on all of you and get my revenge?¡± ¡°James,¡± I began, shifting his attention back to me, ¡°I wish I had a solution to your problem, but killing everyone who made your life miserable isn¡¯t it. Look around you. Look at what you¡¯ve done. You¡¯re either going to prison for life or you¡¯re gonna die.¡± He approached me and wrapped his hand around my throat. I could feel his grip tighten before Lucas rushed forward and threw a punch. His knuckles collided with James¡¯s jaw, breaking the hold around my neck. ¡°Tyler, Lucas, take Candice and get out of here,¡± I coughed out. ¡°Robyn and I will handle this.¡± Lucas appeared puzzled by my words, but he chose not to argue. He and Tyler pulled Candice out of the room and let the battle between James and the two of us commence. ¡°You¡¯re both going to die in her place,¡± he growled, his threat summoning multiple demons into the room. ¡°Now I can have some fun,¡± Robyn said with a smirk, raising her right arm to the side. A pole-like object shrouded in a dark aura began to take shape in her hand. A shockwave of black energy shook the room as it formed into an ebony scythe. In a flash, she took charge and cut through demon after demon with ease. I was astonished at how she could wield the weapon with such mastery, not to mention doing it while pregnant. Or so she claimed. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± I said to her. ¡°If you had this kind of power, why didn¡¯t you use it against the demon in the hallway?¡± ¡°Because I would¡¯ve had to explain myself afterward, obviously, and I hate talking. Only people with desires to stop evil can see Shade Crawlers and Shadows, so if I had manifested my scythe and started chopping these creatures in half, the only thing everyone else would¡¯ve seen was me swinging my arms around like a cheap action figure. Not to mention I¡¯m pregnant, remember? The only reason I¡¯m fighting right now is because we have no other choice.¡± Two Shade Crawlers appeared out of thin air, with one ready to strike me with its claw. Robyn quickly used her weapon to shred the demon¡¯s body into pieces, leaving dusk particles in its wake before ripping into the torso of the other. ¡°Ugh. I can¡¯t believe I just saved you,¡± she muttered. ¡°I guess I hate demons more than having your weak ass around.¡± ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m so not saying thank you.¡± We both locked eyes with James, his demonic manipulator being the final challenge in the room. ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here,¡± I told her. ¡°You¡¯re still trying to save him? Fine, I¡¯ll sit this one out, but don¡¯t expect me to jump in when he goes nuts on you.¡± She stepped back and leaned against the chalkboard with her arms crossed, giving me the opportunity to free him. ¡°James, you don¡¯t have to be like the people who bullied you. Punishing them feels like the right thing to do, I know, but it¡¯s not. That temporary satisfaction of getting revenge isn¡¯t worth the empty feeling that comes after. You have to fight against the urge for payback. Please.¡± He backed away with his hands on the side of his head, groaning in what seemed to be excruciating agony. ¡°Why do bad people live and good people die?¡± he begged to know as he scurried around the room, battling his thoughts. ¡°Bad people need to die.¡± ¡°I know how you feel, trust me, but everyone should have a chance at redemption. This may sound crazy to you, James, but I can sense the emotions of every person who sets foot in this building, and I know for a fact we¡¯re all the same. We all have our problems. We all do dumb things we regret later, and we all get bullied by society one way or the other, but we should all be given a chance to become better tomorrow than we are today. Keep striving to be better than the person they think you are. You¡¯re stronger than that voice in your head telling you otherwise.¡± The demon lurking around him whispered incoherent words in his ear. I watched him cry out and vent until I felt a tap on my shoulder. ¡°I should slay the Shadow,¡± Robyn suggested. ¡°There¡¯s no hope for him. The only difference between your power and mine is, once I kill the monster, the person it controls dies as well.¡± ¡°Then no,¡± I declined. ¡°He¡¯s gonna get through this.¡± James halted and roared in displeasure. ¡°There are so many cruel people in this world who don¡¯t deserve to live. They ruin the joys of life for everyone. I have to get rid of them.¡± He fell to his knees, looking up at the ceiling. ¡°You¡¯re trying to trick me. I¡­I should kill you now.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± I argued. ¡°¡¯Cause you¡¯re not evil. You¡¯re a good person.¡± ¡°I-I want to be a good person. I don¡¯t want to be a killer.¡± The Shadow influencing James appeared thrown off by his resolve and twisted its massive body in an unorthodox motion. It began to react in a bizarre and unsteady nature, which intensified the darkness surrounding him. ¡°I can¡¯t control my thoughts.¡± As James screamed and struggled to exorcise his demon, heavy footsteps could be heard in the hallway marching toward the room. A squad of armed officers rushed inside. ¡°Everyone, get on the ground,¡± one of the officers demanded, his firearm pointed at us. James, however, refused to lay down. ¡°I said get on the ground.¡± ¡°Not until I get my revenge.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel disheartened by his reaction to the officer. I had almost gotten through to him, but the negative influence of the demonic entity and James¡¯s thirst for vengeance was too strong. He charged at the officers, his face contorted into a wrathful scowl. ¡°Take him out,¡± one of them ordered. ¡°No, wait,¡± I pleaded. ¡°I can save him.¡± My cry for restraint was silenced by ear-splitting gunshots. My body shook uncontrollably watching James collapse on the floor and cough out his last breath. There were no words to describe the overwhelming events that had unfolded. I failed. Again. Chapter 17 - Shadow Of My Sins The sound of police sirens and stray voices howled in displeasure. Feeling the uncomfortable cold steel beneath me, I slid off the emergency truck and removed the wool blanket wrapped around my body. Medical technicians came out of the school pushing stretchers with white sheets that covered those who lost their lives in the building. Distress and disappointment forced me to look away. It was then that I peered at another emergency truck in the distance and saw Lucas and Robyn being medically attended to. I subconsciously started to wander over to them before an EMT stopped me halfway. ¡°Please sit back down, young lady. I¡¯ll need to check your pupils for a brief moment.¡± He brought me back over to the truck and shined a flashlight in my eyes. ¡°Alright. It looks like you¡¯re not suffering from a concussion,¡± he said as I squinted from the blinding light until he removed it. ¡°Your guardian hasn¡¯t shown up yet, so stay put until they do, understand?¡± The EMT waited for me to reply, but I didn¡¯t. Staring into space, my mind drifted to an endless void of darkness. The only thought in that black hole was Lucas cheating on me with Robyn, and even when my brain did process something else, it would just be the dead body of James. My suffering continued with the presence of Agent Grant, who approached me with a smug expression. ¡°Nice to see you again, Aliyah. Care to explain how so many people died this time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Please, just go away.¡± ¡°Choosing to lie some more, I see. You mean to tell me that this school isn¡¯t your playground for killing young sinners? That you¡¯re not a part of the group responsible for everything?¡± My eyes rose from his accusation. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. People are dying, and I know you¡¯re involved somehow. It pisses me off that you could sit there and act innocent after you¡¯ve taken so many lives. Criminals like you deserve to rot behind bars.¡± ¡°What the hell is your problem?¡± I retorted, standing up. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡ª¡± ¡°Enough. I want the truth, and I want it now.¡± I flinched from his aggressive demand. Before the interrogation could continue, my mother came to my aid. ¡°Baby, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe.¡± She hugged me before addressing Grant. ¡°What business do you have with my daughter?¡± He mustered a smile through his frustration. ¡°Simply questioning. That¡¯s all. I pray she isn¡¯t in the middle of something like this in the future.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°She won¡¯t be. Now leave us alone.¡± ¡°As you wish. Have a nice day.¡± My mother waited until he was out of sight before she brushed my hair back and examined my face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come straight home? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s been going on with you lately, but there will be some changes. Let¡¯s go.¡± *** Day swiftly turned into night, but the misery consuming me didn¡¯t change. I laid in bed under my sheets, heartbroken and resentful of the person I loved the most. Depression and loneliness had become my existence, and the darkness and silence of the room would have become my paradise had the tormenting demon not manifested near the side of my bed at 11:11 p.m. ¡°I told you he was screwing her. They have a child together. You mean nothing to him anymore.¡± The demonic entity stared down at me and cackled with an uncanny screech. ¡°Valeria was the only one who cared about you. Maybe you should kill yourself, too.¡± Enough was enough. I was tired of this. I glared back at the scarlet luminescence of the creature, standing up to face it even without my powers. ¡°You¡¯re a virus. A virus that has infected not only this entire city, but my best friend. You made her kill herself.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s what she wanted.¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. She was going through a tough time, who doesn¡¯t? Everyone has problems in their life. Everyone. But you ¡­ You force people to live in that misery every damn day. You don¡¯t care what it does to them. Death and destruction are your only goals.¡± The outside light leaking in from the crack of the curtains revealed a glimpse of the demon¡¯s figure. The creature backed away, possibly in retreat. If my words were affecting it, then good. I still had a lot to get off my chest. ¡°You pitiful, soulless monster. You don¡¯t feel anything I¡¯m saying because you have no emotion. All you do is feed off negativity like a parasite. You¡¯re nothing more than the Shadow of my sins.¡± ¡°If I am your shadow, then you can never escape me.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, ¡®cause this isn¡¯t a perfect world. There will always be misfortunes in my life, and you¡¯ll try antagonizing me when they happen. But that doesn¡¯t mean I have to listen. It doesn¡¯t mean you get to control who I am.¡± A warm, soothing sensation flowed through my body, and a cold breeze circulated around my left hand. ¡°It¡¯s back,¡± I acknowledged, unwrapping the bandage. A powerful radiance illuminated the room, much to the dismay of the demon. I understood why I lost my light. It was because of fear. Fear of letting the same thing that happened to Valeria happen to someone else. My desire wasn¡¯t strong enough, but it damn sure was now. I raised my left hand at the demon and released the energy contained in my palm. The demonic tormentor shrieked before dissipating in the light. The gleaming, visible aura ran down my fingertips before dispersing into small orbs that clustered on the floor. I couldn¡¯t help but smile, astonished at what I had accomplished. The brightness dimmed until the room was dark again. A surge of overwhelming pleasure had taken over my mind, body, and spirit. My Shadow had been tranquilized. ¡°I swear, even if it kills me in the end, I¡¯m gonna purge every last one of them.¡± Chapter 18 - Girls Day In A cab brought me to Janet¡¯s house a few days later after getting permission from my mother to go out. The purpose of the visit was to check on her and complete the math assignment, but this opportunity was needed to escape the confinement of my room that only reminded me of Lucas and Robyn. After stepping out of the vehicle, I scanned my surroundings after sensing high amounts of negativity in the air. The familiarity of the suburban area also captured my attention, with the ivory-colored house across the street vaguely reminding me of an event in the past. ¡°You gonna come in or what?¡± I turned to see Janet walking down her stoop to greet me. ¡°Yeah, I was just looking around ¡®cause¡ª¡± ¡°Your demon senses were tingling?¡± she joked. ¡°C¡¯mon. My grandpa wants to meet you.¡± She led me inside the house where we walked into a white living room containing a fireplace and multiple photo frames on the wall. Most were an image of a man and a woman, who I assumed were Janet¡¯s parents. There was even one placed on a small table between a brown couch and a TV that displayed the selection menu on Netflix. ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± Janet called out. Walking out one of the rooms was a bald, elderly man with a gray beard. ¡°Grandpa, this is Aliyah. Aliyah, this is my grandpa.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± I said, reaching out for a handshake. He squeezed my hand and bowed his head. ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you as well, young lady. I must say, you are beautiful. My granddaughter sure knows how to pick¡¯em.¡± ¡°Oh? Oh, thank you.¡± His comment shot Janet¡¯s eyes to the sun. ¡°Okay, Grandpa, we have work to do,¡± she grumbled while shooing him away. ¡°Now hold on, dear. Let me speak more to Aliyah.¡± He pulled me aside and continued talking. ¡°I want to thank you for saving my granddaughter. Since she¡¯s moved in with me, she hasn¡¯t made many friends. I know she can be stubborn and difficult to get along with at times, but she has a good heart. Please look after her.¡± ¡°I can hear you, you know,¡± Janet jeered from across the room. Her grandfather smiled and nodded before we walked back over to her. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you girls alone,¡± he said before strolling down a tight hallway that led further into the house. ¡°Great. Introductions are over. To my room we go.¡± I followed Janet upstairs into her room, which housed a sizeable TV, a bed with black, cotton sheets, and a shelf with numerous novels and manga near a silver desk where a computer was placed. A few burn marks were printed on the walls, but it did not take away from the stylish paint job of black and white coloration. ¡°Classy,¡± I said before sitting on the bed and taking the math packet out of my purse. ¡°Ugh, I hate that we have to do this over again.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have pissed me off.¡± She smirked and sat in a chair by the desk. ¡°I do regret it, though. At least I¡¯m not on suicide watch, so we can get this thing done whenever, wherever.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Speaking of your power, I wanted to ask: when did you start setting things on fire for fun?¡± She snorted. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s not how you start a friendship.¡± ¡°Sorry. I should¡¯ve thought about how that would sound.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not bothered. Trust me, I¡¯ve heard worse. Someone on social media once said I¡¯m not Black enough ¡®cause I read manga and watch anime. Like, what? What year are we in?¡± ¡°Right? That¡¯s so dumb.¡± ¡°Yeah. But to answer your question, I¡¯ve always had a fascination for fire since I was younger. Yeah, I burnt things when I was angry, ¡®cause it allowed me to express myself better than screaming at the top of my lungs or punching things. After a while, though, just the sight of a fire started to mesmerize me. It made me feel comfortable, like all my emotions are stored in the pit of the flame. Almost like a diary that no one else can ever read. It¡¯s weird, I know, but it¡¯s how I feel.¡± Fascinated by her words, all I could say was, ¡°Wow, no. I totally get it. You ever thought about sharing that story with other people? Maybe post it online or something?¡± She snorted. ¡°Yeah, no thanks. My desire isn¡¯t to be harassed by random trolls and their alts. I stay away from social media most of the time. What about you?¡± ¡°I have profiles on all the popular platforms, but I don¡¯t use¡¯em much. Maybe post a pic or two when I¡¯m feeling good in my best fits, but that¡¯s about it. I do more stalking online than sharing.¡± We both laughed before I continued. ¡°But yeah, it¡¯s just too much fake stuff on social media, you know? Too much rage baiting and clout chasing.¡± ¡°Exactly. I hate karma farmers the most. And you know what¡¯s so annoying? When someone obsessively broadcasts their thoughts about something that¡¯s popular as if society is begging for their opinion on the topic. I¡¯m like, ¡®Ugh, get off my screen. Stop being desperate for validation.¡¯¡± I smiled. She was pretty cool, and I could easily see the two of us hanging out. ¡°Hey, you ever been to the Bronx Zoo?¡± I asked. ¡°We should¡ª¡± My invitation was interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone. I removed it from the back pocket of my jeans and felt my face distorting into a grimace after seeing Lucas¡¯s name on the screen. Without hesitation, I hit decline and put the phone on silent before shoving it in my purse. ¡°Uh-oh. That¡¯s not a good sign,¡± Janet said. ¡°Boyfriend drama?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about it.¡± ¡°Right, of course you don¡¯t. If I¡¯m not mistaken, wasn¡¯t he with you in the afterschool massacre a few days ago? The article online showed both of y¡¯all faces as survivors of¡ª¡± ¡°Janet, please. Can we just get started on the assignment?¡± She shook her head, walking over to the window and separating the black curtains for a clear view outside. ¡°Nah. I appreciate you helping me the night I came over to your house, but you were annoying as hell and a serious headache, so now it¡¯s my turn to bug you until you¡¯re feeling better.¡± Her persistence was beyond irritating, but it made me wonder if other people felt that way whenever I interfered in their personal problems. Taking a deep breath, I asked, ¡°Fine, what do you wanna know?¡± She looked out of the window. ¡°Actually, let¡¯s get back to that later. I wanna show you something. Come here.¡± I walked over and peered out myself, seeing a familiar face through the window of the home across the street. ¡°No freakin¡¯ way. You live across the street from Candice?¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Wait, I knew this area looked familiar. I was at Candice¡¯s house party last week.¡± ¡°Uh, nani? Why were you there? I can¡¯t imagine it was to hang out with her.¡± ¡°It was for my boy... I mean, Lucas¡¯s performance. I was only there to support him. There¡¯s no way me and Candice could ever be friends.¡± She snickered. ¡°Well, if you hate bullies as much as I do, keep watching.¡± Candice¡¯s frantic marching around the pink room caused her to bump into a table, knocking down her small ring light. She shuddered afterward, ready to cry. Seeing her in so much distress wasn¡¯t fun. It was uncomfortable, and honestly sad. ¡°She¡¯s been like this ever since the school incident,¡± Janet informed me. ¡°I¡¯m not saying she deserved whatever happened to her, but it¡¯s so satisfying watching her suffer ¡®cause she¡¯s such a stuck-up, wannabe princess.¡± A closer look made me realize the cause of Candice¡¯s apprehension. ¡°It¡¯s a Shadow,¡± I revealed, witnessing the scarlet-eyed creature hovering over her. ¡°I have to get over there.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe I was about to save Candice. Again. Of all people. Chapter 19 - My Old Ways I rushed out of Janet¡¯s room and made it downstairs before being pulled back by a grip on my arm. ¡°Whoa, slow down,¡± she urged. ¡°What are you gonna do? Just knock on her door like an exorcist and expect her to let you in?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve done this before. If she doesn¡¯t let me in, I¡¯ll break in.¡± I dashed out of the house and across the street to Candice¡¯s front door. My finger smashed on the doorbell repeatedly until the door opened to Candice¡¯s gloomy expression. ¡°Why are you here? Get the hell away from my house. Bad things always happen when you¡¯re around.¡± ¡°Shut up and move out the way.¡± I pushed her to the side and walked into the house, looking around at the somewhat fancy interior. The lack of purple mist meant the demon wasn¡¯t strong and Candice hadn¡¯t been influenced yet, but the task of finding it would be a little more difficult. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are?¡± she yelled. ¡°I¡¯m calling the police.¡± ¡°Yeah, like we need you getting someone else killed. Go hide somewhere and get your emotions in check. Lord knows if your desire manifested it would be some sort of superficial crap like wanting to be the prettiest girl in the world.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she questioned, stomping in place. ¡°You really are loco, aren¡¯t you?¡± Janet walked into the house, her eyes shifting between me and Candice. ¡°What I missed?¡± ¡°Great, now you¡¯re here,¡± Candice complained. ¡°What could the two of you possibly want from me other than makeup advice that you both desperately need? Go watch my tutorials online for goodness¡¯ sake.¡± Ignoring her comment, I used my senses to try locating the Shadow. Candice argued against my intrusion as the three of us made our way upstairs and into the pink room seen from Janet¡¯s window. ¡°It¡¯s in here,¡± I managed to say before feeling a heavy force smack me across the room. The impact of my body against a shelf caused a few makeup kits and mannequin heads to tumble to the floor. The Shade Crawler¡¯s sudden attack made me manifest a chakram and fling it at the creature before it launched another assault. Thankfully, all it took was one hit from my weapon to vanquish it. ¡°Okay, something obviously hit you just now,¡± Janet acknowledged with excitement, conjuring a ball of fire in her palm. ¡°Now I¡¯m fully convinced. Where¡¯s the demon? I can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°I purged it, and I¡¯m the only one in here who can see them. It wasn¡¯t the one tormenting Candice, anyway. The Shadow is still somewhere in this house.¡± Candice¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight of the flames in Janet¡¯s hand. ¡°H-how are you doing that? What the hell is happening? Is this all some kind of prank? It is, isn¡¯t it? I¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, Candice,¡± both Janet and I shouted. The Shadow had to be purged no matter what, so I continued searching the cerulean home until Candice pushed me away from what I assumed was her parents¡¯ room. ¡°This tour is over. Unless you pay me to explore more, I want the two of you out of my house. Now.¡± ¡°And of course it comes down to money with her,¡± Janet said, looking away with an eye roll. ¡°Is that all you think I¡¯m about?¡± Candice scowled and pulled us to the room down the hall. She placed her index finger on her lip and cracked open the door, allowing us to peek in and view an elderly woman resting in a bed.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Is that your grandma?¡± Janet questioned in a low voice. Candice quietly shut the door and pulled us a few feet away from the room. ¡°Everything I do, I do for my abuela,¡± she retorted. ¡°So you can shame me for loving money all you want, but I¡¯m gonna keep being me so that we can have a roof over our heads.¡± My head tiled to the side in confusion. ¡°Candice, are you paying the bills in here?¡± ¡°Yes. So when that sophomore was about to kill me, I cried not just for my life, but for my abuela¡¯s sake as well. The money I get from sponsors is the only revenue keeping this place afloat, but after what happened, it¡¯s hard putting on a fake smile and pretending everything is okay. It¡¯s not okay. But I have to do it because we need the money and all everyone wants is more content from me.¡± She pouted before speaking again. ¡°Hashtag Candice Forever is not just a trend online. It¡¯s a brand created by me, a real person with emotions. But people don¡¯t understand that. They think because I¡¯m an influencer that I¡¯m a freakin¡¯ robot. That day at school was the scariest moment of my life, and I¡¯m paranoid, okay? I¡¯m afraid something¡¯ll happen to me, and my abuela will have no one to care for her.¡± The Shadow made itself visible after Candice¡¯s venting. It hung from the hallway ceiling and greeted me with a sinister smile, the inside of its mouth nothing more than a hollow abyss. ¡°Who¡¯ll be here for her if I¡¯m gone?¡± Candice continued in a louder voice. ¡°My mother died from the stress of taking care of my abuela, and my deadbeat father is somewhere selling drugs or dead. I¡¯m the only member in my family who has a future, and I don¡¯t wanna lose everything. You could never understand my life, so don¡¯t even try to.¡± Her words came with an aggressive tone, enticing the demon more as it leaped off the ceiling and slithered by her side. I used the opportunity to release a beam of light that lit up the entire hallway, its radiance only taking a few seconds to disintegrate the creature. Janet¡¯s eyes widened after the flash. ¡°So cool. Did you get it?¡± ¡°Yeah, it wasn¡¯t a strong one. We¡¯re done here.¡± Candice¡¯s story was a sad one, but it was hard for me to sympathize with her because one, she was a bully, and two, all I wanted to do was purge more demons. It was the only thing running through my mind. Janet and I made our way downstairs before Candice stepped in front of us. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you just did, but unless you want me to call the police, you better make a deal with me,¡± she said directly to me with a condescending smirk. It made me wonder if her speech was all an act. ¡°Never, ever mention anything I said here to anyone. Not about me, my family, nothing. Deal? Because I could have you arrested right now for trespassing.¡± ¡°As much as I hate siding with her, she¡¯s right,¡± Janet agreed. ¡°You can¡¯t barge in someone¡¯s house like that. You¡¯re gonna get locked up, or worse.¡± ¡°Whatever. Deal. Just leave me alone.¡± I didn¡¯t have to explain myself to them. They wouldn¡¯t have understood anyway. All that mattered was that I vanquished another demon before someone else was manipulated. I didn¡¯t care to hear the consequences or discuss my reasoning. Saving people was all I had going for me. What else did I have to look forward to? Certainly not a love life. That was gone in the wind. A career? In what? I had no idea. Putting smiles on other people¡¯s faces was all I could do. And maybe, that was all I needed to do. I walked out of Candice¡¯s house and ran across the street with Janet following behind. ¡°Listen, I get that you wanna save the world and everything,¡± she began, ¡°but I feel like you¡¯re using this whole ¡®demon hunter¡¯ hobby to distract yourself from something else that¡¯s going on. You can¡¯t help others with their problems until you help yourself. You know that, right?¡± Her words hit me like a truck, smashing my resolve and causing me to stop in place before sitting on her stoop with downcast eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing anymore, Janet. It really don¡¯t. And here I thought I was the one who could read people¡¯s emotions. You saw right through me.¡± ¡°Yeah, ¡®cause you¡¯re making it obvious that something¡¯s up. How about I drive you home so you can relax? We can finish the math assignment another day.¡± I sighed. ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let my grandpa know I¡¯m leaving and then I¡¯ll grab my keys and your purse. Stay right here and don¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t do.¡± She walked past me and into her house, leaving me outside on the quiet street to think about my life. Both Candice and Janet¡¯s words reminded me of the promise I made to Lucas regarding my safety and making better decisions. Was I reverting to my old ways? Charging into dangerous situations without worry of repercussions? Hell, did I even change in the first place? After contemplating the events that transpired, it was becoming clear that having the light to purge demons wasn¡¯t enough to get me back to normal. I needed the one person who gave me the strength to keep going. I needed Lucas now more than ever. ¡°Daydreaming?¡± Janet asked, stepping back outside. She locked the front door and handed me my purse. ¡°Something like that,¡± I replied, taking out my cell phone. Multiple missed calls and texts from Lucas covered the screen. ¡°What the¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°We have to get to the hospital. Right now.¡± Chapter 20 - Demons In The Hall Janet and I hurried into the hospital building, ignoring the receptionist at the desk near the entrance. We took the elevator up to the fifth floor to see Lucas standing in the hallway, watching as a trio of police officers surround Tyler outside of Valeria¡¯s room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked him. He stared at me with a small smile before his expression turned grim. ¡°Ali, it¡¯s Valeria¡¯s foster parents. They...wanna pull the plug, but Tyler is refusing to let it happen.¡± I looked closer and saw Val¡¯s foster parents behind the policemen. If there was a chance I could¡¯ve gotten away with it, I would¡¯ve punched them both in the face for authorizing the death of my best friend. But there was nothing I could do. They had the power to decide if she¡¯d live or die. ¡°He¡¯s a damn rapist,¡± Tyler shouted, seething. ¡°You should be arresting him.¡± I walked more toward the scene. Lucas and Janet followed. ¡°What are you talking about, Tyler?¡± I asked. ¡°When this old hag,¡± he pointed at Valeria¡¯s foster mother, ¡°stepped out the room, this fat slob,¡± now pointing to her foster father, ¡°had his hand under Valeria¡¯s sheets. I¡¯m certain now that Val tried to kill herself because this pedophile raped her.¡± I couldn¡¯t hold back after hearing that. I marched over to Valeria¡¯s disgusting excuse of a foster father and swung my fist, connecting with his jaw. His coward ass wife stood there in shock as two officers detained me. ¡°Let go of her,¡± I heard Lucas say as the officers pushed my head down to the floor, busting my lip in the process. I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if Janet stepped in with her fire, but I was glad she didn¡¯t. I felt the cold metal of the handcuffs around my wrist before being held against a wall next to Tyler, who was also restrained. ¡°This is murder,¡± he cried out. ¡°And screw you, Lucas. At least Aliyah tried to do something.¡± ¡°What the hell, dude?¡± Lucas questioned. ¡°What do you expect me to do?¡± ¡°Something. That¡¯s your friend about to die in that room. Or do you only care about music and Robyn?¡± The mentioning of her name made my heart sink. I turned my head to look at Lucas, who appeared offended and confused. ¡°Bro, you¡¯ve lost it. Don¡¯t blame me for what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your bro anymore,¡± Tyler retorted in a deep, hateful tone. ¡°You don¡¯t care about us. I found that out the night I caught you kissing Robyn before you knocked her up. You don¡¯t deserve Aliyah. She can do better than your punk ass.¡± As if the day couldn¡¯t get any worse, hearing Tyler speak about what happened made me wish I had never met Lucas. Just like that, any thoughts of getting back together were gone. I wanted to lose all feelings for him. A part of me even wished he¡¯d lose his life instead of Valeria. He said nothing in defense, which hurt me even more. Only the grumbling from Valeria¡¯s foster parents and whispers from the hospital staff filled my ears as the policemen walked me and Tyler to the elevator. When the door opened, Alvin Steinberg¡ªthe man in charge of the facility¡ªstepped out with a grin. ¡°Aliyah Dawn, pleasure to meet you again in such...strange circumstances.¡± ¡°Sir, move out of the way,¡± one of the officers said. ¡°I will do no such thing,¡± Alvin replied with a stern demeanor. ¡°I am in charge of this facility, and I demand to know what happened here.¡± ¡°These two delinquents were causing a disturbance on this floor, so we had to¡ª¡± A sudden bang came from one of the floors below, and a thick, purple fog began to form inside the building. My first assumption was that Tyler¡¯s rage attracted the demons here, but it was very possible they found other hosts in the hospital to leech off of. A doctor approached Alvin. ¡°S-sir, t-two of them have g-gone mad.¡± He tried to mumble through his stuttering voice, but I heard him loud and clear. Alvin stared at the officers, showing no facial reaction to what the doctor had said. ¡°It would seem you officers are needed elsewhere, yes? Why don¡¯t you disregard the trivial antics of children and concern yourselves with more important matters.¡± The three officers muttered to each other before they sat me and Tyler down against a wall. One of them then yelled, ¡°We¡¯ll be back for these kids after we investigate what¡¯s going on downstairs.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. They got on the elevator in a hurry. When the doors closed, Janet kneeled to speak to me. ¡°I can burn those cuffs off easily, but we have to get somewhere private,¡± she said, glancing at everyone around us. She helped me to stand as Alvin walked up to me. ¡°It would appear you have a job to do as well, Miss Dawn,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Unless your incapable of saving us all without the ability to use your hands.¡± Giving him a look of disgust couldn¡¯t remove the smile off his face. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just keep everyone on this floor until I come back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± Janet said, shooting me a quick wink. Alvin rubbed his chin hair and observed her. ¡°I see. Interesting. Very well.¡± We walked to the elevator and waited for the doors to open. Lucas grabbed my arm, but I pulled away. ¡°Ali, let me come with you. You have to believe me when I say there¡¯s more to the story than what Tyler said.¡± ¡°No. I actually thought I needed you, but after hearing that, I¡¯m done. Leave me alone.¡± I got on the elevator with Janet and turned my head to avoid seeing his face. A sigh escaped my lips when the doors closed and the elevator began to move. ¡°That was intense,¡± Janet said behind me, burning the cuffs off. I could feel the heat from her flames on my skin. ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m almost done torching these things.¡± The elevator doors opened just as my hands were freed. There was no time to take a breather. The enemy was down the hall in clear sight. ¡°Hold up.¡± Janet stopped me from walking further after we stepped out of the elevator. ¡°I don¡¯t like being recorded.¡± The cameras in the top corners of the room exploded into flames, causing mechanical parts to fall on the floor where injured doctors and nurses laid unconscious. It was smart of her to destroy any potential evidence of our abilities, but the explosions alerted the man down the hall, who had his back turned before the cameras were destroyed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s our possessed guy?¡± Janet asked with a raised brow. I nodded, not keeping my eyes off him. He wore a hospital robe and was bald with enough muscle to make a bodybuilder jealous. He shot us a crazed smile, and I could sense the demon controlling him even more despite how hard it tried to hide behind his massive build. The man lifted the receptionist desk off the floor and flung it at us with ease, causing it to smash through the elevator door after we dived out of the way. ¡°My god, did you see that?¡± Janet exclaimed, disturbingly excited. There was no fear in her. ¡°This guy¡¯s a monster.¡± She was right. His desire couldn¡¯t have been anything else but superhuman strength. He made his way over to us with giant stomps. ¡°Check it out,¡± Janet said with a smirk. ¡°I got this trick straight from an anime.¡± With the snap of her fingers, the man¡¯s body was engulfed in flames. He panicked and so did I. ¡°Janet, don¡¯t kill him,¡± I yelled. ¡°I just need to free his mind and get rid of the demon controlling him.¡± ¡°Relax, I only gave you an opening. I know how to control the temperature of the fire, and the flames aren¡¯t hot enough right now to kill him, but you better make your move before he loses his skin.¡± I rushed into action after her words, getting behind the man and slaying the Shadow with my chakram. A blinding flash emitted from my palm afterward that made him collapse on the floor with a hard thud. The situation at the hospital wasn¡¯t over with yet, as I could see a Shadow Current leading downstairs to our next encounter. We took the stairwell to follow the negative energy, with Janet behind destroying any cameras along the way. Upon reaching the second floor, we were confronted by a woman in a hospital robe with short, platinum blonde hair and tattoos on her arms. ¡°She¡¯s under the influence too, huh?¡± Janet questioned, pointing at the woman. ¡°Yeah, and more than you know,¡± I replied, seeing the woman¡¯s dark aura while observing the demon levitating above her. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do what I did last time and¡ª¡± In the blink of an eye, Janet¡¯s body flew back. Before I could even react, a hard hit to my chest shot me back as well. With speed like that, this woman was built different, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°She¡¯s fast,¡± I coughed out, holding my breast from the pain. Janet stood up and glared at the woman. ¡°If she can run faster than I can snap my fingers, I¡¯ll have to¡ª¡± Again, the woman dashed too quick for my eyes to follow, striking me and Janet in the face before we could react. She tried to continue her assault against me, but was stopped in her tracks by a circle of flames surrounding her feet. ¡°She¡¯s trapped. Aliyah, do it now.¡± My chakram was thrown at the Shadow hovering over the woman¡¯s head, piercing one of its eyes and destroying the creature. All that was left to do was free her mind, and I did so by emitting a gleam that caused her to fall to the ground. Finally, the nightmare was over. Or, at least I thought it was. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± My words were spoken low with apprehension. Looking down the hallway, not only did I see the lifeless bodies of the three cops from earlier, but a legion of demons stampeding through the glass doors that separated the two sections of the floor. I wasn¡¯t sure if we¡¯d win against that many, unless an idea I had been thinking about actually worked. ¡°Janet, manifest a huge fireball. I¡¯m gonna generate enough light energy to match it, and we¡¯ll combine our powers to take the whole group out in one shot. Just make sure to put out the flames if they spread, okay?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The giant, fiery orb she conjured was both astonishing and terrifying. I took a few steps back and shouted, ¡°Let¡¯em have it,¡± while pointing in the direction of the mob. When she released the bomb, I infused it with my light energy, creating a shining sphere around the fireball that engulfed the horde of demons, annihilating them within seconds. Only embers veiled in a white glow remained. ¡°Did we get¡¯em?¡± she asked as the sprinklers activated from the flames spouted out. ¡°We sure did,¡± I confirmed, Wiping the water off my face. ¡°That was fire. Literally.¡± ¡°Right? Okay, we so have to name that attack,¡± she joked, or at least I had hoped so. Though the thought of coming up with stylish names for our moves was kinda cool. ¡°How about, purity bomb?¡± I smiled until a surge of dark energy filled the air again. My senses detected that it was coming from one of the floors above. ¡°Something¡¯s going on upstairs. We have to get back up there.¡± Chapter 21 - To Lose Everything. Again Janet and I climbed up a nearby stairwell with haste, unaware of what we¡¯d face next. The closer we got, the stronger the negativity became. It was overwhelming to say the least, and nothing could prepare me for what, or who, was the source of it all. ¡°V-Val?¡± There stood my best friend with a grimace I had never seen her express. On the floor were the dead bodies of the hospital staff and her foster parents, whose blood covered her robe and the pair of scissors in her hand. Shaking in fear was Tyler, who may have been the person responsible for this bloodbath. He turned to me and spoke. ¡°A-Aliyah, who is that? T-that¡¯s not Valeria. This isn¡¯t what I wanted." ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me,¡± Valeria assured in a demonic voice. ¡°Or do you not recognize me when I¡¯m finally standing up for myself?¡± Lucas walked over to me from a small group of terrified survivors huddled in a corner. ¡°Ali, it¡¯s good you¡¯re safe. You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Can you and Janet get these people out of here? I have a feeling this is going to get nasty, and only I can get through to Tyler.¡± ¡°I can hear you, you know,¡± Valeria voiced with a freakish smile, licking the blood off the scissors. ¡°Who said I was done killing these pathetic souls? It¡¯s typical you¡¯d do whatever you want, Aliyah, and not worry about how I¡¯d feel. Is it because you had a secret friend all along?¡± She pointed the scissors at Janet. ¡°Girl, I am not the one you wanna mess with,¡± Janet retorted. ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Janet, stop,¡± I interrupted her. ¡°Please, just work with Lucas and get everyone out of the building.¡± She groaned before persuading the hospital staff to run down the stairwell. Lucas assisted, but failed to convince Alvin to leave. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Alvin said to him. ¡°Go on, boy, before you get yourself killed.¡± ¡°Just go, Lucas,¡± I told him. He approached and kissed me on the lips without warning. There were so many thoughts running through my mind that I didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone who can fix this, it¡¯s you, Ali. I love you. Make it out of here alive.¡± He followed Janet and the staff down the stairs, leaving me, Tyler, and Alvin alone with a cackling Valeria. Her demonic tongue mixed with laughter made for an unsettling sound that should never be heard by anyone. ¡°Oh look, I¡¯m actually the center of your attention for once. It only took the lives of ten people to get it.¡± ¡°She¡¯s always cared about you,¡± Tyler said in my defense. ¡°Val, if you¡¯re really in there, please come back to me. This isn¡¯t you. You¡¯re not a murderer.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how to tell him¡ªor if I¡¯d even have a chance to¡ªbut the Valeria he fell in love with was gone. The only power keeping her alive was his desire that finally manifested with assistance from the demons. All that remained was her hatred toward the both of us for not being there when she needed us the most. ¡°You two are so fake, it¡¯s insulting,¡± she hissed. ¡°You¡¯re just like the rest of the world. You only care after something happens. You ignore any signs of a problem because you think it¡¯ll just go away and everything will be fine. Well, that clearly didn¡¯t happen, did it? No. I killed myself because neither of you were there for me.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Val, I tried to¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± she cut me off. ¡°You tried to do what? Stop me from jumping off a roof the morning after I was taken advantage of? I called you the night before it happened, but let me guess, you didn¡¯t answer because you put Lucas in front of me, like always. Maybe it¡¯s him I need to kill.¡± Her eyes shifted to the staircase Lucas had gone down. The second she made her way forward, I released a ray of light in hopes of freeing her from demonic influence. What happened instead was something I should have expected: my power had no effect. It had no impact because she wasn¡¯t the source of negativity. Tyler was. ¡°What was that?¡± Valeria giggled. ¡°Was that the incredible light you always talked about? Those demons you fight must be a joke if they go down from such a simple sparkle.¡± I turned to Tyler, whose eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets. He still couldn¡¯t believe what was going on. ¡°Tyler, I can¡¯t stop her, but you can,¡± I told him. ¡°You need to let go of her and accept that she¡¯s not coming back. I¡¯m sorry, but our Val is gone.¡± ¡°How can you tell me not to want her back? I love her. I need her. You can¡¯t force me to never miss her again.¡± A sinister growl escaped Valeria¡¯s lips as she approached me with evil intent. She attempted to jab me with the scissors in her hand, but I grabbed her wrist and redirected her arm. We tussled over the weapon, her increased strength from the evil energy giving her an edge that resulted in me on floor after a hard swing of her arm. She pounced on top of me, the pressure of her weight pinning me to the floor as she tried to drive the scissors into my chest. I fought hard to prevent my death, gripping her wrist to pull the weapon away. ¡°Tyler, please,¡± I pleaded, feeling overpowered. ¡°If you really love her, you¡¯ll free her from this curse. Stop wanting her back. Let her rest in peace.¡± ¡°I... I can¡¯t.¡± I knew he couldn¡¯t do it. It was to be expected. She was the love of his life, after all. How could I ask something like that of him? Maybe because I was going to die if he didn¡¯t. But what happened next surprised me: he grabbed Valeria from behind and pulled her off. ¡°How dare you protect her,¡± she hollered as he tried to contain her in a choke hold. She broke free, resulting in the worst thing that could happen: she stabbed Tyler in the gut. I screamed in response and unleashed a beam of light. It did little to Valeria, but it was enough to separate her from him. He fell to his knees with blood painting his white shirt. Rushing to his side, I covered his wound with my hands. ¡°Tyler, please be okay. Don¡¯t die.¡± Valeria eerily giggled and uttered, ¡°How cute. Sure you two are just friends? You could¡¯ve fooled me.¡± ¡°A-Aliyah,¡± Tyler managed to cough out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. All I w-wanted was to have her back. I-I never meant for this to happen.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m not mad, Tyler, but sometimes, when you love someone, you have to let them go. So I¡¯m gonna do something to end this, alright? We won¡¯t have to suffer anymore.¡± He smiled, confirming he knew what I was going to do, and that he was okay with it. He closed his eyes and let my light into his body, freeing him from the darkness that had influenced his manifested desire. The cost? Forgetting everything that happened today. Valeria charged at me with the scissors in her hand, but it was too late. She convulsed until her body stood as stiff as a board, eventually collapsing on the ground with no signs of life. Without medical support or a desire to keep her alive, my best friend was truly gone. ¡°Can someone help me?¡± I yelled, applying pressure to Tyler¡¯s wound. It was then that Alvin reinserted himself into the picture. ¡°That was quite the spectacle. As a reward for entertaining me, I¡¯ll be sure your friend stays alive.¡± ¡°You thought all of that was a game?¡± I stood up and glowered at him. ¡°My friend is dying.¡± ¡°I can see that, which is why I¡¯m offering my services. I¡¯ll see to it that he¡¯s transported to the finest hospital in the city with just one call. All I ask of you is to depart this building without anyone seeing you. I¡¯m certain you can hear the SWAT team making their way up here.¡± He was right. Heavy stomps were coming in our direction. But why wouldn¡¯t he want me to be seen? And did he really think I¡¯d leave Tyler alone with him? Just who was this guy, really? ¡°You¡¯d best be going by exiting through the emergency door down the hall. Trust me when I say that everything will work in our favor if I¡¯m the only one being asked the questions.¡± Something about the way he spoke was convincing, like this whole evening was set up just the way he planned. I didn¡¯t trust him, but not being interrogated sounded too good to pass up. I would hate for my mom and dad to know I was involved in something else. ¡°Fine. You¡¯ll take care of him, right?¡± ¡°You have my word, Miss Dawn.¡± Confused, scared, and disheartened, I pushed open the emergency door and ran downstairs, leaving out of the hospital. I was certain that today I had lost a boyfriend, a best friend, and maybe even someone I considered a brother. Chapter 22 - Anguish Your friends will be in my prayers. Several days had passed before Bruce and Jerome¡¯s funeral. I replied to Janet¡¯s text with a simple thank you before locking my necklace around my neck and stepping out of the bathroom in a black dress. Thoughts of Tyler came to mind as I walked downstairs, thankful that he had survived and didn¡¯t hate me after I told him what happened in the hospital. In the kitchen was my mom, who was scrubbing wet dishes in the sink with a sponge. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m about to leave. Lucas is picking me up.¡± ¡°Oh, is he?¡± she asked, turning the faucet off. ¡°I was under the impression that me and your father were bringing you, since you¡¯ve been ignoring all of Lucas¡¯s calls to the house for the past four days. Actually, you¡¯ve been avoiding everyone since the school incident.¡± It was true. I had been keeping to myself for the past few days, but only because I needed a break from my daily life of chaos and misery. My mind needed to be cleared, free from constant worry and intrusive thoughts. You would think she¡¯d understand¡ªparents always complained about stressful stuff. ¡°Mom, you haven¡¯t been the easiest person to talk to after what happened,¡± I told her, leaning against the fridge with my arms crossed. ¡°Every time I come downstairs for dinner or whenever we walk past each other in the living room, there¡¯s always tension in the air. I know you¡¯ve been upset with me these past couple of days for not coming straight home that day and for sneaking out the house to save Janet, but¡ª¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not upset about that. I¡¯m glad you helped her. What I am upset about is that you took your father¡¯s car and drove on your own instead of telling us what was going on. And yes, I¡¯m very bothered that you disobeyed my orders and stayed after school instead of coming straight home like I told you to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She put away the plate she had been cleaning and approached me. ¡°Aliyah, I expect this rebellious attitude from you, but I never thought you would worry me the way you have lately. It hasn¡¯t even been three weeks since you¡¯ve been home, and you¡¯ve already gotten yourself into problematic situations. You¡¯re setting a bad example for Mya.¡± ¡°What? A bad example for Mya? You can¡¯t be serious. You and Dad treat her like some golden child. She¡¯s flawless to you two, and nothing I do will change how she is. And the only problematic issue here is the fact that bullying still exists. I tried to stop the guy who killed my friends, okay? I wanted to do the right thing. I should¡¯ve come home, you¡¯re right, but it wasn¡¯t my fault that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time and someone needed help. Noel would¡¯ve done the same thing.¡± My mother¡¯s brow twitched at the sound of my brother¡¯s name. Her forehead wrinkled in anger; her hand raised to point a finger at me in a scolding manner. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare use your brother¡¯s name to defend yourself. Since you think you¡¯re so grown, put yourself in my shoes for a second. Try being a mother who already lost one child and is worried sick about losing another.¡± Our eyes began to well up as the argument continued. Neither of us wanted to back down, but we both knew the conversation needed to end before someone got hurt. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t wanna worry you. There¡¯s just a lot happening right now that you can¡¯t be involved in.¡± ¡°Like what, Aliyah? You need to stop whatever you¡¯re doing and start reevaluating the people you spend your time with. Focus on school and graduating. You¡¯re already a few credits behind what every senior should have at the start of the year. You need to prioritize your¡ª¡± ¡°Prioritize what, Mom? My life? I don¡¯t know what I want my life to be like to even try prioritizing it. Before Noel died, all I ever wanted to do was hang out with my friends and help people however I could, ¡®cause that¡¯s what I like to do: be a normal teenager and try making others feel happy. Why should I be reprimanded for that?¡± The sound of the doorbell interrupted our debate. My mother walked past me without saying another word before stopping midway up the stairs. ¡°Make sure you¡¯re on your way home the second the funeral is over. That¡¯s all I have to say.¡± After she walked up the stairs, I went over to the living room window and peeked outside to see Lucas standing at the front door wearing a black suit. A small smile tried to muster its way onto my face, but the thought of Robyn bearing his child wouldn¡¯t allow it. I opened the door and was greeted by his blue eyes that were filled with remorse. ¡°Aliyah, you look beautiful.¡± ¡°You look nice too,¡± I complimented back before looking away from him. ¡°Yeah, so, let¡¯s go.¡± We walked toward his car, where he opened the door for me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± I muttered before sitting. ¡°Sorry, Ali.¡± I didn¡¯t want to give him a hard time, but I also didn¡¯t want to make it easy for him either. He was not in my good graces, and I wasn¡¯t sure why I was giving him another chance at a friendship. He closed the passenger door and walked around the front of the vehicle to get in the driver¡¯s seat. Being in his car was not the same. The feelings of joy, excitement, and comfort were replaced with an empty sadness, and that was before a disturbing thought shot to the forefront of my mind that wouldn¡¯t go away until I voiced it.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°How many times?¡± I asked, certain that the mascara underneath my eyes had been smudged from the tears running down my cheeks. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°Ali, what do you mean? Why are you crying?¡± ¡°How many times has she been in this car with you sitting exactly where I am? How many times did you two have sex right here in this damn car?¡± He tried grabbing my hand, but I pulled my arm away. ¡°Listen, I swear to you that I¡¯ve never had sex with her,¡± he claimed. ¡°I put that on my mother¡¯s grave.¡± ¡°Then what the hell?¡± I shouted, slamming my fist on the armrest. ¡°How is she pregnant? Tell me the truth. How can you sit there and deny you had sex with her but not deny the child she claims to be having with you? When I first questioned you about her, you protected her so much. Now that the truth is out, suddenly, something¡¯s not right? You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want this to blow up like it has, I¡¯m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t believe me. I wanted to figure everything out myself.¡± My nostrils were flaring at this point. ¡°You know what? Start from the beginning. There¡¯s still time until the funeral. I wanna know everything right now.¡± He took a deep breath as I sat attentively, my eyes not leaving his. Our friendship, relationship, or whatever the hell it was at this time, was all on the line with this one confession. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m gonna give it to you straight: Robyn and I dated in the past.¡± Oh, what a surprise. I should¡¯ve known. ¡°Wow, so you two have history. Unbelievable. How could you lie and keep this from me for so long?¡± ¡°I already told you, babe. I didn¡¯t know how to come out and say all this. But you have to believe me when I say that I did not keep in touch with her at all. She showed up at the school a few days after the roof incident with you and Valeria. It was the first time I saw her since we broke up.¡± Ugh. He can be such an idiot sometimes. ¡°Seriously? And you didn¡¯t find that weird at all? That she just randomly showed up at the exact time I was out of the picture? What, did you two rekindle some old flame or something while I was in the hospital?¡± ¡°No. We had a casual conversation that led to me telling her about the band auditioning for a co-singer. She reminded me of her vocal talent, and I simply gave her directions to where we were holding the auditions. She showed up a day later, killed it, and joined the band soon after. Bruce and Jerome liked her a lot, so she started hanging around us more.¡± I didn¡¯t buy it. Everything sounded too convenient for Robyn, and now knowing that the two of them used to date, my suspicions were only raised. ¡°Why did you think it was okay to have your ex-girlfriend join your band? And you mean to tell me she showed no signs of liking you? At all?¡± He slouched back in his seat and stared out of the front window. ¡°Yeah, there were times when it seemed like she was flirting, but I promise you nothing happened. Most of the time it was her and Tyler taking shots at each other, like he hated her or something. If we¡¯re being honest, I think the guy dislikes ninety-nine percent of the world¡¯s population.¡± He laughed, but I was in no mood to share his humor. He finally got the hint after turning his head and seeing the angry look on my face. He cleared his throat before continuing. ¡°So, after about two or three weeks, she confessed that she was still in love with me and kissed me out of nowhere. I pushed her back because I didn¡¯t feel the same way at all, and I even told her about you. Honestly, the whole thing reminded me of why I broke up with her in the first place.¡± ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s crazy,¡± he flat-out answered. ¡°I thought she changed, but she was just waiting for an opportunity to come on to me and try having a baby again.¡± My brows creased and my lips pursed. ¡°Whoa, rewind that please. What do you mean, ¡®having a baby again¡¯?¡± ¡°By that I mean she¡¯s obsessed with wanting a child. I was sixteen when I dated Robyn. Way too young to have a kid. But that¡¯s all she wanted, Ali. She even threatened my family and stalked me after I dumped her. It¡¯s the reason why I transferred from Navelwood High to Ravenvale High, and I was blessed to meet someone as amazing as you are.¡± His complement made me smile, but it quickly vanished at the thought of my next question. ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t wanna drive me to Navelwood High the morning I volunteered there?¡± ¡°Yeah. I did not want to take a chance on her seeing me again. She told me recently about her abusive ex-boyfriend that she dated after I left the school. Apparently, he left her just before she had a miscarriage. But anyway, I know I¡¯m guilty of not pushing her away sooner, but believe me when I say that I have no feelings for her. I love you, Aliyah. I¡ª¡° ¡°No,¡± I interrupted him, opening the car door. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m sorry, but all of this just shows me how much of a liar you are and how easy it is for you to keep secrets from me.¡± Making my way out, I voiced, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do this. I¡ª¡± He leaned over and wrapped his arms around my waist. ¡°Ali, please.¡± ¡°Let go of me,¡± I spat out, trying to force myself out of his clutches. His hold only made me angrier. ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Please, Ali. Don¡¯t fight me. I need you to help me. I¡¯m trapped.¡± The tension in my body lessened after hearing his plea. ¡°What? What do you mean you¡¯re trapped?¡± ¡°Just listen to me, alright? About a week ago, Robyn told me she was pregnant with my child. I denied it, obviously, because I never did anything sexual with her. But then she showed me a pregnancy test that confirmed she was pregnant, which was mind-blowing. I told her it still doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m the father, but afterward, she¡­ If I didn¡¯t agree to being with her and raising the child, she would say I raped her and bring me to court.¡± Speechless, we looked at one another in apprehension. Frustration masked his facial features as the silence went on. ¡°Would she really do that?¡± I asked, placing my hand on his arm in hopes of comforting him. Just when I was ready to leave him alone, he pulled me back in. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past her. And you know what else is insane? It takes about eight or so weeks to take a DNA test, and yet, somehow, the doctor confirmed that Robyn¡¯s child is mine after only three weeks of knowing her again. It¡¯s madness, Ali. I hate all of this.¡± Nothing about the situation made sense. My thoughts wandered in hopes of finding a solution, but they came to a dead end every single time. ¡°Everything that comes out her mouth is a lie,¡± he claimed. ¡°I need you to trust me and know that I never had sex with her. All she wants is my child. I mean, this could be her desire manifesting, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± I replied. ¡°And I¡¯m not sure using my light against her would be any help. She¡¯d probably just wish for another baby by you instead of changing her psychotic ways. But we can¡¯t be sure until we get some actual information about everything that¡¯s happening. I simply don¡¯t have the answers right now, Lucas. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I wasn¡¯t ready to trust him again, but I could sense his confession was sincere and that he truly loved me. ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard,¡± I told him. ¡°But I¡¯ll try to believe you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ali. Everything I said is the truth. I¡¯m in love with you and only you. Never doubt that.¡± I smiled before saying, ¡°I know. Let¡¯s go to the funeral now.¡± ¡°Alright. Together.¡± Chapter 23 - Your Ex, My Misery The cathedral held more people than I had expected, and the despair of those grieving around me was too much to withstand. The more I sensed their dejected emotions, the tighter my lungs became. ¡°I need some air,¡± I whispered to Lucas, who was seated next to me with a solemn expression as he listened to Bruce¡¯s mother speak to those in attendance. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, I just really need to get out of here. This is too much for me.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°No. Stay here. I¡¯ll only be a minute.¡± I squeezed my way through the row of Jerome¡¯s mourning friends and made my way out of the church, walking up a block to further distance myself from the overwhelming depression. Leaning my body against an iron fence outside of a park, I looked up at the blue, cloudless sky. The pleasant breeze that passed would have soothed my spirits had it not also whipped up an eerie chill. Scanning my surroundings, I spotted nothing but normal pedestrians and cars driving by until my eyes landed on a certain someone crossing the street. ¡°Oh, hell no,¡± I couldn¡¯t help but voice. Robyn walked in the direction of the church until I cut her off. ¡°You¡¯re not going in there,¡± I sneered, now standing toe-to-toe with her. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna disrespect my dead friends like that. You never cared about them, you just wanted to get close to my boyfriend, you hoe.¡± ¡°I never cared about them? They told me I was cooler than you,¡± she snapped back, her words piercing my heart. ¡°Yeah, you heard me right. They actually had fun with me around. I didn¡¯t pretend to be some mother-like figure and stop them from pulling pranks on people. I joined in on the fun, something you¡¯d never do because you¡¯re¡ª¡± My sudden gasp put an end to her rebuttal. I covered my mouth with my hand as my eyes grew wider at the sight of her torso. ¡°Y-your stomach. H-how did your stomach grow so much after only a few days?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This is my child, and Lucas is the father. You¡¯re not going to keep us apart.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying. That¡¯s not Lucas¡¯s baby, and I won¡¯t let you accuse him anymore.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. A luster of white aura radiated in my left hand until a chakram was manifested. Robyn smirked at my proposal to fight. ¡°Your little hula-hoop is adorable, but I hope you¡¯re not threatening me with it. You really want everyone out here to see you throwing down with a pregnant chick?¡± ¡°If it means saving my boyfriend from a life with you, I sure as hell will.¡± Accepting my challenge, she summoned her scythe in her right hand. ¡°I should¡¯ve killed you in the hospital when Lucas left me in the room with you.¡± ¡°Lucas would never bring you to see me. I¡¯m done believing your lies. You claim a person can only manifest one desire, but you have that scythe¡ªfor whatever reason¡ªand that demon spawn in your stomach. If that baby is real, it should still be around after I do this.¡± I was ready to strike with my weapon when a familiar voice caused me to stop and turn my head. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Lucas approached us, his face crinkled in irritation at Robyn¡¯s presence. When he got closer, his eyes began to widen in disbelief at the size of her belly. ¡°No way. Is this a joke?¡± ¡°A joke?¡± Robyn retorted. ¡°Do you want me to lift my shirt up?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± I begged. ¡°Desiring Lucas¡¯s child just so he¡¯d be with you is sad as hell. You need a life.¡± ¡°No, what¡¯s sad is that you can¡¯t accept reality even when it¡¯s right in your face. Well, he did tell me you were the gullible type.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m tired of this,¡± Lucas shouted, pulling me away from Robyn to confront her himself. ¡°Robyn, our friendship, association, or whatever the hell we called it these past few weeks, is over. I don¡¯t care what the results for that test were. The bottom line is that I never had sex with you. The band is done, which means we¡¯re done. I¡¯m doing things solo now, so I don¡¯t ever wanna see your face again unless I have to in school. That¡¯s it.¡± I had expected her to yell back in rage, but all I sensed was her sadness increasing the angrier he became. ¡°How can you say that after everything we¡¯ve been through?¡± she questioned him. ¡°You would throw me and our child away for her? Even after all the moments we shared, this is how you treat me?¡± Lucas appeared flabbergasted. ¡°Are you nuts? What moments? From a year or two ago?¡± ¡°Yes. Our memories. You don¡¯t get close to someone and then kick them to the curb when you¡¯re bored and frustrated. We had moments together that I¡¯m never going to forget. You can stand there and act like our past doesn¡¯t mean anything to you because she¡¯s around, but I know the truth. You will be mine, and you will be the father to our child.¡± ¡°Lucas, let¡¯s go,¡± I said, grabbing his hand. ¡°Robyn, you can dream of having his baby all you want, but he¡¯ll never love you. Get over it or end up alone with a child who won¡¯t have a father.¡± We turned away from her and began walking back to the church until we heard a screech. I looked back to see her kneeling on the ground and holding her stomach. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± she cried out in pain, gaining the attention of a few people passing by. ¡°Lucas, maybe we should¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± he said to me, uncaring. ¡°Leave her be.¡± Mixed emotions circled in the pit of my heart as we walked away. I was happy to see he wanted nothing to do with her, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned about her well-being. The feeling came as a surprise to me, but what shocked me more was Lucas¡¯s complete disregard for her suffering. I had never known him to be so heartless. Chapter 24 - To The Club After the funeral, Lucas and I sat in his car and reminisced about Bruce and Jerome. We shared laugh after laugh, discussing their outrageous antics and moments when all of us would skip school and wander around the city. ¡°I feel like I was too hard on them,¡± I confessed. ¡°Like, yeah, they were wild boys who got us in a lot of trouble, but they were always there for us when we needed them. I should¡¯ve been looser and more carefree, you know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. They loved you.¡± My eyes glanced at the car clock. ¡°I should get home.¡± ¡°Do you really have to? I missed you so much these days, and I got some big news I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Okay, remember when I told you Cassandra Blackwood followed me?¡± I sat up in anticipation. ¡°Yeah, did she contact you?¡± ¡°Yup, she did. Guess what? She invited the band to perform tonight at one of New York¡¯s hottest clubs as her special guest.¡± On instinct, my body launched at him with my arms wrapped around his neck. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so happy for you.¡± I separated after realizing my display of emotion. He wasn¡¯t off the hook yet, and my excitement dwindled after a thought came to mind. ¡°But¡­Bruce and Jerome are gone, and Tyler hates you. There isn¡¯t a band anymore.¡± ¡°I know, but that¡¯s not gonna stop me. I explained the situation to Cassandra and told her I¡¯m a solo artist from now on. I wanted to do this tonight for Bruce and Jerome and prove to myself that I can perform on stage alone. I need this transition to the next stage of my life. I can¡¯t live with my dad anymore. I hate him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry things are this way. His drinking is getting worse?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s not the same guy who raised me and took care of Mom. I¡¯m ready to move out and do things on my own, which is why I need your support tonight. It¡¯ll be the first time I¡¯m performing in front of a mature crowd, and I can¡¯t blow this. This could be the moment my music career really takes off and I can start my own life. With you.¡± His words warmed my heart, but I had to give him the cold shoulder. Forgiveness wasn¡¯t going to come easy, and my mom¡¯s icy gaze slid into my head at the thought of not going home. ¡°Sorry, Lucas. My parents have me chained down after what happened at the school. I¡¯m not allowed out, especially late hours.¡± ¡°Damn. Well, what about Sophia the Doll?¡± I couldn¡¯t hold back from bursting into laughter. ¡°We both know that¡¯s not gonna work. We used it one-time so we could sneak out to that concert together, but never again.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, use the life-size doll in your closet. You even showed me how you did it, remember? You put the doll underneath your sheets, laid it on its side, then put the cosmetic wig from your old Halloween costume on its head and it looked like you were sleeping.¡± Even he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to chuckle after saying that. ¡°I doubt my parents would actually fall for it,¡± I told him. ¡°We don¡¯t even know if it worked last time. Maybe they didn¡¯t come into my room that night and that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°Ali, when we first started dating, your mom and dad were like the epitome of strict parents because they thought we were having sex already. Trust me, they came into the room.¡± Disobeying my parents again would lead to the punishment of a lifetime, and I wasn¡¯t too keen on being so friendly with him just yet, but I knew how important it was to be by his side. Were we back together? No. Maybe. I didn¡¯t know. But I¡¯d do anything for him regardless.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you know that?¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Crazy about you? Yeah, I know.¡± My eyes rolled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do this. For you.¡± *** Later that night, I positioned Sophia the Doll in my bed and climbed out of my bedroom window. With a quick dash, I slid in Lucas¡¯s car and demanded he hit the gas. Fast. He drove in the direction of the club, anxious to perform for a crowded audience. After a twenty-minute drive, we arrived in front of a building with vibrant lights illuminating the entrance. Lucas parked the car and grabbed his guitar from the back seat before the two of us approached the bouncer at the front door. ¡°Hey, my name¡¯s Lucas Stewart. I¡¯m here to¡ª¡± ¡°Back of the line, bud,¡± the bouncer ordered, pointing to a row of agitated people waiting to get inside. ¡°Are you even twenty-one?¡± The bouncer chuckled at his own question before looking me up and down. ¡°Hey, your boy isn¡¯t allowed in, but you can slide through these doors and wait until my shift is over.¡± Ugh. My skin crawled at his invite. ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Look, that¡¯s my girl, alright? Chill out,¡± Lucas told him. I smiled as he stood his ground in my defense, though he appeared small compared to the bouncer¡¯s massive build. ¡°I¡¯m scheduled to perform here tonight. Cassandra Blackwood invited me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check the list.¡± The bouncer flipped through a small pad, overlooking all the names written on the paper. ¡°Nope. Move along.¡± The people waiting to get inside grew antsy. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the holdup?¡± one of them hollered. ¡°Shut up and wait,¡± I yelled at the rowdy pack before pulling Lucas aside. ¡°Are you sure this is the right place?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡± The bouncer flexed his muscles and sized up Lucas. ¡°You need to get lost before I escort you away from the building personally.¡± The near confrontation was interrupted by a woman who stepped outside of the club door. She wore a sleeveless mesh dress that revealed a serpent tattoo running down her left arm onto her wrist, where the letter S was embedded into her skin. Even the shouting of the people in line diminished into whispers at her presence. ¡°Lucas Stewart. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± She spoke in a low, seductive voice with a British accent. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Miss, his name isn¡¯t on the list. He¡ª¡± The bouncer¡¯s defiant speech was put to a halt after the woman touched his arm. ¡°He¡¯s coming inside,¡± she softly said to him. My eyes narrowed at the bouncer, whose sudden change in posture after the woman spoke made me worried. His chin dropped and his shoulders slouched as if he were hypnotized. ¡°Something¡¯s not right here,¡± I mumbled, feeling a lingering sensation of lust and covetousness from the woman. ¡°Lucas, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± She brushed back her raven-black hair and stared at him enticingly before glancing at me. ¡°I see you brought a friend. I¡¯m Cassandra Blackwood. Come with me, loves.¡± We accompanied Cassandra into the club, walking through the buzzing environment filled with adults dancing in a crazed frenzy. A path of purple strobe lights led to a quieter back room that hosted other musicians prepping for their performances. ¡°Is this where I¡¯ll be waiting to go on stage?¡± Lucas asked, grabbing a water bottle off the refreshment table and gulping it down with haste. ¡°No, darling. This room is for those who haven¡¯t made it yet. As my special guest, you¡¯ll be treated to luxury.¡± She pushed open a door in the back of the room and walked into a wide, fuchsia colored suite containing lavender furniture and gold accessories. Lucas and I stepped inside and closed the door behind us. ¡°As ambassador of the club, I¡¯m granted special privileges that no one else can have,¡± Cassandra stated, her fingers trailing down Lucas¡¯s arm. My brow raised at her subtle flirting, and I noticed he was gaping at her voluptuous body. ¡°I want to share my exquisite taste with you. I love the band¡¯s music, and I saw something special in you the moment I saw one of your videos. With my connections, I can turn you into a star.¡± Bothered by his obvious compulsion toward her, I wanted to voice my annoyance over his ogling, but decided not to as making a scene could ruin his chance at stardom. ¡°Lucas?¡± I called out his name. He appeared to be in a daze. ¡°Lucas, can you hear me?¡± ¡°Yeah, Aliyah?¡± Tugging him a few feet away from Cassandra, I asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, I¡¯m good. A little nervous, though. I don¡¯t wanna screw up and turn away any A&R reps that were interested in the band before I went solo. I need to go out there and give it my all. For Bruce, Jerome, you, and even Tyler.¡± ¡°And you will,¡± I assured, kissing him on the lips and making sure Cassandra saw it. She was forcing me to forgive him faster than I had wanted to. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here supporting you. If you want, I can come up with a cheer on the spot.¡± He laughed until Cassandra walked over to us. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re up next. I¡¯ll be watching you.¡± ¡°Thank you for this opportunity, Miss Blackwood. I¡¯m very grateful.¡± He turned to me and smiled. I wrapped my arms around his neck and said, ¡°Go out there and kill it.¡± ¡°Will do. Thanks, babe. I love you.¡± Chapter 25 - Lady Lust Lucas and I kissed once more before he separated to walk on stage. Cassandra approached me and asked, ¡°Girlfriend?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Adorable. You appear much more suited for him than that other girl.¡± ¡°Other girl?¡± ¡°Yes, what was her name? Raven? Ruby?¡± ¡°Was it Robyn?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Her,¡± she muttered in displeasure. ¡°She is my most obnoxious fan. She constantly finds a way to message me despite my efforts at ignoring her. I almost discarded my invitation for the band to perform tonight due to her persistent annoyance. Thank goodness Lucas got rid of her. He only needs me to become the star he desires to be.¡± Cassandra¡¯s choice of words made me uncomfortable, and I started to wonder if Lucas being under her guidance was a wise decision. ¡°Come,¡± she beckoned to me with a swing of her index finger. ¡°You don¡¯t want to miss the performance, do you?¡± I followed her backstage to where we were able to see Lucas perform in front of a larger audience than he was used to. It was amazing to hear him combine the band¡¯s original sound with his solo performance, and I couldn¡¯t resist bobbing my head to the music. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of him,¡± I voiced out over the booming reverberation. A quick glance at Cassandra had taken me out of the experience, however, as I caught her glaring at a particular woman in the crowd. The evil within her began to pour out in the form of black aura. The darkness was strong, but something about it was alluring, almost magnetic. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said, walking past me toward a staircase that led to the upper floors. Not wanting to ignore my instincts, I trailed behind her up the dark stairwell until we were above the dance floor where the lighting equipment was located. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I questioned, watching her fiddle with the wires that were attached to a large projector above the people in the club. It started to swing due to her tampering. ¡°Stay out of my business, little girl. Go back downstairs before I have you escorted out of the building.¡± Looking over the railing, I noticed the female directly under the projector was the same woman Cassandra had glowered at in the crowd. ¡°Now I see what you¡¯re doing. I knew something was off about you.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. She casted a menacing grimace. ¡°I suggest you run along now and not meddle in my personal affairs.¡± ¡°No. Why are you trying to kill that woman?¡± ¡°The floozy you see below us is guilty of sleeping with my ex-fianc¨¦. She killed my relationship, so why shouldn¡¯t I kill her?¡± ¡°Uh, ¡®cause it¡¯s wrong?¡± She exploded into ridiculing laughter. ¡°Oh, my. You are quite the pacifist, aren¡¯t you? This is my last warning: go away, or I¡¯ll make your life a living hell.¡± She must¡¯ve figured I¡¯d run away. Why else would she turn to look down at the throng of people and ignore my presence? It didn¡¯t take longer than a few seconds for her to look back at me and say, ¡°She¡¯s gone. This is your fault, you annoying brat. I¡¯m going to make you pay for ruining my night.¡± ¡°Try it, lady. All I have to do is call the police and tell them what you were doing. You won¡¯t have much of a career behind bars.¡± She took a deep breath and stood with a relaxed posture, appearing to have given up on her nefarious plans. It wasn¡¯t until a bone-chilling surge shot through my body that I knew my problem with Cassandra Blackwood was just beginning. ¡°I don¡¯t think you know who you¡¯re dealing with,¡± she said as she started circling me like a vulture. She stopped when the two of us were face-to-face. ¡°Perhaps you need an introduction to who I really am.¡± My knees grew weak staring into her emerald eyes, a warm sensation beginning to take over my body. ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± ¡°Hush. You¡¯ll be feeling much better very soon.¡± Her fingers trailed along my collarbone, making me immobile. I could only feel my heart as butterflies erupted in my stomach. Soft moans escaped my lips. My mind was now flooded with sexual desires. ¡°Lovely, isn¡¯t it? You know, I may forgive you for ruining my plans if you decide to have a little fun with me right here. I can make you feel better than Lucas ever could.¡± Resisting her temptation was near impossible, but I wouldn¡¯t go down without a fight. ¡°You¡¯re psycho. I would never¡ª¡± My rebuttal broke into silence after she touched my waist and moved her hands down to my hips. ¡°What was that? Did I hear you say you want to kiss me?¡± She grabbed the loops of my jeans and tugged me closer. ¡°Stop it, please. Why am I feeling like this?¡± ¡°After my ex-fianc¨¦ left me for that wench you saw downstairs, I realized something: why have one man lust over me when I can have everyone? As you can see, I can make any man or woman fall prey to my every whim with just a simple touch. This world is ruled by sex, and I just so happen to be the woman everyone desires.¡± She had complete power over me. All I could do was crave for pleasure and satisfaction. No longer could I fight the urge to neglect our embrace. ¡°Now do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Yes, Cassandra.¡± ¡°Do you want our lips to touch, darling?¡± ¡°Yes. Kiss me now.¡± Our lips were inches away from crashing together before a familiar voice prevented the collision. ¡°Ali?¡± My body and mind return to normal after Lucas¡¯s calling. I ran into his arms. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± he questioned. ¡°I was looking for you after my performance. Is everything alright?¡± ¡°Lucas, we need to go. Now. Please. Let¡¯s just leave.¡± ¡°Ali, what happened?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about her,¡± Cassandra said. ¡°I believe the pressure of having a soon-to-be famous boyfriend is dawning on her. She¡¯ll be alright. If you can stay loyal, that is.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to worry about that. I hope you weren¡¯t putting thoughts in my girlfriend¡¯s head.¡± She curled her lip and tittered. ¡°You have no idea.¡± I yanked his arm, pulling him away. We both walked down the dusky stairwell in dismay at her parting words. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± Chapter 26 - Family Affair Lucas and I navigated through the crowded club with haste. We wanted nothing more than to get away from Cassandra Blackwood, but our escape was put on hold after I bumped into a very familiar face. ¡°Mya?¡± ¡°Aliyah?¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± we exclaimed simultaneously. My eyes squinted at the guy standing next to her, his blue dreadlocks covering his left eye. Lucas interrogated him first. ¡°Quest?¡± The dude, Quest, gave Lucas a forced smile. ¡°Yo, Luke. Good job tonight.¡± My brows knitted at the sight of him holding Mya¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you the reason why my fifteen-year-old sister is here? How old are you?¡± ¡°Uh, hey, Aliyah. I don¡¯t know if you remember me. We had class together last year.¡± ¡°Answer the damn questions.¡± ¡°I chose to come here on my own,¡± Mya confessed over the loud music. ¡°His brother does security here. He let us in through the back, not that any of this is your business.¡± ¡°It is my business,¡± I snapped back. ¡°You don¡¯t belong here.¡± ¡°And you do? You¡¯re only two years older than me. You have no right to dictate my life and stop me from having fun with my boyfriend.¡± Lucas stepped in Quest¡¯s face. ¡°Bro, what the hell? Aren¡¯t you a senior?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, scratching the side of his head and backing away. ¡°But we¡¯re not doing anything. On God.¡± I shook my head in disapproval. No way was I allowing this to go on. ¡°Mya, you¡¯re coming home with me and Lucas. That¡¯s final.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me what to do. I¡¯m going home when I feel like it. Mom and Dad know I¡¯m out.¡± ¡°Do Mom and Dad know you¡¯re at a night club?¡± ¡°No. Do they know you¡¯re outside, period?¡± Our verbal confrontation left the guys mute and distraught. It wasn¡¯t until Quest spoke up that our bickering concluded. ¡°Ay, Mya, maybe your sister¡¯s right. We¡¯ve been here for a while, and you got a feel for what it¡¯s like. We should leave the scene and call each other in the morning.¡± She huffed. ¡°Why is it that I have to be the perfect daughter while she can do whatever she wants and Mom and Dad will still spoil her? It¡¯s not fair. I have the better grades. I have something that I¡¯m passionate about. I have a plan for my future. What does she have over me that gets her so much attention?¡± Her words stung, and I didn¡¯t have an answer to her question, nor did I want to argue anymore. ¡°But fine, whatever.¡± She shrugged and turned to Lucas. ¡°Can you bring me home?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± I delivered a dirty look to Quest as I walked past him to follow Mya and Lucas. After we made our way out of the club and into the car, I recalled the conversation with my mother about my influence on Mya. Were my actions truly leaving an impression on her all this time? *** When we arrived at the house, I unbuckled my seat belt and looked back at Mya, who sat with her arms folded in the backseat.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Wait outside the front door,¡± I told her. ¡°We¡¯ll go in together.¡± She got out of the vehicle and slammed the car door shut before stomping toward the front of the house. Lucas waited until she was further away before speaking. ¡°When are you going to tell me what happened?¡± he asked, placing his hand on my thigh. My leg jerked back in response. ¡°Ali, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Cassandra Blackwood tried to kill someone tonight. I stopped her, but afterward, she¡ª¡± ¡°She what? What did she do?¡± ¡°She put me under some spell with her touch. I couldn¡¯t control my body. If you didn¡¯t show up, I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened.¡± The confusion shaping his face morphed into a scowl. ¡°She violated you. I¡¯m going back to the club to confront her about this.¡± ¡°No, you need to stay away from her. She¡¯s not normal. I didn¡¯t sense any demons around her, but she has some crazy seduction ability. Promise me you¡¯re not going back to that place.¡± He sat in silence before exhaling. ¡°Alright, I promise to stay away from her.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I got out of the car and walked to the front of the house, frowning after seeing my sister turn away from me. The friction between us had escalated too high for my comfort. ¡°Mya, before we go inside and talk to Mom and Dad, I wanna apologize. Mom was right, and you¡¯re right. I haven¡¯t been making the best decisions, and I never think about how my actions influence you or impact the people around me. When I do something out of the ordinary, Mom and Dad always fight over it and that disrupts the peace in the house. It also takes their attention away from you, and I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± She turned back to look at me. ¡°And how do I know you¡¯re not just saying this so I don¡¯t rat you out?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ll still be looked at as the bad daughter whether you do or don¡¯t. Mom already thinks I¡¯m a troublemaker with no plans for the future. Dad tries to hide it by smiling, but I can tell he¡¯s disappointed in me as well. There¡¯s no agenda behind admitting that I¡¯ve been a terrible daughter and a bad sister. Are you happy, Mya? Is this what you want to hear?¡± Our quarrel ended when the front door opened. Our parents stared at us in disappointment. ¡°Get in the house. Now.¡± My mother¡¯s angry tone made me nervous, and my fear only heightened when I stepped into the house and saw Sophia the Doll sitting on the living room couch. ¡°I don¡¯t know who the two of you think you are, but if you want to continue living under this roof, you will respect the demands your father and I give to you. Mya, I told you to be home by ten. It¡¯s past midnight. And Aliyah, I don¡¯t even know where to begin.¡± She looked at me with scolding eyes that told the tale of a parent who had enough of their child¡¯s disobedience. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d have the audacity to not only sneak out the house, but to think that you could fool me with a damn doll. Do you take me for an idiot?¡± I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to provoke her further with the wrong words. I should¡¯ve known the doll trick wasn¡¯t going to work. Dammit, Lucas. ¡°Aliyah, no phone, TV, or laptop for two weeks. And you¡¯re grounded,¡± my father declared with his hand out. ¡°Give me your cell phone. You¡¯ll get it back when you learn to obey the simple rules we ask you to follow.¡± I handed him my phone just as Mya began making her way up the stairs. She stopped at the sound of my mother clearing her throat. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? You¡¯re not getting off the hook. Your punishment will be¡ª¡± ¡°Be what?¡± Mya asked in a harsh tone. No demands were given, however, as both my parents remained tight-lipped with a stern posture until smiles slowly formed on their faces. The sudden switch of their expressions was unnerving, as if they just transformed into happy robots waiting for their master¡¯s orders. ¡°What the¡­ Mom? Dad?¡± An eerie, icy breeze gusted into the home. My parents didn¡¯t react to my calling. They simply grinned at Mya with disturbingly jolly looks. ¡°Mya, you may go to your room or wherever you like. No punishment is necessary.¡± What my mother said sent chills down my spine. She¡¯d never let us off the hook like that. I couldn¡¯t comprehend what was happening to my parents. ¡°Aliyah,¡± my father yelled out. ¡°You¡¯re a rotten, ungrateful daughter. Go to your room and remain there until I tell you to come out.¡± My dad¡¯s powerful shout caused me to flinch. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at me. Heading up the stairs, I saw the cause of my parents¡¯ strange behavior. It was tall, ominous, and standing behind Mya at the top of the staircase. The Shadow influencing her even alerted Cinnamon, who had bolted out of the kitchen to bark her displeasure at the creature. I was in a tight spot. Purging the demon and freeing my parents from its spell wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but I wasn¡¯t sure how much they were controlled by Mya¡¯s desire¡ªwhatever it may have been. If they weren¡¯t completely brainwashed, there was a chance they¡¯d remember my light against the Shadow, and that would be bad. Really bad. If they ever found out about my power, my days of demon purging would be over, and there would be no one to protect the city. With that in mind, I decided against destroying the Shadow. It seemed like Mya¡¯s desire was strictly to get whatever she wanted from them, so keeping the demon around until I found the perfect opportunity to purge it shouldn¡¯t have been a problem. At least, I had hoped so. Chapter 27 - To Catch A Predator The ringing of the home phone downstairs woke me up the next morning. Cinnamon leaped off the bed just as I sat up and realized my room door was cracked. My parents must¡¯ve opened it to keep an eye on me. The silence as I walked downstairs into the living room led me to believe no one else was home. Peering down at the caller ID, I saw Lucas¡¯s number and quickly picked up the phone. ¡°Hello? Lucas, are you there?¡± A soft, feminine moan could be heard on the other end. The person who spoke made my heart collapse. ¡°Hello, darling.¡± Hearing Cassandra¡¯s voice caused me to swallow hard, and I couldn¡¯t put together a coherent response even if I tried. ¡°Are you tongue-tied, love? You know, I tried calling your cell phone number, but a woman answered the phone. Was that your mommy? Aw, did someone get in trouble for being somewhere she shouldn¡¯t have been?¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± I snapped, gripping the phone tightly. ¡°What are you doing to him?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing yet. I was hoping we¡¯d play a game since our fun last night was so rudely interrupted. How about I give you three hours to find Lucas? With each passing hour, I¡¯ll touch him in a different spot. If you fail to find our location before the time¡¯s up, my fingers will rub across a certain area that I¡¯m certain will make him forget you even exist. Sound fun?¡± My lips slid into a smirk. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll play your game, but did you forget how easy it is to find anyone? All I have to do is go online and¡ª¡° ¡°Oh, did you think I¡¯d make it easy for you? Well, after some physical contact, I had my business partners take time out of their busy schedules to remove all traces of my location online. You¡¯re going to have to try harder than that, love.¡± Foaming at the mouth, I questioned how in the hell would I ever find her. Lucas¡¯s life was in danger, and my confidence was fading. Fast. ¡°Since I¡¯m such a good sport,¡± she started, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hint. We¡¯re at my favorite place in New York City. The clock¡¯s ticking. I hope to see you soon, Ali.¡± The beep of the call disconnecting left me in turmoil. Pacing back and forth, I gripped the sides of my head hoping to squeeze out a plan. It wasn¡¯t until a few minutes later that I decided to dial Janet¡¯s number. ¡°Hello?¡± she answered. ¡°Janet, it¡¯s Aliyah. Thank God I remembered your number off the top of my head. Um, this is gonna sound really, really crazy, but a woman kidnapped my boyfriend, and I need your help finding him.¡± ¡°Um, okay, that does sound crazy. Before I agree to help¡ª''cause I am intrigued, believe me¡ª I have to ask, why don¡¯t you just call the police?¡± ¡°¡¯Cause the woman holding him hostage has abilities like us. She¡¯d kill them like it¡¯s nothing. Not to mention I¡¯m already in enough trouble, so I don¡¯t wanna involve the police.¡± ¡°Makes sense, I guess. Alright, let me finish making breakfast for my grandpa and then I¡¯ll be right over.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Okay. Please hurry.¡± The call ended, but my frustration was just beginning. I felt more hopeless with every passing second while waiting for Janet¡¯s arrival. It took thirty minutes before there was a knock on the door. I sprang off the couch and rushed to open it. ¡°You ready to kill a chick?¡± Janet asked with her laptop in hand. ¡°Maybe, but we need to hurry,¡± I said, pulling her inside. ¡°I got in big trouble last night and I shouldn¡¯t have anyone over. No one¡¯s home right now, though, but they might come back any minute.¡± We walked upstairs into my room. Janet locked the door before sitting on the bed next to me and opening her laptop. ¡°Okay, can you start from the beginning? Like, who is this woman and why would she kidnap your boyfriend?¡± ¡°¡¯Cause she¡¯s a promiscuous whore, that¡¯s why. Lucas and I met her at a club last night, and while he was performing, I stopped her from killing another woman. Her name¡¯s Cassandra Blackwood.¡± Her brows shot up in surprise. ¡°Whoa, you¡¯re talking about that influencer lady? No offense, but why would she want Lucas?¡± ¡°To get to me. She got all psycho after I stopped her and now she¡¯s trying to destroy my life. To be honest, I think she¡¯s possessed by a demon, even if I couldn¡¯t sense one influencing her. There weren¡¯t any of them lurking around the club last night, surprisingly, but she had this ability that allows her to control someone if she touches a part of their body. She can even make you have sexual desires for her.¡± Janet chortled. ¡°Did you experience this first-hand?¡± ¡°Ugh, can we not talk about it?¡± ¡°Hilarious. Maybe she was able to get you that way because you¡¯re sexually attracted to her.¡± ¡°Not at all, trust me.¡± She shrugged. ¡°If I can do this,¡± a ball of fire manifested at the tip of her index finger, ¡°it doesn¡¯t surprise me that someone out there has the ability to peak a person¡¯s libido.¡± I exhaled with the intent of blowing out the fire, but my breath only made the flame grow larger. Jumping back in response, I exclaimed, ¡°Put it out.¡± ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t smart to begin with,¡± she said, extinguishing the fire at will. ¡°Anyway, I have Cassandra Blackwood¡¯s recent updates on my screen, but nothing showing where she would be today. Do you have any information or clues that could help us find her?¡± ¡°She told me she¡¯d be at her favorite place in New York City. I wouldn¡¯t know where the hell that is ¡®cause I¡¯m not a fan of hers, but if anyone would know where she likes to stay and seduce people, it¡¯s a girl named Robyn who goes to our school. Cassandra mentioned that she was a fan of hers.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s who we need to see.¡± I objected with a wiggle of my finger. No way was I ever asking her for help. ¡°Janet, I wanna find Lucas, but I¡¯m not bringing Robyn into this. I wouldn¡¯t even know how to find her in the first place.¡± ¡°Uh, online?¡± she questioned in a sarcastic tone. ¡°She¡¯s our only hope at this point. We need her.¡± ¡°Fine, whatever. Do what you gotta do.¡± She began scanning multiple search engines, her fingers pressing down on the keyboard with haste. ¡°I think I found her. What¡¯s her last name?¡± ¡°Rose. Lucas told me in a text a few days ago.¡± ¡°There.¡± She highlighted an address on the screen. ¡°The site says Robyn Rose lives here. It¡¯s only a ten-minute drive.¡± ¡°Alright, give me twenty seconds.¡± I got up and rummaged through my clothes inside the closet. ¡°Cool. I¡¯ll be in the car,¡± she replied, walking out of the room. I changed into my outside attire and grabbed my gray leather jacket. Before leaving, I felt the urge to peek in Mya¡¯s room in hopes of finding any signs of her manifested desire. The light of the sun beaming through the tangerine curtains shined on a particular drawing that was displayed on the white wall of the room. Feeling entranced by it, I walked inside and gazed at the picture. ¡°This is amazing,¡± I mumbled in fascination. The drawing was of two figures who shared a striking resemblance to Mya and Quest. Both were surrounded by other figures that appeared to be dancing and conversing with smiles on their faces. The background matched the inside of the club we had been to last night, with even the smallest detail of the place coming alive. It all made me recall the moment when Mya told the family that she needed to be inspired before drawing anything. ¡°I have to make things right,¡± I mumbled to myself. ¡°I have to be a better sister.¡± The sudden beep of a car horn took me out of the moment. I left the room and walked downstairs to see Cinnamon sitting near the front door. ¡°You¡¯re in charge, girl,¡± I told her while rubbing her head. Her tail wagged rapidly in response. With less than two hours remaining, the pursuit of Cassandra Blackwood was on. Unfortunately, I first had to negotiate with the person I hated the most. Robyn. Chapter 28 - Nah, Girl, You Live Like This? Janet parked her car outside of a tall, worn-down apartment building. I inspected the grimy environment through the window, my face contorting in repugnance from the entrance layered with several beer bottles and patches of feces that attracted a swarm of files. Though that was bad, nothing was worse than the trashcan on the sidewalk overflowing with garbage. The stench of whatever was inside entered the vehicle and caused my nose to wrinkle in disgust as the bitter taste of bile threatened to come up to my throat. I turned to Janet in hopes that she would be the first to brave the disaster zone. She, however, turned to me and snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, sis. This your mission, not mine.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± I stated, looking away at the sight of rats scampering around the front entrance. Janet rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go in with you.¡± I rested my head on her shoulder and whimpered with a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± She patted my head before we got out of the car and walked inside the building, scrunching our faces at whatever mucky rubbish we came across. When we reached the front of Robyn¡¯s apartment door, I knocked due to the absence of a doorbell. ¡°Do you smell that?¡± Janet whispered. ¡°Why does it stink like sulfur? Wait, is she a demon?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± I replied with a quick shrug. The apartment door swung open a second later and out came Robyn, who wore a black, stretched out T-shirt with an imprint of Cassandra Blackwood on it. I stared in shock at the size of her belly that grew even more since our last encounter. ¡°Y-your stomach. It¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Huge,¡± Janet yelled, finishing my sentence. ¡°We got demons having demons now? Lord, save us.¡± Robyn¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°Who is this? And why are you here? You¡¯ve been the bane of my existence since forever.¡± ¡°Excuse me? You¡¯re the one stalking my boyfriend and claiming he¡¯s the father of your kid when clearly he¡¯s not. I mean, look at your stomach. You¡¯re about to give birth any minute now.¡± ¡°Hold up. Your boyfriend?¡± Janet asked me. ¡°As in Lucas? Okay, I¡¯m officially in a drama series.¡± ¡°I think you both should leave before I call the police,¡± Robyn suggested before a vindictive smile shaped her face. ¡°On second thought, we can finish what we started yesterday and I can kill you. Then, Lucas and I can be together in peace. Like it should be.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± I threw my hands up in surrender ¡°I knew coming here would be a mistake. Janet and I will find Lucas on our own.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Hold on. Lucas is missing?¡± Her tone shifted at the reveal. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you. I¡¯ll be back to purge your demon spawns after you force them out and probably die in the process. When that happens, I hope the mortician makes you frown for eternity. It would suit you, you crazy witch.¡± I walked out of the building and headed toward Janet¡¯s car. She stepped in front of me with her arms crossed before I could enter. ¡°I get it, you don¡¯t like her, but she¡¯s our only hope of finding Lucas. We need her help.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll find him without her. She¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Let me come with you.¡± Robyn approached us with a worrisome expression. ¡°Please, tell me what¡¯s wrong with Lucas. I need to know.¡± ¡°Cassandra Blackwood kidnapped him,¡± Janet told her. ¡°She¡¯s holding him hostage in her favorite place in New York City. The two of us have no clue where that could be, so we came here to ask you.¡± Robyn looked to the ground with wide eyes, taking in the information before giving us a response. ¡°I know where they are. This yours?¡± She pointed to Janet¡¯s car. ¡°If it is, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll direct you to the location.¡± ¡°Y-yeah. Alright, then. Get in the back.¡± My eyes rolled watching Robyn get into the backseat. I sat in the passenger side and remained silent as the car pulled off, my mind drifting to a possible past that Lucas and Robyn may have had. Why did she care about him so much? The thought made me question his loyalty yet again, and the never-ending battle of trust continued. *** Robyn directed Janet through the busy streets of New York by shouting and pointing in different directions. Looking to the side of me, I could see the irritated expression on Janet¡¯s face grow with every corner she turned. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re going in the right direction?¡± Janet asked, her pupils beginning to flare. I prayed she wouldn¡¯t reach a boiling point. ¡°We¡¯re on a time limit here.¡± Not hearing a response, I looked in the passenger mirror and saw Robyn gripping her stomach in agony. Her jaw hung low as she dug her fingers into her torso and shrieked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I questioned. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. And I know where we¡¯re going. Just concentrate on the damn road.¡± Janet gripped the wheel of the car, melting the leather fabric. Minutes had gone by before Robyn jutted her arm and pointed out of the window. ¡°Right there. The Ebony Diamond Hotel.¡± The outside of the towering structure was decorated with trees that formed a path to the entrance of the building. The three of us got out of the vehicle and observed the dark gray exterior of the hotel before walking inside. ¡°Lavish,¡± Janet uttered while looking around the lobby filled with other people. The glossy onyx flooring, gold sculptures, and walls covered with intricate paintings were everything you¡¯d expect from a five-star hotel. Before we could reach the reception desk, a young man wearing a jet-black uniform stepped in front of us. ¡°Would one of you happen to be Aliyah Dawn?¡± ¡°I am.¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black key. ¡°Please, take this. Cassandra Blackwood is waiting for you in Room 217 on the second floor.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, taking the key out of his hand and darting to the elevator. What made me stop in my tracks and turn around was a yelp from Robyn. Her face was etched with pain as she leaned her back against a wall and slid down to the floor. Observing her suffering, I noticed a red spot forming in the middle of her jeans. ¡°Robyn, you¡¯re bleeding,¡± I informed her. Janet examined her as well before turning to me. ¡°I know this is gonna sound awful, but we can¡¯t waste time on her.¡± ¡°Your friend¡¯s right,¡± Robyn uttered through her agonizing moans. Her condition attracted a crowd. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and hopefully get some help from these damn nosy people. Go save Lucas.¡± Chapter 29 - Whoop That Witch Janet and I parted ways with Robyn to rush inside the elevator. She pressed the button to head up to the second floor and smirked as the doors closed. ¡°I¡¯m so ready to kick some ass,¡± she announced, stretching. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited,¡± I told her, feeling the temperature in the elevator rise at a rapid rate. ¡°You¡¯re no fun. But have you thought about how you¡¯re gonna fight this chick? If you don¡¯t want me to incinerate her, what are you gonna do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to free her mind with my light. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll just have to beat her ass until she begs me to stop.¡± She purred with a wink. ¡°Hot. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love that.¡± I smiled. This girl was too much. The slow ass elevator finally opened to a narrow hallway with a black carpet. Shade Crawlers manifested through the walls of the silver interior; their malicious intent made clear with the reveal of their fangs. ¡°Stay back, Janet. We got some unwanted guests.¡± I sprinted down the hall and purged every demon in the vicinity with a combination of strikes and throws of my chakram. Janet followed behind, admiring my finesse. ¡°Did you check them out?¡± she asked, leaving me with a blank expression. ¡°Get it? Hotel? Guests? Check out?¡± Okay, I had to cringe and laugh. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re gone. Let¡¯s go demonetize this trashy influencer.¡± We barged inside room 217 to see something that made my heart drop. Lucas was half naked and bound to a bed by his ankles and wrists. Sitting on top of him was Cassandra, who stroked his bare chest as he ogled her in a daze. ¡°Oh, look who made it,¡± she said in a low, arousing voice. ¡°And with not too much time to spare. Lucas and I were just about to get to the best part.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick,¡± Janet said. ¡°How many other guys have you forced into sleeping with you?¡± Cassandra tittered. ¡°And who is this fiery young lady? Did you perhaps want to make this a group session, love? Or shall it just be us girls and we allow Lucas to watch?¡± The overflowing rage inside of me was ready to erupt. ¡°This will be the last time you ever do this to someone.¡± She slid her body off Lucas with her attire only consisting of a black leather leotard and high heels. ¡°I haven¡¯t even started yet, darling. But try me if you think you can take me.¡± ¡°Oh, I can. Trust me.¡± She was gonna get her ass beat. ¡°Janet, get Lucas out of here. No questions.¡± Janet glared at Cassandra as she walked past her and burned the ropes constricting Lucas. She struggled to lift his heavier body, but eventually managed to wrap his arm around her neck and walk with him toward the door.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Make sure Robyn doesn¡¯t get near him,¡± I added while keeping my eyes on Cassandra. ¡°I¡¯ll get home just fine. Don¡¯t wait on me.¡± Hearing Janet close the door behind me, I braced myself for a physical altercation as Cassandra proceeded to walk around the large, luxurious room. ¡°Do you know why this is my favorite place in the city?¡± she asked over the sound of her heels clicking against the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Is this where you first became an escort? I should¡¯ve guessed you slept your way to the top.¡± She snickered. ¡°Spicy, but no. This is where my ex-fianc¨¦ proposed to me, and where I caught him having an affair with that whore you stopped me from killing. Now, I come here as a reminder of what made me so powerful. Without his infidelity, I would have never realized that I am stronger alone. I can have any man I desire now.¡± I snorted at her backstory. ¡°Ever thought of going to therapy? Psycho.¡± ¡°Psycho? Never. I prefer the term, refined. Wouldn¡¯t you say so?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re a shallow witch using the power of sex appeal to get what you want ¡®cause you got hurt in the past. I bet you think you¡¯re so important and desired ¡®cause men and women leave thirsty ass comments on your page, but really, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re more like an expired product that I¡¯m gonna knocked off the shelf if you don¡¯t stop interfering in my life.¡± All she did was laugh again and say, ¡°So young and short-sighted. As you grow older, you¡¯ll realize that you must use everything you have in a world that gives you nothing. That includes your body. To shame me for using lust and sex to empower myself is childish, and I dare say, outdated. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. You¡¯re messing with my boyfriend, and excuse me for having morals. The worst part of all this is that you don¡¯t even care how you¡¯re influencing girls who believe being like you is enough to succeed. You¡¯ll never be respected, and you¡¯re gonna have a hard ass time finding happiness if all you have to offer is your body, no matter who you sleep with. You¡¯re nothing but a trashy, soulless succubus who feeds on people¡¯s weaknesses and¡ª¡± ¡°Aha. There you have it¡ªtheir weaknesses. Yes, your boyfriend may love you so much it hurts,¡± she cooed as she mocked me, ¡°but just like every other person in the world, all he truly craves is pure, unadulterated sex.¡± I winced at her comment before scanning my surroundings for a weapon. She would need to be taken out with one shot. Her ability was too dangerous for a long fight. ¡°Perhaps you weren¡¯t satisfying him enough,¡± she continued, ignoring my advances to the lamp by the nightstand. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I fed on his lust. Even though it wasn¡¯t much, it tasted divine.¡± I pulled the lamp out of the socket. ¡°Tell me how this taste.¡± The swing of the weapon hit Cassandra across the face and knocked her to the floor. My heart pumped with adrenaline as thoughts of continuous assaults played in my mind, but looking down at her seemingly unconscious body lying face-first on the floor, my rage simmered enough to drop the lamp and claim victory. Confirmation of her status came quicker than expected with the sound of incoherent mumbling. I stood over and demanded, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever touch my boyfriend again. You better pray that the people you¡¯ve hurt in the past have enough heart to forgive you. I sure as hell won¡¯t.¡± I emitted a light in my palm and directed it down at Cassandra, hoping to free her from whatever spell she was under. Before the radiance could discharge out of my hand, however, a pair of fingers rubbed across my leg. ¡°Stupid, stupid girl,¡± she muttered, stumbling to her feet while keeping her hand around my ankle. ¡°I¡¯m going to have fun killing you.¡± Immobilized from her touch, I could do nothing but feel the palm of her hand slap against my cheek repeatedly. She then wrapped her fingers around my throat and pushed me onto the bed. ¡°My beauty will be the last thing you see,¡± she declared with a bug-eyed expression, climbing on top of me as I struggled to breathe. ¡°Have you ever been aroused by asphyxiation? I¡¯ll make sure you die happy, little girl.¡± I was looking into the eyes of the woman who was close to taking my life away. Those same eyes grew wider with the sound of a gunshot. A clot of blood gushed out of her mouth before her body fell on top of mine. My lips parted to scream, but the masked shooter''s hand covered my mouth. I clawed my fingers at the black glove they wore, using my last breath to let out a muffled cry for help as my vision darkened. It wasn¡¯t long after that the darkness completely took over. Chapter 30 - Dreamcatcher I regained consciousness to the smell of acetone. My eyelids fought to open against the beaming light above me after hearing a familiar voice. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Rising off the hard floor, I looked around at the malachite walls of the cold room before my focus shifted to someone standing nearby. After a few blinks, I realized it was Alvin Steinberg. He observed my apprehension with his hands hidden in his black lab coat. ¡°Where am I?¡± I asked, backing against a wall while struggling to keep my balance. ¡°What did you do to me? Why do I feel so weak?¡± He cleared his throat and took two steps toward me. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to be in your presence again, Miss Dawn. A proper injection was in order in case you became hostile after your revival. Do not panic. The effects should wear off by the time we¡¯re done.¡± Two suited men with colossal physiques walked into the room, making me more unnerved. ¡°Stay away from me.¡± My words had no power. The two muscular men grabbed my arms and held me steady as Alvin rubbed his chin hairs and inspected me like a weirdo. ¡°You¡¯ll find this place much more interesting if you relax,¡± he suggested with his hands now folded behind his back. ¡°Now, allow my men to aid you through this fascinating journey.¡± He exited the room with the suited men pulling me along to follow him. As we walked the emerald corridor, I looked on in horror at the disembodied corpses inside the rooms we passed by. Multiple men and women dressed in lab attire appeared to be experimenting on their lifeless bodies. ¡°Where are you taking me? Let me go.¡± ¡°I said don¡¯t panic, didn¡¯t I? The specimens you¡¯re seeing were already dead before arrival. Their bodies were brought here simply for research purposes.¡± My tour came to a standstill after we headed up a stairway and entered a large emerald room with multiple doors and huge computers. Alvin stopped in his tracks to observe the conscious individuals inside each of the towering glass tubes in the middle of the room. I could do nothing but stare in trepidation as the people inside them banged on the unbreakable glass that silenced their screams. ¡°This can¡¯t be real.¡± ¡°What you see here is not only a prison for the next evolution of mankind, but a potential method to saving humanity. This is Operation Dreamcatcher.¡± My body trembled from terrifying thoughts of what could happen to me. Would I end up like these people? Confined forever for one man¡¯s sick science project? ¡°Let us all go,¡± I shouted. ¡°Now, Alvin. I knew something wasn¡¯t right with you.¡± ¡°I see. Would you be willing to let me explain?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do here, but this can¡¯t be the way to save humanity. You can¡¯t expect me to believe this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not one for charades, Miss Dawn. I prefer factual information only.¡± ¡°You¡¯re grinning and wearing a lab coat while testing on people in giant tubes. I¡¯ve seen enough movies to know you¡¯re not the good guy. Let. Us. Go.¡± Our back-and-both led to his laughter. ¡°Ah, youthful banter. I can assure you that I mean no harm. Believe me when I say that if I saw you as a threat, you¡¯d already be eliminated. Besides, don¡¯t you wish to know where you are, Aliyah Dawn? Or better yet, what you are?¡± He gestured his hand toward the suited men to release me, but I knew freedom was far from obtainable. My only option was to get as much information from him as possible until my body regained its strength. ¡°Fine. What do you know about me?¡± ¡°Not enough, I must say. What I do know is that your documented attempts at being a vigilante of late have not been successful. What intrigues me the most is your multiple involvements with the infected.¡± ¡°The infected? Are you talking about the people who¡¯re being manipulated by demons?¡± He laughed louder than before. ¡°Demons, you say? Why, that¡¯s ludicrous. I¡¯m speaking about those who can manifest their dreams into reality. Their very desires can alter the world around them if need be. Dreamers is what I call them.¡± I had hoped he would know more about the demons, but calling people with abilities Dreamers? That was interesting. ¡°Tell me,¡± he began, ¡°what is it that you desire the most?¡± ¡°Peace?¡± I shrugged, eyes wandering. ¡°I don¡¯t know, a world without so much sin? I know nothing is perfect, but more peace and happiness would be my answer. I want freedom without the evil and corruption that too much of it can bring. No more violence. No more wars and hatred. I want it all to end, and it might seem like an impossible and clich¨¦ dream to you, but I believe I can do some good with this power I have.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He responded with repeated nods. ¡°Very interesting. Care to take another walk with me?¡± I followed him through one of the many doors connected to the large room. In this smaller, darker area was a screen displaying a CT scan of the human brain. ¡°The government has identified the cause of the strange phenomenon plaguing the city,¡± he revealed. ¡°I am tasked as the lead researcher in this laboratory to put an end to it. I believe you can help me achieve that goal, which is why I¡¯m entrusting you with this knowledge. Never share it with anyone, understand?¡± He adjusted his glasses with a push of his index finger and stared at the demonstration on the screen. ¡°Watch closely, young lady. You¡¯re about to see what happens to someone with powerful aspirations.¡± The disturbing visual of an odd-shaped worm implanting itself into a human brain made me want to turn away. Had it not been for my morbid curiosity and the weakness of my legs, I would¡¯ve sprinted toward one of the doors in hopes of escaping. ¡°What you see here is a virus that has quietly infected thousands of people in the city. This is only a simulation of how it begins.¡± He ended the presentation before continuing. ¡°The virus alters the mind and creates abnormal brainwaves in the limbic system. It then causes a mutation within your DNA that allows you to manifest your deepest aspiration. The greater your wish is, the stronger your desire must be for it to become reality. The government has managed to keep this a secret since it began not too long ago, but the virus has continued to spread rapidly over time. More Dreamers are being discovered every single day. More people who I believe are just like you.¡± His explanation was mind-blowing, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel there were some elements to all this that not even he knew about. Like the demons for example, and where they came from. One thing he did know about was my ability even before I revealed it to him, and I was curious to know how. ¡°Alvin, I¡¯m positive you had knowledge of my powers before what happened in the hospital with Valeria. Tell me how¡¯d you find out. I made sure to only use my power in secrecy.¡± ¡°Well, let me inform you of this while you¡¯re young: you can never hide anything from the government. You see, this lab is funded by an organization known as Obsidian. It is their sole responsibility to follow and investigate anyone associated or involved in any activity with a known or suspected Dreamer.¡± I glared at him with my arms crossed. ¡°Wow, so you¡¯ve been following me. Is that how the police knew what was going on in Ravenvale High the day James and my friends died?¡± ¡°Yes. Though there were times when more important matters took priority over surveillance of you, we have indeed been tracking your daily activity. Our investigation into you began a few days before Valeria Vasquez attempted suicide. After your fall, you were brought into an Obsidian operated hospital that specializes in nursing Dreamers back to health. Usually¡ªonce we¡¯re done caring for them¡ªwe bring them here because most are deemed too dangerous to interact with society. But you, Aliyah Dawn, are different. I believe something pulls you toward other Dreamers, and that something was revealed in the words you said to me moments ago.¡± Only one thing could¡¯ve triggered that belief. ¡°Was it my desire?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± he answered with a wide grin. ¡°I¡¯m positive that your pursuit of happiness has given you the ability to find people who need help and aid them from being taken over by their sinful ambitions. When the virus completely takes over the mind, it controls the host and forces him or her to use their power irrationally. Unfortunately, those people are then eliminated to prevent chaos or a shift in the balance of the world.¡± He may have thought his intentions were pure, but his actions were anything but righteous. He was murdering people who didn¡¯t deserve to die. End of story. ¡°That¡¯s why Cassandra was killed, am I right? The same for James and those dead people I saw in the other rooms. Alvin, what you¡¯re doing here is wrong. Killing people who need help isn¡¯t going to solve the problem. I¡¯m guilty of attacking Cassandra ¡®cause she invaded my personal life, but I never would¡¯ve killed her.¡± With his face screwed in frustration, he let out a loud groan. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m asking for your assistance in finding a cure? The virus is only airborne in four boroughs of New York City for now, but it will expand to different parts of the world if we do not do anything to stop it. It¡¯s growing stronger by the minute, taking over more of the human mind as days go by. Eventually, even the most juvenile desires will manifest into reality, ultimately causing mankind to change forever. Humans are not meant to wield such power. It would bring war and destruction. Nothing would ever be the same.¡± I shook my head in disgust. ¡°There must be another way other than being your lap dog and sniffing people out for you to experiment on. I¡¯m done with this conversation, and I wanna go home now.¡± ¡°No. If you can indeed sense the vile instincts of those around you, why not use your righteous desire to prevent humanity¡¯s extinction?¡± Feeling the strength in my muscles returning, I remained silent and glanced at the door a few feet away from me. All I had to do was wait for the perfect opportunity to get the hell out of there. ¡°I will run various tests with the goal of finding a cure for the virus,¡± he claimed in an exasperated tone. ¡°What may appear to be a hostage environment would actually be a home for those who could do harm to the city. I believe I am more than qualified to oversee Operation Dreamcatcher: a plan that will allow the world to still function as it does daily.¡± ¡°Careful,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°You keep patting yourself on the back like that and your arm¡¯s gonna fall off. It¡¯s funny how the villain always thinks their the hero. I¡¯m not being a part of this, Alvin, and that¡¯s my final decision.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid I have no other choice.¡± Taking that as an immediate threat, I bolted out of the door before he could move or utter another word. My attempt to flee came to a quick and painful end, however, after bumping into a suited man with a similar build to those who restrained me earlier. ¡°Let go of me,¡± I hollered, fighting to break away from the man¡¯s bear hug. He lifted me off my feet with ease and carried me over to Alvin. ¡°Miss Dawn, you will do as I ask, understand? That is, if you care for your family as much as you care for making the world a better place.¡± The suited gorilla began to squeeze the life out of me. I gasped from the crushing of my ribs, screaming as my welling eyes were ready to leak at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Put her down,¡± Alvin commanded. My body was thrown to the ground with force. ¡°Please, I do not wish for you to see me as the bad guy,¡± he said, kneeling to my level. ¡°You are the bad guy, but I¡¯ll do what you want. Just leave my family out of this.¡± ¡°As you wish, Aliyah Dawn.¡± He offered his hand to take. ¡°Welcome aboard.¡± Chapter 31 - Friends & Feelings ¡°And that¡¯s everything that happened.¡± Janet gaped as I told her about the events that unfolded in the laboratory yesterday. She laid back on my bed and stared at the ceiling in astonishment. ¡°Wow. Talk about intense. People think and do sinful things all the time, so it¡¯s not like we can go around the world telling everyone, ¡®hey, stop feeling this way or we¡¯re all gonna die from your negativity.¡¯¡± I fell on the bed next to her and exhaled into the pillow. ¡°Tell me about it. There are times when I still can¡¯t believe any of this is happening.¡± ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t see where the lab was located? Like landmarks or anything?¡± ¡°No. I was blindfolded and pushed into a vehicle after Alvin was done with his lecture. When the car stopped outside my house, they removed the cloth and said Alvin will contact me soon. The whole thing was surreal.¡± She placed her hand on my arm and half-smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright. At least you didn¡¯t get in more trouble with your parents when you got home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what scares me the most, Janet. I walked inside expecting to be yelled at and punished for life, but all I saw was my parents making Mya breakfast for dinner. Mom would never approve of that. There¡¯s more going on than just a virus. The Shadows are involved as well.¡± ¡°Spooky. How does it feel living with a possessed sister?¡± ¡°Terrifying. Not only do I have to deal with the demon influencing Mya, but signing up to help Alvin was like making a deal with the devil. It¡¯s stressful. Not to mention there¡¯s school tomorrow and I haven¡¯t done any of the homework assignments.¡± She yawned and lifted herself off the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯ve got nothing else to do, really. Whenever I¡¯m not working at my caf¨¦ job on the weekends, I mostly stay home and stream TV shows with my Grandpa or go to the library. Those things are fun, but hanging out with you? Best vibes of all time.¡± I laughed, replying, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m freakin¡¯ awesome.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m heading home to take a nap before I research this Alvin guy later tonight. Did you see or hear anything else that could be important?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He did mention an organization called Obsidian, but¡ª¡± ¡°Did you say Obsidian?¡± Her voice raised in shock, and I was certain the temperature in the room increased. ¡°I overheard my parents whispering that word a lot before they passed. Are you sure he didn¡¯t say anything else? Names, numbers, anything?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her eyes wandered around the room as if to avoid mine. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Forget I asked. What do you have planned for today?¡± ¡°Well, I wanted to get that demon out of my sister¡¯s head, but my parents took her somewhere. So now I¡¯m just gonna hang out with Tyler at the mall for a bit. He¡¯s been really depressed since I told him what happened in the hospital with Valeria, so hopefully I can cheer him up and maybe find an outfit on sale at the same time.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Cool. I¡¯ll call you later.¡± ¡°Hey, wait.¡± I got off the bed and approached her. ¡°Was everything okay with Lucas when you brought him home? I¡¯ve been calling his cell since I got in last night, but I never got an answer. And when I called his house, his dad answered and said he was sleeping in his room.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think he was fine. I dropped that edgy chick off at the hospital first before I had him tell me where he lived. He tried asking me what happened, but I figured I¡¯d leave that explanation to you.¡± Good idea on her part, but the problem was that Lucas didn¡¯t care to communicate with me. Was he hiding something? Did Cassandra still have power over him from the grave? Or did his lack of communication have something to do with Robyn and he wasn¡¯t telling me? I sighed. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try back later tonight after I talk with my sister. If speaking to her doesn¡¯t get rid of the Shadow, I¡¯ll have to purge it out of her mind. I still don¡¯t understand why I couldn¡¯t sense it before.¡± ¡°Maybe ¡®cause she¡¯s your sister? I mean, think about it for a second. Shadows might be different from the regular demons you fight. I believe they¡¯re born from people and didn¡¯t come out of some fiery hellhole like the others.¡± She was on to something. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Mya¡¯s Shadow was born from her resentment toward you, but you¡¯re still her sister at the end of the day. She doesn¡¯t truly hate you, and it¡¯s not like the Shadow is making her do anything dangerous. My guess is you couldn¡¯t detect it before ¡®cause it was too weak to sense. But, due to recent events, her animosity for you is growing, and that¡¯s how the Shadow became strong enough for you to see and feel.¡± ¡°And the Shadows,¡± I began to pitch in, ¡°must call the lesser demons, the Shade Crawlers, to defend them while they feed on a person¡¯s negativity. That¡¯s why they¡¯re always around someone with evil aspirations.¡± I leaned against the wall of my room and voiced my thoughts further. ¡°Another thing to note is that even if Shadows are created by us, they can still go places without their host to try manipulating other people. I¡¯m positive I saw the same demon on the bridge with you that influenced Valeria to jump off the roof. Either way, whether we¡¯re right or wrong about any of this stuff, you¡¯re a genius for coming up with this theory.¡± She hunched her shoulders. ¡°I read a lot.¡± We left the room and walked downstairs to the front door, where Cinnamon greeted us with a rapid tail-wag. Both Janet and I knelled down to rub her fur, receiving licks as gratitude. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t your dog in danger with your sister¡¯s Shadow roaming around the house?¡± Janet asked. ¡°She should be good. I don¡¯t sense any demons, and Mya would never wish harm on Cinnamon.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± We stood up and walked out of the house. ¡°You want a ride to meet your friend?¡± ¡°How could I say no?¡± We smiled at each other. ¡°Thanks.¡± ??? The foggy sky loomed over the industrial city as Janet navigated through traffic. She parked her car near the corner of a bustling street after we spotted Tyler looking down at his phone by a hotdog stand. ¡°Thanks, Janet. I appreciate it.¡± I got out of the vehicle and pushed past a throng of people with various styles of attire. When I reached Tyler and saw the cell phone in his hand, I couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You¡¯re still using that outdated thing? God, Ty. Be normal.¡± He smiled and shrugged. ¡°Social norms are outlines for people with no identity.¡± He then slid his phone into his jacket pocket and hugged me. ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it.¡± His tight hold on me was comforting, as if we both needed this moment to be free with someone. It only confirmed I made the right decision meeting him here, regardless of how much trouble I could¡¯ve gotten me in later. ¡°Before we go inside,¡± he began, ¡°I wanna apologize for not telling you what happened between Lucas and Robyn. Trust me, I was ready to kick his ass after I found out she was pregnant. I wanted to come by the hospital and tell you, but I knew you were still recovering, and I didn¡¯t wanna make things harder for you.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m over it,¡± I claimed before turning my head away from him. ¡°I think.¡± ¡°Are you staying with him? He spent hours trying to convince me not to tell you about it. I was going to, but¡ª¡± ¡°Ty, it¡¯s fine, okay? I¡¯m not mad at you. Let¡¯s just go inside and have fun.¡± We entered the three-story mall that hosted various household brands. Countless people strolled the plaza in search of merchandise and products from popular markets. ¡°It¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve been here,¡± I voiced while looking around, nudging him with my elbow before asking, ¡°You ready to hold some bags?¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve figured. What, did the government start paying you to be a superhero?¡± ¡°Oh, they should, right? But nah, I still have the credit card my parents gave me earlier this year. It should be enough on it to buy a couple of outfits.¡± ¡°Ugh. Alright, then. Come on.¡± We sauntered around and entered every boutique on the first floor in a quest for desired clothing and accessories, but came out empty-handed every time. We then rode the escalator up to the second floor to explore more options. ¡°You¡¯re so damn picky,¡± he complained, ambling alongside me. ¡°What? You couldn¡¯t tell that fur was fake? And the rat-looking cashier kept checking me out like I was cheese or something.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Speaking of rats, remember in seventh grade when that guy put a mouse in your locker after you told the class you were afraid of mice?¡± ¡°Yeah. I also remember you knocking him out ¡®cause that made me cry. Ugh, I hate mice. Isn¡¯t that guy on our school¡¯s football team now?¡± ¡°Yeah. Candice won¡¯t shut up about him.¡± I stuck my tongue out in a teasing manner. ¡°Ha. I laughed so hard when you texted me that she was your math partner. I mean, Candice of all people?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± he said before his eyes landed on the food court, which held a sizeable selection from famous fast-food restaurants. ¡°I¡¯m getting something to eat. You want anything?¡± ¡°Two slices of pizza and a fruit punch,¡± I replied. ¡°Fatty.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know my ass fat.¡± His head jerked back as he started to laugh. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t expect that to be your comeback.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s like you don¡¯t know me.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, a lot has changed recently, so I guess it¡¯s surprising seeing some things stay the same.¡± He frowned, turning away from me. ¡°I¡¯ll be back with the food.¡± I sat on the steel bench nearby and let my mind wander while observing those who passed by in the crowded mall. A group of friends entering a clothing store grabbed my attention the most. Memories of hanging out with Valeria, Tyler, and Lucas played in my mind until flashes of Val¡¯s death started to surface. Thoughts of the dreadful moment would have continued had I not seen Quest exiting the theater section with a girl who wasn¡¯t Mya. ¡°Quest,¡± I called him out. I stood and walked over to them, my lip curled as I looked the girl up and down. ¡°Hi, girl-who¡¯s-not-my-sister.¡± She scrutinized me with a sharp glare. ¡°Quest, who is this?¡± I answered for him. ¡°No one you need to be concerned about. How¡¯s my sister doing, Quest? You know, the fifteen-year-old you brought to an adult club two nights ago?¡± He stuttered and failed to speak a coherent sentence. The girl standing next to him glowered in suspicion. ¡°You told me you were at a family reunion two nights ago. You¡¯re such a player.¡± She stomped away from the scene. I couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. ¡°Awe. Busted?¡± ¡°Alright, you got me. Thing is, I really like your sister, just not in that way.¡± I stepped in his face. ¡°So why lead her on?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, I swear. Mya¡¯s a cool person to chill with, and I like how artistic she is because I¡¯m an artist myself, but I¡¯m not interested in a relationship with her. She started calling me her boyfriend out of nowhere, and I never agreed to that. I think she wants what you and Lucas have or something. I don¡¯t know.¡± His confession made me question Mya¡¯s desire even more. How could controlling our parents have something to do with wanting a relationship like mine? ¡°Did you ever think to be a man and tell her you¡¯re not interested?¡± I asked him. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. ¡°You know what? I already know the answer. I want you to call Mya and tell her the truth. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯re gonna have a serious problem. Understand?¡± He bobbed his head in agreement. Tyler approached me with our food and drinks in hand as Quest scurried off. ¡°Hey, was that guy bothering you?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s just a scared, lost puppy.¡± We walked over to the food court and sat across from each other at a table. ¡°So, how¡¯ve you been since you got home?¡± he asked, sinking his teeth into the cheeseburger in his hand. ¡°Adjusting easy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I can. You were right, though. A lot has changed.¡± ¡°It definitely has. I still can¡¯t believe what happened in school with that James guy. I guess situations like that are common for you, though, huh?¡± ¡°Basically,¡± I replied after taking a sip of my drink. ¡°It¡¯s almost never as dangerous as that, though. I¡¯m just glad some of us survived.¡± We continued eating until he tapped the table to get my attention. ¡°Do you remember who that is?¡± I looked in the direction he pointed in until I recognized an elderly woman with a cane. ¡°Wow, yes. She used to give the best Halloween candy. I remember we¡¯d always play with her dog whenever her husband would take him out for a walk. Where is her husband at?¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Tyler¡¯s grim response swallowed my enthusiasm. My downcast eyes observed the slices of pizza in front of me until my stomach could no longer neglect its calling. ¡°They say when someone close to you dies, you realize how short and precious life really is,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s not precious at all, to be honest. Life is pointless.¡± Words of consolation should¡¯ve flowed out of my mouth like they usually did whenever someone needed help, but a part of me knew it would be pointless to say anything. His aggressive views on life could only ever be soothed by Valeria. Without her, I feared he may never be happy. He took the last bite of his burger before speaking again. ¡°What¡¯s so special about this world, anyway? You¡¯re born, you live, and then you die. That¡¯s it. Nothing more, nothing less. There¡¯s senseless violence everywhere, corrupt governments run by power-hungry madmen, and diseases that can take your life whenever. I mean, what the hell is the point of living?¡± ¡°Sometimes, I question that as well,¡± I finally spoke out. ¡°But I think the purpose of life is to be happy doing what you love the most, no matter what it is, and keeping humanity alive so the world can grow and prosper. I know how morally correct that sounds, but that¡¯s what I believe to be true. Wishing not to be alive isn¡¯t a healthy way of thinking.¡± He slouched back in his seat and shrugged. ¡°Why should we value our lives when they can be taken at any second? We can¡¯t even be outside without someone doing something stupid. So tell me, why shouldn¡¯t I wanna be dead already? Hell, zombies already exist in this world. They shamble around and stare into their phones while waiting on social media to tell them what to do, think, and feel. Most of the people in this damn city are just going through the motions. There¡¯s no energy to them at all.¡± He slurped the last of his drink before resuming. ¡°Is it wrong that I¡¯m not blinded like everyone else? That I don¡¯t want to pursue a career, or have a lot of money, or become famous? Because I can have all of that and still ask the same question: what¡¯s the point of it all? What is it about this world that makes people wanna wake up and continue their lives knowing that death is the only result?¡± ¡°Hope, maybe? I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t speak for everyone, but maybe it¡¯s love, memories, and experiences. Sometimes, it can even be a passion for something you wanna see through to the end.¡± He looked away and huffed. There was no consoling his black heart. ¡°I just don¡¯t wanna be like everyone else,¡± he confessed. ¡°I won¡¯t allow society to dictate how I should live my life, or what I should be doing with it. Living in this world is hard enough as it is. I don¡¯t see a point in chasing after a dream in a world I care nothing about. Valeria¡¯s opinion was all that mattered to me. The only accomplishment I ever wanted to achieve was to make her happy.¡± The mentioning of Val created a barrier of silence between us. My throat tightened at the sight of tears on his cheek. ¡°I just miss her so damn much. No one realizes how powerful death can be until they lose someone close. This pain inside me is never gonna go away. Not without her. I need her here with me.¡± I wiped my watery eyes as Tyler released his own faucet of heartache, grief, and depression. I lifted his hand off the table and placed it in mine. ¡°I miss her too, Ty. I miss her every single day.¡± ¡°What makes it worse is that some people are entertained by the concept of death. They make movies about it. They write about it. Sometimes, they even laugh about it. It¡¯s inhuman. I hate this world, Aliyah.¡± I squeezed his hand and shared his tribulation. It wasn¡¯t until he opened his mouth to speak again that my heart skipped a beat. ¡°I wish I could bring her back.¡± My hand jerked back in response. A sequence of vivid images appeared in my mind of Valeria rising from the grave. I questioned if Tyler¡¯s desire was powerful enough to bring her back to life, or if it was even possible to begin with. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, looking at my spooked expression. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said anything. It¡¯s just that I have no memory of her dying, you know? It makes everything worse. The last thing I remember is fighting with her foster parents in the hospital. None of what you told me afterward feels real, but I apologize if I made you mad or ruined your day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m here for you, Ty, just like you¡¯re here for me. You can talk to me about this stuff, okay? We¡¯ll get through this together, and I promise I¡¯ll never let you down.¡± He nodded before digging into his jacket and taking out his cell. ¡°Dammit, it¡¯s Candice.¡± ¡°So cute. How does it feel to have the most self-absorbed girl in the school texting you?¡± ¡°Like I wanna rip my eyes out so I don¡¯t have to decipher her stupid messages. How is it fun to communicate with someone using only emojis? Can¡¯t she tell me in words that she wants me to stop by and finish the math assignment? She even added her stupid Candice Forever hashtag at the end of the text.¡± It was the funniest thing listening to him complain about her. ¡°Wow. Well, at least you figured out what the symbols mean.¡± ¡°It starts to get easier, I guess.¡± ¡°Hilarious. I¡¯m gonna head home, though. I had a great time.¡± ¡°Same. It was nice doing this again. Let me give you a ride back.¡± I was thrilled to have rekindled our friendship after months of absence and discouraging events, but after stepping outside of the building and sensing the darkness of those around me, I was reminded of what killed my best friend. I wasn¡¯t about to let the same thing happen to my sister. Chapter 32 - A Cult And A Curse Tyler and I crossed the busy street to get to his car when I spotted Agent Grant standing by the vehicle. His yellow suit and smug expression upon my approach stood out even in the hundreds of people passing by. ¡°Aliyah Dawn. What a surprise seeing you here. Mind answering a few more questions?¡± ¡°Please. You expect me to believe you weren¡¯t spying on me? And what¡¯s with the suit? You look like my auntie¡¯s banana pudding.¡± He chuckled. ¡°My daughter is having a birthday party later, and yellow happens to be her favorite color. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d be a little less noticeable if I was following you?¡± Tyler confronted Grant. ¡°So what¡¯s your deal, then? You some old pervert admiring her or something?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m something, and that¡¯s a government agent. You¡¯d be smart to get out of my face, kid.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t? Guys like you always think you can do what you want because you¡¯re the law.¡± Stepping in between them was a struggle, but I managed to push Tyler back and lock eyes with Grant. ¡°You have no right to harass me or threaten my friend. Leave us alone and go about whatever investigation you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Actually, my investigation was shut down, and I believe you know why. I think it¡¯s time the two of us had a conversation off record.¡± I was unsure whether to accept or decline his offer. ¡°And why should I believe that or even talk to you?¡± ¡°Because I have information on Alvin Steinberg, the man you¡¯re working for. Real information. Not the lies I¡¯m sure he told you. In exchange, I want you to tell me everything that was discussed between the two of you yesterday evening. And please, don¡¯t try to falsify the event to deceive me. I¡¯ll know if you¡¯re lying or telling the truth.¡± Despite his shadiness in our previous encounters, the way he spoke now felt more open and less interrogating. There was nothing to lose and everything to gain, so only one answer was viable. ¡°Fine, but we¡¯ll talk tomorrow. I have to get home to my sister.¡± ¡°Understandable, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. After my daughter¡¯s birthday party, I have an important meeting scheduled outside of the city. We need to have our conversation right now.¡± Mya was my top priority, but an opportunity to learn more about Alvin was something I couldn¡¯t pass up. ¡°Alright, whatever. We can talk in here.¡± I gestured my hand to the coffee shop we were standing outside of. ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll see you in there.¡± As he walked inside, Tyler stopped me from following behind. ¡°What¡¯s this guy talking about? Are you sure you wanna be alone with him?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s why you¡¯re coming with me.¡± We entered the shop decorated with an eclectic theme and saw Grant sitting on a sofa with his hands folded on the wooden table. He gave us a closed-lip smile as we sat on the couch across from him. ¡°Okay, Grant. You wanted this, so you start first,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything until you tell me about Alvin and what he¡¯s really up to.¡± ¡°I can tell you about him, but one question,¡± he narrowed his eyes at Tyler, ¡°why is he here?¡± ¡°¡¯Cause he¡¯s my friend. Either he stays, or I go.¡± His stare continued until he sighed. ¡°I guess he stays.¡± ¡°Okay, now tell me what I wanna know.¡± He cleared his throat before speaking. ¡°Alvin Steinberg. Even I¡¯m in the dark as to what his true motives are. For nearly thirty years, he¡¯s assisted some of the top scientists in the country. Throughout those decades, he¡¯s made countless petitions for the position of chief science officer, but was denied each time. It wasn¡¯t until he discovered the virus going around that he was put into a role of power. I¡¯m sure he informed you of this disease I¡¯m speaking of.¡± ¡°Yeah. The one that can turn desires into reality.¡± ¡°Exactly. But what if I told you this so-called virus isn¡¯t actually a virus, but a curse that can¡¯t fully be explained by scientific means?¡± Tyler leaned forward in his seat. ¡°I knew it. It¡¯s magic, right? That¡¯s what¡¯s causing all of this? It¡¯s gotta be.¡± Grant sat back with his arms crossed, looking out of the glass window at pedestrians walking by. ¡°I was baffled myself the first time I was told about the curse,¡± Grant admitted, turning his attention back to us. ¡°For a long time, the government has been tracking the activity of a cult known as the Black Mask. The group believes the world is full of sinners, and that the planet is in need of cleansing.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°They¡¯re not wrong about that,¡± Tyler jumped in. ¡°Two members of the Black Mask in custody confessed that the cult performed a year-long ceremony. This ritual is responsible for putting a spell on people in the city. It reveals their strongest aspirations and gives them the people to manifest it. It¡¯s only airborne in certain boroughs of New York City for now, but the purpose of the spell is to expose sinners in the world so that members of the cult can track them down and kill them. Despite his claims of not believing the paranormal, Alvin Steinberg knows about the Black Mask, but he refuses to take their existence seriously without proper proof of what they did.¡± Saying my mind was blown would be the understatement of the year. As I sat and absorbed the information, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy from the reveal of the Black Mask. A new element to my nightmares. ¡°Did you think I was a member of the Black Mask?¡± I questioned. ¡°Yes, because of accusations from this person.¡± He took out his cell phone from his pocket and showed me a photo on the screen. ¡°Her name is Robyn Rose. She was considered a member of the cult around the time of Valeria Vasquez¡¯s death. On the morning of the incident, I followed her around Ravenvale High School and watched her go up a staircase leading to the roof. As I waited for her to come back down to begin my interrogation, you bumped into me on your way up the same staircase. When she finally reappeared, she told me you were the one I should keep a watchful eye on, which prompted me to investigate the roof. When I did, there was blood everywhere. That¡¯s when I looked down and saw your body lying next to Valeria Vasquez.¡± Tyler slammed his fist on the table. ¡°So it must¡¯ve been Robyn who started those damn rumors about Valeria killing Aliyah.¡± ¡°I would assume,¡± Grant agreed. ¡°If I had my ability at the time, I would¡¯ve known Robyn was lying and continued my investigation on her.¡± My brows shot up in surprise. ¡°Wait, you have an ability? So what you¡¯re saying is¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a Dreamer. Just like I know you are.¡± Tyler glanced back and forth at the two of us before voicing his thoughts. ¡°Dreamer? Is that the name we¡¯re going with for people with powers?¡± I nodded at his question, but my eyes were trained on Grant. ¡°And what exactly is your strongest desire?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite a simple one, actually. It¡¯s to always know when I¡¯m being lied to. Unfortunately, it only works with direct questions.¡± My face contorted in doubt. ¡°That¡¯s it? There¡¯s gotta be a deeper reason for why you have an aspiration like that.¡± ¡°Well, I can ask you the same thing. Why is it that someone your age cares so strongly about helping others?¡± ¡°¡¯Cause helping people is what makes me happy. Period.¡± My answer caused him to snicker. ¡°And if what you¡¯re saying about your ability is true, why didn¡¯t you just ask me if I was a member of the cult when you first saw me?¡± ¡°Because I never lay all my cards on the table, even if it would give me the answers I¡¯m looking for. You gain more information by letting the culprit crack under pressure. Impatience gets you nowhere in my line of work.¡± Exhausted from taking in so much information, I took a deep breath and rested back on the couch. ¡°Fine. And I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s my turn to give you what you want?¡± ¡°That would be nice.¡± ¡°Alright, here it goes: I was kidnapped and drugged by some masked guy who works for Alvin. By the time I regained consciousness, I was in Alvin¡¯s lab. He explained the virus¡ªor curse¡ªto me and revealed the other Dreamers he was keeping for experiments. He claimed he was using them to find a cure, but they were being held against their will inside these unbreakable glass cells, so the whole thing was really messed up.¡± Grant appeared in deep thought with his chin resting on his fist. ¡°Interesting. I knew he was given his own laboratory after so long, but no agents were ever given the location of it. He must be using it for some sort of unlicensed experiment on humans with abilities.¡± ¡°He also knew about my ability to find Dreamers with negative desires and threatened my family if I didn¡¯t help him track Dreamers down. We came to an agreement, and something was put over my head before I was escorted out and brought home. That about sums it up.¡± ¡°Are you gonna do anything about this?¡± Tyler asked Grant. ¡°I can¡¯t, unfortunately. Whether it¡¯s by an ability or not, Alvin has manipulated every government official in the state. They follow his exact orders and do whatever the hell he wants them to do. I have no power, and now with this information, I can safely assume he ordered every agent to drop the Black Mask investigation and instead find Dreamers for his experiment. If his ability is manipulation, I¡¯m guessing it doesn¡¯t work on me because of my own ability to see through lies and deceit. Still, this is a major crime, and something has to be done.¡± A waitress walked over to offer her service, but we declined and sat in silence for a moment. There was so much to take in. So many discoveries, yet so many mysteries. ¡°Alvin was right about one thing, though,¡± Grant said, pulling me back in. ¡°This curse indeed acts like a virus. It¡¯s slowly infecting all of us and changing our DNA. If nothing is done, we¡¯re in for a world-changing pandemic.¡± He removed a card from his pocket and slid it across the table to me. ¡°My number¡¯s on there. I¡¯ll be outside the city for the next two days, but I want you to contact me if anything new arises. Can you do that, partner?¡± ¡°Oh, so we¡¯re partners now ¡®cause you said so?¡± ¡°Well, after an exchange like this, I¡¯d say we are. We have nothing against each other, and based on our individual abilities, I¡¯d say we both want the same thing. Justice and peace.¡± He rose from his seat and extended his arm for a handshake. I responded with a scrutinizing glare before standing and gripping his hand. ¡°Fine. Partners.¡± With our agreement intact, he walked out of the coffee shop. Tyler nudged me to get my attention. ¡°Aliyah, that group he was talking about¡­the Black Mask or whatever¡­do you really think they¡¯re the bad guys in all this? I mean, they go after evil people and punish them. What¡¯s so wrong about that?¡± ¡°Ty, they¡¯ve cursed the city and killed people who didn¡¯t fit their moral standards. None of that screams ¡®good guys¡¯ at all.¡± He looked away and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think they¡¯re making the world a better place, but whatever. Just know I got your back, no matter what.¡± ¡°I know. Thank you.¡± We walked out and entered his car with more questions than answers. With the cult known as Black Mask added to the equation, it was no doubt in my mind that an unavoidable confrontation with them was coming my way. Chapter 33 - Sister, Sister Standing outside my house, I waved to Tyler as he drove away. After putting the key in the front door, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I turned the knob and poked my head inside, apprehensive at the lack of light in the living room. ¡°Mom? Dad?¡± I called out, gulping back the nervousness before saying, ¡°Mya?¡± The eerie vibe was so tense that it made me want to turn around, but the sound of Cinnamon¡¯s muffled barking swayed me to enter the house. What had been my haven since birth was now a home of the unknown, and I didn¡¯t like it. Not one bit. ¡°Mom?¡± I whispered this time, stretching my arm out to reach the light switch. The second the living room was lit, the door slammed shut. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± a familiar voice roared. I turned to see my father a few feet away, his shoulders slouched with his head tilted to the side. His eyes dilated as his jaw hung low. ¡°D-Dad?¡± A heap of air on the back of my neck caused me to jump and turn around, now seeing my mother with the same demeanor as my father. ¡°You keep making mistakes,¡± she yelled at me. ¡°Why can¡¯t you be more like Mya?¡± ¡°Mom, why are you saying this? Where is Mya? Tell me where she is.¡± In a rapid motion, my mother¡¯s hand struck my face. Before I could even react, she leaped on top of me and held a strong grip around my throat, the back of my head slamming against the floor. ¡°Mom, stop,¡± I managed to breathe out while struggling to remove her nails from my neck. My plea fell on deaf ears as she continued to choke me. ¡°Get off.¡± ¡°Richard, hold her legs and bind them together,¡± she said to my dad. I was powerless to defend myself. Mya¡¯s spell had completely taken over the minds of my parents. My lower body became tighter, and my vision began to fade. ¡°Mya, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Release her,¡± a familiar voice commanded. I stood up and gasped for air immediately after the hold was loosened. My parents backed away and gave sight of Mya sitting at the top of the stairs. Her arms were folded together, leaning forward with a malevolent grin. ¡°You¡¯re so pathetic. It¡¯s nice seeing how weak you are when Mom and Dad aren¡¯t around to worship you.¡± ¡°M-Mya, I know what¡¯s going on. There¡¯s a demon in this house that¡¯s controlling you. I know it sounds crazy, but¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing is controlling me. Not like you control everyone around you and make everything all about yourself.¡± I walked halfway up the stairs before shouting, ¡°Mya, you have to stop. This isn¡¯t about me or you. Look at what you¡¯ve done to Mom and Dad.¡± ¡°So what? They¡¯re mine now. All of the attention, love, and protection they gave to you, they¡¯ll now give to me and only me. I¡¯m going to make you suffer for forcing Quest to break up with me. You thought that was okay to do while you have a famous boyfriend by your side? It¡¯s my time to get everything I want.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you tell Quest wasn¡¯t into you like that?¡± I questioned, now inches away from her. ¡°And our parents have always given you everything you wanted. If you wanna fight and argue about which one of us is more spoiled, then fine. Just free Mom and Dad from your spell. Please.¡± She cackled, standing up to confront me. ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t seen spoiled yet. Not until you look at yourself from another person¡¯s perspective. You have everything someone our age could ask for, and yet, you remain this bland, ungrateful person who takes advantage of everyone. So now, I¡¯ll take everything you have because you don¡¯t deserve it.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. I stared into her honey brown eyes in distress. Everything was coming together. Her desire could only be one thing. ¡°You want my life¡­ Mya, you don¡¯t need to be this fabrication of me that you¡¯ve created in your head to be happy. I know you believe that deep down. A demon has taken over your mind. It manipulates people into using their aspirations for evil. It looks like¡ª¡± ¡°A werewolf shrouded in darkness?¡± she cut me off with a smirk. ¡°Oh, I already know. Did you think you were special? That you were some chosen warrior or God¡¯s gift to mankind so you¡¯re the only one able to see them?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it at all. I¡ª¡° With a hard shove to my chest, my body went tumbling backwards down the stairs. The pain coursing through my back, arms, and legs after reaching the bottom was excruciating, but I was thankful my neck didn¡¯t break from the fall. Despite Mya¡¯s actions, my anger could never reach the point of harming her. My mind was more focused on her desire, which gave her the ability to see the Shadows and Shade Crawlers. That power could put her in serious danger, and I needed to put an end to it. Now. ¡°I can see them just like you can,¡± she continued as I pushed through the pain to stand on my feet. ¡°Because I am you, only better. I¡¯m going to be a daughter who Mom and Dad can be proud of, not some talentless dependent who they have to fight over every week.¡± ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re getting into,¡± I yelled back. ¡°You think it¡¯s easy feeling someone else¡¯s misery and helping them overcome it? I watched people die ¡®cause I couldn¡¯t save them in time. I feel that guilt every night before bed. It stays in your heart and eats away at your soul.¡± We glared at one another as I finished getting my point across. ¡°You have a future, Mya. You have a plan. You don¡¯t know how hard it is being a senior in high school and not knowing what to do once it¡¯s all over. To be me is to be someone who¡¯s lost, someone who has to live with the burden of sensing despair wherever she goes. I refuse to stand back and allow my own sister to suffer the same way I do.¡± ¡°And to be me is to be the unhappy and neglected daughter,¡± she hissed. The wicked vibe in the house instantly increased. ¡°But maybe that¡¯s okay as long as my Shadow is with me.¡± As if she had called for its presence, an evil essence began to form behind Mya. My heart pounded in my chest from the shrouded figure that placed its gloomy claw on her shoulder. It then took a fiendish form that made me charge at it in rage, only to have my momentum terminated by a sudden impact to my stomach. ¡°You just don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± Mya laughed out as I fell to my knees, trying desperately to catch my breath. ¡°This family is all about me now.¡± I looked up and saw my father, who hovered over me after delivering the painful blow. My attention then turned back to Mya. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not being a better sister.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Lying won¡¯t get you out of this situation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± I struggled to stand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not supporting you. I should¡¯ve stepped up after Noel died and looked after you more, but I kept putting you last when I should¡¯ve placed you first. I went into your room yesterday and saw the picture hanging on the wall. You¡¯re so talented, and I hate myself for not being someone you could share your creativity with.¡± Her eyes dropped to the floor. I prayed that I was getting through to her. ¡°Are you being honest right now?¡± ¡°Yes, Mya. All you ever wanted was for me and everyone else to acknowledge you, right? Well, you got it, sis. Things will change from now on. I love you, and it¡¯s about time I show you how much I do.¡± Her lips quivered. ¡°This is all so wrong. I never wanted to hurt anyone. I don¡¯t want this anymore.¡± The Shadow released an ear-splitting screech. It acted irate due to losing its mental grip on Mya. She had broken free from its manipulation, meaning I could purge it and keep her memories intact. ¡°Mya, don¡¯t worry. Let big sis handle this.¡± A white glow manifested in my palm, the light forming into energy that released in the direction of the Shadow. The demon cried out until it dissolved into nothingness. I grabbed onto Mya and held her close. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that. I promise I¡¯ll protect you. Forever. Whenever you need me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all I ever wanted. I¡¯m sorry for all this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll get through it together.¡± The hardest part was over. All that was left to do was inform Mya of what happens next. ¡°Mya, when a person¡¯s influenced by a demon like you way you were, I usually use my light to make them forget everything that happened. But, you broke the demon¡¯s spell on your own, so I think I can trust you to never want to be me ever again. You have to swear on everything that you''ll never tell anyone about any of this, though. Ever. Especially Mom and Dad. Understand?¡± She sucked her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not the tattletale in this family. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± I gave her a lopsided smile. For the first time in a long time, we were close. Happy. It was a feeling I never wanted to lose again. Chapter 34 - Priorities The next morning, Mom dropped me and Mya off at the front entrance of the school. After entering, we went our separate ways as she headed toward her class while I walked straight to my locker. Inside of it was nothing but an old textbook that Ms. Walters insisted we bring home to study, but no one ever did. Trust me. My phone vibrated in my pocket from a text. I took it out and viewed the message, seeing the words, Turn around. My body rotated instantly to see Lucas walking in my direction. ¡°Morning, babe,¡± he said. ¡°How¡¯s everything?¡± ¡°How¡¯s everything?¡± I retorted back in disbelief. How¡¯d he think it was cool to ignore me for days and then casually ask that? ¡°What the hell, Lucas? You haven¡¯t been answering any of my calls. I would¡¯ve texted you to hang out with me and Tyler yesterday, but I just got my phone back this morning. I was gonna come by your house if I didn¡¯t see you in school today.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± He placed his hands on my waist. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to worry you like that. I just haven¡¯t been feeling well, but I do have some good news. I wanted to keep it a secret until everything was finalized, but now that it is, I¡¯m ready to tell you.¡± ¡°What? What is it?¡± He smiled. ¡°I got signed to Skull Knight Records.¡± My eyes expanded before the most unattractive squeal was released. ¡°Yes, yes. Oh, my God, I¡¯m so happy for you.¡± I wrapped my arms around his neck. He flinched from my embrace. ¡°You alright? I felt you jump a little.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good. I was contacted by the label yesterday and signed the contract this morning before I drove here. It all feels like a weird dream. Everything is happening so fast. I¡¯m excited and scared at the same time.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s normal. But speaking of weird, do you remember anything that happened two days ago?¡± His lips pressed together while his eyes wandered. When he finally opened his mouth to answer, my name called out on the loudspeaker diverted his attention. I was told to come to the principal¡¯s office. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got somewhere to be,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°I guess. You¡¯re gonna answer my calls and texts now, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. I¡¯ll see you later, babe.¡± I watched him scurry down the hall, my concerns for his well-being overshadowing the dreaded feeling of being called to the principal¡¯s office. He was clearly hiding something, but what? Did it have something to do with her? Whatever. I had to focus on me, and that started with entering the principal¡¯s office down the crowded hall. Upon entering the room, I was greeted by the principal¡¯s smile as I sat in the chair across from him. The variety of items on the shelf behind him always caught my attention, ranging from bobble heads, action figures, and certificates, to a golden plate that read ¡®Principal Duncan¡¯. ¡°Do you know why I called you in, Aliyah?¡± he asked. His brown, bald head was as shiny as ever. ¡°I don¡¯t know, to talk to me about what happened last week?¡± He took out a beige folder from inside his desk. ¡°No. That unfortunate event is what parents and counselors are for. I¡¯m here to talk to you about your education.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not graduating, am I?¡± I swallowed hard and stared at him. ¡°Just tell me. I¡¯m failing.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Whether you graduate or not is up to you, Aliyah. My job is to inform you of what needs to be done so that you can graduate if you so choose to.¡± He cleared his throat and scanned through the papers on the desk before resuming. ¡°Because you missed more than a month of work this semester due to the incident that took place with you and Valeria Vasquez, it looks like you¡¯re going to have to attend Saturday morning classes. They are designed to complete older assignments necessary to qualify for graduation.¡± Oh, hell no. ¡°Saturday morning school? Principal D, you¡¯ve gotta be joking. I¡¯m already having enough trouble with the classes I¡¯m taking now. More work is just ridiculous. How can I do all of that?¡± His face contorted as if I had asked a stupid question. ¡°You find time. There¡¯s also the matter of your SAT scores compared to your GPA. You did exceptionally well on the test, but your grades throughout senior year have not reflected the high score you received. I also found out from your guidance counselor that you have not chosen any colleges to attend after the summer. Care to explain why you haven¡¯t?¡± I hated talking about the future, maybe because I wasn¡¯t sure what mine would be like, nor did I have any direction to reach a credible one. Even before the demons arrived and took up all my time, I could never think of what I wanted to do with my life, no matter how long I sat and thought about it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t have any plans at the moment. Sorry if that¡¯s disappointing.¡± He folded his hands on the desk and smiled. ¡°Aliyah, I¡¯ve seen you participate in multiple fundraisers and community service activities in the past. You were such an enthusiastic student and always happy to make a difference. Despite average grades and frequent absences, you were one of the brightest students at Ravenvale High. That¡¯s the Aliyah Dawn you needed to be this year, but your recent altercation with Candice Santos and your decreasing grades are telling me that she¡¯s not present. Tell me what happened to her.¡± ¡°Life happened.¡± My answer removed his jolly expression. ¡°My brother and my best friend died, not to mention making the world a better place has gotten a lot more complicated. I¡¯m still the same girl, just going through new problems. Whatever, though, right? If Saturday morning classes are what I have to do to graduate, then so be it, ¡®cause I can¡¯t be a failure, Mr. D. I have a little sister who looks up to me, and I wanna be in a higher position in life to help people more.¡± He nodded. ¡°Mm-hmm. Go on. Tell me how you feel and why you want to help people.¡± Now my face was twisted from confusion. ¡°¡¯Cause it¡¯s the right thing to do? I hate seeing people in misery. I don¡¯t want my generation or the next one to be consumed by negativity. I''ll do whatever I have to do to fight for them ¡®cause that¡¯s just who I am. Period.¡± He clapped with a wide grin. ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t hard, was it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He laughed. ¡°Right there. That¡¯s your voice. That¡¯s your guide to completing the rest of your senior year and deciding a future for yourself. With that said, I¡¯ll be notifying your parents in a few days regarding your placement in the Saturday morning courses. They start in two weeks, and I¡¯ll also be setting up a meeting between you and your counsellor to discuss college applications. Sound good to you?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. Sounds good.¡± I smiled, thinking back on my words. ¡°Thanks, Principal D.¡± ??? I made it my mission to stay focused for the remainder of the school day, swapping any thoughts of demons and Alvin with what was on the board in front of me. How long would my concentration last? I had no idea. All that mattered was improving my grades enough to graduate. Halfway into history class, the vibration of my phone brought me out of my studies. I peeked up at the front of the room and made sure the teacher¡¯s attention was elsewhere before taking out my cell. It was a bit disappointing to see a text from Tyler instead of Lucas, but his message left me in absolute dismay. She¡¯s here. I texted back with haste. Who? An instant reply from Tyler came with one word that made my heart thump in my chest. Valeria. That name took all of my senses away, only returning at the sound of my phone falling on the floor. ¡°Are you alright, Aliyah?¡± the teacher asked in concern. He stood up from his desk and approached me. ¡°I-I need to go.¡± I picked up my phone and stormed out of the classroom while scrolling through the contacts in my cell. My shaky finger finally landed on its destination: Lucas''s number. ¡°Please pick up, please pick up,¡± I repeated while rushing to the entrance of the school. My body would not stop shaking. After countless failed calls and unanswered messages, I decided to text Janet, who replied after a minute. I¡¯ll meet you in front of the school. Chapter 35 - Say Whats Real Janet parked her car outside of Tyler¡¯s house before we both got out of the vehicle. After walking up the stone porch, we noticed the front door was already open. ¡°¡¯Cause this isn¡¯t creepy at all,¡± she whispered, following me inside. ¡°Clearly you¡¯re not a fan of horror movies, ¡®cause you¡¯d know we¡¯re doing something really stupid right now.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s my favorite genre,¡± I murmured while looking around the dim living room. The cream-colored home was clean and cozy from what my eyes could see, with furniture organized in a cohesive manner. Tyler¡¯s parents were almost never home, so the house was usually quiet with no activity¡ªexcept for today, as the sound of muffled voices could be heard upstairs. With every step I took up to Tyler¡¯s room, the nervousness causing my body to shudder increased. The familiarity of a feminine voice filled me with apprehension upon reaching his room door. I turned the knob and opened it to see two individuals sitting on a bed, one of whom sat up and gazed into my eyes. Now was not the time to be frozen in disbelief, but I couldn¡¯t help but stand as still as a statue at the sight of her. Valeria was here. Alive and well. Teardrops escaped the corner of my eyes when she embraced me with a hug. ¡°Y-you¡¯re a-alive,¡± I struggled to say in a state of shock. Tyler sat at the edge of the bed and smiled at our joyous reunion. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to me,¡± Val cried out. ¡°But I¡¯m so happy to see you.¡± She tightened her arms around me, and I could feel a river of bliss falling on my shoulder. We continued to rejoice until Janet¡¯s question brought everyone out of their euphoria. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, how the hell are you standing here?¡± Everyone snapped their heads at her as she continued. ¡°Your clothes are ripped, and there are cuts all over your body, but there¡¯s not a speck of dirt on you. You expect us to believe you just crawled out of a grave without getting messy?¡± Her observation was spot on. There was a gash on Valeria¡¯s forehead with similar slits on her arms and torso that were revealed due to the tearing of her shirt. It made me think back to the incident at the hospital, and how Alvin put himself in charge of cleaning up the mess. ¡°You¡¯re perfectly normal,¡± Janet avowed, gesturing her hand up and down in Valeria¡¯s direction. ¡°Are you sure you even died?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Valeria replied. ¡°Did I? All I remember is waking up in a lab.¡± Janet and I turned to each other in shock before looking back at Val. ¡°Did you see where it was located?¡± Janet asked. ¡°No. I was chased by a bunch of men wearing black lab coats. I found my way out of the building and kept running until I reached the city. Everything happened so fast, I didn¡¯t check my surroundings. All I cared about was getting back home to Tyler.¡± I gaped at their romantic gaze while trying to rationalize her rebirth. Not only did it confirm that the curse was now strong enough to resurrect the dead, but that Alvin took Valeria¡¯s body to experiment on her. ¡°She can¡¯t stay here.¡± Janet shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s putting us all in danger. What do you think¡¯s gonna happen when Alvin and his men come looking for their runaway pet project? We¡¯re all gonna get shot up ¡®cause we¡¯re witnesses of a government experiment gone wrong.¡± Tyler stood up and glowered at Janet. ¡°Don¡¯t call her that. She¡¯s my girlfriend. I¡¯ll protect her from whatever, and if you got a problem, you can get the hell out.¡± Sighing, Janet tapped my hand and asked, ¡°Can I talk to you alone for a minute?¡± We turned to walk downstairs just as a certain someone stepped into the room and uttered, ¡°V-Val?¡±Stolen story; please report. I couldn¡¯t believe he was there. ¡°Lucas?¡± Despite my calling, his attention remained on Valeria. His jaw hung low, trembling from her presence. ¡°This can¡¯t be real. No. Everybody get away from her. She¡¯s a demon.¡± Tyler confronted him. ¡°Dude, no she isn¡¯t. This isn¡¯t like what Aliyah told me, alright? She¡¯s normal. She¡¯s actually back this time, man.¡± Lucas¡¯s shaking only increased as Val walked closer to him. ¡°Lucas, it¡¯s me. I don¡¯t know what happened, but I¡¯m okay.¡± She opened her arms to embrace him, but he declined and backed against the wall. ¡°I-I need to go. I-I can¡¯t do this,¡± he sputtered before rushing downstairs and out the house. I followed him outside and grabbed his arm, stepping in front of him for answers. ¡°I know none of this makes any sense, but something¡¯s going on with you. I want the truth.¡± He paced back and forth, pushing his fingers through his hair. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind, Ali.¡± He flopped down on the bench near Tyler¡¯s porch with his head to the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on anymore. Nothing¡¯s normal, and I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± I sat next to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. ¡°Talk to me. What is it, Lucas?¡± He looked up at me with a puzzled expression before taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m so overwhelmed. There¡¯s the whole thing with Robyn, the label wants a hit single right out the gate, and now this.¡± He pointed to the front of the house. ¡°And those don¡¯t even compare to my biggest problem.¡± ¡°Your biggest problem? Tell me.¡± ¡°Okay. I first noticed it back when I performed at the night club. I messed up big time, but the crowd didn¡¯t care. They keep cheering, Ali. They kept freakin¡¯ cheering.¡± He gave me a stern stare, and my mouth began to drop because I knew where this story was headed. ¡°No¡­ Lucas, are you saying what I think you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Yes. It happened again when the CEO of Skull Knight Records made me do a private audition before I signed the contract today. I froze, I don¡¯t why; it was nerve-racking. But despite me screwing up, he and some executives clapped like it was the best damn performance they¡¯ve ever seen. What¡¯s happening to me is scary, Aliyah. This is not the way I wanted to be famous.¡± I latched onto his shirt and leaned my head against his arm. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening to you. I feel like the worst girlfriend ever thinking you were hiding something about Robyn from me.¡± He leaned in and kissed my forehead. ¡°It¡¯s cool, babe. I just don¡¯t know what¡¯s real or fake anymore. Do you think there¡¯s a way to turn this power off? I don¡¯t want fake applause and rewards if I don¡¯t deserve them. I wanna earn it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to reverse it, Lucas. I¡¯m sorry. Your power seems to be like mine; it isn¡¯t generated from a sinful aspiration. My light isn¡¯t going to get rid of it, but I promise you I¡¯ll find a way to stop all this and get our lives back to normal.¡± We held each other in silence for about a minute or two before he spoke. ¡°Ali, there¡¯s one more thing. I¡­ Cassandra, she¡­did something to me.¡± A gut-wrenching pain shot in my stomach. ¡°You remember, don¡¯t you? I don¡¯t understand. No one ever remembers after I... Wait.¡± My words diminished as I dropped my face into my hands. ¡°That¡¯s right. I wasn¡¯t able to use the light against Cassandra.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything,¡± he admitted. ¡°I had to watch the whole thing. I fought against the thoughts of her in my mind, but I couldn¡¯t move my body. I didn¡¯t want it to happen. I know it seems impossible to imagine, but¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything else,¡± I told him. ¡°You were sexually assaulted and something like that can happen to anyone. I want you to know that I¡¯m still here for you. I know I¡¯ve been quick to judge you and assume the worst, but I love you, Lucas. I believe you. You don¡¯t have to feel guilty. Not with me.¡± He slammed his fist on the bench and cried, releasing his anger and sadness as I held him close. ¡°What¡¯s happening to my life? I just wanted to make great music and be successful. I never asked to be taken advantage of by a woman I didn¡¯t know. Why couldn¡¯t I stop her? Me being a man, you think this is going to fly with the public once everyone finds out? I¡¯ll be a joke. Our relationship will be a joke. I¡¯m pathetic for letting this happen.¡± I gripped the sides of his face with both of my hands. ¡°Listen to me: you¡¯re not pathetic. You¡¯re strong. You¡¯re the guy I¡¯ve always wanted. The guy I¡¯ll always love. You don¡¯t have to feel like a victim.¡± ¡°But I do. I feel weak. Useless. What if Cassandra gets reckless and starts telling people what she did to me?¡± ¡°She can¡¯t. Cassandra¡¯s dead, Lucas.¡± His bug-eyed expression was something not even I had seen before. It was the definition of bewildered. ¡°H-how? Ali, did you kill her?¡± ¡°No, and don¡¯t worry about it. Just know what happened won¡¯t live with you for the rest of your life unless you let it. I¡¯ll be by your side, and I won¡¯t judge you.¡± The sudden ring of his cell phone broke us out of the moment. He answered it as I stepped away and waited for the call to end. ¡°That was the label. I need to get back and do a little recording. Is that alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, okay. I understand.¡± My body pressed against his as I showed my affection with a lip-lock, hoping to relieve him of his sorrows. He needed to know that I¡¯d be there with him through it all, no matter the issue. ¡°Tell everyone inside I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll call you later when I have time. I love you.¡± He got in his car and drove away. Nothing more could be done for him now. It was time to head back in and face my own problems. Chapter 36 - Resurrection Janet stood outside of Tyler¡¯s room with eyes of ember that glowed like candles in the dark hallway. I could only imagine what was said between the two of them after I stepped out. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked. ¡°Everything okay in there?¡± ¡°For now, but we need to talk.¡± We walked into another room and closed the door. ¡°If everything Valeria said was true, then it¡¯s only a matter of time before Alvin and his chipmunks are busting down the door. You have to hide her or something.¡± ¡°I know. But Tyler, he¡¯s¡ª¡± The room door shot open. In came Tyler, who gave Janet a cold stare before asking, ¡°What are you two doing in my parents¡¯ room? Aliyah, can you tell your friend to leave?¡± Janet snickered before whispering in my ear, ¡°Your friend¡¯s delusional. Get Valeria out of here before you all end up dead.¡± She gave him an eye roll and walked out of the room. Val stepped in and stood by Tyler¡¯s side just as the closing sound of the front door was heard. ¡°Aliyah,¡± Tyler addressed me, ¡°we¡¯re cool, but I don¡¯t wanna hear anything else about Valeria being in trouble. I got her. She¡¯s good. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Val chimed in and assured me, holding onto his arm. ¡°I¡¯m sure I lost the people chasing me. By the time I made it to the city, I didn¡¯t even need to look over my shoulder anymore because I was certain they were gone.¡± Their assurance made me hunch my shoulders. ¡°I guess? Fine,¡± I said with a lopsided smile, knowing damn well things weren¡¯t fine. At all. Though I was nervous of something bad happening, the positives of the current moment were beginning to sink in. My best friend was back, and Tyler was happy again, just like I wanted and remembered. It felt surreal going into Tyler¡¯s room and reminiscing with him and Valeria for hours, recalling even the smallest of events that triggered tears of laughter. It wasn¡¯t until Val left to use the bathroom that reality set back in. I had a daunting task to complete: convince Tyler that Valeria isn¡¯t safe, no matter how difficult it may be. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you this happy in a while,¡± I said to him, causing his smile to grow wider. ¡°She means everything to me, Aliyah.¡± ¡°I know she does, which is why we need to talk about something. There are people after her, Ty, and I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll stop searching until they find her. We can¡¯t keep avoiding the topic.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not taking her away from me. I¡¯ll protect her.¡± This wasn¡¯t going to be easy. I prepped myself with an inner monologue before opening my mouth to speak the truth. ¡°Okay, say you could protect her from them. How are you going to protect her from the world? To everyone else, Ty, she¡¯s dead. What are you gonna say to your parents when they come home and see her alive? How is she going to live a normal life hiding inside your room? Yes, a demon influenced her suicide attempt, but she was already depressed. We both know that. So what makes you think she¡¯ll be any happier this time? She can¡¯t even go back to school or have a future ¡®cause of the people after her. They¡¯ll take her and experiment on her like some alien species.¡± His face contorted in anger, his teeth grinding with rage. ¡°You think any of that matters? She was only depressed because of the bad life she had to live. None of those negatives applies anymore. Her abusive foster parents are dead, and the bullies at school have no idea she¡¯s alive. Trust me when I say that no one is putting a finger on her, you hear me? No one. I¡¯ll defend her from anyone who tries.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t protect her from everything. You two are my best friends, and I¡¯m only saying all this ¡®cause I care about you. This is a dangerous situation. If you can¡¯t see that, you¡¯re delusional.¡± Valeria entered the room and saw the tension between us. ¡°Um, is everything okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Aliyah was just leaving.¡± His dismissal stung, but the truth needed to be said. Something inside me wanted to fight more as I walked out of the room, but the slamming of his door shut down any chance of that happening. Exiting the house, things only got worse, and what I feared the most was becoming true. Alvin was here, walking toward me with a smug look. ¡°Hello, Aliyah.¡± Multiple black vans surrounded the home. I took a few steps back and watched a group of SWAT officers jump out of the vehicles one by one. Their heavy armor clanked as they rushed past me and into the house, but their presence was miniscule compared to the colossal demon that manifested by Alvin¡¯s side. The beast¡¯s horns pierced a new fear in my heart. ¡°I must thank you for your assistance in finding Miss Vasquez,¡± he said, his cockiness on display showing more. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your friend will be brought back to the lab where she belongs.¡± I turned at the sound of tussling coming from inside the house. Shouts from both Tyler and Valeria made me look back at Alvin and say, ¡°Stop this, please. Why are you doing this? They haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± ¡°Quite the contrary. They¡¯ve done everything wrong. Because of the boy¡¯s desire, Miss Vasquez has risen from the dead. That kind of power should belong to no human. No, that kind of power should only belong to a god.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. My attention was swayed once more after seeing the officers drag Valeria out of the house and drop her by Alvin¡¯s side. Tyler was hauled out next, a lump already growing on his forehead with blood spilling out of his mouth. ¡°I was a fool,¡± Alvin continued, stroking Val¡¯s cheek with his finger. Her face scrunched up in disgust. ¡°While I did intend on finding a cure for all Dreamers, I realized how preposterous that notion was. I would be disrupting human evolution. The virus isn¡¯t a curse, but a blessing bestowed on humanity from God himself.¡± ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡± I questioned in disbelief. ¡°Do you hear yourself? You¡¯re being influenced by the monster beside you. It¡¯s changing the way you think, Alvin. You have to believe me. Please, stop this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. Anyone who interferes in the recreation of the new world must be apprehended. A world in which I will be its ruler.¡± An aura of light generated in my hand until a chakram was formed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to make you stop.¡± I positioned my feet on the ground in preparation of throwing my weapon, but the swinging of my arm was halted after an armed officer pointed his rifle at me. Other members of the SWAT team followed his lead and raised their guns as well. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with all of you?¡± I yelled out. ¡°This man is insane. You should be arresting him, not restraining us.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t listen to you. They¡¯re under my control.¡± His statement made me recall the words of Agent Grant, who had informed me of his ability. ¡°Mind control. That¡¯s your desire.¡± ¡°Not mine. That aspiration belongs to someone else.¡± My brows knitted in confusion. ¡°What do you mean, someone else?¡± ¡°Well, you see, Aliyah, in order to become the superior being of the new world, I require ultimate power. That is why I desire the ability of every Dreamer who is brought into the laboratory. From the simple-minded hope for superhuman strength and ultra-fast speed, to the devious manipulation of law enforcement and the government. I possess it all.¡± My body shook, puzzled by his revelation. ¡°Y-you¡¯re a monster. Good or bad, people have those abilities for personal reasons, and you¡¯re just using them to fulfill your own selfish desires.¡± ¡°That may be true, but others would do the same if they were in my shoes. Face it, young lady, selfishness is a part of human nature. The evolution of mankind has begun, and I will reign supreme with ultimate power and knowledge at my disposal. My place in this world as a god will finally be assured, starting with this girl and that boy.¡± He pointed to Tyler, who was being detained on his knees by an officer. One wrong move on my part would be the death of me, so the only option was to let him carry on with his ridiculous narcissism and pray for an opening to strike. ¡°In this new world,¡± he continued, ¡°imagination and willpower are actual weapons. Those who do not possess them will be the first to die. And speaking of death, the concept does not apply to Miss Vasquez here. Allow me to demonstrate.¡± He removed a pistol from an officer¡¯s holster and aimed it at Valeria. I screamed in fear of what would happen next just as broke free from his detainer and charged at Alvin. ¡°Get away from her,¡± he howled in a rage of fury, thrusting his arm forward. His punch failed to connect due to Alvin catching it in his palm without budging an inch. ¡°Ah, children. You never listen. If you did, you¡¯d remember when I told you that I possess superhuman strength.¡± Alvin grabbed Tyler¡¯s arm and snapped it, causing him to wail in agony before being flung to the ground with ease. In a rapid motion, Alvin pointed the gun back at Valeria and shot her in the chest two times. My lungs couldn¡¯t release the despair I wanted to holler. The terror turned me to stone, and I could do nothing but watch her body fall on the concrete. Maybe it was the look of dread and hopelessness on Tyler¡¯s face, but after standing in silence for what felt like eternity, something in my body and mind freed me from my frozen state. A surge of energy pumped through my veins and into my hand, generating a chakram that was larger and brighter than ever before. Crying out in anger and sadness, I hurled my weapon at the demon next to Alvin, not caring if the officers pulled the trigger. But somehow, someway, the creature was unaffected by the ring of light. My chakram disintegrated into small fragments on impact, which appeared to have amused the demon as its mouth opened in a smiling gesture. This monster was unlike anything I had ever faced before. Or was it? ¡°Are you done?¡± Alvin questioned, laughing under his breath. ¡°Your attempt at being a hero was futile and unnecessary. Observe.¡± My mind couldn¡¯t process what my eyes were seeing. Like a zombie rising from the dead, Valeria¡¯s body began to move as she groaned and lifted herself off the ground. An officer grabbed her before she was able to fully regain her composure. ¡°Now do you see?¡± Alvin asked. ¡°The boy¡¯s desire to keep her alive has made her immortal. She cannot die, and thus, she will be my ultimate weapon in the inevitable war on earth.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± I cried out, feeling the tears on my face. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say, she¡¯s just a normal girl. Why was she in your lab in the first place?¡± ¡°Because she was a test subject. I suspected she was a Dreamer due to your involvement with her on the roof of Ravenvale High School. Had you minded your own business that day, her attempted suicide would have been documented as just another teenager who tried to take their own life. Though Obsidian chose a selected few who had died with the virus to be subjects in finding a cure, I never would have expected the virus to be active after death. But then I remembered that Valeria¡¯s resurrection was not due to her own power, but the boy¡¯s undying love for her. He is the source of her ability.¡± Tyler sprung back into action and bolted toward Alvin again. Only this time, he was stopped by three officers who pointed their rifles at him. ¡°Tyler, no,¡± both Val and I yelled. He stopped in his tracks, salivating in rage. Alvin approached him with an unpleasant smile. ¡°You¡¯re too weak,¡± he said with a cold stare. ¡°While I admire your tenacity, your only use is to keep Miss Vasquez alive. You may love her, but you lack the power to keep her. And thus, she belongs to me now.¡± The officers began pulling Tyler and Valeria into a van. My body reacted on instinct by rushing toward them, but in the blink of an eye, I was stopped by Alvin, who zipped in front of me and grabbed my wrist. ¡°Ultra-fast speed, remember? Or were you not paying attention as well?¡± Before I could even respond, my feet were lifted off the ground and my body slammed against the wooden fence that connected to the porch. The collision made me yelp as I laid on the concrete with my new reality setting in: I was powerless against him. What also clicked in my head were the abilities Alvin was demonstrating. The power. The speed. They were the same abilities as the Dreamers Janet and I faced in the hospital. Their desires must¡¯ve flared up again despite me destroying their Shadows. If my assumptions were correct, had I truly been nothing more than a temporary solution for people¡¯s problems? Was my power so weak that it couldn¡¯t maintain their positivity? Had my aspiration been pointless all this time? ¡°Aliyah,¡± Alvin called my name as his group entered their vans. ¡°Starting tomorrow, your assignment of locating Dreamers for my collection will commence. If you do not comply with my immediate orders, I will kill your family. Do you understand?¡± I had no other choice. ¡°Yes.¡± He got into the same van as Tyler and Valeria. A sense of loneliness spiraled within me as I watched the vehicle disappear in the distance. My friends were gone. Maybe forever. Chapter 37- So Far Gone I returned home and fell on top of my sheets in defeat. The tears leaked from my misfortunes created a puddle where my face laid, and I could no longer generate a logical notion without thinking of the pain and suffering I had endured. My disgruntled consciousness soon faded. Hours passed until my eyes opened again, and when they did, my head jerked back at the presence of my sister standing close to the bed. ¡°Mya, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She giggled before saying, ¡°You¡¯ve been knocked out all day. Did you skip school just to sleep?¡± ¡°I wish. But how do you know I left school?¡± ¡°The principal called, but don¡¯t worry. I told Mom and Dad not to punish you. They listened.¡± The words, ¡®they listened¡¯, was alarming. ¡°Mya, you know as well as I do that Mom and Dad would never let me off the hook like that. You still have your ability, don¡¯t you?¡± She turned away. ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t want to use it. It just happened. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m confused.¡± ¡°Are you still, like, I don¡¯t know¡ªenvious of me?¡± She looked back at me and sighed. ¡°Why you gotta say it like that, though?¡± ¡°Mya, I told you my life isn¡¯t easy. I experience a lot of things no one should ever go through, and having the power to see and fight demons is more of a curse than a blessing. After what happened yesterday, I thought you understood all this.¡± ¡°I do, but my feelings aren¡¯t going to go away that easy. You got rid of the demon controlling me, but that¡¯s only a start. I need time to get over things myself.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you still have power over Mom and Dad.¡± I got off my bed and approached her. ¡°I get it. I¡¯m sorry for rushing you out of your feelings and wanting everything to be okay so quickly. I¡¯m learning that stopping a Shadow from influencing someone is only the beginning. It¡¯s up to the person to keep fighting their demons on their own.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so let me be jealous all I want,¡± she laughed out. ¡°I¡¯ll be way cooler when I¡¯m your age, anyway.¡± We smiled and held one another until she was ready to leave the room. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you later,¡± she said, closing the door on her way out. Sitting back on the bed, my hand slid underneath my pillow where my cell phone was. I picked it up and looked at the screen, my heart skipping a beat after realizing I had missed Lucas¡¯s calls and text message. ¡°Damn.¡± I called his number and placed the phone to my ear, waiting to hear his voice. The ringing never stopped, and it wasn¡¯t long until the voicemail played. Hanging up, I checked the text and saw one name that caused a surge of anxiety. Robyn¡¯s here. I need u to come to my house. I jumped off the bed, threw on my jacket, and sprinted down the stairs. My parents were already in their room, so no excuse for leaving was necessary. Still, my guilty conscience weighed on me as I walked out of the house and ran through the quiet evening streets of Pelham Bay, knowing full well I was still grounded. It wasn¡¯t until I was outside Lucas¡¯s house that he became the only thought in my mind. My knuckles tapped on the wooden frame of the door until a deep voice on the other side asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Aliyah,¡± I replied, hearing sounds of shuffling feet before the door was opened. The interior d¨¦cor of the entrance was familiar, but the man standing in front of me was a shell of who I once remembered.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Hi, Mr. Stewart.¡± My forced smile threatened to go away any second. There were dark circles underneath his droopy eyes and crumbs of leftovers in his scruffy beard. ¡°Aliyah, long time no see,¡± he said, wiping the grease spot off his checkered shirt. ¡°How are Richard and Diana?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He trudged over to the brown sofa in the living room. ¡°Lucas is out on the patio deck.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. Have a good night.¡± My nose wrinkled at the scent of musk and booze that were sure to cling to my nostrils for the duration of the visit. When I reached the kitchen, my eyes landed on Lucas and Robyn through the glass door of the deck. They were standing a little too close for my comfort, causing me to slide open the door with force on instinct. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± Robyn¡¯s icy glare met my stony gaze as Lucas pulled me back into the kitchen. He closed the patio door and placed a kiss on my lips. ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re here. We need to talk.¡± I backed away and asked, ¡°Why¡¯s she here? Does she think she can come over whenever she feels like it? I¡¯m not allowing this.¡± ¡°I know, but Ali, we need to talk about something really important here, alright? It¡¯s gonna be hard to explain it all to you, but I made a decision, and I wanna know if I¡¯ll have your support.¡± ¡°My support?¡± I snapped with my arms crossed. ¡°Oh, you better not be saying what I think you¡¯re gonna say. I swear to God, Lucas.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°It has nothing to do with wanting Robyn, trust me. But the baby, Ali¡­ Just here me out. This force, or whatever the hell it is that¡¯s been controlling my life and making me miserable, has gotten out of control. But if there¡¯s one thing that I do have power over, it¡¯s what happens to that child once they¡¯re born.¡± He exhaled one last time before uttering the words that shattered my mind to pieces. ¡°So, I¡¯ve decided I¡¯m going to be the father of Robyn¡¯s child.¡± His declaration could¡¯ve sent me to another dimension, because it felt like time and space had been altered by his words alone. Nothing could free me from this world of confusion. Despair. Nothing at all. ¡°Babe, let me make it clear to you that Robyn has nothing to do with my decision. I have no feelings for her, and whatever choices I make are mine and mine alone. I know all this sounds insane, but¡ª¡± ¡°But nothing, Lucas,¡± I yelled before the flood gates opened. He tried to wipe the tears off my face, but I slapped his hand away. ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this. That child, or whatever evil seed is in her stomach, is not yours. What don¡¯t you understand? I don¡¯t care what she or some doctor said, the thing growing inside of her is not your responsibility. You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°I think I do, Ali. In some weird way, I feel like I¡¯m back in control again. Like my actions matter, you know? All I need is for you to be by my side.¡± My head shook in disapproval. He tried to wrap his arms around me, but my fist collided with his chest multiple times until he backed off. ¡°Is it really your child?¡± I begged him to answer. ¡°Are you finally admitting the truth to me? That you had sex with her and this was all just some game?¡± ¡°No. Please, just listen to me.¡± ¡°Not until you tell me why. Tell me why, Lucas.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m tired of being a victim, and she¡¯s not stable enough to raise a child on her own. I don¡¯t want that kid to grow up without a father.¡± His confident and clear response tamed my aggression. I looked into his eyes while waiting for the next part of his reasoning. ¡°I¡¯m done being a pawn in this crazy game we¡¯re in. I¡¯m sick of it. I was almost shot, okay? I lost my best friends, and I was sexually assaulted not too long after. I then found out my music career has been a lie, and before all of that, I was labeled a father by a girl I¡¯m positive I never slept with. Do you know what all of that has done to me? I¡¯m freakin¡¯ mad in the head, Ali. I¡¯m so far gone; you have no idea.¡± His irate venting trumped my heartache, and I soon calmed myself to better soothe his fury. ¡°Lucas, I don¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m sorry, I just don¡¯t know.¡± I buried my face in his chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡± His chin rested on my forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be, alright? It¡¯s not your fault. The world is screwed up, but I¡¯m not gonna let it push me around. Can¡¯t you see what I¡¯m getting at, Ali? Taking care of this baby gives me power over whatever is trying to destroy my life. I¡¯m gonna fight it and be a role model not just for a child that didn¡¯t ask to be here, but for everybody going through the same thing.¡± A sense of understanding was coming to me, and I no longer wished to argue against him. I was still angry, trust me, but I had to accept reality. For him. We¡¯d work it out overtime. ¡°Okay. Alright, Lucas. If this is your decision, I¡­ I¡¯ll support you. I won¡¯t ever get along with Robyn or want her in our life, but I¡¯m here for you. Only you.¡± ¡°Thank you. I needed to hear that. I¡¯m doing this for the baby, not her. She means nothing to me.¡± My head beat against his chest with a nod of agreement. ¡°I believe you.¡± At the separation of our embrace, both mine and Robyn¡¯s eyes met through the glass door. ¡°I need to have a word with her.¡± Chapter 38 - Revelation Robyn wore a victorious smile after I stepped out of Lucas¡¯s house and approached her, the evening winds carrying both of our hairs. My emotions were all over the place right now, but showing any signs of weakness wasn¡¯t an option. I needed to be strong, stand my ground, and finally get the truth out of her. ¡°If you¡¯re coming out here to ask me if you can be the godmother, my answer¡¯s no,¡± she jeered, shooing me away with a hand gesture. ¡°No thanks. I purge demons, not babysit them. You think you¡¯ve won ¡®cause Lucas agreed to take care of the child, but that doesn¡¯t mean he loves you. I don¡¯t care if there isn¡¯t a Shadow manipulating you. I know you¡¯re evil. It¡¯s pouring out of you just like Cassandra Blackwood.¡± She flashed an expression of surprise. ¡°Oh, you sensed her negativity? That¡¯s interesting. Most people who¡¯ve made pacts with demons aren¡¯t so easy to detect.¡± Pacts with demons? What was she even talking about? She must¡¯ve read the confusion etched on my face, because she groaned and said, ¡°God, you¡¯re so clueless. Shadows are smart and know our society very well. Instead of fully possessing someone with influential power, they¡¯ll offer to make a pact. The exchange is simple: the person can keep their mind, body, and spirit as long as they use their aspiration for evil and influence others to do the same.¡± ¡°And is that what you did?¡± I asked with a smirk. ¡°Made a deal with the devil? ¡®Cause I¡¯m curious as to why I couldn¡¯t sense your negativity when we first met. You must¡¯ve had your desire manifested by then if you were able to see the demons on the roof of the school.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Because I learned to suppress my emotions and conceal my dark thoughts, obviously. I can¡¯t even imagine how many of those damn things would be stalking me if I was all in my feelings twenty-four seven.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I wonder how you learned to block everything. Wait, let me guess, the Black Mask taught you?¡± My question shocked the hell out of her. ¡°Where did you hear that name from?¡± ¡°I have my sources. I also know it was you who started the rumors about Valeria after she died. So let¡¯s cut the crap and start being real with each other, ¡®cause I know you have more secrets.¡± ¡°Ugh, whatever. And F-Y-I, I¡¯m not a member of the Black Mask anymore. They helped me get rid of my Shadow and taught me how to block out my emotions like the rest of them. That¡¯s all.¡± I narrowed my eyes in full suspicion. I wasn¡¯t about to let up anytime soon. ¡°What kind of desire did you have to create a Shadow in the first place?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know,¡± she hissed before sitting in one of the two chairs on the patio. She sighed before saying, ¡°I wanted to kill every asshole in the world who was as evil as the guy who killed my son.¡± I gasped. ¡°Y-your son¡­ Right, Lucas did tell me you were pregnant before.¡± ¡°Okay, and? What, you¡¯re gonna think even less of me now because I got knocked up at a young age?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ Lucas also told me you were obsessed with having a child. What¡¯s with this fascination of wanting a family?¡± She shot me a dirty look. ¡°Why would I waste my time explaining it to you? All you¡¯re gonna do is reject my reason and reply back with some righteous words of wisdom as if everything you say is law. Because that¡¯s what you do, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re so damn annoying and basic. I don¡¯t know what Lucas sees in you.¡± She snickered and waved me off again with a sweeping hand gesture. I was getting nowhere, and her commentary was starting to get under my skin. The only choice I had was to slowly weasel my way in. ¡°Fine. Can you at least tell me your desire for manifesting that scythe? ¡®Cause nothing adds up with you. At all.¡± ¡°You really wanna hear that story?¡± she asked, unsmiling. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell it. After Lucas left me, I met another guy who I thought I was in love with. He treated me like I was special. Hell, he cared for me more than anyone else did at the time. All of that changed when I got pregnant. He didn¡¯t look at me the same anymore. He started to get physical. He even struck me mentally and emotionally if you know what I mean. I knew it was time to leave him and run far away. At least, that was the plan. Until something happened.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it I sat in the chair next to her, fearful of what would be said next. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Oh, you should know. You played a part in it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°On what I planned to be my last day at Navelwood High, you let a deranged, heartless, abusive coward into the school. He dragged me on the floor and almost beat me senseless because I broke up with him. All before he killed nineteen people that same morning. Or should I say twenty, because I lost my son in that beating he gave me.¡± ¡°No. My God. Then your boyfriend at the time was¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, the Navelwood High shooter. His name was Ryder Harrington. The same guy who you let walk into the school and murder innocent people. You¡¯re the reason why I lost my son. You¡¯re a murderer, and Lucas deserves better.¡± The revelation of the school shooter left me speechless. A warm, painful feeling sat in my chest, and I wasn¡¯t sure how much more my heart could take. Everything happening in my life was starting to tear me apart. ¡°It¡¯s madness, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked while laughing, though I was certain none of this was funny to her. ¡°Just baffling. And then I discovered that the girl who caused me to lose my son was now dating the one guy I drove away in the past. Lucas. The only one who ever got me. Talk about a tragic story, but hey, you wanted to hear it. Don¡¯t sit there at a loss for words now.¡± I pondered whether to express my sympathy or walk away from the conversation. She continued speaking as I avoided eye contact with her. ¡°Hell, I still can¡¯t forget the day I went with Lucas to visit you at the hospital. I wanted to go nuts and kill you right there, but I stopped myself after realizing it would be so much better to watch you suffer once Lucas and I were together with our child. It would be poetic justice at its finest.¡± My lips finally parted to speak. ¡°Can I ask you something, Robyn? Did you transfer to Ravenvale High just to get back with Lucas and destroy my life?¡± ¡°Yes. And you know what? I should be thanking your friend, Valeria. She made everything so much easier when she attracted those demons that put you in the hospital. Your absence allowed me and Lucas to fall back in love faster. So even though Doctors had told me I was infertile after Ryder¡¯s assault, I still managed to desire a child. And now look, it¡¯s actually happening.¡± She looked down at her belly and smiled. I rose from my seat, ready to leave the scene, but not before saying one last thing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± My words snapped her out of her admiration. She wasn¡¯t expecting that sort of response, and she didn¡¯t expect me to start walking away as I did. ¡°You should be sorry,¡± she retorted, causing me to stop in place with my fingers on the handle of the patio door. ¡°But if there¡¯s one good thing you did, it was giving me a sense of purpose. After the shooting at Navelwood High, I understood what it felt like to truly hate someone. I felt driven to kill every last person walking on this damn planet who was evil, psychotic, and spineless like him.¡± Her story was heartbreaking, but I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to turn back and voice my own stance on her reason to kill. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m sorry about what happened, but going after people who aren¡¯t perfect isn¡¯t the right thing to do. Everyone has some sort of negativity in them, some more than others. But that¡¯s no excuse to judge them.¡± ¡°Oh, what the hell do you know? Sinful people need to die. It¡¯s as simple as that. I won¡¯t let another person like that rotten, low-life scumbag get away with doing whatever the hell they want. You can continue on trying to save people who can¡¯t be saved with your little light show. I¡¯ll be the one to actually change society for the better.¡± ¡°No, the only thing you¡¯re gonna do is lessen the population whenever you feel like being the grim reaper. Death doesn¡¯t solve anything. It only makes things worse. Unlike you, I wanna make the world a better place, not kill it ¡®cause everything isn¡¯t sunshine and rainbows.¡± She stood up and stepped in my face. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re such a privileged hypocrite. What¡¯s sad is that there¡¯s probably a ton of people like you running around in different parts of the city. Know what the difference between me and all of you is? I¡¯m eliminating the threats, not brainwashing them for a day or two until they go back to committing the same sins all over again.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, but taking someone¡¯s life is not the answer to the problem. And you know what else? I¡¯m sick and tired of people thinking I¡¯m entitled just ¡®cause I live in a nice area with my family and have a freakin¡¯ boyfriend. I might not be oppressed or have gone through experiences like yours, but I¡¯ve seen the types of troubled people my dad helps as a social worker, and I¡¯ve seen the criminals my mom put away as a prosecutor. I wanna do my part as a human being and help those who are suffering. I don¡¯t need to endure cruel hardships firsthand to understand how screwed up society is. It¡¯s all around me, and I wanna put an end to it.¡± We leered at one another in opposition. The silence after our dispute diminished the tension in the air, but the dark aura swirling around Robyn¡¯s torso made me question Lucas¡¯s decision all over again. Do it, I thought to myself, fighting the urge to release a beam of light at Robyn¡¯s stomach. What good would it do, though? She¡¯d just wish the baby back. Still, the words were stuck in my head like a chorus. A catchy one at that. Do it. Chapter 39 - Getting Over It The bleak, cloudy sky outside my bedroom window mirrored my mood perfectly. The morning after had been nothing but depressing thoughts of the events that transpired. My life was going down a dark road with no light in sight. Everything seemed so hopeless. Lost in my misery, I ended up downstairs to see the television screen on the sports channel. ¡°Dad?¡± I called out. He sat up on the couch and turned to me. ¡°Hey, sweetie. I see you¡¯re getting ready for school earlier than usual.¡± ¡°I just have a lot to think about.¡± ¡°Well, come and sit down. Talk to me. Clear your mind now so you can get those grades up later. Graduation is almost here.¡± At the mention of the ceremony, a cage of profound sadness shackled my heart. I looked away from him and sighed. ¡°Dad, there¡¯s so much going on, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna graduate. I can¡¯t¡­focus.¡± He turned the TV off and patted the couch. ¡°Sit down.¡± I did as told with my head low and my eyes wandering the rug. Telling him anything about what was going on would change everything, and I couldn¡¯t risk that, no matter how much I needed to voice my anguish. ¡°First, before you tell me what¡¯s wrong, I¡¯ll tell you right now that you are graduating. There are no ifs, ands, or buts, you hear me? Why would you say otherwise?¡± ¡°¡¯Cause, Dad, so many other things happen when I try to concentrate on school, and it¡¯s hard to juggle between which is more important. It feels like I should have this big plan for the future, and I want that, believe me, but a lot of times, I feel what¡¯s going on in my personal life is bigger than anything school related. I just can¡¯t focus.¡± I slouched back in dejection and expected him to reply with a serious lecture, but to my surprise, he put on a comedic grin. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°I used to have those exact same thoughts when I was your age. The exact same ones. I guess I shouldn¡¯t keep it a secret from you anymore, so I¡¯ll tell you the truth: I never finished high school.¡± ¡°What? You told me you and Mom celebrated in Hawaii after graduation. Why would you lie?¡± He leaned back and chuckled before answering. ¡°Technically, it isn¡¯t a lie. We did go to Hawaii, but it was after her uni graduation, not ours after high school. You see, sweetie, when it comes to these things, good parents want what¡¯s best for their children, even if they have to sugarcoat it a little. When I confessed to my own father about the thoughts you¡¯re having now, he neglected me. I never had an empowering push to finish my senior year.¡± I sat up attentively as he continued. ¡°After dropping out, I struggled to survive. It was tough striving for opportunities when other things in my life were weighing down on me. Thankfully, I got a part-time job at an auto shop, where I was lucky enough to meet your mother when she came in for repairs on her parents¡¯ car. I couldn¡¯t believe how gorgeous she was, regardless of her nagging to fix the car before your grandparents found out.¡± We shared a laugh before he resumed. ¡°I know I got a little off topic, but the point is, I want you to live a better and easier life than I did. It took years of extra hard work to go back to school and get my degree, and I don¡¯t want you to have to go through that. A good father should always support his child and wish for their success. The first stage of that success is finishing high school. You don¡¯t always need to have a plan when it¡¯s over. As long as you have the education, you have the ability to pursue whatever dream you want.¡± After a nod of acceptance, I hugged him and simply said, ¡°Thank you.¡± He whispered in my ear, ¡°And just remember, your mother and I will always be here for you. This family loves you, Aliyah. Even your brother watching over you from above.¡± ¡°I know.¡± We separated our embrace before a question came to mind. ¡°Dad, just one more thing. Don¡¯t think too into it, but¡­do you think it¡¯s possible for me to change the world?¡± ¡°That depends. Do you want the ¡®Dad¡¯ answer, or the social worker answer?¡± ¡°The truth, please.¡± He leaned forward and rested his chin on his fist before replying. ¡°Well, in order to change the world, you need to change people. And they¡¯ll almost never change, no matter how hard you try. But, everyone has the power to change for themselves if they¡¯re willing. You see, no matter how much influence you have in someone¡¯s mind, it¡¯s their heart that makes the final decision.¡± I stared at the blank TV screen and thought about his answer before asking, ¡°So you¡¯re saying my words and...whatever else I may be able to do, is useless unless I reach the person¡¯s heart?¡± He nodded. ¡°You need to stop aiming here,¡± he tapped his head with his finger, ¡°and start aiming here,¡± he placed his hand on his chest. ¡°That¡¯s how you truly make a difference in someone¡¯s life. Never stop helping people, Aliyah. But more importantly, never stop caring about them. One person cannot change the world, but they can empower others to help make it a better place. You can be the light that guides people in the right direction.¡± The light that guides people in the right direction. Those words stuck with me, almost like a glimmer of hope deep within a valley of doubt. Our conversation gave me just enough solace to last another day.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Thanks again, Dad. I¡¯m gonna get ready for school now.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m here whenever you need me.¡± I gave him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°I know you are.¡± ??? Math class was almost over, and though Janet and I texted throughout it, I made sure to pay close attention to the lesson. My focus was only shifted after looking in the hallway and seeing Candice pass by the classroom. It was quick, but I got a sense of her negative emotions. She was in serious distress. ¡°Can I use the bathroom?¡± I asked Ms. Walters, who had been grading papers at her desk. She looked up and stared at me. ¡°Go ahead.¡± I grabbed my purse and stepped out of the room. Sitting on the floor a few feet away with their back against a locker was Candice, who was wearing a shirt that didn¡¯t show off her cleavage. Totally not her style. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good,¡± I said, standing over her. ¡°You¡¯re a troublemaker, but cutting class? Not your thing. What¡¯s up?¡± She sucked her teeth. ¡°Like you haven¡¯t heard. It¡¯s all over my socials.¡± I snorted. ¡°Candice, this might come as a surprise to you, but I don¡¯t follow you on social media. The only reason you pop up on my recommendation list is ¡®cause¡­ Ugh, I hate admitting this, but I may have watched one of your makeup tutorials a few months ago. But that¡¯s it. Honest.¡± We both chuckled and let our laughter die out before she finally said, ¡°I guess I can tell you for being so honest with me: a guy tried forcing himself on me outside my house last night. Your friend¡¯s abuelo called the police and the dude was arrested.¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± I sat on the floor next to her. ¡°Was he like some stalker or super fan or something?¡± ¡°No, just a loco who wanted a cheap feel. It¡¯s hard enough being in this building after what happened with that James guy, but now I have to deal with everyone in the school asking me questions and making judgmental comments. I should¡¯ve never posted about it. I can barely sit still for too long because I¡¯m worried about so many different things.¡± This was not the Candice I knew. No, this was a real person. The mask of shallowness had been removed, unveiling genuine emotion. Had I not known the bell was gonna ring soon, I wouldn¡¯t have minded a conversation with her. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re tired of being popular,¡± I said, standing on my feet. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time to give it all a break?¡± ¡°I wish I could.¡± She dug into her purse and took out her acceptance letter from UCLA. ¡°I applied to UCLA last year, back when my abuela wasn¡¯t in such bad health and I thought I could pay my own tuition. Nowadays, she can¡¯t work anymore, and I¡¯m afraid to leave her alone, so most of my time is at home making videos in order for us to survive. Being an influencer used to be a hobby for me, but now, it¡¯s my life. I don¡¯t know what my future is going to be like, but I can¡¯t stop doing what I do. Not for anything.¡± The bell rang just as she stood on her feet and started to walk away. ¡°Hey, Candice,¡± I called out through the crowd of students who quickly filled the hallway. She turned around as I approached her. ¡°Have you ever thought about maybe talking to your followers about your problems?¡± ¡°What? Why would I do that? They¡¯d roast my life. Not to mention how off-brand that would be, and the algorithm would¡ª¡± ¡°Screw the algorithm, Candice. And yeah, trolls online are the worst, but you obviously have a loyal following. I¡¯m positive there¡¯s a ton of people going through a similar situation. Instead of always doing makeup tutorials and talking about the latest trends, maybe be real with your audience like you did with me and use your platform as an outlet to express yourself. Be a support system for those who need it.¡± She placed her finger on her chin and tilted her head to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°You¡¯re not as much of a loser as I thought you were.¡± ¡°Right back at you,¡± I replied. We both smiled and departed from each other¡¯s presence, with me making my way to the gym to talk to Janet. I spotted her inside the orange dome next to a group of girls heading into the changing room. ¡°Jan, hold up.¡± She turned around and walked to me. ¡°Oh, we really doing the nickname thing. Alright, what¡¯s up, Liyah? Where¡¯d you run off to at the end of class?¡± I smiled and replied, ¡°I needed to talk to Candice, but I¡¯m here to speak with you now about that text you sent me last period. The one about your abilities.¡± ¡°Right. That.¡± We walked over to the bleachers and sat down. ¡°So when I got home yesterday, the flames in my fireplace started to erupt. Normally, I¡¯m able to keep a fire that small under control, but I couldn¡¯t extinguish it as easily as I could any other time. I think my power is increasing.¡± ¡°Does that mean Alvin was telling the truth? That the longer this virus or whatever is inside of us, the stronger our abilities will become? Not to mention they¡¯ll be easier to manifest.¡± She nodded. ¡°And I think that¡¯s why Alvin was so difficult for you to take down. He¡¯s super powerful. Like, OP as hell. But speaking of him, I went through some of my parents¡¯ files that survived the fire, and the word Obsidian was plastered all over them. I couldn¡¯t make out everything due to most of the pages being burnt, but I¡¯m positive my parents knew what was going on. I need to meet this Alvin guy and have a chat with him.¡± Our conversation was interrupted by our gym teacher, Mr. Dickinson, who cleared his throat to get our attention. He was a middle-aged man who wore the same tracksuit every day. ¡°Janet Jones. Get to the changing room. Now.¡± His demand echoed through the gymnasium. Janet gave him a dirty look. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± He walked away as we got off the bleachers, but before Janet and I separated, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and looked at the screen, seeing a message from a random number. ¡°Hello, Aliyah,¡± I read the text out loud. ¡°This is Alvin.¡± ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Janet muttered beside me. ¡°Tell him you¡¯ve got a friend who¡¯d love to meet him. Lord knows he doesn¡¯t get any action. Probably too busy experimenting on human subjects.¡± While amused by her joke, I focused on the rest of the message. ¡°I hope you are doing well this morning. I expect you to begin your assignment by the end of the school day. I could not bear to be the cause of your failed education.¡± Both Janet and I groaned at his fake compassion. She took the phone out of my hand and continued reading the text. ¡°Attached to this message is a visual image of where you must visit. A potential Dreamer has been seen daily at this location. Be cautious when interrogating the target, as his ability is reported to be teleportation, which is of the utmost importance in case I need to make a sudden disciplinary visit.¡± Janet snickered. ¡°Is this guy for real? That was clearly a shot at you.¡± I grumbled my distaste with foul language. ¡°Just keep reading.¡± ¡°You have until the end of the night to report back to me with your findings. I am afraid there is no description of the target, but I am sure you will be able to detect him if he is truly a Dreamer. Have a good day, Aliyah. Remember, your friends and family are counting on you.¡± Janet tapped the screen to enlarge the picture attached to the message. ¡°What the hell? A caf¨¦? What kind of boss sends his top agent to investigate a caf¨¦?¡± ¡°At least it¡¯s a small area. I shouldn¡¯t have any problems sensing the Dreamer.¡± The sound of the bell resonated through the school, bringing us both back to reality. ¡°Janet Jones,¡± Mr. Dickinson yelled once more. ¡°I told you to get ready for class. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Janet stuck her tongue out at him before handing me back my phone. ¡°He¡¯s such a dick. I¡¯ll meet you after school, Liyah.¡± ¡°Got¡¯cha, Jan.¡± Chapter 40 - Secret Admirer Janet and I arrived outside a small caf¨¦ north of Ravenvale High. The exterior captivated us with its polished paint job of red and yellow coloration. When we opened the door, we were met with the same blend of colors that decorated the cushioned seats and steel tables. ¡°A lil¡¯ bright, but it feels cozy in here,¡± Janet said, looking around the place. ¡°Are your shadow senses tingling yet?¡± ¡°Not nearly enough. There are people in here with some negativity, but not enough to summon a Shadow or attract any Shade Crawlers.¡± After inspecting the caf¨¦ from front to back and sensing no signs of a Dreamer, our investigation came to a standstill. ¡°There¡¯s no one here we need to worry about,¡± I assured her. ¡°Alvin must¡¯ve given me the wrong information. A test, maybe?¡± ¡°Who knows. That¡¯s that, then. Let¡¯s go.¡± As we were about to leave, a red-haired waitress approached us with a broad smile. Her body swayed side to side in an upbeat manner. ¡°Excuse me. Hi, are you Aliyah Dawn?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± She heaved a sigh of relief, holding her chest. ¡°Good. I didn¡¯t want to hand this to the wrong person.¡± She presented an envelope. ¡°A cute guy wanted me to give you this. He described you to a T and was so nice. I assumed he was trustworthy. Here you go.¡± She handed me the envelope. ¡°Um, thanks?¡± Janet snickered as the waitress skipped away, her pigtails jiggling with every hop. ¡°Okay, someone needs to tell her to lay off the sugar. Like, immediately. She reminds me of my first girlfriend, and that is not a good thing. She¡¯s got nice shoulders, though.¡± ¡°Really? Nice shoulders?¡± ¡°What? Just saying.¡± This girl was something else, I tell you. ¡°Anyway,¡± she moved in close and peered down at the envelope in my hand, ¡°let¡¯s see what your secret admirer left for you.¡± I opened it and removed the letter from inside, whispering words loud enough for her to hear. ¡°I am the one you¡¯re searching for. We¡¯ll meet, but not here. Come to the address below and we¡¯ll talk in private. Do not alert Obsidian.¡± Janet sucked her teeth at the invitation. ¡°So much for Prince Charming. What a cheap love letter.¡± I read the letter one more time in my head and pondered the invite. Had I any choice in the matter, I would¡¯ve thrown the paper in the trash and gone home, but the thought of my family and friends getting hurt caused me to reject that notion. ¡°C¡¯mon. It¡¯s time for a road trip.¡± ??? Janet drove through the suburban neighborhood of Floral Park in Long Island until she parked the car outside of an ivory brick house. ¡°We¡¯re here if the address is right. Definitely not what I was expecting.¡± ¡°Me either,¡± I replied, looking out of the car window at the flower garden surrounding the home. ¡°We should be careful. I have no idea what we¡¯re getting into anymore.¡± ¡°Going off your recent history, I¡¯d say we¡¯re about to get into something dangerous. Good thing I¡¯m here to protect you this time.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± We got out of her car and walked the stone path leading to the front door. The nervousness in my gut increased after pushing the doorbell. ¡°Fifty bucks says it¡¯s some guy who clicks on your photos with his hand in his pants,¡± Janet said with a grin. It¡¯s crazy how she was chill enough to make jokes at a time like this. ¡°Deal?¡± Unable to hold back a smile, I replied, ¡°Whatever. Deal.¡± I raised my hand to ring the bell once more, but the door swung open before my finger could touch it. Standing in front of us was a brown-skinned guy around our age, who appeared flabbergasted as he gripped his afro. ¡°Bruh, holy crap,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it actually worked. Aliyah Dawn is legit standing in front of me.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Janet nudged me and whispered, ¡°I want my money.¡± I waved her off and addressed the dude. ¡°Who are you? And why did you want me to come here?¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Raymond, but you can call me Ray for short. I know a lot about you, and I gotta say, you¡¯re one of the coolest people on the planet. Seriously.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sounding more and more like a weird stalker,¡± Janet voiced my thoughts. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s nothing like that. I¡¯ll explain if you come in.¡± Ray stepped aside and gestured his arm toward the inside of the house. Janet and I walked in and followed the apricot rug that trailed to the large living room. The carpet corresponded with the tangerine walls and orange furniture decorating the interior. ¡°Have a seat.¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Janet snapped at him before whispering in my ear. ¡°What¡¯s up? Does this guy have a Shadow or what?¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t. This is so weird.¡± ¡°You know what? It¡¯s cool,¡± he said, taking a seat in the recliner near the fireplace. He slouched forward with his hands folded in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ll get right down to it. I set this whole thing up ¡®cause I need your help, Aliyah.¡± ¡°What do you mean you need my help? I want answers.¡± ¡°And I got those. But first, I need you to promise you¡¯re not gonna rat me out to Obsidian. See, my mom works for them, and¡ª¡± ¡°What do you know about Obsidian?¡± Janet jumped in. I could feel the heat radiating off her skin. ¡°Whoa, chill out. I¡¯m not working for them or anything. I just know a lot about them ¡®cause I hacked into my mom¡¯s computer. That¡¯s all.¡± She walked closer to him. ¡°Never tell me to chill. Start explaining yourself before this turns into a heated interrogation, and I mean that literally.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, damn. My mother works for an organization called Obsidian, and they have files on people called Dreamers. You¡¯re familiar with all that, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Okay, so after hacking into the folders on my mom¡¯s computer, I found a file that¡¯s only shared between top members of Obsidian. It¡¯s a list of potential Dreamers that the organization is searching for. They use people like you to find these Dreamers.¡± ¡°People like me?¡± I questioned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. I figured Obsidian fills in their employees.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t work for Obsidian,¡± I informed him. ¡°I¡¯m being forced against my will to assist a man named Alvin. He wanted me to investigate someone who could¡¯ve been a Dreamer. That¡¯s why I was in the caf¨¦, which I¡¯m sure you know since you left the letter.¡± He grinned. ¡°Yeah, that plan was genius, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Not sharing his sense of amusement, both Janet and I glowered at him. His short-lived exhilaration dwindled as he slumped back in his chair and narrowed his lips. ¡°Anyway, after going through my mom¡¯s data for weeks, I decided to tackle a bigger challenge and hack into one of Obsidian¡¯s main servers using a library computer. The building where the server is located is just outside the city, and the files on it contained boatloads of information about you and other Dreamers who can do what you do.¡± ¡°As in they can see Shadows?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± His answer shocked me. ¡°Obsidian use Dreamers like you to track down other Dreamers who use their power for evil. You¡¯re only one out of two still around, though, but that¡¯s why I¡¯m a huge fan of yours without even seeing your powers in action.¡± The information left me speechless. Janet had to reply on my behalf. ¡°So you¡¯re saying Obsidian threatened people like Aliyah to do their dirty work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the threatening part, but I know those like Aliyah all cooperated with Obsidian at some point, and they had some sick powers.¡± Intrigued by his knowledge, I sat down on the couch and locked eyes with him. ¡°What happened to the others like me?¡± ¡°Well, besides some other girl, they were all killed by bad Dreamers with nasty abilities. I¡¯m talkin¡¯ time manipulation and reality warping. Obsidian¡¯s records show the evil Dreamers all had a mark or something, too. I¡¯m not sure, but regardless, you¡¯re the only one who can help me. I wouldn¡¯t have gone through all this trouble to get you here if I could¡¯ve handled the problem on my own.¡± ¡°How do we know this isn¡¯t some game you¡¯re playing?¡± Janet sneered. ¡°I understand your mother works for Obsidian, but you know a little too much about Aliyah. And if Obsidian is so worried about news of the virus getting out to the public, how come you can just hack into their protected data so easily? You¡¯d think they¡¯d have better security.¡± ¡°Because,¡± he puffed out his chest and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m a Dreamer, too.¡± It was comical, and even Janet cackled in a sarcastic manner before saying, ¡°Really? Can I take a wild guess and assume you wanna be the smartest person in the world? How original.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s deeper than that. I¡¯ve got three brothers who went to Ivy League universities and graduated at the top of their class. Meanwhile, I struggled just to get out of high school and ended up dropping out of college freshman year. Everyone looks at me as the dumb one in the family tree, so you¡¯re damn right I wanna be smarter so I¡¯m not labeled the ¡®failure¡¯ anymore.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you think using the virus as a way to outsmart everyone would be considered cheating?¡± I questioned him. ¡°You¡¯d lose that sense of achievement from learning the subject on your own.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d rather lose the feeling of accomplishment than being talked down to at family reunions. Besides, how was I to know some disease would turn me into a genius? I¡¯m not even super smart, yet, but I can tell I¡¯m growing more knowledgeable by the day.¡± ¡°I doubt that,¡± Janet mocked him. ¡°Only an idiot would stage a plan to invite a complete stranger into his home. And you even admitted that your own mother works for Obsidian, so why should we trust you? This could all be a trap.¡± Muffled profanity escaped his mouth before he spoke louder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know she¡¯s with you, Aliyah, but who is this girl? She¡¯s been rude this entire time.¡± Janet tapped her foot with a smug expression. Her tolerance for him wasn¡¯t going to last long. ¡°Her name¡¯s Janet,¡± I answered before she decided to fry him. ¡°Janet Jones.¡± He rubbed his goatee and appeared in deep thought. ¡°Jones ¡­ I¡¯ve seen that name multiple times in Obsidian¡¯s files.¡± Janet fired off a heated glare. ¡°Show me.¡± ¡°I-I shouldn¡¯t do that in my house. I can get away with hacking into Obsidian¡¯s server in a public place, but doing that with the computers in my home isn¡¯t safe. I could get busted if they track my IP address.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. Learning about Obsidian is important to me. So if you don¡¯t pull up those files within the next few seconds, I¡¯m going to make your head explode like fireworks on the Fourth of July.¡± He groaned and stood up. ¡°Fine. In my room.¡± Just what were we going to discover? Chapter 41 - The Burning Truth Janet and I followed Ray deeper into his house. We eventually entered a room containing the latest video game consoles and a large PC monitor near an open closet filled with clothes and stacks of comic books. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this,¡± he sighed. He sat in a black chair and started typing on the keyboard in front of his computer. ¡°Sit on the bed or something. This may take a while since they change the security codes every week.¡± Fortunately for us, Ray managed to hack into Obsidian¡¯s servers within minutes. ¡°Got it,¡± he declared, getting up from his seat. ¡°All of the folders with files are here. There¡¯s one I haven¡¯t been able to crack into ¡®cause of the amount of protection it has, but everything else is available. You¡¯ll have to look through them all ¡®cause I don¡¯t remember which one listed your last name.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Janet said, taking a seat in front of the desktop. ¡°I appreciate it.¡± ¡°No problem. Hey, Aliyah, can we go back to why you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± We walked back into the living room and stood near the fireplace. ¡°That girl can be a real hothead, huh?¡± he asked. ¡°If you only knew.¡± He smiled before his facial features grew stiff. ¡°I hacked into Obsidian¡¯s Dreamer files and made up a fake profile in order to get you to come here. I placed the fake profile at the top of the potential Dreamers list in hopes that whoever sent you to find the fake Dreamer would eventually lead you to the caf¨¦ like I planned.¡± Not only was his plan risky, but it must¡¯ve taken a lot of work just to get me to his house. The real question remained: what exactly did he want with me? ¡°Alright, so what specifically do you need me to do?¡± ¡°I need you to help my boyfriend. His name¡¯s Aaron. I can tell something is really wrong with him, and a lot of students on his campus have died in the past few days. I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s the one murdering them, but I¡¯m positive he¡¯s being controlled by a Shadow that Dreamers like you can see. I¡¯ve read multiple occurrences documented by the others who can sense them, and I¡¯m sure what¡¯s happening to my boyfriend is another case of a demon turning him to the dark side.¡± This was my first time being asked by someone else to free the mind of a tortured soul. It almost made me feel like a paranormal investigator or a legit demon hunter. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just being paranoid?¡± I had to ask, making sure I knew what I was getting into. ¡°I¡¯m sure. He¡¯s never been like this. Please, I need you to snap him out of it. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Observing the misery shaping his face, there was only one response I could. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Under one condition.¡± ¡°Oh, great. What is it?¡± ¡°Can you hack into actual security systems, like locked doors?¡± He gave me a perplexed look. ¡°I¡¯ve done it a few times before. Why?¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You know that Obsidian server outside of the city that you¡¯ve been hacking? I think it¡¯s connected to the laboratory where my friends are being held hostage. If I save your boyfriend from the demon that¡¯s manipulating him, you have to help me get my friends and a bunch of other people out of there.¡± He huffed and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Man, you¡¯re putting me in a tough spot. I¡¯m positive my mom doesn¡¯t work in that building, but if we¡¯re caught, she¡¯ll most likely lose her job, and I¡¯ll be in some serious trouble. As much as I can¡¯t stand her personally, I don¡¯t know if I can take that risk.¡± ¡°Please, the guy and girl they¡¯re holding captive are my best friends. I love them just as much as you love your boyfriend. Like you said, you wouldn¡¯t have gone through all this trouble to get me here if he wasn¡¯t special to you.¡± His eyes fell to the floor, mumbling to himself before looking back up at me. ¡°Damn. You know you¡¯re asking me to go up against my own mother in a way, right? But it is what it is. She¡¯s a tyrant anyway.¡± He smirked and hunched his shoulders. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m down for this.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡± With our agreement intact, we gave each other a fist bump before walking back to his room. When he opened the door, a wave of grief skimmed past me. ¡°Janet?¡± I called out. She was peering down at the desktop, puzzled and bug-eyed. ¡°T-they did it. All this time¡­ They did it.¡± I stepped inside the room and felt the intense heat circulating in the air. ¡°Janet, what¡¯s wrong?¡± In a flash, the computer in front of her burst into flames. The blaze spread across the room and trailed through the walls of the house, causing sparks of wiring to flare. Smoke detectors started going off immediately. ¡°Janet, stop,¡± I shouted, backing out into the doorway. ¡°What the hell is she?¡± Ray yelled. ¡°Do you know how much that stuff cost?¡± Janet turned to face us with fiery eyes. ¡°My parents. They were killed by Obsidian. Alvin ordered their deaths.¡± I gaped at her discovery, standing at a loss for words until the fire grew larger. ¡°Janet, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry, but you have to calm¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to calm down.¡± Her shriek was followed by multiple explosions coming from different sections of the house. I tried walking back into the room to comfort her, but the inferno was too hot to handle. ¡°Janet, you have to listen to me. Ray and I came up with a plan, okay? If it all works out, you can confront Alvin face-to-face. You can avenge your parents.¡± Janet¡¯s pupils returned to normal, but the fire failed to extinguish. ¡°Yo,¡± Ray hollered at her. ¡°Put the fire out already before we die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± she shouted back. She closed her eyes despite the heat of the moment and focused on extinguishing the flames. When the conflagration subsided, Ray fell to his knees and dropped his head into his hands. ¡°I¡¯m a dead man walking. Another reason for Mom to hate me.¡± Janet stepped out of the room and approached me. ¡°If you¡¯re serious, I¡¯m in. Let¡¯s do this as soon as possible.¡± Teardrops slid down her cheeks before I held her close. Her exposed emotions were just as vulnerable as they were on the bridge. ¡°Both of my parents were neuropsychologists,¡± she told me. ¡°A few months before they died, they were transferred to a new organization. I never bothered to ask about it ¡®cause the transition meant more money for all of us. I was just happy my family would have a bigger income.¡± She separated from our embrace before continuing. ¡°I never knew that organization was Obsidian. I heard them mention the name a few times in secret, but I never imagined what they were getting into. I discovered on the files that Alvin was their boss, and after he found out my parents were going to reveal the virus to the public, he ordered someone to kill them and blame their deaths on an accidental house fire.¡± My gaze never left her. I could feel every ounce of depression engulfing her heart as her sorrow began to take its toll on me. Never had I sensed so much heartache. ¡°That damn fire.¡± She looked down at the palm of her hand. ¡°All this time, I thought I had killed my parents. I thought it was all my fault.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± I told her. ¡°It never was. We¡¯ll get through this, Janet.¡± ¡°We will. As soon as Alvin is dead.¡± Ray approached us with a wide-eyed expression. ¡°So, which one of you is paying for all of this? My mom¡¯s gonna be home in a couple of days.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Janet answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know if my savings will cover all the damages, but I¡¯ll work extra shifts and pay off my debt, I promise. You can give your mother my information and blame it on me if you have to, but right now, let¡¯s discuss this plan you two came up with.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he accepted. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll pitch in, too. I¡¯m sorry about your parents. I¡¯m rooting for you to get back at the guy who set them up, but first, we need to get my boyfriend out of his funk.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± She was fired up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 42 - Keyboard Killer Later that night, Janet parked her car outside an apartment building and waited with me for Ray¡¯s signal to go inside. We both craned our necks up at the yellow lights that illuminated the fourth floor where his boyfriend lived. ¡°You getting any strange vibes?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, for the past twenty minutes we¡¯ve been waiting here. I¡¯m starting to think it was a bad idea letting Ray go inside first.¡± We sat and scrolled through our phones while waiting. It was getting late in the evening, so I decided to beat my mom to the punch and text her first before she contacted me. Hey, Mom. I¡¯m at Janet¡¯s house finishing up the math assignment. Her grandfather¡¯s here, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be home soon. Janet chuckled hearing me read some of the text out loud. ¡°Speaking of that project, we should really plan a sleepover soon and actually finish the thing.¡± ¡°We should, ¡®cause I hate lying to my parents. Like, I do it when I have to, but it still makes me feel guilty, you know?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Janet frowned before burying her face in her phone. Maybe talking about parents wasn¡¯t the best idea. The wait continued until the vibration of my cell phone got our attention. Surprisingly, it was a text from Lucas. Robyn came by and had some complications with the baby, so I drove her to the hospital. I¡¯m on my way home now, babe. I love you. I didn¡¯t text back. Why? I wasn¡¯t sure. Maybe the circumstances involving Robyn prevented me from expressing any emotion toward him. Just the thought of her always being around was enough to push me away. ¡°How is Lucas, anyway?¡± Janet asked. ¡°You know, after the whole Cassandra situation.¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing better. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°No reason. You two seem to have a really stressful relationship, so I was just wondering how things were going is all.¡± In comes another lie in three¡­two¡­one. ¡°We¡¯re fine. Nothing to worry about. You think we can all hang out after everything is over?¡± She snorted. ¡°Yeah, and I be the third wheel while you two make googly eyes at each other? No thanks.¡± I laughed at her comment until my phone vibrated again. ¡°It¡¯s Ray. He texted to come upstairs...in all caps.¡± We got out of the car and hurried into the building, climbing the stairway covered with graffiti on the walls until we were on the fourth floor, standing in front of a green door marked 401. ¡°Ray said this was the apartment number,¡± I told her while trying to turn the knob that refused to budge. Shattering glass could be heard on the other side of the door. ¡°Let me handle this,¡± Janet insisted with her palm facing the knob. The golden lock slowly melted away, leaving a hole in the door. ¡°Nice,¡± I uttered before pushing the door open. We stepped into a dim living room with flipped furniture and shards of glass scattered on the hardwood floor. Crumbled sheets of paper were strewn across the kitchenette, which had several cracked plates and utensils on the counter and in the sink. Just what the hell went down here? Further into the living room area was Ray, who was confronting a light-skinned guy with a buzz cut connected to his five o¡¯clock shadow. He held a crazed look in his muddy brown eyes as he sat in a crooked chair in front of a desk with a laptop. ¡°Your groupies just broke into my house,¡± the guy said in a demonic voice, keeping his eyes glued to the laptop screen. ¡°Or maybe they¡¯re my replacements. I was never good enough for you.¡± ¡°Aaron, that¡¯s not true,¡± Ray argued. ¡°You know we¡¯re in this together. Please, just stop what you¡¯re doing. Don¡¯t kill anyone else.¡± ¡°Why''s he killing people?¡± I inquired. ¡°And how?¡± Ray pointed to the laptop, his busted lip trembling. Aaron cackled and began typing on the keyboard. His constant fixation with the computer was alarming to say the least. ¡°H-he¡¯s typing usernames that belong to students at the university,¡± Ray stuttered. ¡°S-some others are from comment sections and forums online. Aaron''s able to kill anyone he wants by typing out the name of their account.¡± ¡°What in the world?¡± Janet questioned, bewildered. ¡°Why the hell would he wanna do that?¡± ¡°These are the girls you asked to talk to me, Ray?¡± Aaron asked with a grin. ¡°Is this some joke? We live in a generation of instant gratification and limited attention spans. You honestly think a couple of kids have the patience and intelligence to hold a conversation with me? What have they gone through, huh? Breakups? Petty arguments? Or did their boyfriends cheat on them so they decided to hook up with each other like typical teenage floozies?¡± ¡°Nice rant, but you need to stop reading from the clich¨¦ teen fiction section,¡± Janet countered. ¡°You can¡¯t be much older than us, dude. Maybe if you tell us what the problem is, we can help.¡± Ray reached his hand out to Aaron, who swatted it away and growled, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± He then sneered at Janet. ¡°You wanna know what my problem is? This ¡®look at me¡¯ generation of betas howling for their participation trophy. They¡¯re so desperate to be a part of something that they don¡¯t care who they hurt in their hunt for relevancy. Well, I¡¯ve got a surprise for those clout chasers. Every single one of those jackasses online and at my university are gonna die tonight for ever insulting me and bashing my sexuality.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He smiled as he got out of his seat and resumed his tirade. ¡°Do you know how hard it is to be me? To have to deal with douchebags at school and trolls online when I¡¯m home? Being gay isn¡¯t as easy as TV shows and movies makes it seem. No, it¡¯s not even close. But it¡¯s okay, because those who can¡¯t accept me won¡¯t be around for much longer. They¡¯ll all be in hell where they belong.¡± The Shadow influencing him made its presence known by manifesting in the seat behind him. The sight of a ghastly beast sitting in a chair so human-like was terrifying enough, but the appearance of multiple Shade Crawlers filling such a small space made me fear for my life. They held their position in a tight circle around us like dogs waiting for a command, with another standing on the fire escape outside the apartment window, just waiting for the chance to come in and sneak up on us. I turned to Aaron in hopes of solving his problem before things got messy. ¡°Look, we can¡¯t do anything about the people who harass you online. Most of them can¡¯t resist the urge to express their insensitive thoughts, I get that. And I know it¡¯s hard dealing with them every damn day, but you can¡¯t use their ignorance as an excuse to kill people. What you¡¯re doing needs to stop.¡± ¡°Really? So those bastards are allowed an outlet to voice their opinions and disrespect whoever they want, but I shouldn¡¯t go online and punish them for it? That¡¯s the problem with today¡¯s society: it¡¯s too much nonsense without consequence.¡± ¡°Aaron, please, just listen to her,¡± Ray begged. ¡°Listen to me, too. I¡¯m here for you. You¡¯re not alone in this fight, believe me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand me, either. How could you? You haven¡¯t even come out to your mother because you¡¯re afraid she¡¯ll reject you even more than she already has.¡± Not only did the harshness of his tone cause Ray to flinch, it excited the Shadow enough to stand and point its talon-like finger at us with an unsettling smile. No longer did the demons have to wait to go wild; the order to destroy was given. On instinct, I generated a chakram and swung it at the creature behind me, successfully purging it. Unfortunately for Ray, he was bitten on the shoulder by a demon near him and thrown across the room like a rag doll. I hurled my weapon at the creature and slayed it before it could do further harm, but a sharp sting in my back from another demon¡¯s claw painfully reminded me that we were outnumbered. The stabbing sensation traveled through my body before my feet left the ground, soon feeling the impact of being tossed against a wall. There was no time to recover on the floor. The demon followed up its assault with a stomp that would¡¯ve crushed my skull had I not manifested a chakram to shield myself. It backed away to try something else, allowing me to quickly fling the chakram and eliminate the enemy before it could attack. My teeth clenched as I struggled to stand on my feet. Janet did her best to defend herself against the remaining three Shade Crawlers, but was unable to put up a fight due to her fire being ineffective against them. Not to mention she couldn¡¯t see demons. They started to leave marks that tore through her long sleeve shirt and blue jeans. She formed a cage of flames around herself in hopes of protection, but I knew that wouldn¡¯t work. Not unless I gave it a little flare. I released a beam of energy that merged with the chamber of fire, creating a fortress of light that no demon would dare attempt to penetrate. With Janet safe, it was time to send these three fiends back to hell. ¡°Hey.¡± I got their attention. ¡°Try fighting someone who can see your ugly asses.¡± They lunged at me in a fury, two being taken down by my chakram before they could reach me. The remaining one managed to graze my skin with its fangs, but failed to grip onto my arm and had to suffer the wrath of my weapon being thrust into its eye. It didn¡¯t take long after that for it to wail and vanish into thin air. The only threat left was Aaron¡¯s Shadow. Janet walked out of the blazing sphere and joined me in confronting him. ¡°You know what¡¯s really your problem?¡± she snapped at him. ¡°You care too much about what people think.¡± ¡°Well, maybe if people stop voicing their negative opinions any chance they get, none of this would be an issue.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t silence society,¡± I told him. ¡°Yeah, people hate what they can¡¯t relate to, but killing them ¡®cause they don¡¯t agree with you doesn¡¯t make you any better.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Janet pitched in. ¡°I was bullied on social media in the past, but I didn¡¯t waste my time tracking down idiots for revenge. You have to be strong and be better than them, ¡®cause the world is not a nice place, and social media is toxic as hell, but you can still be happy by communicating with people who understand and care about you. Like him.¡± She pointed to Ray, who held his shoulder and stumbled over to us. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you talked to me about any of this?¡± Ray asked Aaron. ¡°We¡¯ve been together too long to be hiding our feelings. Whatever you¡¯re going through, I¡¯m going through it with you. If people online are pissing you off, block¡¯em and navigate the web differently. If people at campus are talking crap, we inform the authorities and let¡¯em deal with those ignorant assholes. Simple as that.¡± Aaron trembled as he turned to his laptop and gripped the sides of it. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. I can¡¯t just turn off my screen and it all goes away. What¡¯s seen online can be felt offline, and I feel it all. I shouldn¡¯t have to change because of other people, but I don¡¯t want anyone to think they¡¯re superior to me. I just want to live my life without being judged. I don¡¯t want to stay in a safe space forever.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t have to,¡± I said to him. ¡°Never let the opinions of others stop you from being who you are. The world will keep spinning regardless of their thoughts, and you¡ª¡± My speech was interrupted by a desperate move from the Shadow. It began whispering in Aaron¡¯s ear to prevent us from breaking its manipulative spell. ¡°Ray,¡± I turned to him, ¡°cyberbullying is something my power can¡¯t fix. I can get the demon out of his mind, but it¡¯s up to you to rescue him.¡± ¡°Huh? Okay, tell me what I need to do.¡± ¡°After I use my Enlightenment to purge the Shadow, I need you to always be there for Aaron. Touch his heart in ways only you know how, ¡®cause my power can¡¯t save him, but your love for him can.¡± He gave me a puzzled look before nodding. ¡°Okay, okay. Yeah, of course I will. I¡¯ll never leave his side.¡± With his assurance, I took control of the situation by releasing a flash of light at Aaron. The energy caused the Shadow to shriek before evaporating into nothingness. When the radiance faded, Aaron collapsed on the floor with his eyes closed. All was over. For now. ¡°Yo, that was wicked.¡± Ray knelled down to examine him. ¡°Is he gonna be alright?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, though he won¡¯t remember anything that happened since I had to purge the Shadow¡¯s influence directly out of him.¡± ¡°If you have the power to just get rid of the darkness in people, what¡¯s the point in trying to convince them with words to ¡®see the light¡¯?¡± Janet questioned. ¡°Just blind them and be done with it.¡± ¡°Because I want people to defeat their demons on their own. When they do that, they keep the memories of all the sinful acts the demon caused them to commit, so the chances of them going back to their bad habits are lessened. It just makes the world a better place when people understand right from wrong.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Well, we kept our end of the deal. Now it¡¯s time for him to do the same.¡± We both looked down at Ray, who leaned his head on Aaron¡¯s chest and spoke the words, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I swear things are gonna change. I¡¯ll talk to my mother, and we¡¯ll get through this. Together.¡± With their relationship rekindled, preparations to invade Alvin¡¯s lab were set to begin. The night was far from over, and the text message I received from an unknown number was evidence of that. Hello, Aliyah. I¡¯m ready for your report. Chapter 43 - Before The Show I returned home and shut my room door before calling the number Alvin used to contact me. He answered after the first ring, not to my surprise. This man was obsessed with power. ¡°Hello, Aliyah. How was your day?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me as if we¡¯re friends.¡± Instead of a coherent response, he mocked me with a round of irritating chuckles. ¡°Very well. Did you come in contact with the target? Elaborate.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell. No Dreamer was at the caf¨¦, nor anywhere in the area. Your sources suck, Alvin.¡± Despite his silence on the other end, I knew he was holding the phone close to his mouth because of the inconsistent breathing in my ear. He was more annoying than ever now that he had control over me. ¡°Aliyah, can I ask you something?¡± His tone was stern and deep. ¡°Y-yeah.¡± ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°I see. Very well.¡± After a pause, the sobbing of a girl replaced his voice. The was no doubt in my mind that the person was Valeria. She screamed and begged to be let go. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her,¡± I yelled into the phone. ¡°She hasn¡¯t done anything wrong to you.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s possible you have. Lying doesn¡¯t benefit any of us, now does it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± I insisted, matching his vocal intensity. He released a long breath before speaking again. ¡°We will see. I¡¯ll send men to scout the location tomorrow. If there are any signs of a Dreamer, rest assured, you¡¯ll be seeing my face soon. Goodnight, Aliyah.¡± The call ended with Valeria crying in the background. Alvin could¡¯ve been torturing her, and there was nothing I could do to stop him until Ray¡¯s plan was properly set in motion. Anger and hopelessness led to me throwing my phone on the bed and falling on top of it. My face became one with the pillow as it muffled my apprehensive shouts. It wasn¡¯t until I heard the creaking sound of my door that I looked up and silenced my angst. ¡°Um, is everything okay in here?¡± Mya asked, closing the door behind her. ¡°I heard you yelling a minute ago.¡± ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine. Mya, listen, I need to ask something important of you, and I need you to promise that you¡¯ll do it.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Uh, what is it?¡± I got off the bed and stepped closer to her. ¡°I¡¯m going somewhere tonight. A place Mom and Dad can¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°And you need me to control their thoughts so they¡¯ll let you out of the house without a hassle? Sure, no problem.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t ever want you using that ability again. What I need is for you to look after Mom and Dad in case I don¡¯t come back. You have to promise me, Mya.¡± She frowned and backed away. ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. You¡¯re scaring me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need you to be here for Mom and Dad no matter what. You¡¯re the glue that holds this family together. You don¡¯t need an ability for that.¡± ¡°Okay, but what exactly is going on? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that. Tonight, if Mom and Dad catch me leaving the house without permission, don¡¯t use your ability to help me. Whatever punishment they give me if I return, I¡¯ll handle it. It¡¯s time I start taking responsibility for my actions, and I don¡¯t want you giving me a get-out-of-jail-free card, understand?¡± She crossed her arms and shook her head in disagreement. ¡°No. Not unless you promise me you¡¯re coming back.¡± I gave her a small smile and nodded. I didn¡¯t expect my gestures to convince her. They were only made to soften the blow that I might not be alive tomorrow. We hugged before she left the room, and all I could think about was what I was getting myself into. There was no chance in hell of me surviving this, and I was very close to accepting that fact. So close that I stared at Noel''s photo on my shelf and whispered the truth. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you soon.¡± ??? It was time to dance with the devil. I treated my cuts and bruises before changing into a new outfit. When midnight approached, I looked out of the window and saw Ray¡¯s minivan parked outside of my house. ¡°It¡¯s now or never,¡± I voiced to myself, placing my foot on the windowsill. What stopped me from jumping out was the sound of my bedroom door opening behind me. ¡°Leaving?¡± My mother¡¯s voice made me turn around. I couldn¡¯t believe that of all nights, this was the one when I¡¯d forget to lock the door. ¡°Mom, I¡­ Yeah, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then why aren¡¯t you using the front door?¡± Her question threw me off. ¡°Um, ¡®cause you wouldn¡¯t let me go out this late?¡± ¡°Yes, under normal circumstances. But I want you to know that you can use the front door tonight.¡± Okay, either Mya was still using her ability, or some other Dreamer desired all parents to be fair. I was completely baffled. ¡°Mom, what? You¡¯re cool with me leaving?¡± ¡°No. But according to your father and sister, you have a lot going on that you need to work out. If going out tonight is your way of fixing whatever issues you have, then I¡¯ll allow it. But only this time, understand?¡± I said nothing in response. I was too shocked to speak. The gradual spread of my lips into a smile was telling enough. ¡°I trust you,¡± she said, approaching me. ¡°You¡¯re a strong, independent young woman who looks after herself and other people. I¡¯ll admit, there were times when I used your brother¡¯s death as an excuse to be strict on you. That was my mistake, and I apologize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom. I get it. Losing Noel hit all of us hard, especially you.¡± Tears began to break free from my eyes as well as hers. ¡°It hurt you the most, and I never thought about how much it did until now. I¡¯m so sorry, and I want you to know that I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me. Thank you for being here, Mom.¡± We held each other close, the moment meaning more to me than I had time to express as the sound of my phone alerted me of a text message. She separated our embrace and told me, ¡°Go. But you better be back before morning, alright?¡± Before I replied, Cinnamon rushed into the room and began wagging her tail. She was followed by my dad and Mya, who both stood near the doorway with smiles. ¡°I promise.¡± The words came with an air of confidence. All thanks to the support of my family. ¡°I¡¯m coming back.¡± Chapter 44 - The Devils Playground, Pt. 1 The hard thumps from the bumpy road competed with my beating heart. I sat next to Janet in the back of Ray¡¯s minivan and digested the plan he came up with, but the chilling winds entering through the cracks of the window disrupted my concentration. ¡°It¡¯s freezing.¡± I zipped up my gray leather jacket and looked at Janet, who appeared focused and unbothered by the midnight weather. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be heating things up real soon.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just stick to the plan as much as we can,¡± Ray suggested up front, his hands on the steering wheel. ¡°That means getting in there, freeing those people, and getting the hell out without being detected.¡± ¡°You really think it¡¯s going to be that easy?¡± Janet asked. ¡°Freeing the Dreamers and fleeing afterward isn¡¯t enough. Alvin will just track them down again. We have to kill him.¡± Ray scoffed at her remark as he drove deeper into the dusky woods. ¡°Look, I was down with you getting revenge on this Alvin guy at first, but after thinking about it, I decided I don¡¯t wanna be booked as an accomplice in a murder case. Just thinking about what would happen if we got caught tonight scares the hell out of me.¡± I leaned forward and placed my hand on his shoulder. ¡°After you get us inside, you can leave. We¡¯ll navigate through the place on our own.¡± ¡°Yeah, like that¡¯s not gonna weigh heavily on my conscience.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it. This is our fight, not yours.¡± Ray chose not to respond while pushing forward to our destination. My nervousness reached its peak when the glowing neon lights of the laboratory came into view. ¡°This is as far as I can go without being spotted,¡± Ray declared. ¡°I¡¯ll guide you the rest of the way from here using Bluetooth. I amped up the signal strength on your cell phones so we can communicate clearly without any disturbances. I¡¯ll handle their security cameras and other protection methods as well, but you two need to act fast. I won¡¯t be able to stay hacked into their system forever.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Janet said before stepping out of the car. ¡°Hey.¡± Ray got my attention before I slid out of the vehicle. ¡°Make sure you come back alive, alright?¡± His voice was low and worrisome. ¡°The world needs people like you.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Alright. And I don¡¯t know if you know about this, but if Alvin is as bad as you say he is, he¡¯s gotta have the Mark of Sin.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good. You mentioned something about a mark before, right? What is it?¡± ¡°I went back into the documents and took another look. There wasn¡¯t much info on it, but those who could see the Shadows warned Obsidian about the mark. Basically, it appears when a Dreamer makes a pact with a super powerful demon. If this is true, you could be running straight to your death.¡± Great. Now there was more to worry about. ¡°The mark sounds dangerous, but I¡¯m not dying, Ray. Not until I purge every last one of them.¡± A laugh escaped from his pursed lips. ¡°You¡¯re brave, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± He removed two laptops from a briefcase in the passenger seat. ¡°Go on. I got you covered from here.¡± I hopped out of the car and joined Janet a few feet away. We nodded at each other as if we had come to the same unspoken agreement: it was time to put an end to Alvin¡¯s diabolical scheme. We crept through the wooded area with Bluetooth devices attached to our ears, steadily moving closer to the lab with Ray¡¯s voice guiding us through the headset. It wasn¡¯t until I spotted two guards on patrol that our smooth cruise hit a roadblock.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. To evade security, we crouched and hid behind a thick tree. The snap of a branch below Janet¡¯s foot startled a nearby skunk. My nose twitched from the nauseating stench released by the animal. ¡°Ray,¡± I whispered and pinched my nose. ¡°There are two guards nearby, and we just got sprayed by a skunk.¡± He cackled on the other end. ¡°Damn, even the animals out there are corrupted, huh? Alright, let me see if there¡¯s an alternate route.¡± There was silence for a moment before he said, ¡°Okay, head east until you see a gun turret. Don¡¯t worry, the hacked surveillance camera shows there¡¯s no one behind it. Go north afterward and you should be back on track.¡± ¡°Gun turrets?¡± I muttered, somewhat nervous. ¡°Are we in a video game?¡± Janet smiled like a child in the playground. ¡°More things to blow up,¡± she chimed in before scampering east. I followed behind her until we reached the back of the building. The light panel installed on the door was red, indicating it was locked. ¡°Let me handle that,¡± Ray voiced on cue. The light panel turned green, giving us access to the laboratory. This was it. There was no turning back. We ventured deep into the mechanical danger zone, stealthily navigating the narrow, emerald halls of the first floor and avoiding detection from the suited men who guarded the area. On Ray¡¯s command, we scurried up a secluded stairway leading to the second floor. ¡°Y¡¯all almost at the chamber room,¡± Ray informed us. ¡°Keep going.¡± We advanced further into the cold building following Ray¡¯s orders until we were spotted by a male scientist. ¡°There are children roaming the premises,¡± he yelled out. His call acted as a beacon, signaling multiple guards to race in our direction. Janet and I bolted from our position, running through the halls and rooms of the lab with security in hot pursuit. The chase came to an intermission after we darted into a red room and shut the door. ¡°Ray,¡± I shouted into the headset. ¡°Ray, can you hear me? We¡¯re in danger. Are you there?¡± I removed my phone from my jeans and saw our call had been disconnected. This was the absolute worst time for us to lose communication with him. ¡°He probably drove off after he heard the commotion,¡± Janet assumed. ¡°He did his part, Aliyah. We don¡¯t need him anymore. Let¡¯s take these guys out and find Alvin.¡± After surveying the room and seeing glass jars filled with chemicals on the shelves, I knew Janet¡¯s plan wasn¡¯t a good idea. ¡°We can¡¯t fight them here. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± A sudden bang on the closed door made me jump. Janet conjured a fireball in her hand and replied, ¡°Fine. Then let¡¯s bring the heat to them.¡± She released the fireball outside of the room as soon as the guards opened the door. The flames not only pushed the suited men back into the hall, but set their attire ablaze until the fire consumed their bodies. ¡°What? Too hot for you?¡± she jeered as they cried out for their lives. ¡°Not so tough now, are you?¡± ¡°They¡¯re done, Janet. Let¡¯s find the Dreamers.¡± We ran up to the third floor, the memory of the corridor coming back to me at the sight of lifeless bodies in the rooms we sprinted by. We were soon met with another wall of defense, this time armed with their fingers on the trigger. ¡°Fire,¡± ordered the suited man leading the pack. My body stiffened in fear, the bang and flash of gunfire making me believe death was inevitable. Instead, a barrier of flames protected us, causing me to feel more alive than ever from the searing blaze warming my skin. ¡°You guys are pathetic,¡± Janet laughed out. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if her efficiency with fire was due to her mastery of the element, or the rage of vengeance flaring within her. Either way, she was starting to scare me. ¡°What the hell?¡± one of the guards hollered. ¡°Our bullets were fried.¡± Janet smiled at their intimidated expressions. With a thrust of her palm, she released a wave of flames that incinerated the group of men. Their ashes were all that remained as the fire traveled down the hall until it extinguished. Okay, now I was terrified. And judging by the dark aura beginning to form around her body, I had every right to be. ¡°Janet, you need to cool it with the flames. You¡¯re carelessly setting the place on fire and killing people.¡± ¡°Really? They were gonna kill us with no hesitation, so spare me the good girl act. Or is it only okay to kill someone when your boyfriend is involved?¡± ¡°What? I told you that day in the elevator I wasn¡¯t going to kill Cassandra, and I didn¡¯t. She was shot by¡ª¡± ¡°Obsidian¡¯s men, right? So tell me how these people are innocent?¡± The sobbing from a female scientist in one of the rooms caught our attention. Janet marched inside and approached the woman. ¡°Where is Alvin¡¯s room?¡± she demanded to know. ¡°P-please don¡¯t kill me,¡± the woman pleaded, weeping as she kneeled. ¡°She¡¯s not going to kill you,¡± I assured and assisted the woman back to her feet. ¡°We just wanna know where the Dreamers are.¡± ¡°And Alvin,¡± Janet added. ¡°I c-c-can¡¯t tell,¡± she faltered, pausing at Janet¡¯s glare. ¡°U-upstairs. Alvin and the Dreamers are upstairs.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to the woman before following Janet, who dashed out of the room after receiving the information. I had a bad feeling about what would happen next. Chapter 45 - The Devils Playground, Pt. 2 Janet and I searched the corridor until we ended up in a large section filled with mechanical equipment. Steel platforms gave way to multiple paths, with one leading upstairs to the fourth floor. Unfortunately for us, that same path was blocked off by a flock of defenders, who clustered together and aimed their guns at us. ¡°Idiots never learn their lesson,¡± Janet scoffed. ¡°Systems are back online,¡± the leading guard announced. ¡°Activate the sprinklers.¡± On command, the entire area was showered with water that should¡¯ve put us at a disadvantage, but in the rain burned a sphere of fire that couldn¡¯t be doused. Inside of it stood Janet, who cackled at the guards as she retaliated with a stream of flames, this time leaving no existence of her opposition. She was turning into a monster. ¡°Janet, I know we have to defend ourselves,¡± I started, ¡°but what¡¯s happening to you isn¡¯t good. You have to stop killing everyone.¡± She turned away and watched the drops of water bounce off the steel floor. It wasn¡¯t until the drizzle subsided that she spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t stop now, Aliyah. Not until this is over. Let¡¯s go.¡± I followed her to the upper level, where we stepped into a giant, empty white chamber with only one door at the other end of the room. Standing in front of it was none other than Alvin, who wore a sleeveless tuxedo as red as the demon¡¯s eyes that stood beside him. ¡°Hello, Aliyah. I see you brought a friend. A familiar one, even. Now how could a pyromaniac stay hidden under my nose for so long?¡± ¡°You.¡± Janet gritted her teeth and conjured a fireball in her left palm. ¡°I am going to kill you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot allow you to do that. You see, I¡¯ve been chosen by a higher power to rule over the new world. After millennia of slow progression, humankind has finally reached an era of true proficiency. The new world is upon us, and I will let no one stop our evolution.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that thing next to you is making you crazier?¡± I asked him. ¡°You were insane the first time we met, but never like this.¡± His next action left me stunned. Somehow, someway, he pressed his hand against the demon¡¯s gigantic, shadowy body and replied, ¡°You mean this thing?¡± ¡°Y-you can see it?¡± ¡°Yes. I must admit, I never believed you or anyone else who claimed to witness the monsters born from sin. But after you entered the laboratory, I gained the ability to see them for myself. I have to say, it is much better to view the demon I¡¯ve made a pact with than only hearing its voice in my head.¡± At the mentioning of a pact, I stepped forward and observed him, seeing what I feared most on his wrist: the Mark of Sin. It was the same S scar embedded into the skin of Cassandra Blackwood.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°What the hell is he rambling on about?¡± Janet asked. ¡°He has the Mark of Sin, which gives him extra power. Not to mention his desire is to have the abilities of every Dreamer in the laboratory. Yours and mine included.¡± She stood unfazed by his aspiration. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This man¡¯s a murderer.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± He appeared intrigued. ¡°And who have I killed to send you into such a chaotic frenzy?¡± ¡°My parents. Earl and Mariah Jones.¡± For the first time, I saw an expression of weakness from Alvin. His eyes dropped to the white floor, his cocky smile fading as he replied, ¡°My condolences. What a sad case of irony. Your parents were helpful subordinates of mine until they plotted to reveal the virus to the world. That is why I hired Obsidian¡¯s top hitman to kill them. What a coincidence that their daughter happened to be obsessed with the very combustion that ended their lives. I cannot fathom the incrimination you mistakenly placed on yourself.¡± Janet unleashed a battle cry before shoving me away and creating a cage of flames around herself and Alvin. I couldn¡¯t see through the inferno, but the words she yelled out were loud and clear. ¡°Go, Aliyah. Free the Dreamers.¡± Sizing the opportunity, I ran to the door at the other end of the white chamber and opened it to continue my mission. The captive Dreamers in the next room began pounding on the glass tubes in reaction to my presence. ¡°Just hold on,¡± I shouted to all of them. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get you all out.¡± Scanning through the many hostages, I caught sight of Valeria and Tyler in tubes next to each other and rushed over to them. ¡°Val, Ty, I¡¯m here to save you.¡± I placed my hands on the unbreakable cages that separated us. Valeria smiled as Tyler pointed to a computer inside the room. I walked over to it and asked him, ¡°Is this the one that opens the tubes?¡± His nod gave me the confirmation I needed to begin analyzing the screen. Though I had access to the machine that could free the Dreamers, my lack of knowledge on how to work the damn thing terminated their hopes of escape. I struggled to figure out the numerical code on display and grew more frustrated with each passing second. Any chance of freedom would have been lost had my cell phone not rung. ¡°Ray,¡± I exulted in relief. ¡°Thank God.¡± ¡°Hey, I had some trouble out here,¡± he revealed with heavy breaths. ¡°How¡¯s everything on your side? I see you¡¯re still alive.¡± ¡°Not so good right now. I¡¯m at the computer that could set everyone free, but I don¡¯t know how the controls work. It¡¯s just a bunch of numbers and a box I can type in.¡± ¡°Hang on a sec.¡± There was silence on the other end before he muttered, ¡°Dammit. Okay, remember when I told you there¡¯s one folder with files I couldn¡¯t crack into? Well, that folder is stored on that computer. Inside of it must be the passwords required to access the controls in that room, but the folder is protected behind a code that¡¯s crazy hard to decipher.¡± ¡°You have to try,¡± I begged, spotting a stairway that leads to the floors below. ¡°There¡¯s even an exit path right here in this room, so if you can get these glass tubes lifted, the Dreamers should be able to get out of the lab safely. You¡¯re the only one who can do it.¡± A sudden boom shook the room, reverberating to the displeasure of everyone inside. It was no doubt in my mind that the source of the alarming sound came from the battlefield next door. Were they now getting serious? Or had I just heard the finishing blow? If so, who was the victor? ¡°Ray, Janet might be in trouble. I need to go help her, so can you please¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Alright, I¡¯ll try to crack the code from here,¡± he said. ¡°If I can get into the system, I¡¯ll get the Dreamers out of there.¡± ¡°Thank you. Good luck.¡± I ended the call and walked back to Valeria and Tyler. ¡°My friend is working on freeing everyone. Just wait a little longer, I promise.¡± There was no security behind that promise. Whoever was standing in the room next door would determine our fate. For better, or worse. Chapter 46 - To Dance With The Devil, Pt. 1 After stepping into the white chamber that hosted the war, my eyes widened at the sight of Janet on the floor, battered and unconscious. Alvin stood in the middle of the room and turned to me, unscathed from the battle. ¡°Hello again, Aliyah. I assume you couldn¡¯t release the Dreamers as planned? It¡¯s a shame you¡¯ve come so far only to fail.¡± Ignoring his comment, I dashed over to Janet¡¯s side to protect her from further harm. ¡°What the hell did you do to her?¡± I sneered at him. ¡°I punished her. Anyone who dares to defy mankind¡¯s transcendence shall be judged and executed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± I retorted. ¡°The world doesn¡¯t need rapid evolution. We¡¯re already struggling to keep up and find an identity in the world we¡¯re in now. If we¡¯re all given the power to shape society into whatever we want it to be, none of us will survive, and you know it. It would be chaos. You told me that, remember?¡± ¡°Ah, indeed I did.¡± He caressed his beard and gazed into the red eyes of the beastly Shadow beside him. ¡°But that was before I obtained this power. I will now rule over the living beings on this earth. I will be their king and guide them to a new world of endless possibilities.¡± ¡°One man can''t control an entire planet, especially not you. You¡¯re preying on the emotions and desires of everyone in here. You¡¯re not a god, no matter what that demon tells you.¡± He huffed. ¡°It¡¯s disappointing that someone with so much potential fails to see what the world is destined for. Very well. It is now my responsibility to kill you.¡± A painful sensation suddenly came over my body. An ounce of salvia rushed up my throat and splattered on the floor before I gasped for air, slowly coming to the realization that I had taken a blow to the gut. On my knees, I looked up and saw him standing inches away from me. ¡°You stand no match against a god,¡± I heard him say over my rapid breathing. ¡°Allow me to demonstrate further.¡± Again, his actions happened too fast for my mind to register until I felt my back colliding against a wall. The impact ejected a spurt of blood that painted the white floor. ¡°You should give up, Miss Dawn.¡± ¡°Nah. That was nothing,¡± I bluffed, struggling to stand on my feet. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Thinking he¡¯d charge straight at me like last time, I released a beam of light in hopes of hitting him before he got close. Instead, the radiance missed its mark due to his sudden disappearance. Either the bastard teleported, or he freakin¡¯ turned invisible. Solely in my view was the colossal Shadow, but this wasn¡¯t just any demon. No, there was no mistaken it. This was that demon. ¡°Here we are again,¡± I said to it, receiving no reaction. ¡°You tried taking Valeria from me. You tried taking Janet away as well. But guess what? They¡¯ll still here. So if you want them or anyone else, you¡¯re gonna have to get through me. Let me see you try, dammit.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The beast actually guffawed before accepting my challenge, rushing forward with its claws spread out. I hurled chakram after chakram trying to do as much damage as possible before it reached me, but my weapons disintegrated on impact. This demon¡¯s darkness was stronger than my light. Towering over me, it hammered its massive arms down with crushing intent, but my legs moved swiftly to evade the strike that shattered the floor beneath us. This thing was slow, a weakness I had to use to my advantage if I had any hope of surviving. The creature unleashed a roar that called for reinforcements. The lesser demons surrounded me in a tight area of the room and quickly attacked one by one. I danced around most of their strikes and combated them with a combination of light beams and chakram throws, but the giant Shadow had made its way toward me just as they were defeated. With a powerful, monstrous swing that I was thankful to have avoided, the beast smashed through the walls of the room and continued its rampaging assault until it stopped to glare at me. ¡°You¡¯re too slow, big boy,¡± I said with heavy breaths and false confidence. I knew it was only a matter of time before the demon caught me. It was just too big and too strong for me to stand a chance against. ¡°Did you forget about me?¡± Alvin appeared out of nowhere and threw a punch in my direction, his fist being blocked with the raise of my chakram as a shield. ¡°Looks like your deal with the devil backfired,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°I can sense you and that demon share the same dark energy, so my chakram of light can resist your attacks and do some serious damage to you.¡± He retreated halfway across the room with inhuman-like speed and laughed. ¡°My, you continue to impress me at every turn, Aliyah Dawn. You are indeed special.¡± ¡°Screw you. I¡¯m not special. I¡¯m just like everyone else. We¡¯re all fighting for survival and living for happiness. The struggles and hardships we go through are what builds our character. It¡¯s what makes us who we are. We chase dreams, not have them given to us. You can¡¯t just erase the most important process of life.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He walked toward me with his hands behind his back. ¡°What a shame. I figured using the ability of a child who wishes to be invisible to the world would be beneficial, but it appears that power brought no advantage to this battle. I guess I¡¯ll have to dispose of the boy once this is over, hm?¡± ¡°Do you hear yourself, asshole? You¡¯re talking about killing an innocent person because he didn¡¯t live up to your expectations. I can¡¯t stand you and your damn god complex. You want the planet to evolve so badly that you can¡¯t see how exploited the world already is. We tried making everything accessible in hopes of advancing human evolution, but all we¡¯ve actually done was remove our sense of wonder. I won¡¯t allow you to take away the rest of our imagination.¡± A burst of energy flowed through my body, increasing the glow in my palm. With it, I generated a large chakram that weighed no more than my usual weapon, but it damn sure felt more powerful. Using as much strength as I could muster, I sent the chakram flying at Alvin, who appeared unfazed by the incoming attack. Unfortunately for me, he had every reason to be, because the giant Shadow stepped in and used its body to shield him from harm. My ring of light shattered into pieces on impact with the demon, as did any hope of me winning this fight. ¡°You foolish girl,¡± Alvin shouted before unleashing a torrent of water out of his right hand. The force of the blast knocked me to the floor and created an endless stream that filled my lungs. ¡°I¡¯ll punish you with the ability I used to defeat your friend,¡± he gloated. ¡°Though she was strong and resilient, her burning spirit was doused by my unlimited source of power.¡± I couldn¡¯t respond to his animated narcissism even if I wanted to. My source of air had been saturated with water and my body stuck to the floor from the overwhelming pressure of the torrent. Nothing could prevent my death at this point. Through the submersion, I could see him levitating in mid-air with a current of electricity flowing from his left arm into his hand. ¡°Ah, the dreams of flight and electrical power,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Childish and typical, but valuable nonetheless. Why don¡¯t we see what happens when water meets electricity.¡± This was it. The end¡­ Or so I thought. Chapter 47 - To Dance With The Devil, Pt. 2 My fight was over, but so was his. The flood in the room evaporated as stray voices echoed throughout the building. It could¡¯ve only been the cries of joy and independence from the escaped Dreamers who raced out of the laboratory. ¡°No,¡± Alvin panicked. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be happening.¡± Alvin turned to the Shadow, bug-eyed. The demon backed away from him as if their blood contract had been tainted. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he questioned the beast. ¡°What about our deal? Why won¡¯t you assist me?¡± The Mark of Sin on Alvin¡¯s wrist disappeared. He continued to plead, but the demon walked away from him. He tried to speed toward the Shadow and beg for power, but his sprinting capabilities failed as he trudged across the room. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working? How could they have escaped already?¡± He stood in defeat with the vanishing of the Shadow doing him no favors. ¡°I should¡¯ve drowned you when I had the chance.¡± He turned to me and plunged his arm forward in hopes of manifesting another torrent, but his hand remained dry and wrinkled. ¡°No. My power. I don¡¯t understand. I should¡¯ve won.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, Alvin.¡± I caught my breath and regained my composure, standing on my two feet. ¡°You¡¯re done. The Dreamers are free. You have no more power.¡± With his plan terminated and the battle concluded, Alvin wailed from his loss. His irate pacing around the room was the complete opposite of the calm and stern demeanor he had always displayed. ¡°You have nothing left,¡± I sneered. ¡°And it only gets worse for you. Before coming here, I sent the lab¡¯s GPS coordinates to an agent who was immune to your mind controlling ability. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s on his way. You have no other choice but to turn yourself in.¡± He stared with a crazed expression. ¡°I do have something left: the destructive power of your friend. Burn in hell, Aliyah Dawn.¡± A searing flame formed in his hand with enough heat to incinerate me in seconds. With the thrust of his arm, he launched the fire in my direction, only to have it negated by a shield of flames that protected me from the blast. Though bruised and battered, Janet returned to action and hobbled toward him. ¡°You¡¯re not taking away another person I care about.¡± ¡°How naive of you,¡± Alvin retorted. ¡°Have you not learned anything from our confrontation? Your fire cannot harm me because it cannot harm you. I have all of your abilities.¡± To his surprise, she grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s see if that¡¯s still true.¡± She continued to limp forward as the two unleashed a barrage of fireballs at each other. Janet¡¯s flames, however, were clearly more powerful, as they engulfed all of his attacks and pushed him back. ¡°This is pointless,¡± he yelled. He marched toward her and swung a punch, only for his arm to be covered in her flames. ¡°Why does it burn?¡± he screamed in a frenzy. ¡°What is happening?¡± Janet grabbed the collar of Alvin''s tuxedo with her right hand and mashed her left palm against his face. He hollered in pain and fell to his knees.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°What a joke,¡± she said, melting his skin away as he cried louder. ¡°You can copy my ability, but without a strong desire for the element of fire, you¡¯re nothing more than an inferior old man. Hell, inferior is all you¡¯ve ever been, isn¡¯t it? You were never respected as a scientist. A quick search online led me to all of your failed experiments and endeavors. You¡¯re just a garbage human being who tried to use the dreams of others to make your aspiration for power come true.¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± he vociferated through his torture. ¡°You haven¡¯t lived half of my years. You don¡¯t understand the torment of working hard to only achieve nothing. I saw an opportunity to become a god, and I took it. Who wouldn¡¯t?¡± ¡°You know, maybe I don¡¯t get it. But who cares, ¡®cause you won¡¯t be living for much longer.¡± The fire in her palm intensified to the point of replacing her entire left hand. If she pressed any harder on Alvin¡¯s face, he¡¯d surely combust. I shouted for her to stop just as she was about to set him ablaze. ¡°Janet, don¡¯t kill him. If you do this, the negativity inside of you is going to erupt. It¡¯s gonna be out of control, believe me. You have to¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, Aliyah. You think I¡¯m gonna let him live? This murderer needs to die, and I¡¯m not letting you convince me otherwise. His death is something you can¡¯t prevent.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, but look at what revenge is doing to you. Since we¡¯ve entered this building, you¡¯ve massacred everyone. Those people you burned alive had families. They had loved ones who were waiting for them to come home tonight. They didn¡¯t do anything wrong to you.¡± Tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks. Had it not been for the negative aura spiraling around her, I may have let her go through with it. But killing now would result in a powerful Shadow being born, and one controlling Janet would probably be the end of New York City entirely. She was just too powerful of a Dreamer. ¡°What about my family?¡± she questioned through her sniffling. ¡°This man took them away from me. He doesn¡¯t deserve to live, and if I don¡¯t kill him now, he¡¯ll repeat this stunt all over again and capture people for his slave collection.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t. He has no power left.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Alvin admitted with downcast eyes. ¡°Power is all I¡¯ve ever desired, because it¡¯s all she ever wanted.¡± ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°My ex-wife. I lost her to someone in a much higher position. Someone with more power and respect than I could ever hope to gain without the virus. Can¡¯t you see, Miss Dawn? No one should understand me more than you. Without the power of the virus, you would never be able to carry out your desire to free the world of its sins. No, your best efforts would be a mundane occupation with little to no results. You cannot change the world with such minimal power.¡± I approached him and replied, ¡°Yes, I can. People don¡¯t need this crazy power to achieve their dreams and make an impact in the world. We¡¯ve done it before, haven¡¯t we? And we¡¯ll continue doing it once I get this city back to normal. You want more power, Alvin, but at what cost? Destroying the foundation and structure of humanity?¡± ¡°Then what about the handicapped, hm? There are people who can see, walk, and hear now because of the virus. If you were to somehow get rid of the power it grants us, how do you think that will affect those with disabilities? You would be doing the world a disservice.¡± My lips sealed. I had no answer. Janet groaned and released her grip on Alvin before shutting her eyes and turning away. I would have rejoiced had the temperature in the room not increased. ¡°Janet, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Taking everything away from him,¡± she answered, opening her eyes to reveal the inferno that flared in her pupils. ¡°This place is his home. His life. So I¡¯m gonna burn it down just as he did mine.¡± Her eyes flashed before the thunderous sound of explosions were heard throughout the building. The room flickered red as the conflagration muffled the alarms and fleeing workers who clamored in terror. ¡°My kingdom,¡± he cried, falling on his back. ¡°My paradise. It is no more.¡± ¡°We need to go,¡± I insisted. ¡°Alvin, get your ass up. Evil or not, you¡¯re still a human being. Let¡¯s go.¡± After he got to his feet, the three of us bolted out of the room and navigated the burning laboratory. Janet struggled in her condition, but she pushed forward and walked through multiple fires to seek out the safest route. I looked around for Valeria and Tyler on my way to the exit, but the more dangerous the area became, the more I feared I wouldn¡¯t find them. ¡°I¡¯m sure they made it out,¡± Janet hollered over the booming reverberation. The blazing environment was becoming too much to handle. ¡°C¡¯mon, we need to keep moving.¡± She was right. This place was coming down, and we were not about to fall with it. Chapter 48 - After The Show Janet and I¡ªalong with Alvin¡ªmade it to the back of the building where we first entered the lab. The night air was heaven from the hell we endured, but nothing was more satisfying than seeing Ray¡¯s minivan stationed nearby. ¡°Hurry up and get in,¡± he urged as fragments of the building exploded out to the vicinity. ¡°This is the end,¡± Alvin voiced, standing still amid the flames to watch his utopia crumble. ¡°There is nothing left in this world for me.¡± ¡°Alvin, you can redeem yourself,¡± I told him. ¡°But you need to put this place behind you and come with us.¡± ¡°Aliyah, we need to get in the car,¡± Janet insisted. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do for him.¡± ¡°She is correct,¡± Alvin stated. ¡°Go, Miss Dawn. Prove to me there¡¯s another way to make the world a better place.¡± I looked at Alvin one last time before hopping in the vehicle with Janet. Ray drove away from the calamity and sped down the road to civilization. Did we win? If so, why did I feel so empty? Like nothing was gained and so much was lost. What happens next? ¡°We just blew up a secret base for an evil organization that my mother works for,¡± Ray celebrated behind the wheel. ¡°If that doesn¡¯t scream badass, I don¡¯t know what does. We¡¯re freakin¡¯ awesome.¡± ¡°Says the person who wanted us to be ninjas and go in there quietly,¡± Janet muttered. Ray sucked his teeth. ¡°I heard that, but whatever. All that matters is we won and we had a night to remember. We¡¯re heroes.¡± I wanted to share his enthusiasm, but the feeling of victory was absent from my heart. Tyler and Valeria were missing, and I had no idea if they even made it out. ¡°So, what now?¡± Ray asked. ¡°When the higher members of Obsidian find out what went down, do you think they¡¯re gonna be looking for you two?¡± ¡°Let them come,¡± Janet answered, resting her head on the window. ¡°And Aliyah, I appreciate you trying to keep my emotions in check, but you need to understand that we both have our own way of handling a situation. When I find the hitman who actually killed my parents, I advise you to stay as far away from me as possible, ¡®cause I can¡¯t say what I¡¯ll do to anyone who tries to stop me from killing him. Including you.¡± She was dead serious. The fire in her eyes was proof enough. I said nothing in response and turned my head to look out of the window. With the city lights coming into view, I pondered the fate of Valeria and Tyler. The rest of the ride was silent until the vibration of my cell phone took me out of my reverie. ¡°Hello?¡± The number was private. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°Grant. I had to block my number in case your phone was confiscated. Are you safe and able to meet me at a secure location?¡± ¡°Y-yeah, I can meet you.¡± My words got the attention of Janet and Ray. ¡°Where do you wanna link up?¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Come to my apartment in Riverdale. I¡¯ll send you the full address shortly.¡± The call ended. I sat up in my seat and said to Ray, ¡°Hey, we¡¯re making a stop somewhere.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I bring you two to the hospital instead?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± both Janet and I spat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ??? Upon our arrival, Grant could be seen standing outside of a brownstone apartment with a cigarette in his mouth. The area was quiet and vacant, which is what you¡¯d expect at five in the morning. Ray parked his minivan across the street from the apartment and observed Grant from the car window. ¡°I don¡¯t know, y¡¯all. This seems sketchy as hell.¡± ¡°Yeah, like going to a stranger¡¯s address on a creepy letter,¡± I joked, getting out of the vehicle. Grant put out the cigarette and dusted off his black suit as I approached and said, ¡°It¡¯s a little early for a date, don¡¯t you think?¡± I prayed he got my sarcasm. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in younger women.¡± Ugh, of course he took me seriously. ¡°I called you here because this is one of the few places Obsidian doesn¡¯t have eyes.¡± ¡°And why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s never been any Dreamer activity in this neighborhood, and most members of Obsidian are probably still recovering from Alvin¡¯s spell. Nice job, by the way. You and your team did good. You kids even went out with a bang.¡± My brow raised in confusion. ¡°Hold up, how do you know what happened?¡± ¡°I saw the burning building on my way there and decided to turn back after I got in touch with you. Can you tell me the whereabouts of Alvin Steinberg?¡± ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. He escaped with us, but he didn¡¯t get in the car. Hell, I don¡¯t even know where my friends are.¡± ¡°I see. This is unfortunate. Not only is Alvin MIA, but there are Dreamers on the loose who know about Obsidian. Some of them I¡¯m certain are Black Mask members.¡± ¡°So what are we gonna do?¡± I inquired, leaning on the iron bars outside of the apartment. ¡°It¡¯s obvious the Black Mask are the ones we need to go after, and my friends are out there somewhere as well. I need to find them.¡± ¡°A search party should be deployed tomorrow to find the escaped Dreamers, so there¡¯s a chance your friends will be found with them. I¡¯ll contact you immediately if they are. As for the Black Mask, leave them to Obsidian for now. The cult is an elusive, crafty group that makes Alvin¡¯s scheme for power look like a joke. Therefore, any investigation on them is out of your hands. Just focus on keeping the Bronx safe from local Dreamers and graduating high school. I¡¯m rooting for you, kid.¡± ¡°Um, thanks, but don¡¯t call me a kid.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Alright, partner.¡± He looked up at the sky and exhaled. ¡°You know, hundreds of people in this city are going to be manifesting their desires tomorrow. I feel it¡¯s only a matter of time before this crazy curse spreads outside of New York. Something has to be done before it¡¯s too late.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m gonna find a way to break the curse. You have my word.¡± We looked up at the sky together before I asked him, ¡°Speaking of which, you never told me why you have such a strong desire for knowing the truth. Are you finally gonna tell me, partner?¡± He half-smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, it¡¯s because of my line of work.¡± He walked to the entrance door of the apartment building before speaking again. ¡°I think you and your friends should head home before school starts. I look forward to working with you again, Aliyah. Until then.¡± I watched him step inside before hopping back in Ray¡¯s minivan, who stared at me with the widest eyes ever. He was so into all this. ¡°So? What happened?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, there¡¯s gonna be a search team sent out by Obsidian to find everyone who escaped from the lab. So, it¡¯s possible Tyler and Valeria can still be found. Grant will contact me as soon as he hears anything, though I don¡¯t know what the higher members of Obsidian would do to my friends. Like, who knows what other crazy person in power works there. But hey, at least I¡¯ll know they¡¯re alive, right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Ray sympathized with excitement. ¡°Man, this was a crazy night. I¡¯m ready to get my ass in the bed and sleep for days.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Janet agreed. The three of us reflected on the events that transpired as Ray drove down the long, narrow street. Although I was unsure of my friends¡¯ whereabouts and what was to come next, a smile crept across my face. With the shackles created by Alvin now gone, a heavy weight had been lifted off my heart. Chapter 49 - The Birth Of Our Sins, Pt. 1 Dawn approached with the light of the rising sun gleaming through the windows of the minivan. Ray dropped Janet off first before making his way to my home, but as we neared the street I lived on, my cell phone vibrated with Lucas¡¯s number appearing on the screen. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ali, I need you to come over to my house. Right now. Robyn¡¯s having complications with the baby. She¡¯s screaming and said not to call the ambulance, but I think she¡¯s in labor.¡± Oh, no. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a second,¡± I told him before ending the call. ¡°Seriously?¡± Ray complained. ¡°Dammit, Aliyah. Expect a gas bill under your door later.¡± ¡°Yeah, whatever. Just turn around. We¡¯re going to my boyfriend¡¯s house.¡± ??? When we arrived in front of the house, Ray offered to wait and bring me back home, but I declined. He had done enough for me for one day. I ran to Lucas¡¯s door and knocked until he opened it. The first thing he did was scrutinize my damaged attire. ¡°Ali, what happened to¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I walked in the house and saw Robyn on the living room couch¡ªunconscious¡ªwith a towel wrapped below her bare and bloated stomach. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked Lucas. ¡°She passed out a little after I called you. Maybe it was due to the pain, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your dad?¡± ¡°Probably drunk somewhere, who knows. He went out last night and never came home. Speaking of last night, where were you? I can tell something happened.¡± Lucas already had enough going on. I didn¡¯t want him to worry about me as well. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I said while walking further into the house to distance myself. But of course, he followed behind. ¡°Well, can you fill me in? I feel like we¡¯re losing connection and there¡¯s a lot going on that you¡¯re not telling me. What happened to not keeping secrets?¡± He just had to bring that back up. ¡°I¡¯m not. I just don¡¯t wanna pull you into this stuff, okay? It¡¯s getting dangerous. There are demons, a mysterious organization, an evil cult, and a bunch of other insane pieces to the crazy puzzle. It¡¯s all so overwhelming.¡± He placed his hands on my waist, gazing into my eyes. ¡°Babe, listen to me: whatever you¡¯re involved in, so am I. I wanna protect you. I wanna be the person you come to when you feel like there¡¯s no hope. I wanna be the man who makes everything okay. Please, let me into your life.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. I could only look down at the carpet and let his words sink in. He placed his finger under my chin and lifted my vision. ¡°Please,¡± he said with a smile. I returned the gesture. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll start from the beginning.¡± We walked back to the living room and sat on the sofa across from Robyn, who didn¡¯t move an inch since my arrival. Had Lucas not told me she passed out, I would¡¯ve assumed she was dead. If only. Pushing those negative thoughts aside, I conversed with Lucas about everything that transpired overnight. Unsurprisingly, he gaped in disbelief and sat in silence. Trying to rationalize it all would be impossible for anyone who wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Ali¡­what has this world come to?¡± he questioned. ¡°Our lives don¡¯t feel like reality anymore. None of it feels right.¡± ¡°I know, believe me. What about you, though? How¡¯s the music deal going?¡± He sighed and stared into space before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Too amazing, actually. My dreams are coming true, but this isn¡¯t the way I thought I¡¯d feel. Regardless, I have to keep at it despite the fact it could all be fake. Hell, I¡¯ll need the money to take care of a child, after all. Right?¡± Ugh. Why Lucas, why? Why¡¯d he have to bring that up now? ¡°I guess.¡± I looked away from him. ¡°You have to do the right thing.¡± He got off the couch and stood in front of me. ¡°Listen. I don¡¯t wanna be like my dad.¡± He took me by the hand and lifted me up to face him. ¡°If I¡¯m connected to that child in some bizarre way, I have to be there and love that kid, Ali. It¡¯s my responsibility. I know it¡¯s crazy, but I have to do it.¡± I hated everything about his resolve, but I chose to say, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m with you. And I¡¯ll find a way to reverse the curse. That¡¯s my responsibility.¡± ¡°Alright. Then we both have goals to accomplish. Let¡¯s achieve them together.¡± We held each other close until Robyn¡¯s sudden shriek pulled us apart. The lights began to flicker as shockwaves shook the home, tearing through the walls and furniture in the house. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Lucas panicked. ¡°Something really bad. I need you to leave and¡ª¡± ¡°No, Ali. I¡¯m gonna protect you. You don¡¯t have to fight alone.¡± His bravery and love for me was appreciated, but I couldn¡¯t help but fear for his safety. Before long, the horrifying birth of Robyn¡¯s child had begun. Her eyes shot open as she hollered in despair through the tortuous process. A murky hand clawed its way out of the darkness between her legs, its black arms stretching further every second. It was soon apparent that the dark, humanoid figure wasn¡¯t the size of an infant, but a mature life form with a solid physique. She cried out in agony as the shady organism continued to slither out of her. The more its lanky body released from her abdomen, the stronger the shockwaves became. ¡°W-what the hell is that?¡± Lucas quavered, pointing at the creature. Reality set in hard. Lucas could see the demon. ¡°Lucas, I need you to run, okay? Run. Now.¡± The demon¡¯s head rotated upside down until it completed its abnormal contortion and stood tall in the home. Red liquid oozed from its eyes and spilled on the carpet before it opened its hollow mouth and screeched. I manifested a chakram and hurled it with as much strength as I could muster, but it did little to bother the gangly creature. It retaliated by lurching forward with its thin arms circulating in an unorthodox motion. Both Lucas and I dodged its frontal attack that broke the dining table in half. ¡°Grab Robyn,¡± I told him as I ran halfway up the living room stairs. Lucas lifted her body off the couch and hurried past me to carry her into his bedroom. I watched the demon tear through the house in a frenzy before making my way upstairs to Lucas and locking the room door. ¡°This is insane,¡± he voiced in fear, placing Robyn down on his bed. ¡°Ali, how do we kill it? Should I call the police?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯ll get killed. I have to be the one to stop it.¡± ¡°No way. That¡¯s a real demon down there. I¡¯m not letting you risk your life trying to fight it.¡± ¡°What do you think I¡¯ve been fighting all this time? I know I can¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± His shout was filled with frustration and sadness. ¡°I had to live without you for almost an entire month, and those were some of the hardest days of my life. I can¡¯t risk losing you again, Aliyah. Seeing with my own eyes what you¡¯ve been dealing with has changed my mind. I don¡¯t want you doing this anymore.¡± Robyn''s sniffling pulled us out of our debate, only for her words to bring more distress. ¡°There''s¡­ There¡¯s something else inside of me.¡± Chapter 50 - The Birth Of Our Sins, Pt. 2 Dread filled the room, submerging me and Lucas in a sea of despair. ¡°We¡¯re trapped,¡± he fretted, drowning in anguish. ¡°If another demon comes out of her, we¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°No,¡± Robyn denied, her face etched in pain. ¡°Not this time. This time is different. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s an actual baby.¡± Robyn and I locked eyes for the first time without cruel intentions. Her emotions were exposed, as were mine, I¡¯m sure. We could both feel the truth: she was giving birth to Lucas¡¯s child. ¡°Lucas, stay here and help her deliver the baby. I¡¯m going downstairs to deal with the demon. It¡¯s the only way any of us are going to survive.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you do that. I¡ª¡± ¡°Lucas, please. This is my desire. My dream. I have to do this. I need to do this.¡± He opened his mouth to decline, but chose to nod in acceptance. ¡°Alright.¡± Our lips locked together before an ear-splitting cry from downstairs shattered our embrace. ¡°I¡¯ll win, I promise. I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too, Ali.¡± The creature¡¯s shrill grew louder the moment the door opened. Standing at the top of the stairs, I looked down at the demonic figure and decided to take the boldest option available: charge at the demon head-on. With adrenaline fueling my actions, I sprinted down the stairs and flung my chakram in hopes of an easy victory. Instead, the creature absorbed my weapon and leered, ready to retaliate. It began its ravaging assault by thrusting its talon-like nails at rapid speed. I avoided fatality by ducking and dodging, but the tips of its claws grazed my skin repeatedly. The demon refused to cease its offense, proving that it was faster and more relentless than my last adversary. After a continuous pursuit, it halted and distorted its head in a semicircle angle. I used this time to generate a collection of light energy in my hand and discharge a powerful radiance. Nothing happened, though. Figures. The demon stood unruffled with its mouth opened, almost as if it was smiling at my futile attempt. Thrown off guard by its expression, I stupidly took my eyes off its tentacle-like arms, which wrapped around my body and lifted me in the air. With lightning speed, it swung me against the walls of the house, blood spurting on the floor from impact. No longer could I feel my arms and legs. I was paralyzed both in body and mind. Unable to fight back, I could do nothing to prevent being through the glass window of the house to the outside, where I laid hopelessly. My hollers of pain went unheard. The shards of glass impaled into my arm went unseen. I was alone in this battle, just like I asked to be. It would¡¯ve been easier to remain on the ground and accept defeat, but thoughts of my friends, family, and Lucas forced me to keep fighting. My life meant something to them. I couldn¡¯t let it end here. Not like this. Get up, Aliyah. Get the hell up. The demon made its way out of the house. My hands scraped against the concrete to drag myself away from it. A yelp from across the street halted its pursuit, the passerby choosing to take out their phone instead of running the hell away. Now was not the time for this. The person pointed their phone at the demon, much to my dismay as I could tell they were taking multiple photos of me and the creature. The individual scampered off just as people began coming out of their cars and homes to observe in shock and fear.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. This was it. The moment I knew was coming, but never wanted to happen. Whether I survived or not wouldn¡¯t change the fact that people were going to know the truth about the world. About the curse. About the demons. About me. I endured the agony of standing up and released a beam of light at the demon. The attack regained its attention, but failed to do any damage. Onlookers expressed their displeasure with terrified screams, their phones raised to either record or take pictures. Someone shouted they had called 911, but I couldn¡¯t worry about that now. My biggest challenge was right in front of me, staring me down with an empty heart. I generated a chakram and hobbled toward the demon, slashing away in hopes of hitting a weak spot. It countered with its whip-like tentacles that crippled me further. All I could feel were my limbs desperately trying to function again. My feet flew off the ground after a hard swipe to my chest, my back hitting the concrete hard. The demon followed up with a kick that sent me rolling on the ground like discarded trash, deeming me unworthy of its rage. And maybe that was true, because I could feel my life fading away. But just when I thought it was the end, an object from above hit the demon on the side of its head. It was Lucas¡¯s guitar. ¡°Ali.¡± I looked up at his bedroom window and saw his face. ¡°Don¡¯t give up,¡± he cried out. ¡°You got this.¡± You got this. You know what? He was right. I did have this. ¡°I am not going to lose to you,¡± I assured the demon, my aching bones struggling to stay sturdy as I stood back on my feet. ¡°You hear me? I am not losing. My dreams are my reality, and the reality is, I¡¯m gonna protect everyone in this city from monsters like you. My light is stronger than your darkness.¡± An abundance of light energy formed around me. My entire vision became black and white. All color was lost except the demon¡¯s red eyes. What¡¯s happening? I asked myself, though now was not the time to worry about the strange phenomenon. The creature¡¯s sudden screech meant it was ready for the final round. I braced myself when out of nowhere, a giant ring of light manifested above the demon¡¯s head. It dropped down on the fiend and shrunk in size, creating a bind so tight that not even its slim body could slither out. To my surprise, the demon was completely immobilized. Two large chakrams generated in both my hands, their power surging through my body. In a relentless sequence, I launched both chakrams at the demon repeatedly due to the weapons manifesting again and again after they were thrown. The onslaught brought the demonic entity down to its knees, allowing me to walk over and grip its face before releasing all of the light stored within me. The luminescence liberated the area from darkness, engulfing the street in a dome of purity and light. When the blinding illumination faded, my vision returned to normal. The demon was no more. The absence of strength caused me to fall to my hands and knees. It took all the energy I had to crawl back inside Lucas¡¯s house and make my way to the top of the stairs. When I did, the whimpering sound of a baby made my heart skip a beat. Using the knob on his bedroom door as support to stand, I turned it and stepped inside. My eyes then landed on a newborn crying in Lucas¡¯s arms. ¡°Ali,¡± he called out with tears. ¡°You did it. You saved us.¡± ¡°And you saved the baby,¡± I acknowledged with a smile. I looked at Robyn, who laid unconscious with blood painting the towel around her bottom half. ¡°We need to get her to a hospital,¡± I said to Lucas. ¡°Now.¡± ??? Several hours passed before Lucas and I received confirmation that Robyn and her child were going to live. After the two of us were medically cleared, we took the elevator down to the first floor of the hospital and stood inside the doorway of the entrance. Outside the glass doors were officers waiting to take us to the police station for questioning, and I could sense the days of keeping my life a secret were over. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m scared,¡± I confessed. ¡°People took pictures of the demon and recorded me using my power. What happened isn¡¯t gonna pass as some online stunt. It¡¯s real, and it¡¯s gonna go viral. Our lives won¡¯t be the same after today.¡± He shrugged with a smile. ¡°Ali, after what I saw you do, I think we could take on the world if we had to. We¡¯ll figure it out, I promise.¡± Looking down at my hands, I addressed him with another concern. ¡°The light that defeated the demon was something different. What do you think it was?¡± ¡°I wish I knew. Your eyes were glowing white, and when I mentioned it to Robyn before she passed out, she said you¡¯d win because you had gone beyond the boundaries. Whatever that means.¡± Of course. Leave it to Robyn to still be keeping secrets. ¡°Well, whatever it was, I¡¯m glad it happened and we¡¯re both still alive. I love you, Lucas.¡± ¡°I love you too, Aliyah. C¡¯mon, we¡¯ve got dreams to chase. Together.¡± We pushed open the doors and stepped out to a new world. A new life. The winds of jubilation breezed through the air as Lucas and I walked together to the police car. The ever-haunting nightmare of the Shadows had been subdued for now, but in a city where dreams become reality, endless possibilities were on the horizon. Chapter 51 (Society Arc) - Baddie Wit A Secret In this classroom full of kings and queens, the music in my ears made me feel like a god among mortals. Alright, maybe that¡¯s a lil¡¯ extra, but my best friend Tory could relate for sure. He was this godlike gamer in the online fighting game community, and everyone on and off social media loved and respected him. Bro had the skills, I tell you. But right now, his mind was more on smashing chicks than buttons. I watched him double tap the shoulder of a girl sitting at the desk in front of him while wearing his snapback¡ªknowing damn well the teacher would tell him to take it off seconds later. I could only imagine what corny lines he was sending her way, but I didn¡¯t care enough to turn down the volume on my wireless headphones. The song was getting to my favorite part. What did make me hit pause was the new girl on the block sliding into the room after class had started. She would¡¯ve made it to her seat unnoticed had the teacher not looked up from his laptop. ¡°Ashanti, how nice of you to join us,¡± the teacher said with a cold stare behind his glasses. He always tried to sound nice, but his face was too stiff and mean-looking to fool anybody. Ashanti smirked. She had this hip, chill vibe about her that came with allure and confidence, so it was no surprise when I heard she was from Harlem in New York City. Girls there were known to have style and grace with a lil¡¯ attitude. ¡°Yo, new girl.¡± One of the school¡¯s football players, CJ, called out to Ashanti from the back row. ¡°I¡¯m havin¡¯ this wild ass party later. You comin¡¯?¡± ¡°I mean,¡± she began with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t really know anybody.¡± Jasmine, a cheerleader sitting next to CJ, sucked her teeth and said to her, ¡°Then come back here and get to know us.¡± Ashanti stood and strutted to the back of the room. The glow of her ebony skin was framed by her long box braids that even got the attention of the senior drug dealer in the room, and all that dude ever cared about was selling dope and hitting licks after class. It was crazy to think someone so heavenly came from a place people were calling Hell. I¡¯m talking about the city side of New York, rumored to be the spot for actual demons and people with supernatural abilities. Hell, just this morning, a video went viral of a girl with silver hair fighting a demonic creature in the street. You had to see it to believe it. ¡°Z,¡± Tory called out to me from two seats away. He must¡¯ve noticed my fixation on Ashanti because he started laughing before leaning toward me with a grin. ¡°Damn, Z. She got¡¯chu stuck over there. Just say somethin¡¯ to her, bro. She only lives three apartment numbers away from you.¡± Correction: two apartment numbers away, but telling him that would only make it worse. The topic did make me question her constant lateness, though. I¡¯d look out my window in the morning and see her leave for school before me, yet I¡¯d always be in the building before her. It was weird, but tracking her tardiness was always interesting. Not that I was a stalker or anything like that. Nah. Anyway, the bell rang a couple of minutes later, so it was time to get the hell out of there. Real talk, these days of school felt more like study sessions than learning periods. Teachers would hand out course material at the beginning of class and not give a damn about what we did after. For us students, passing the exam in the next three weeks was all that mattered, really. I jumped out my seat and stepped into the crowded cyan hallway, where I was stopped by CJ, who had his arm wrapped around Jasmine. ¡°You got me tonight, right?¡± ¡°You already know,¡± I replied. Whenever he had these crazy ass parties, he would always ask me to DJ because he knew how much I was into the whole thing. My playlists were always updated, and I loved mixing different songs and creating waves for everybody to ride. Music was my life. I would¡¯ve gone crazy a long time ago without it. CJ and Jasmine went on ahead. Tory walked up behind me to say, ¡°Yo, I gotta get home real quick and do some streamin¡¯. I¡¯ll catch you at the party later.¡± ¡°Cool. See you there.¡± We dapped up before he scurried down the hall, leaving me to head for the entrance of the school alone. I looked around for Ashanti, but there were no signs of her anywhere.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Green grass and patterns of shrubs gave life to the small campus of Gold Eagle Academy, which sat at an intersection between multiple streets that led to different areas of Newburgh, New York. School buses were lined up and packed with students ready to go home, but being that my house was only five blocks away, I¡¯d usually just walk there. A little off campus, though, a flock of students stood outside the bodega where I¡¯d grab my morning sandwiches before school. Something was going down, and after getting closer, I realized what was up. Petty beef. CJ and Jasmine were being confronted by a group of dudes who I knew had gang ties. See, despite the two of them being in a relationship for a good year now, a video leaked that supposedly showed Jasmine having sex with one of the guys at the scene. I say supposedly because the face of the girl in the video is never shown, and it wasn¡¯t the golden-blonde hair, caramel skin, and slim figure matching Jasmine¡¯s appearance that led to speculation, but the flower tattoo on the girl¡¯s ankle in the video¡ªwhich was identical to Jasmines. ¡°We here now,¡± the guy who apparently slept with Jasmine said to CJ. ¡°You was doin¡¯ all that tough talk on social media. Wassup?¡± CJ stepped to him, the two now in each other¡¯s faces. ¡°What¡¯s poppin¡¯, then?¡± Just as CJ balled his right hand into a fist, two security guards from Gold Eagle Academy approached the crowd and demanded we all go home. ¡°Bunch of delinquents,¡± one of them called us. The students dispersed as the gang affiliates mocked CJ with laughter and walked away. Jasmine had told the whole school she wasn¡¯t the girl in the video¡ªand mostly everyone believed her¡ªbut going by CJ¡¯s rejection of her hand-holding gesture after everyone was gone, I knew he thought otherwise. This would¡¯ve been a typical day around here until I caught a glimpse of something very, very strange. A dark, almost pitch-black shroud had engulfed the body of the guy CJ was gonna fight. Within seconds, it vanished as if it was never there. My eyes squinted, thinking, nah, maybe I¡¯m tweakin¡¯ and caught a contact high from the dude smoking some strong stuff in fifth period. But no, that darkness was real. There was no denying it. Whatever was going down in the city had made its way here. ??? The clear view of the Hudson River meant I was entering the apartment complex where my mother and I resided. Because it was almost summer, the location was invaded by groundhogs and geese that walked alongside the concrete trails separating the fields of grass that surrounded the area. Down the hill was the Newburgh waterfront that not only supplied a relaxing, beautiful sight of the river, but came with a variety of restaurants stationed along the strip. Nearing my apartment unit, I dug into the pockets of my black basketball shorts and took out the keys to the door. Upon entering the champagne-colored home, I was pleasantly welcomed with the scent of a lavender fragrance. Mom sure loved her plugin air fresheners. While humming the tune of a song playing through my headphones, I made my way past the black sofa and TV in the living room to get to my bedroom. I was an only child, and my mom worked long hours as a home health aide, so most of my afternoons were spent chillin¡¯ in the house alone whenever Tory wasn¡¯t free to come by. So, with nothing else to do at the moment, I decided to get the music ready for CJ¡¯s party. My silver laptop on the black table in my room had all the programs necessary to mix up some heat. Knowing your audience is essential for making any good playlist, but I was doing this for the same group of party goers who only wanted to be wild, get drunk, and stay high, so I already had something prepared. It just needed some updating. The concept of blending different tracks and creating a euphoria of sound made me feel good. All I had was audio editing software and a microphone, but the process was a means of escape from the world I lived in after my dad had died from gang violence: A death I saw with my own eyes. That moment became a mental predator, chasing me every hour of every day in hopes of devouring my mind. Music was my protector in those times, blocking out the sound of the gunshot and shielding me from the assault that I could never truly run away from. To keep it simple, the whole thing was like fighting demons in my head. Those thoughts aside, the party playlist was finished after an hour of trimming and mixing tracks together. I turned everything off once it was done, but the sound of muffled music crept into my ears from somewhere. It wasn¡¯t coming from the wired earbuds connected to the laptop, nor was it playing from the wireless headphones synced to my cell phone, but from outside the apartment. I moved the brown curtains in my room to the side and peeked through the white blinds to see a black Rolls-Royce with tinted windows bumping 90s Hip-Hop in the complex. The music stopped just as a heavyset bald man with a bushy beard stepped out of the car. He made his way toward an apartment unit. Which one? Ashanti¡¯s place. To my surprise, she walked out of the house and approached the man before he could reach the door. The two began to converse, but I couldn¡¯t hear a damn word. What I saw next though made the hairs on my neck stand. The black shroud. The gloomy, straight-up horrifying shroud had returned, only it was surrounding the man this time and appeared much larger than before. What was going on¡ªI had no clue, but the man eventually walked inside Ashanti¡¯s place, easing my nerves enough for me to think clearly. I continued to peek out, not expecting what happened next: Ashanti looked up at my window. The second she did, I crouched down and hid behind the air conditioner in the vent below. ¡°Ain¡¯t no way she saw me,¡± I mumbled with my heart racing. ¡°Nah, no way.¡± I waited a minute before fully standing and looking out once more. Ashanti was gone, and I was left with so many questions. One thing was for certain, though, and it¡¯s exactly what I assumed earlier. Whatever was going down in the city had made its way here. Chapter 52 - House Party A power nap was the plan after hours of thinking about what I saw, but that decision ended up being a mistake. Not only had I overslept and woken up 15 minutes before CJ¡¯s party, but my mind fell victim to a nightmare: the same horror that preyed on me for years. It was always the same thing. A gun would be pointed low, the weapon unable to stay still due to the shaky hand of the wielder¡ªwhoever it was. There was never any clear view of the person. The gun would then fire, killing my dad. The bang and blurry scene of the murder would play over and over until I woke up in a cold sweat. What¡¯s worse is that the nightmare never goes away even after I open my eyes. It only fades into the background of my mind, still clawing into my thoughts and affecting my life. Only the sound of music grounded the beast in my head, and it¡¯s what I had been listening to at the edge of my bed for the past five minutes after awakening. The opening of my bedroom door made me pause the song. My mom entered the room wearing her work attire, which consisted of colorful scrubs and white sneakers. She narrowed her eyes at me before speaking. ¡°It was so quiet in here; I thought you were sleeping. Did you eat anything, Zayn?¡± ¡°No, but I got a party to get to real quick. I¡¯ll grab somethin¡¯ before I head out, though. How was work?¡± She scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s over with. That house is always hot as hell, too. I¡¯m going to get cleaned up and relax. Make sure you eat.¡± I never told my mom about the nightmares. Stupid, I know. I needed help, clearly. But I never asked for it, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I ever would. After she left the room, I looked at the messages on my phone from Tory and CJ asking where I was. I texted them both, omw, before hopping off the bed and going through the clothes in my closet to find an outfit. I decided on black jeans and a blue shirt to match my blue and black Nikes. The drip was crazy. With my laptop and microphone in my backpack, I left out of my room and grabbed an apple off the living room table before heading out the front door. CJ lived in The Heights, which was about a good fifteen, maybe twenty-minute walk from my place. There was no way I was gonna make it on time, but I hurried through the night streets with one question in mind. Was Ashanti gonna be there? ??? Arriving at CJ¡¯s house and entering the front door, the scene was exactly what I had expected it to be in the early hours of the party: quiet and civil. Yup, just a small crowd with simple conversations. That was all gonna change in a couple of hours, though. Especially now that I was there. ¡°¡®Bout damn time,¡± CJ greeted me with a dap as I walked into the living room. He had on a green shirt that almost matched the walls of the house. ¡°I was ¡®bout to have Marcus handle the music, and you know he be listening to trash.¡± ¡°Nah, he be bumping some cool tracks,¡± I told him. ¡°He listens to music that make you think, somethin¡¯ you ain¡¯t used to doin¡¯ ¡®cause you get by just from throwin¡¯ a football.¡± He laughed and nudged me on my arm with his fist. ¡°Yeah, aight. You got jokes. You ready to do your thing or what?¡± My nod led to us stepping over to the large speakers in the living room. The process of handling the music was simple, really. All I needed to do was connect my laptop to the sound system and let the tracks do their thing. My microphone was only used on rare occasions whenever I wanted to turn up the crowd. CJ would sometimes get wasted and blurt out garbage, too. So there¡¯s that. As I¡¯m setting up the equipment and surveying the few people that are in the house conversing, I noticed Jasmine wasn¡¯t there and decided to ask CJ about her. ¡°Your girl ain¡¯t here?¡± He looked away and answered, ¡°Nah.¡± Just as he did, a light-skinned chick with braids walked up to him and placed her hand on his arm with a smile. He continued, ¡°She¡¯s always busy, bro. It is what it is, you know?¡± I didn¡¯t know seeing as I¡¯ve never been in a relationship, but a shrug from me was enough for him to walk away with the girl on his arm. After getting the music started, the party got a lil¡¯ live with people going from moving their mouths to moving their bodies. As more students from Gold Eagle Academy came through, things only got more active with drugs and alcohol ready to come into the mix. ¡°Yo, Z. I need you over here for a minute.¡± Tory called out to me from the other side of the living room. He was sitting on a brown couch with a few boys from our school, one being Marcus, a student on the wrestling team who he loved to debate with. With the music doing all the work, I was free to walk over to them and participate in the conversation. Tory had turned his hat to the back, which meant he was in a serious mood. I wasn¡¯t surprised, though. These small disagreements with Marcus always got him heated for some reason. ¡°Bro,¡± he addressed me while looking at Marcus, ¡°this dude said pro wrestlin¡¯ is better than MMA. Can you believe that?¡± I chuckled and shrugged, trying not to get in the middle of it. Marcus sat up on the couch and matched Tory¡¯s intensity with a hard stare. ¡°Let¡¯s go on social media and ask the world which is more entertaining,¡± he suggested. ¡°You don¡¯t wanna do that, though.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°I don¡¯t need to do that ¡®cause I know I¡¯m right and you wrong,¡± Tory argued back. ¡°You buggin¡¯, my guy. This ain¡¯t no discussion.¡± Marcus waved him off and leaned back. ¡°Yeah, okay. All I know is, if I had to choose between being a pro wrestler or an MMA fighter, I¡¯m goin¡¯ with wrestlin¡¯ all day. That¡¯s my passion, so you can take your weak ass opinion somewhere else.¡± Tory, as usual, disagreed, and I listened to them banter for a while until it was time to make my way back over to the laptop. After sliding through a pack of smokers having a good time, I saw someone standing next to the speakers who made me freeze on the spot. She was in a position where I had to say something to her. ¡°Zayn, right? Are you in charge of the music?¡± Ashanti asked once I got over my cold feet and was close enough to hear her voice. This would be our first conversation ever, and I was nervous as hell. Words couldn¡¯t explain it. ¡°Y-Yeah, wassup?¡± I replied with a smile, praying my expression didn¡¯t make me look lame. She returned the gesture, giving me confidence. ¡°Cool, so you can play a song for me? It¡¯s my favorite right now, and I¡¯m tryin¡¯ to loosen up.¡± I was put in a dilemma after she told me the name of the song. I had the track she requested, but it was slower than what I had in rotation tonight, and I didn¡¯t wanna mess up the vibe just to satisfy her. I had to come up with something. Quick. ¡°Yeah, I got¡¯chu,¡± I told her. ¡°Lemme see what I can do.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said back, glancing at the blue headphones that covered my ears before looking back into my dark brown eyes. Man, this moment would¡¯ve been the highlight of my night if it hadn¡¯t put me in a predicament that could piss off the whole party. Thinking fast, I grabbed my microphone and said to the crowd, ¡°Aight, we gon¡¯ slow it down for a minute. Grab somebody close and make somethin¡¯ happen.¡± I got a couple of laughs and mocking comments in response, but my words must¡¯ve worked because everyone started to shift their movements with the change in sound when the song played. The flow wasn¡¯t disrupted, and if anything, the switch in tone gave people a better chance at having sex tonight. ¡°You wanna dance?¡± Ashanti asked, grabbing my hand with a gentle touch. She gestured her head to the middle of the room before I could reply. ¡°Come on.¡± We started to dance face to face, and I¡¯d be lying if I said I kept eye contact with her. My sight was on other parts of her body¡ªnot because I was admiring her curvy figure, but because of how nervous I got whenever I looked into her pretty brown eyes. After she smiled and slowly turned her back to me, keeping my composure only got harder. Literally. She started to grind on me while moving her body to the beat. The only thoughts in my head were, ¡®Don¡¯t poke her, don¡¯t poke her.¡¯ ¡®Damn, I¡¯m gonna wet my pants.¡¯ I was on another planet when the smell of her coconut shampoo filled my nose as she looked back at me with her hand caressing the side of my cheek. Her hips continued to dance along my pelvis in a rhythmic way that boggled my mind because I knew my ass couldn¡¯t dance, but she was in full control with my body in tune with hers. It was like we were the only two in the room. Just as I reached my high, the volume of the music went low due to the song fading out to its conclusion. Because the track wasn¡¯t originally in tonight¡¯s playlist, the jump to the next song didn¡¯t flow well with the transition going from slow and melodramatic, to fast and hardcore. It wasn¡¯t a problem though seeing as most were more into their conversations and substance consumption than what was playing. ¡°I should get back to the music,¡± I told Ashanti, walking backwards to my destination. I bumped into someone in the process, but all she did was chuckle and nod before disappearing into the crowd. Tonight was great, maybe even perfect, which is why something had to go wrong. It always does. There was a ruckus going on outside the house. When the voices got closer and more aggressive, I muted the music just before four guys walked inside the home. ¡°Where that punk at?¡± yelled a guy whose hair was tied in a ponytail. It was the same gang affiliate who CJ was about to fight earlier. Miguel was his name. CJ walked out of the back room with his shirt off as people started to remove themselves from the scene. He stood a good distance away from the group as I backed into one of the corners of the room, unable to grab my equipment and leave without drawing attention to myself. ¡°The hell y¡¯all want?¡± CJ questioned. Miguel laughed off his question as the other dudes kept a stern demeanor while eyeing CJ up and down. ¡°You know what it is,¡± Miguel replied. ¡°Ain¡¯t nobody here to stop us now. We already dropped some of your boys, so if you don¡¯t wanna take this outside and be laid out next to¡¯em, we can do this right here after I air this place out.¡± His words were followed with a lift of his shirt, revealing the gun tucked in his ripped jeans. The sight of it made more people scurry out of the house and caused my heart to skip a beat. My body was frozen in fear. I couldn¡¯t even think straight, let alone protect my own life if the gun went off. And that¡¯s what happened: the gun went off. Without warning or chance for CJ to respond, Miguel grabbed his gun and pulled the trigger. The sound of the weapon being fired in the air sent my mind to familiar territory¡ªa pit of torment and confusion. I began to hyperventilate in desperate need of escape. Why did this have to happen? Why couldn¡¯t I move? Why did I lose my will to survive because of a memory? I didn¡¯t wanna die. Not there. Not ever. Not when I still had a chance to live. In a last-ditch effort to reclaim myself, I reached into my pocket and took out my cell phone to hit play on a song. In doing so, the shackles of despair that chained my thoughts were broken. My mind was freed, but something else was released in the process. Something very, very unexplainable. A surge of energy shot through my body, taking over like a machine and controlling my functions. I couldn¡¯t hear what Miguel and his gang of thugs were saying due to the high volume of the music through my headphones, but their faces told a clearer story than words ever could. They were confused as to why the hell was I still standing there after the gunshot. When one of them approached with hostile intent, the sight of what baffled me earlier came into view: dark shrouds. They surrounded not only the guy ready to beat my ass, but Miguel and the two others behind him. The guy in my face threw a punch, which my body reacted to by dodging and countering with a hard strike from my own fist. I didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but the same action occurred once the other two thugs walked up to me and tried to swing. I knocked their asses out. What¡¯s more is that my movements were in sync with the beat of the song playing, and I could feel my body vibrating at a high frequency despite having no power over it. This moment was unbelievably satisfying, but I started to panic from not being in control and unable to hear my surroundings. Turn it off, I thought to myself. Turn it off. Turn it off. Somehow, someway, my cell phone reacted to my mental plea and shut off the music. I regained control, and everything would¡¯ve been okay had Miguel not pointed the gun in my direction. His puzzled expression gave me the chilling sense that he wanted me dead on the spot. I was going to die. That¡¯s if Ashanti didn¡¯t smash a bottle of alcohol against the back of Miguel¡¯s head. He dropped to the floor as she rushed toward me and started to check my shirt. What for, I had no idea. It¡¯s not like the gun went off. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked, holding the left side of her head with an agonized look on her face. ¡°Y-Yeah. Are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, just hurry home,¡± she demanded, backing away before running out of the house. My mind was blown from what transpired. I stood in the middle of the living room, distressed. It reminded me of my nightmares, only this wasn¡¯t a dream. This was real, and so were the demons. Chapter 53 - Bro Thinks Im Cappin I woke up in my room the next morning after Mom came in and said Tory was outside. He had called last night after he made it home to check if I was good, leading to me telling him everything that went down after the party was aired out. He didn¡¯t believe any of it of course, and who could blame him? It was something straight out of a movie. I threw on a T-shirt and some shorts just as he walked into my room with a look of doubt. ¡°I can¡¯t see it,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Ain¡¯t no way you KO¡¯d a whole squad. Absolutely not.¡± ¡°I told you what happened, aight? I can¡¯t make you believe me, but it really did happen.¡± ¡°Bro, you don¡¯t even have the reflexes to get through the first boss in Dark Souls, and you expect me to believe you was in there weavin¡¯ blows and droppin¡¯ dudes like John Wick? You trippin¡¯.¡± Whenever Tory had his mind made up, it was always hard to convince him otherwise. The only way to do that was proof, so I had an idea that would reveal the truth to him and maybe give me some answers as well. ¡°Let¡¯s ask Ashanti.¡± His face lit up with surprise, replying, ¡°Well damn, maybe you ain¡¯t cappin¡¯, ¡®cause I¡¯ve tried to get you to talk to her for days now, but you chicken out every time.¡± ¡°Whatever, bro.¡± I waved him off. ¡°Forget all that. Let¡¯s go ask her what¡¯s up.¡± I put on the first pair of sneakers closest to me and tried to walk out of my room, but Tory stopped me. ¡°I can¡¯t let you do this,¡± he said, standing in my way. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°As your best friend and future Best Man, I can¡¯t let you talk to the love of your life for the first time lookin¡¯ like this.¡± He gestured his hand up and down at my clothes, leading me to examine my stained and wrinkled attire. He had a point; I looked a hot mess. ¡°Aight, aight. I¡¯mma hop in the shower and throw on somethin¡¯ different. Stay here. I¡¯mma show you it was all real.¡± He laughed. ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± After about twenty, maybe thirty minutes of freshening up and putting on a better fit, I looked in the mirror mounted on my closet door and combed my fro while thinking about Ashanti. She had to have known something about last night because the way she ran off felt too suspicious.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. With my headphones now around my neck, I looked into the mirror one last time before Tory and I left out of the house and walked over to Ashanti¡¯s apartment unit. I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t nervous. I mean, yeah, we danced last night, but going over to her place felt more personal¡ªeven if I wasn¡¯t going inside. I approached the front door, sensing Tory¡¯s cheesy smile behind me. He was loving every second of this. ¡°Go ahead, bro. This a special moment,¡± he teased. I turned and mean-mugged him. He wasn¡¯t any kind of support. With a deep breath, I knocked on the door. Confidence had nothing to do with it, I assure you. My action came solely from the eagerness to learn more about what was happening. Oh, and to prove to Tory that I was right. Can¡¯t forget about that. A woman opened the door wearing a headscarf and a sundress. Her eyes swayed back and forth between me and Tory before asking, ¡°Are you two here to see my daughter?¡± I cleared my throat before answering. ¡°Ye¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Tory interrupted. He ogled Ashanti¡¯s mom as she turned around and walked inside the house with the front door open. ¡°Damn, you see all that ass, Z?¡± I didn¡¯t say anything back. I was too captivated by Ashanti, who stepped out right after. ¡°Um, hi?¡± she said, confused. ¡°You two were at the party last night, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied. ¡°So, I was wonderin¡¯ if you knew somethin¡¯¡­you know¡­what happened with those guys¡­and how I¡ª¡± ¡°What my boy tryin¡¯ to say is,¡± Tory jumped in yet again, ¡°do you know anythin¡¯ ¡®bout him havin¡¯ superpowers?¡± Her expression went blank before her brows furrowed and her eyes started to dance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know what y¡¯all talkin¡¯ ¡®bout.¡± B.S. Not only was I baffled and somewhat annoyed by her clueless act, but Tory¡¯s grin further raised my frustrations. ¡°I knew ya ass was cappin¡¯,¡± he laughed out. ¡°You don¡¯t remember hittin¡¯ that guy in the head with a bottle?¡± I questioned her. ¡°Or before that when I punched those dudes? They had these dark shrouds around them, and¡ª¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talkin¡¯ ¡®bout. Maybe you were wasted or somethin¡¯.¡± Bruh, what? Unbelievable. In a last-ditch effort, I blurted something out as she turned to walk back inside. ¡°What about the man who was in your house yesterday?¡± She stopped in her tracks. ¡°A shroud was surrounding him, too. You¡¯re tellin¡¯ me you don¡¯t know anythin¡¯ ¡®bout that?¡± Without looking to face me, she uttered in a low voice, ¡°Wait here.¡± She then walked back inside, leaving me and Tory confused. ¡°This is weird and annoying,¡± he complained, his smile fading away. ¡°Like, what¡¯s the deal? Someone gimme the truth.¡± ¡°I already did.¡± He sighed with a shrug just as Ashanti came back out with her cell phone in hand. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m gonna go get the rest of the groceries for dinner tomorrow,¡± she called out into the house before closing the front door and locking it. She then looked at me and said, ¡°I¡¯m calling a cab to the supercenter. I was being secretive to avoid gettin¡¯ you more involved, but since you obviously know what¡¯s up, hop in with me and we¡¯ll talk about it on the way there.¡± ¡°Hold up,¡± Tory began, ¡°you¡¯re tellin¡¯ me all this crazy stuff is real? Like, seriously, this isn¡¯t some weak joke? This shroud and superpower mess is legit?¡± She locked eyes with him and confirmed the ultimate speculation. ¡°Yes. Demons exist, and they¡¯re controlling everyone around us.¡± Chapter 54 - Know You Better Tory, Ashanti, and I walked inside the supercenter, which had sections for anything you could imagine. On our way there, Ashanti told me and Tory that she too can see the shrouds, but only when something bad was about to happen. Oh, and that she can rewind time. Apparently. ¡°Z got shot and died, so you reversed time to save him?¡± Tory asked Ashanti as I helped her pull out a shopping cart from the rows of them stuck together. ¡°That¡¯s cap. Like, you really claimin¡¯ to be a superhero right now.¡± ¡°Boy, I ain¡¯t no superhero. I can only go back like three seconds. Not to mention the crazy migraine on the left side of my head afterwards. Doing it more than once in a short period of time is a no-no. My head would probably explode.¡± Ashanti pushed the cart toward the food isles as me and Tory followed beside her. Various dumbfounded expressions took turns morphing his face while she explained what happened last night. ¡°After that guy fired the gun in the air, I hid behind the couch in case somethin¡¯ happened that needed to be reversed.¡± She looked at me and continued. ¡°That¡¯s when you stepped up and took most of them out before getting shot in the head.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s when you used your superpower.¡± I stared into her eyes from the realization that she truly saved my life, and it only made my feelings for her grow even more. I believed every word she said. Tory on the other hand couldn¡¯t have been more out of the moment. He paced around with exaggerated gestures of astonishment and disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I¡¯mma check out the electronics section and see if any games are on sale. I need to get back to reality, ¡®cause this, what we talkin¡¯ ¡®bout, ain¡¯t reality. I¡¯m gone, bro.¡± Ashanti smiled as he departed our view. ¡°Since when are video games reality?¡± ¡°To him, they¡¯re everything,¡± I answered, smiling. We walked further into the supercenter where the frozen foods were stocked. My courage to speak dwindled now that Tory wasn¡¯t around, but the urge to get to know her better couldn¡¯t be contained. ¡°So, what made you and your mom move up here?¡± She chuckled while putting three packs of chicken wings in the cart. ¡°How ¡®bout you answer a question of mine first, and then I¡¯ll answer yours.¡± Uh-oh. ¡°How and when did you see the bald man goin¡¯ into my house?¡± Damn. I knew she¡¯d ask that. ¡°Aight, so you see¡­I was passing by, right? And then I saw you¡­and then I saw him¡­and¡­¡± She repeatedly said ¡®uh-huh¡¯ as I tried to come up with something on the spot. Clearly there was no point in lying. ¡°Okay, so I was lookin¡¯ out the window yesterday and saw both of you talkin¡¯. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That sounds about right. Why didn¡¯t you just say that?¡± she questioned with a smile. ¡°Unless you were spying on me.¡± Laughing, I jumped to defend myself. ¡°Wait, how? The guy was parked outside your house before you even came out.¡± Amused, she laughed as well while pushing the cart into another isle and picking up more things. ¡°I¡¯m just messin¡¯ with you. As for your question, honestly, there were a lot of things that led to me and my mom moving here. Being followed was one of them.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The topic made her upbeat and poised demeanor disappear. Going on about it seemed like a bad idea, but she continued with the subject. ¡°It started when me and my mom were walking home late from my cousin¡¯s house. Ironically enough, we were talkin¡¯ ¡®bout how badly we needed a car. But anyways, we passed by a bad street hoping everything would be cool when someone snatched my mom¡¯s purse from her and ran off. We chased after the person, but things only got worse from there.¡± Seeing the sadness in her eyes, I interrupted and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep goin¡¯. Let¡¯s talk about somethin¡¯ else.¡± She shook her head and placed a can of yams in the cart. ¡°So, we cornered the person, right? A young dude, maybe in his early twenties? Didn¡¯t get a good look at his face, but he attacked us and ended up killin¡¯ my mom. I remember cryin¡¯, just beggin¡¯ for her life back and for that moment to have never happened. Seconds later, I found myself in this weird, almost d¨¦j¨¤ vu position where my mom didn¡¯t get hit yet, so I pulled her away before the guy struck her. The whole thing was so confusing, but I¡¯m glad I saved my mom.¡± Taken aback by her story, the movement of my legs shut down as my mind could only focus on the horror she had to endure. Watching her walk ahead and grab ingredients off the shelves, I saw someone who I could relate to. Someone who could understand me. But what were we, exactly? And what caused us to have these capabilities brought about from death and despair? ¡°You don¡¯t wanna hear the rest?¡± she turned around a few feet away and asked. ¡°Y-Yeah. Aight.¡± We sat down on the bench near the restrooms before she continued. ¡°So yeah, me and my mom ran away and went to the police station. I was freakin¡¯ out while explaining to the cops what happened, but of course they didn¡¯t believe me, obviously¡ªespecially when I told them about somethin¡¯ I forgot to mention to you.¡± ¡°What did you leave out?¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°The shroud. I saw it after I reversed time. It was consuming the attacker¡¯s body, like takin¡¯ over him or whatever. I can¡¯t explain, but it made the whole situation feel even worse.¡± I nodded with my eyes glued to the white floor. Her experience seeing the shroud was similar to mine whenever it appeared. ¡°The cops were dicks,¡± she said. ¡°They laughed and claimed they¡¯d look for the guy who stole my mom¡¯s purse, but all that came after were these men in black suits following us wherever we went. After a while, we couldn¡¯t deal with it anymore, so here I am now.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± The word escaped my lips. ¡°Any signs they followed you here?¡± ¡°No, and I take different routes every time I go somewhere, regardless of how long it¡¯ll take me to get from A to B. I¡¯m not tryin¡¯ to bring any attention to myself.¡± Well, that explained why she¡¯d always be late for school in the morning despite leaving out before me. I just had one more question to ask. ¡°About that bald man,¡± she scoffed at the mentioning of him, ¡°did you know he had a giant shroud surrounding him?¡± ¡°Not until you told me, no. It¡¯s weird you were able to see it around him but I couldn¡¯t. Maybe I can only see it when somethin¡¯ bad is about to happen? I always caught a bad vibe from him, though, so I believe you.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± I felt compelled to know. ¡°My mom¡¯s boyfriend. He¡¯s the reason why she was able to find a place to live up here and escape the city, so I can¡¯t complain about him too much. He¡¯s supposedly some big shot businessman who she bumped into in the Bronx. He kept tryin¡¯ to get her to move up here because this is where he lives, but I wasn¡¯t feelin¡¯ it until what happened with the shroud. So, we basically used his offer as a way to leave Harlem.¡± Man, did she have a crazy life. I wasn¡¯t sure what to say next, so a moment of awkward silence followed until my cell phone vibrated. It was a message from Tory. Where yall at? Did u get her number yet?¡± I texted back, Nah we just talkin. We outside the restrooms over by the registers. Ashanti turned to me. ¡°I¡¯mma go pay for this stuff now so we can get outta here.¡± ¡°Yeah, cool.¡± We walked to the registers, but as usual, hardly any employees were there at the checkout counters, causing long lines of people to wait for the only two that were available. Ashanti pushed the cart over to self-checkout, but that was packed as well, leading her to groan and complain. While waiting, I caught a glimpse of something terrifying. Maybe I¡¯m just remembering last night, I thought. But no, it was here. The shroud had resurfaced, cloaking an elderly man¡¯s body in darkness. Something bad was about to happen. Something really bad. Chapter 55 - Icebreaker The shroud veiling the elderly man¡¯s body began to grow larger, its sinister presence unknown to everyone in the supercenter. ¡°A-Ashanti, do you see it?¡± I asked her. ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± she answered. ¡°Must mean somethin¡¯ bad is gonna happen if I can see it too. What do we do?¡± The man growled before he went on a tirade about the price of an item, causing those waiting in line to back away from him. His menacing voice became deeper and more eerie with each word, and I was certain we were witnessing the shroud¡¯s influence firsthand. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any damn sense,¡± he hollered. ¡°The sign says it¡¯s on sale, so why the hell is this place still charging so much for an air conditioner? Companies and the government don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about us. They only care about money with these ridiculous prices and taxes on top of that.¡± Tory walked up to us and asked, ¡°Yo, why that old dude trippin¡¯¡¯?¡± ¡°He¡¯s being controlled by the shroud,¡± Ashanti answered him. ¡°Somethin¡¯ bad is gonna happen.¡± Tory narrowed his eyes and examined the man. ¡°Shroud? I don¡¯t see nothin¡¯. All I hear is an angry white man gettin¡¯ mad over taxes. To be fair, taxes are like microtransactions, so I hate¡¯em too.¡± ¡°Bro, what?¡± I said to Tory. ¡°This ain¡¯t a joke.¡± A female employee and a security guard approached the elderly man. ¡°Excuse me,¡± the female employee began, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to ask you to leave. You¡¯re causing a disturbance in the store.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± the man replied loudly with a glare. ¡°Maybe a ruckus is needed to get those corporate assholes to listen to our demands. I am a senior citizen in desperate need of an AC. This heat is killing me, and all I want is to be comfortable in my own home. I want to feel good in the cold. Why can¡¯t I have that? Give me that.¡± The man shouting in the woman¡¯s face caused the guard to step in. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s time to go. I¡¯ll escort you to¡ª¡± Like the rest of us in the store, the security guard froze at the sudden decrease in temperature and the trail of ice forming underneath the man¡¯s feet toward the different sections of the building. The glistening frost on the floor suddenly cracked open just as our mouths did to unleash horrid screams from the icicle shards magically shooting toward us. His desire for cold was manifested. How? Ashanti and I pushed past those running from the frozen projectiles and slid on the frozen floor to hide behind a checkout counter. ¡°Where¡¯s Tory?¡± I shouted over the wails of pain from those being pierced around us. ¡°Over there,¡± she yelled back, pointing at the apparel section across from where we were hidden. He was crouched down, hiding behind a small shelf full of clothes. I locked eyes with him through the crowd of people sprinting for their lives. ¡°What the hell is this, bro?¡± he called out to me. ¡°We¡¯re gonna die.¡± His words must¡¯ve been a beacon for the winds of death because a bone-chilling gust blew its way through the doors of the supercenter. The air removed the stacks of clothing he used for cover, forcing Tory to run for his life at the sight of ice shards launching toward him. Seeing him flee in fear, I stood up to chase after him, but Ashanti pushed me aside and bolted in his direction before my feet could even move. If this was any other moment, I¡¯d question if she ran track before moving here. But now was not the time; they were both in serious danger. I followed behind her through the chaos and saw Tory use everything from clothes racks, bookshelves, and other means of defense to shield himself from the flying daggers of ice. His efforts to survive seemed pointless, though, as more frozen needles rapidly manifested. ¡°Watch out,¡± I shouted, spotting a couple of shards darting toward him. Ashanti leaped on top of him and took the blow as the two fell to the floor, her white T-shirt soaking in blood from a shard that grazed the side of her abdomen.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Dammit,¡± she cried out, rolling her body off him. Her screams only got louder as Tory helped her to remove the shard before grabbing a sweater off the ground and applying pressure to the open wound. I rushed to their aid and stretched my arms out to protect them from further harm, but the ice levitating in the air flew away just as sparks came down from the ceiling. Only the sunlight from outside the building and the glistening ice of the frozen interior created a glow in the now darkened supercenter. ¡°Turn back time,¡± I urged Ashanti. ¡°I already did.¡± The lump in my throat was heavy at her response. ¡°To save your friend.¡± The elderly man made his away over to us with the sound of crushed ice crackling on the floor. I looked over at Tory in desperation. ¡°Take Ashanti and hide somewhere.¡± Whether it was out of fear or from the cold, his mouth shook. ¡°Y-Yeah. Okay.¡± Tory pulled Ashanti aside on the icy floor while I braced myself to confront the elderly man. We were only a few feet away from each other, but his dark, overbearing presence made it feel like he was right on top of me. ¡°You kids are the only ones left,¡± he said in a demonic voice. That alone made me wanna cower away. ¡°What are you gonna do, huh? Try to come at me? You¡¯ll end up like everyone else.¡± Looking around at the dead bodies with gaping holes in them, he was probably right, but I had no other choice but to put my headphones over my ears, pray for a miracle, and fight. Please work, I begged in my mind before hitting play on a song. Seeing the shroud circulate around the man, I knew my wish was granted the instant a jolt shot through my body and objects began to vibrate. This man ain¡¯t know what he was in for, but I was ready to show him. Charging in with a clumsy punch because of how slippery the floor was, my fist failed to connect with his jaw due to a brick of ice manifesting in front of him to block the hit. I had more control over my actions this time around, but I couldn¡¯t get used to an unexplainable force assisting my movements so aggressively. Looking at my red knuckles, I held back my cries of pain to avoid showing weakness. That scream was soon let out once the man countered with a blow to my chest that slid me back against a wooden shelf. I wasn¡¯t gonna go down without a fight. I needed to go harder. Seeing him step forward with his hands behind his back, I stood still and waited for his attack to avoid losing balance like last time. What helped was the hard-hitting bass and emphatic voice of the rapper on the chorus, which somehow made me feel stronger and capable of delivering a punch that shook the area once the man was in striking distance. He flew across the supercenter on impact and out of view, giving me time to take a breather. Turning around to look at Tory hiding with Ashanti, I could see his mouth moving with a panicked expression, but his words were inaudible because of the music playing in my ears. I was afraid of taking off my headphones out of fear of losing my power, and that decision to keep them on saved my life once I turned back around and saw several icy daggers shooting toward me. A twist of my body helped to evade two of the blades, but not the third that penetrated my left arm. The man reentered the scene with a toothless smile. His mouth opened wider for what I assumed was devilish laughter overpowering my hollers of agony. What the hell do I need to do to beat this guy? My desperate thoughts grew the second the song ended. What now? The situation was not looking up for me as I pulled the sharp weapon out of my arm and saw blood drip onto the glittering surface. The man¡¯s lips moved as frozen daggers manifested above him with each of the blades pointing in my direction. At this point, I thought it was all over for me, but the next track in my shuffled list of songs played, and a calm, euphoric sensation swirled in my chest before flowing into my arms and legs. When the R&B vocals whispered into my ears, the slow tempo somehow relaxed my nerves despite the dread of what¡¯s to come. No matter the danger, my body was ready to embrace it. The daggers fired like torpedoes, and though my teeth were clenched in anticipation, my legs were nimble and looser than they¡¯ve ever been. Something about the soft melody of the song made me feel lighter than the rap music that gave me strength. With such agility, my body swayed left and right to evade the daggers as I slid across the supercenter like a figure skater. Watching his icy weapons shatter after failing to hit their mark, the man summoned a brick of ice in front of him in preparation for my attack. Sucks for him that I was already expecting his defense and dashed behind him with style to deliver a punch with my uninjured hand. He fell to the ground face-first, and just like that, he was out cold; but the shroud was more active than ever. It circled the man¡¯s body like a tornado, possibly trying to revive him and take control once again. At the sight of it, my hands started to vibrate before my arms extended out on their own to release a shockwave toward the shroud. The force sent the dark entity into a frenzy until it shrieked and fled the building. The ice consuming the supercenter rapidly melted away afterward. It was over. Finally. Removing my headphones, I sat on the floor in exhaustion while looking over at Tory. Man were we relieved, but we ain¡¯t have time to celebrate. Ashanti needed to get to the hospital. ¡°Let¡¯s go, bro,¡± Tory urged, coming over to help me to my feet. ¡°We need to get outta here.¡± We both carried Ashanti outside, where numerous cops and EMTs pulled up in front of the supercenter. Our lives were forever changed after this incident. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing remained to be seen. Chapter 56 - Real Talk Waking up the next day was rough with my arm still in pain from the frozen blade piercing my skin. Ashanti was able to return home from the hospital with only a few stiches, but Tory¡ªthough uninjured¡ªwas the most impacted by the events that unfolded. I walked out of my room holding my bandaged arm to see my mom sitting at the table in the living room. She held her head in her palm with a frown on her face. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m good. What about you, though?¡± She looked me in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not good, Zayn. That man who attacked you and killed all of those people was the person I¡¯ve been taking care of for the past two years.¡± My jaw dropped. ¡°You serious?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious. What I don¡¯t understand is why he did it. He had anger issues, yes, but he never wanted to hurt anyone. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± I decided not to tell my mom or the police what really happened at the supercenter. Being followed everywhere like Ashanti was not a life I wanted to live. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± she asked, standing out of her seat. ¡°I¡¯m about to start the beef stew.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good. I got plans to eat somewhere else.¡± Last night before leaving the hospital, Ashanti¡¯s mother invited me and Tory over for Sunday dinner as a thank you for saving her daughter. The thought was appreciated, but I wasn¡¯t sure if Tory was up for it. ¡°Alright,¡± my mom replied, grabbing her cell phone off the table. ¡°Have fun, but be safe. I¡¯m going to call the agency and see if they have another case open. Rent is due in two weeks, and I may have to use our little bit of savings if there¡¯s no work available.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get somethin¡¯, Mom. Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± She put the phone to her ear and looked away. I hated the feeling of us struggling, but it was like this sometimes, even if my mom kept steady work. It was almost frustrating enough to consider looking for a job to help out. Stepping out of the house, I decided to head over to Tory¡¯s spot first. He lived in the projects to the left of the complex with his older brother, Darius. Other than Tory being shorter and having a lighter complexion, the two looked the same, almost twins even. But that¡¯s where the similarities end because their lifestyles couldn¡¯t be more different. Walking into the yellow brick building that was dimly lit, me and the security guard gave each other a nod before I made my way up the stairs to the second floor where Tory lived. The front door was unlocked¡ªI had texted him five minutes prior to say I was coming through. A faint smell of weed permeated the air after stepping inside, which led me to believe that Darius was either home or recently left out. Only I occupied the tan living room until Tory walked out of his bedroom. ¡°What¡¯s good, bro,¡± he greeted me with a dap while avoiding eye contact. I could tell he wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°I¡¯m cool. You good?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m straight. Been tryin¡¯ to process everything that went down yesterday, you know? But it¡¯s whatever. Let me do one more round of Street Fighter and I¡¯ll be ready to go.¡± We went into his room where posters of video game characters were plastered on the walls. I sat at the edge of his bed while he took a seat in the gaming chair in front of his TV and computer monitor.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hey, can I ask you somethin¡¯ real quick?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± He sat quietly for a moment before questioning, ¡°You think chaos is the only way to make change? Like if people don¡¯t hear you, is violence the only way to get their attention?¡± His words had me stuck. I knew his mind was on something serious, but I wasn¡¯t expecting this. ¡°To be honest, bro, I don¡¯t know how to answer that. Sometimes, it do be feelin¡¯ like words ain¡¯t enough. But I don¡¯t know if violence is the answer after that. It gotta be somethin¡¯ else you can do to be seen and heard besides chaos.¡± ¡°Cool, cool,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m just asking ¡®cause that old head said a lot while you two were fightin¡¯. The part about our voices being silenced and only destruction can create change kinda hit me. I mean, I ain¡¯t really believe him, but sometimes, it does feel that way, you know? It¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Yeah, I feel you.¡± Tory was shaken up by the incident more than I realized, and it was clear the old man had a strong, negative influence on him. The right things to say wasn¡¯t flying out my mouth at the time to change that, so I decided to chill back and listen to my music while hoping the game would have a positive effect on him. ¡°This¡¯ll only take a couple minutes,¡± he told me, choosing his fighter. He said minutes, but trust me when I say it only took a couple of seconds. I felt bad for ¡®Ray631¡¯, the player who went up against Tory online. Before the opening hook of the song playing through my headphones could finish, Ray631 got his ass whooped. Looking at the health bar of Tory¡¯s fighter, his opponent didn¡¯t land a single hit. Perfect. ¡°That was fast as hell,¡± I exclaimed while hitting pause on my phone to stop the music. Tory went by the name ¡®PlotArmor69¡¯ online, and for good reason: he¡¯d never lose. ¡°Crazy how you countered his move and hit¡¯em with an endless combo.¡± He turned off the game console and got out the chair. ¡°Yeah, at least I¡¯m good at defending myself in a game, you know? Can¡¯t say the same for real life.¡± ¡°What¡¯chu mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, like, I feel powerless, bro. I got you and Ashanti hurt ¡®cause I couldn¡¯t do anythin¡¯. I should be dead, and it feel like I cheated death; like I¡¯m not even supposed to be here right now.¡± I got up and told him, ¡°Nah, don¡¯t even think like that. You would¡¯ve done the same thing for me or her, and I know that for a fact. You ¡®pose to be here just like I am.¡± He looked away with a face full of doubt. ¡°You sure ¡®bout that? Cause if Ashanti ain¡¯t use her crazy time manipulation powers, I wouldn¡¯t be here. This ain¡¯t how life was supposed to go.¡± Seeing him feel some way about this, I had to get real for a minute. No more waiting on the perfect words to speak. ¡°You should be happy you¡¯re still alive. You know how many people out here dying who had big dreams but couldn¡¯t achieve¡¯em? You still here, bro. You could be somethin¡¯ special. You already ahead of the game¡ªyou got thousands of people watching and following you. They see somethin¡¯ in you. If you not gonna live for yourself or even for me, do it for them.¡± He looked down at the wooden floor near his collection of sneakers before nodding and dapping me. ¡°Thanks, bro. I appreciate that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good. We not gonna waste this chance at life.¡± ¡°You right,¡± he replied as we walked out of his room. ¡°Aight, let¡¯s go see your girl.¡± I laughed. ¡°She ain¡¯t my girl.¡± On our way out of the front door, a whole goon squad stampeded inside the apartment with Tory¡¯s brother, Darius, leading the pack. He wore a tank top that showed off his tatted arm sleeves. ¡°Yo, where y¡¯all goin¡¯?¡± he demanded to know. ¡°To a friend¡¯s house,¡± Tory answered, already walking with me out of the front door. We heard Darius¡¯s voice from the apartment hallway. ¡°Ay, Baby T, come back here.¡± Tory sighed and turned back around. He hated when his brother called him that. ¡°What?¡± he sneered at Darius, who glared back at him like he was gonna knock his head off. ¡°Watch the way you speak to me.¡± He put his finger in Tory¡¯s face and sized him up. ¡°Now I heard about what went down at CJ¡¯s crib. That better not be who y¡¯all goin¡¯ to hang with.¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s somebody else,¡± I said on Tory¡¯s behalf, who was giving Darius a dirty look. ¡°Aight, ¡®cause them boys he beefin¡¯ with are the opps. We don¡¯t mess with them. They see you,¡± he pointed at Tory, ¡°and they might try somethin¡¯ to get to me. So stay away from them, you hear me?¡± ¡°Clear,¡± Tory replied under his breath. Darius dug into the pockets of his jeans as the crew he came in with started throwing bags of weed on the living room table. He took out two twenty-dollar bills. ¡°Take this in case y¡¯all need somethin¡¯.¡± Tory scoffed. ¡°We good. Let¡¯s go, Z.¡± We walked out of the apartment and left the conversation at that. Thing is, Tory didn¡¯t hate his brother. It was the total opposite of that, in fact. What he did hate was the gang and drug activity that Darius was involved in, especially after their parents died in a home invasion a few years back. The thought of losing his brother to some street mess made Tory distance himself from Darius, despite the reality that his brother¡¯s lifestyle was the main source of income keeping a roof over their heads. Maybe someday, those two will get on the right track. Together. Chapter 57 - Bruh, Dont Kill My Vibe Back in the complex, Tory and I knocked on Ashanti¡¯s door and waited for her to open it. When she did, we were taken aback by her surprised expression. ¡°Hey,¡± she said cheerfully. The gauze and adhesive tape covering her abdomen were visible through her yellow shirt. ¡°I thought you guys weren¡¯t comin¡¯.¡± Confused, I asked, ¡°Why¡¯d you think that?¡± ¡°¡®Cause I saw you passing by my house a little while ago to go to the projects, so I figured you had other plans.¡± A grin forced its way onto my face. ¡°Oh, so you were spying on me this time?¡± She couldn¡¯t hold back a smile herself. ¡°Wow. No, I was just lookin¡¯ out the window.¡± She started twisting a strand of her braid around her finger. Tory cringed next to me. ¡°Damn, I¡¯mma have to deal with this all my life? Z, why¡¯d you have to find your soulmate so young, bro? Now you tied down and we can¡¯t play video games ¡®til four in the mornin¡¯ anymore.¡± Ashanti entertained his joke with a giggle, but I could tell she wasn¡¯t feeling his words by her subtle eye roll. She looked back at him once he took a step forward and relaxed his facial features. ¡°On the real though,¡± he began, ¡°I wanna thank you for saving my life yesterday. You forever cool in my book. If you need somethin¡¯ and I can make it happen, just lemme know.¡± ¡°I appreciate that,¡± she replied. ¡°Dinner isn¡¯t ready yet, but I got somethin¡¯ I wanna show you two. Come in.¡± The smell of soul food blessed our noses as we walked inside the house and past the kitchen where Ashanti¡¯s mom was cooking. Both Tory and I said hello before entering Ashanti¡¯s room. ¡°Leave the door open,¡± her mom shouted over the jazz music playing throughout the house. My mom also loved to cook with the music on, so the vibe was similar. If were being honest, I never been in a girl¡¯s room before. My belief of them being some colorful, over-the-top spot was quickly debunked after looking around. From the plain pink sheets on her bed, to the white walls and curtains¡ªeverything about her room was normal and chill. Well, maybe except for the huge TV mounted on the wall above a small dresser. That thing had to be 70" inches at least. ¡°Close the door,¡± she said after sitting on her bed and opening her laptop. Recalling what her mom just said, I had to ask, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we leave it open?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯d rather my mom not pass by and hear or see what I¡¯m about to show you. It would scare her.¡± Tory shrugged and closed the door before we sat by Ashanti and observed her laptop screen. The image on display was the outside parking lot of the supercenter, where multiple EMT trucks and police cars were stationed around dozens of injured people being carried out of the building. It must¡¯ve been the aftermath of the incident yesterday. ¡°There.¡± Ashanti pointed at a man in the photo wearing a black suit. ¡°And the guy next to him wearing the same thing. Those are two of the men who were after me and my mom in Harlem.¡± Looking closer at the men in the picture, both appeared to be discussing something with police officers. ¡°You think they know you¡¯re here in Newburgh?¡± I inquired.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. She hunched her shoulders with a worried expression. ¡°No clue, but I hope not.¡± ¡°Zayn filled me in on everything with you,¡± Tory said to Ashanti. ¡°And to be honest, the whole thing sounds scary as hell. You think these guys after you and your mom work for some secret society that controls the police? Wait, wait¡ªwhat if they brainwash people with powers into fighting the shrouds? Because that¡¯d be cool as hell.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯d be cool to be brainwashed?¡± Ashanti questioned with an obvious fake smile on her face. ¡°Anyways, I know nothing about these guys, but check this out.¡± She opened another tab on her internet browser that showed her DMs on social media, where of course a stream of desperate dudes flooded her inbox with weak ass messages. Funny enough, there were no replies until Ashanti scrolled down to someone named Ciara. ¡°Who¡¯s that? She bad,¡± Tory said while staring at the girl¡¯s profile pic. She was brown skinned with glasses rockin¡¯ a frohawk with braids on the side. ¡°That¡¯s my best friend from Harlem,¡± she told us with joy. ¡°We used to run track together before I moved up here. Her cousin was gunned down by police in the Bronx at a school called Ravenvale High. The media reported it as another angry Black kid who was out of control and had to be put down, but Ciara figured somethin¡¯ else had to be up ¡®cause her cousin wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly.¡± ¡°I heard about that,¡± Tory acknowledged. ¡°Yeah, that influencer, Candice Forever, was also involved.¡± ¡°Yeah, you right. So, Ciara has been investigating the incident out of justice and love for her cousin. Eventually, she discovered that these shrouds making people go crazy are called Shadows.¡± ¡°Shadows?¡± I asked. ¡°Uh-huh. She hasn¡¯t been able to get a lot of info, but supposedly, these Shadows are demons that corrupt human minds and force people into using their superpowers for bad things. How people are gettin¡¯ these powers to begin with, I have no idea. They seem to come from somethin¡¯ we really want and feel, or from desperate needs.¡± Answers turned into questions as we sat and processed the information. None of us could believe what was happening. It was almost too magical and frightening to be real. ¡°Uh, so where my powers at?¡± Tory questioned out of the blue. Both Ashanti and I looked at him with no real way to respond. Just silence and shrugs. The shout of her mom outside the room shattered the awkward moment. ¡°Ashanti, get the door.¡± Ashanti closed her laptop and said to us, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s all act normal and pretend we don¡¯t know about any of this. We can¡¯t tell anyone.¡± The three of us came to an agreement before leaving out of the room and walking to the front door of the house. Remember when I said all of this was too scary to be real? Well, that fear gave me a rude awakening once Ashanti turned the knob. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± I had expected those words to stumble out of my mouth from the sudden presence of the bald man and the towering Shadow behind him, but it was Tory who voiced his shock of the man¡¯s arrival. The man glanced at Tory before addressing Ashanti with a deep voice. ¡°How are you, princess?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that,¡± she replied in disgust. ¡°You ain¡¯t no king, either.¡± The man guffawed before walking past us to enter the kitchen, where Ashanti¡¯s mom was putting food on the plates. My eyes widened as I trembled from the cold, dreadful pressure of the demon treading past my body. It was almost too much to bear. ¡°T-Tory,¡± I managed to breathe out once the creature was further into the house. ¡°How do you know that g¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, you came.¡± Ashanti¡¯s greeting of the next person at the door silenced my curiosity. ¡°Marcus?¡± I said in disbelief. ¡°What¡¯chu doing here?¡± ¡°I invited him,¡± Ashanti answered for him. ¡°He asked me out at the party Friday, and we were supposed to go out last night, but you already know what happened.¡± She smiled and rubbed her side where she had been injured. ¡°So, I invited him earlier today to come by and have Sunday dinner with us.¡± Really? Why? ¡°Hey, y¡¯all good?¡± he asked me and Tory while taking off his hat to reveal his freshly cut fade. ¡°Yesterday must¡¯ve been scary.¡± ¡°Yeah, we good,¡± Tory replied. ¡°But you kinda killin¡¯ the vibe, bro. My boy here tryin¡¯ to make moves.¡± Damn, he really put me on the spot. ¡°Huh? What¡¯chu mean?¡± Marcus questioned. ¡°Make moves? You mean on Ash¡ª¡± Before a scene was made and everything blew up in my face, Ashanti¡¯s mom called out that the food was ready. Sighing in relief, I made my way over to the dinner table in the living room with the others. This feast was gonna be a nightmare, and I¡¯m not even counting the demon standing behind the bald man¡¯s chair as he took his seat. What in the hell did I get myself into? Chapter 58 - Dinner Wit A Demon In front of me were black-eyed peas, yams, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, and best of all, fried chicken. Sounds like heaven, except I looked up from my plate and saw a man who could¡¯ve been the embodiment of Satan sitting across from me at the long dinner table. ¡°So.¡± The bass in his voice demanded everyone¡¯s attention with just a simple word. ¡°Ashanti, how are you enjoying the TV?¡± ¡°Um, it¡¯s just a TV,¡± she replied, sitting next to Marcus of all people. Remind me why this dude was here again? Ashanti¡¯s mom cleared her throat next to the man before saying, ¡°She loves it, Lorenzo.¡± She then glared at her daughter, who looked down at her plate and continued eating. Most of the feast was quiet, which made the demon standing behind this Lorenzo guy even more unsettling. It stood tall with a beastly physical structure that was covered in a dark shroud. Its eyes glowed crimson red with a hollow mouth that was opened just enough to believe that it was smiling. Not to mention this thing was standing eerily motionless right now. Truly something of nightmares. ¡°Kids,¡± Ashanti¡¯s mom broke the silence, ¡°are you all doing well in school?¡± We nodded, which lead to a set of follow-up questions. ¡°Anyone have plans for the summer? Are some of you graduating?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Marcus announced. ¡°I got a full scholarship into Penn State University with the intention of being a part of the amateur wrestlin¡¯ team. My real goal though is to be a professional wrestler like on TV, so a lot of times I¡¯m drivin¡¯ long hours to different independent shows and performin¡¯ for small crowds. Tryin¡¯ to get my foot in the door, you know?¡± This dude. Real talk, I had nothing but love for Marcus. He was a chill guy and hung out with me and Tory plenty of times. But right now, he was making everything hard for me. Here he is, voicing his accomplishments and dreams while I have no achievements to my name. What was I gonna say if Ashanti¡¯s mom decided to ask¡ª ¡°And what about you two?¡± Dammit. ¡°I¡¯m gonna play video games all summer,¡± Tory answered, causing Ashanti¡¯s mom to furrow her brows. Her reaction led to him elaborating. ¡°See, I¡¯m affiliated with a digital platform that I use to stream online for thousands of people around the world. Sometimes, I even get donations from those viewers, which can range from different amounts like twenty, to fifty, to even hundreds of dollars. It¡¯s cool enjoying my hobby while makin¡¯ money, so I plan on doing that most of the summer and gettin¡¯ more popular.¡± Thanks, bro. Add on to the pressure. The frown on the face of Ashanti¡¯s mom turned upside down after Tory¡¯s explanation. She then looked at me. ¡°And you?¡± I picked up my glass of soda in hopes of stalling until I came up with something good to say. With all eyes on me and very little drink remaining to gulp down, any points I had with Ashanti were about to be gone. From hero to zero. But out of nowhere, and I mean completely unexpected, Tory came through with the save. ¡°Ma¡¯am, my boy right here is something special. You should see him every Friday night DJ¡¯ing for the hottest parties in Da Burgh. And he only sixteen.¡± He voiced that last part with extra enthusiasm. ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°I co-sign that,¡± Ashanti said. Marcus also nodded. The support was real. Ashanti¡¯s mom smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad all of you are so ambitious. My daughter can learn a thing or two from you guys.¡± Ashanti rolled her eyes in response before her mother continued. ¡°I hope you¡¯re all enjoying the food. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The second she got out of her chair and walked away, Lorenzo looked at me with an intense stare. ¡°Were you perhaps DJ¡¯ing a party in The Heights two days ago? I heard it ended in a shooting.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. I stumbled to reply, but Tory jumped in. ¡°We weren¡¯t there.¡± Now why would he say that? Something was up. Lorenzo grinned, and I could¡¯ve sworn the demon twitched for a split second. ¡°It¡¯s good to hear none of you were involved. Mixing yourselves with gang violence is a recipe for disaster. You all have such bright futures, and it would be a shame to see that light blackened for making enemies with the wrong people.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir,¡± Marcus said, sitting up straight in his seat as if he was trying to impress the man or something. ¡°We¡¯re not just some kids from the hood. We¡¯re striving to be more than the stereotypes that society places on us.¡± Ugh. I felt what he was saying, but did he have to be such a suck-up about it? He was trying way too hard to get on Lorenzo¡¯s good side. ¡°I¡¯m pleased to hear that,¡± Lorenzo replied to Marcus before addressing the whole table. ¡°You¡¯re all a part of something bigger: a machine capable of changing the world. If one cog fails, the design falters, leaving us to rot and crumble.¡± Ashanti mumbled, ¡°Here he goes,¡± as me and Tory gave each other a confused look. Neither of us understood what the hell he was talking about. He continued, ¡°I pray you all make something of yourselves. The plan must always be to function as a unit. This applies to all our brothers and sisters. We will take control of the system.¡± His analogy of machines and people was weird and off-putting. It clearly had a deeper meaning, but I didn¡¯t care enough to figure it out. Ashanti must¡¯ve felt the same because she huffed and said, ¡°So anyways, last week when my period came on, let me tell you: it hurt like hell.¡± Tory snorted and tried to cover it up by folding his lips. Marcus¡¯s eyes widened just before he looked down at his plate. Ashanti¡¯s words ain¡¯t bother me, though. My mom would send me to the store for all kinds of healthcare products. The only other person who didn¡¯t find Ashanti¡¯s comment amusing or embarrassing was Lorenzo, who looked at her with a deadpan expression. The two stared at one another in awkward silence until Ashanti cracked and rolled her eyes, saying, ¡°I¡¯m gonna check on my mother. Zayn, could you come with me?¡± I jumped at the chance, but Marcus stood up as well and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go, too. Y¡¯all might need an extra hand.¡± Tory shouted, ¡°Hold up, Marcus. Did you see the new PlayStation exclusive that¡¯s comin¡¯ out? It¡¯s gon¡¯ be crazy.¡± Marcus, seemingly triggered, narrowed his eyes as he tilted his head to the side and sat back down. ¡°Okay? I¡¯ve been playing so many games on Xbox, I probably missed it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, bro. It would be a shame to miss this one.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for their console war to begin, giving me the opportunity to slip away with Ashanti to the kitchen. The smell of peach cobbler smacked me in the face upon entering, and boy did I love it. ¡°We¡¯re here to help,¡± Ashanti said to her mother. ¡°Oh, perfect. The tray is very hot, so grab the oven mitts and hold it from underneath. There¡¯s also a dish towel one of you can use. I¡¯ll see you both back in there.¡± Her mom walked away, leaving the two of us alone. I could hear Tory¡¯s voice in my head urging me to make a move, but starting a conversation off light was the best choice. ¡°Man, your mom cooked for an army,¡± I said, grabbing the dish towel. She smiled. ¡°Tell me about it. She¡¯d always cook for the whole block and bring the leftovers down to the shelter.¡± She moved closer to me. ¡°Anyways, though, I wanted you to come in here with me so I can ask you somethin¡¯.¡± The gravitating aroma of her perfume was now competing with the mouth-watering smell of the dessert. ¡°Y-Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Lorenzo. Is the shroud, or Shadow more specifically, here with him?¡± ¡°It is. The thing is just standin¡¯ behind him lookin¡¯ scary as hell. I couldn¡¯t even enjoy the food as much as I wanted to ¡®cause I had to concentrate on not making eye contact with it.¡± She sighed while putting on the oven mitts. ¡°I hate this. Who knows what that thing could make him do. My mom could be in serious danger being around him. We have to do somethin¡¯.¡± I shared her concerns. Hell, even without the Shadow, Lorenzo oozed evil. Something about him wasn¡¯t right. ¡°You¡¯re right, Shanti,¡± I agreed, voicing the nickname out of comfort. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be dirt on him or somethin¡¯. It seemed like Tory knew who he was. Maybe we can ask him.¡± She nodded in worry. ¡°Okay.¡± The two of us picked up the large tray of peach cobbler and headed back out toward the dinner table, where Lorenzo showed emotion for once and appeared anxious for dessert. We went over to his seat to serve him when suddenly, just as I was about to place his portion on the plate, the demon behind him stretched its arm out in my direction, causing me to flinch and lose my grip on the tray. Somehow, though, Lorenzo grabbed the tray with his bare hands before the peach cobbler could spill over. Let me remind you: the tray was really hot. ¡°Careful there, son,¡± he said to me, unfazed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want this to go to waste, would you?¡± ¡°R-Right.¡± After serving everyone and sitting back in my seat, I looked over at Ashanti, whose wide-eyed glance let me know she also caught wind of what happened. ¡°Eat up, everyone. There¡¯s more,¡± her mother announced. Tory seemed to have lost his appetite, though. ¡°What¡¯s up? Why you ain¡¯t eating?¡± I asked him. ¡°That guy.¡± He looked down at his plate to avoid suspicion. ¡°He¡¯s not normal.¡± ¡°You noticed?¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. You two must¡¯ve had your hands covered for a reason, but there¡¯s something else you need to know.¡± The peach cobbler in my mouth went down my throat hard in anticipation. If only I could stomach his next words. ¡°That man is Lorenzo Crowe. He runs a construction company and a real estate firm, but all of that is a cover-up, bro. His real business is operating the Silicon Cogs, one of the largest gangs around. In the streets, he goes by one name. And that name is Mr. Payne.¡± Chapter 59 - High School Woes I dreamt of familiar territory: an empty, foggy setting occupied by invisible people and hollow voices. That is, until the demon manifested. That demon being a gun held by a hooded figure. The words of my dad trying to reconcile with the individual were distorted and faded, with only cries of a child being coherent. If only those screams could stop the gunshot that followed. The blast of the weapon woke me out of my nightmare and into a hyperventilating reality. My first sight was the chalkboard in a vacant classroom before I saw my headphones around my neck. I placed them on my ears and took deep breaths, letting the music sink in. It took about two minutes before I returned to normal. Tory poked his head into the room just as I paused the song. ¡°Yo, you good, Z? What¡¯chu still doin¡¯ sittin¡¯ here? Class ¡®bout to start next door.¡± ¡°Yeah, hol¡¯ up. I¡¯m comin¡¯.¡± Tory went on ahead while I got out my seat and walked into the hallway. Marcus stopped me before I could step into the classroom next door. ¡°Hey, Zayn. You seen Ashanti today?¡± ¡°Nah, actually. It¡¯s weird since I always spot her in the mornin¡¯.¡± He looked a little worried. ¡°Yeah, same. I was ¡®pose to drive her home from school, but I ain¡¯t seen her all day. I tried textin¡¯ her and¡ª¡± ¡°You got her number?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you? I mean, what¡¯chu thought I only hit her up on social media?¡± He laughed after his question, annoying me to the max. I was getting too caught up in my feelings about him and her getting close, where I should¡¯ve been more concerned about Ashanti¡¯s whereabouts. Did those men in black find her? I needed to know. ¡°Aight, well, let her know I¡¯m looking for her if you see her,¡± he said, putting his hand out for a dap. ¡°Yeah, I got¡¯chu.¡± We dapped and separated, with him walking down the hall and me stepping into the classroom. Inside, a small group of students were surrounding Tory, who had been wearing a new pair of red and white sneakers that recently came out. ¡°Those drippy as hell, cuh,¡± one of the students said louder than the others gassing Tory up. Not everyone was feeling his drip, though, as another student decided to question the rest of his attire. ¡°Why you got on a blue shirt with them shoes, though? What¡¯chu gettin¡¯ ready for, the Fourth of July?¡± Others, including Tory, laughed at the student¡¯s joke. A roast session was inevitable.Stolen story; please report. ¡°Bruh, I know you ain¡¯t tryin¡¯ to clown me with that ketchup and mustard outfit you got on,¡± Tory clapped back. ¡°Ol¡¯ hotdog lookin¡¯ ass. The hell was you thinkin¡¯ in the mornin¡¯ when you got dressed?¡± Everyone was enjoying the back and forth as it went on for a minute or two, but the vibe in the room shifted once CJ stormed in with some of his football buddies like a pack of bloodthirsty hounds. ¡°Where them lames at?¡± he questioned the senior drug dealer sitting in the back of the class, who appeared high as hell and couldn¡¯t comprehend the question. ¡°I know you roll with those pussies who run up in my house Friday night.¡± The guy looked up at CJ with a half-smile. Dude was clearly stoned and high off his own supply, which is crazy seeing as he was probably only a year older than me. He slurred his words with a sluggish demeanor. ¡°Ion know what¡¯chu talm ¡®bout, blood.¡± CJ snatched him out of his seat and pinned him against the bookshelf in the room. ¡°Stop playin¡¯ with me. Where they at?¡± Everyone else in the room watched with some pulling out their cell phones to record the interrogation. The drug dealer laughed before saying, ¡°Aight, I¡¯m gon¡¯ tell you if you lemme go. Damn.¡± CJ, however, kept his grip and sneered with gritted teeth. It wasn¡¯t until Jasmine walked in the room seconds later and demanded he let go that the heat in the room simmered. ¡°You ain¡¯t have to do all that,¡± the dealer complained. ¡°But aight, they¡¯d be in The Heights ¡®til ¡®round four or five today. You tryin¡¯ to get some bullet holes in ya whole team, that¡¯s on you, bro. Just don¡¯t tell¡¯em I gave the spot up, ya heard?¡± To be honest, everything about this was messy. I could understand CJ¡¯s pride was broken after what happened, but the dudes him and his pack wanted to go to war with had guns. CJ and the other players may have been fit and strong, but none of that matters when a glock is pointed at you. ¡°You really doin¡¯ this?¡± I questioned CJ. ¡°Throwin¡¯ ya whole life away over some stupid beef? What about playin¡¯ college football next year?¡± He approached me. ¡°You realize they in my hood, right? I ain¡¯t gonna be disrespected. That¡¯s my hood.¡± ¡°Bro, forget all that nonsense. Why you blowin¡¯ your chances over this? Let it slide.¡± He backed up and waved me off. ¡°You ain¡¯t ¡®bout this life, Zayn. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± Jasmine shook her head in disgust before sitting at her desk. ¡°You¡¯re so damn stupid.¡± ¡°What?¡± CJ cupped his hand over his ear. ¡°I thought a hoe said somethin¡¯.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jasmine jumped out her seat and got in CJ¡¯s face. ¡°What did you call me? What the hell is wrong with you?¡± CJ turned his head away from her. ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ wrong with me. You the reason I¡¯m in this situation in the first place. All ¡®cause you out here being a thot.¡± Jasmine¡¯s sudden slap swung CJ¡¯s face in her direction. ¡°We¡¯re done.¡± She then marched out of the room past the teacher, who was walking inside with his usual mean-mug. ¡°Sit down, everyone,¡± the teacher demanded, his face appearing even uglier with speech. We did as we were told, with Tory asking the male student who sits next to me if they could swap seats for the day. He obliged, and Tory took out his textbook before whispering to me. ¡°We gotta help CJ.¡± We? He continued, ¡°You told me those thugs had Shadows on them at the party, right? They might have some wild powers like that old dude. We gotta back CJ and the squad up.¡± Again, we? Despite the danger, I was gonna go with CJ and the football team, but Tory being there was a problem. He was a liability, as much as I hated to admit. ¡°You really wanna be there?¡± I had to ask him. ¡°You said it yourself, bro. It¡¯s gonna get wild. You could get hurt.¡± His lips pursed as he turned to the front of the room. ¡°Yeah. Right. Never mind. I must¡¯ve got caught up in the moment and forgot I can¡¯t do nothin¡¯.¡± I was just looking out for him, and he needed to know that, but the teacher glared at us for some reason as if he was finally ready to do his damn job. I stayed quiet for the remainder of the class with thoughts of what could go wrong once the bell rung. This wasn¡¯t gonna be a happy afternoon. Chapter 60 - We Dem Boyz CJ¡¯s crew and I moved through the urban blocks like hyenas craving our next meal. Younger kids and their parents eyed us as we flooded the streets seven deep in search of our prey. If I were on the outside looking in, only one thought would cross my mind: Them boys ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ to play with. CJ was surprised I came with them, but on the real, this affiliation ain¡¯t sit right with me. I didn¡¯t wanna be seen as a violent person, nor was it in my blood to hurt anyone despite having the power to. We passed by a pizza shop and some rundown houses until we turned a corner and spotted Miguel talking to two thugs outside a front yard. We halted and watched from a distance as they made illegal exchanges. Both parties soon separated with Miguel walking inside the home and the thugs hopping inside a car before driving off. ¡°They trappin¡¯ out that house,¡± CJ acknowledged. ¡°I say we catch¡¯em off guard and lay¡¯em out.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we call the police?¡± I asked. ¡°We could get their whole spot raided.¡± ¡°Nah, that ain¡¯t enough. They need to get what¡¯s comin¡¯ to them.¡± Jasmine was right; this guy¡¯s stupid as hell. ¡°Ain¡¯t no comin¡¯ back from this,¡± I told him. ¡°And you know they gonna retaliate, right?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s make sure they don¡¯t.¡± CJ revealed the gun in his hoodie, much to the dismay of my mental state. Even his crew looked hesitant at the sight of the weapon. ¡°Damn, I ain¡¯t know we were killin¡¯ dudes,¡± one of them said. ¡°I¡¯m wit¡¯chu, bro, but¡¯cha beef ain¡¯t worth life in prison.¡± ¡°My beef?¡± CJ raised his voice, but not enough to attract attention. ¡°This ¡®bout all of us. The Cogs been causin¡¯ problems ¡®round here since we were in junior high. If we¡¯re gonna graduate and leave this place behind us, let¡¯s leave it better than we found it. You feel me?¡± Hyping his squad up for action reminded me why CJ was the captain of the football team, but this wasn¡¯t a game. Somebody was gonna get shot, or worse. He uttered one last phrase before the ambush: ¡°Kill or be killed.¡± CJ and his crew rushed toward the house and jumped the fence with me following behind nervously. We crept our way to the back door, only to be intercepted by a gang member who was probably the lookout. ¡°Yo, what the¡ª¡± CJ¡¯s crew manhandled the guy before he could say another word, but the ruckus alerted the other gang members inside. This was it: the confrontation we all should¡¯ve been afraid of. The gang members stepped out of the house with language as foul as the stench of drugs coming from their clothes. A brawl ensued between the two groups, and though I couldn¡¯t detect the presence of an evil entity, the hate and agony around me was just as unbearable. Why couldn¡¯t we make peace? Stop the petty beef and move on with our lives? Unfortunately, my thoughts of wanting serenity left me blindsided by the dangers around me, as a hard strike to the back of my head caused my body to fall face-first to the ground. With the taste of dirt on my lips, the sight of grass overcame my vision before I turned on my back and saw the assailant: Miguel. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, the headphones on my neck were knocked off due to his attack. Without them, what was I gonna do? ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t recognize you?¡± he questioned while pointing his gun at me. My throat tightened as I looked up at him in fear. ¡°Yeah, you that punk who caught my homies off guard the other night. Yo ass would be dead if one of your soft ass friends didn¡¯t whack me in the back of the head like a punk.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. I glanced over at my headphones on the ground in hopes of saving myself, but that only ended up being a mistake. Miguel caught a glimpse of my eye movement and walked over to them¡ªlaughing just before doing the unthinkable. ¡°You won¡¯t need these anymore.¡± He stomped repeatedly on the headphones until they were broken beyond repair. The rage and desperation in me wanted to charge at him, but the gun pointed directly at me forced my hesitation. I couldn¡¯t do anything. Not without getting myself killed. Looking around, CJ and his boys were getting pummeled. Not only that, but we were clearly outnumbered. This confrontation was worse than expected. Miguel glared and bit his bottom lip, aiming the gun at my face. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± And just when I thought his words were true, he was knocked to the ground by a tackle from someone. That someone was Tory. ¡°You good, bro?¡± he mouthed with heavy breaths, helping me to stand. ¡°Yea, I¡¯m good. I¡¯m good.¡± My eyes landed on Miguel¡¯s gun in the grass that was knocked out of his hand from the impact. ¡°Get the gun.¡± CJ must¡¯ve heard my shout, because he separated from tussling with a gang member and raced with Miguel to grab the gun. Unfortunately for us, the opposition retrieved the weapon. Miguel knocked CJ upside the head with the handle of the gun, leaving him dazed and open for more pistol-whipping until he fell to the ground, unconscious. Both Tory and I tried to run to his aid but were immediately held down by two large gang members. We could do nothing as Miguel let off two rounds at CJ¡¯s arm. The same arm he used for throwing a football. My body stiffened with overbearing, twisted thoughts in my head. It was hard to concentrate on anything but breathing, but I could hear Miguel saying, ¡°That boy future is done.¡± He laughed and continued, ¡°Now for the rest of these fools.¡± He shot one of CJ¡¯s friends in the chest, increasing my anguish. The Shadows now made their presence known to me, but without my power, there was nothing I could do about them. All hope seemed lost. ¡°Hol¡¯ up a sec,¡± Miguel said, approaching me and Tory as we tried to escape the grasps of the much bigger gang members. ¡°Yeah, the one who hit me that night¡­ It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± My eyes widened at the stomach-turning sight of Miguel raising the gun to Tory¡¯s head. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t him,¡± I hollered, struggling even more to release myself. ¡°No, please. No. It wasn¡¯t him that night.¡± ¡°Nah, don¡¯t give me that. He¡¯s your best friend, ain¡¯t he? He saved you today, and he saved you then. Give it to me straight before I blow your head off first.¡± I cried, pleading for Tory¡¯s innocence and for us to be set free. Tears rolled down his cheek as well, but his face was of anger and frustration. ¡°Go on and do it,¡± Tory sneered, surprising Miguel. ¡°I¡¯m tired of livin¡¯ in fear and being surrounded with so much hate. Look at how we treat each other, and people like you who gang up with others to do this type of stuff are the problem. You took my mom and dad away¡­ You¡¯re slowly takin¡¯ my brother away. All I ever wanted to do was play video games, but if I had one wish, it would be to get rid of demons like you.¡± His words meant nothing to Miguel, who showed no remorse and ordered the gang member holding Tory to throw him to the ground. I tried even harder to break free from the firm grip keeping me in place after seeing my best friend at the mercy of this heartless human being. No, human being was the wrong term. Miguel was a monster. ¡°Lights out,¡± he muttered to Tory, who was on his knees. The image alone disrupted my senses so much that the sound of Miguel pulling the trigger didn¡¯t even register in my mind. All I knew was that it happened¡ªhe shot someone¡ªjust as he would normally do. Only this time, the outcome was anything but ordinary. The bullet didn¡¯t hit Tory, but the foot of the gang member who was behind him. Believe it or not, Tory was standing a few feet away, unharmed and astonished. Miguel shouted, ¡°What the hell?¡± over the wailing of the gang member who got shot. He fired at Tory once more and missed his target again due to Tory dashing away in the blink of an eye. This action was repeated until Miguel ran out of bullets, and I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes for one second. Tory was moving at the speed of sound. Something straight out of a video game. The hold around my neck and arm was released before the gang member behind me declared, ¡°I¡¯ll get him.¡± He then rushed toward Tory, who looked petrified despite being the last person out here in danger. Instead of moving, Tory planted his feet on the ground as if he were waiting to counter the bull of a man. To his and everyone else¡¯s surprise, Tory¡¯s arm raised in the direction of the charging gang member just before his fist released a shot of blue energy. Actual freakin¡¯ energy. The blast was so powerful, it sent the gang member flying backwards in the air, crashing into the window of the trap house. Bruh. What the hell? The wide eyes and silence of everyone in the yard told a voiceless story of true fear and shock. The sirens of police cars added to the anxiety and tension of the tale. Everyone fled the scene, including Miguel, whose angry, vengeful expression assured us we haven¡¯t seen the last of him. ¡°What about CJ?¡± I yelled out to Tory, who had already started running. ¡°The cops will take care of him, bro. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go.¡± I glanced at CJ¡¯s seemingly lifeless body on the ground before scampering off with Tory. As expected, the worst of the worst happened today, and I had a feeling the nightmare would only continue from here on out. Chapter 61 - In Too Deep Tory and I hid in the hallway of his apartment building and talked about what went down. We were trying to stay low-key in case the cops or Miguel¡¯s gang were after us, but Tory couldn¡¯t contain the satisfaction of finally awakening his ability. ¡°But did you see me out there, bro?¡± he exulted. We dapped and bumped shoulders, smiling and laughing loudly. ¡°Those were abilities of video game characters. I¡¯m freakin¡¯ lit.¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. You gonna have to hold it down for us until I get another pair of headphones. With my mom out of work, I don¡¯t know when that¡¯s gonna be.¡± He placed his hand on my shoulder. ¡°I got¡¯chu. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Why were you at the scene, anyway?¡± I had to ask. ¡°Like, you know I appreciate you being there and saving my life, but I told you back in class how real it was gonna get. You could¡¯ve died.¡± He sat down on the hallway stairs and leaned back, appearing in deep thought before saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t let you get hurt, bro. You know when my house got broken into the night I lost my parents, I froze. I didn¡¯t protect my family. So fast forward to now and thinkin¡¯ ¡®bout that, I had to do somethin¡¯.¡± I sat next to him. ¡°That moment still in your head, huh?¡± He looked at me and nodded. ¡°I go through it just like you, bro. Fightin¡¯ demons and all that. And I remember my brother coming into my room a few days later to tell me he took care of the guys who broke in¡ªthat I didn¡¯t need to worry about them anymore. After that, though, I started gettin¡¯ into fights with bullies at school. You remember them days, right?¡± ¡°You mean when you put that dude to sleep for stealing a kid¡¯s phone?¡± I recalled, smiling. ¡°Yeah, I remember that.¡± He laughed. ¡°Wild times. I was always so mad at the world until I started to channel that energy into video games. Playin¡¯ online gave me a whole different outlook on life. Like it changed me for the better. And I try to understand those who do bad stuff for survival, but people like Miguel who do evil things just for the fun of it¡­they make me so angry. You know what I mean?¡± I looked at him and said, ¡°A hundred percent.¡± And that¡¯s when it hit me. ¡°Let¡¯s use our powers to clean up this place. We can stop the violence and separate the good people from the bad, ¡®cause not every gang member doin¡¯ dirt out here is a bad person.¡± ¡°You right, and I agree. Yeah, let¡¯s make some changes. Positive vibes only, bro. We can do this.¡± We nodded in agreement. Our goal was set. After some time of talking about the future, I looked down the staircase out of caution. We were on the floor below Tory¡¯s apartment. ¡°Aight, everything looks clear,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna head home.¡± ¡°Cool. Be safe.¡± We dapped before going our separate ways. Thoughts of Ashanti came to mind with wonders of why she wasn¡¯t in school. I needed to check on her, but my momma came first. I had to head home and see if she was doing alright. After exiting Tory¡¯s apartment building and walking into the complex, I opened my front door and was hit with a surprise: Ashanti¡¯s mother was sitting at the living room table with my mom, both with a look of defeat. ¡°Um, hey. Everything okay?¡± ¡°No,¡± my mom answered me. ¡°Ashanti didn¡¯t come home from school and isn¡¯t answering her cell phone. Her mother came here because she figured Ashanti was with you and Tory.¡± ¡°So, she did leave out in the morning.¡± My thoughts slithered out before I addressed the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I didn¡¯t see her in school today. I thought maybe she stayed home or somethin¡¯¡ªto rest from her injuries and all that.¡± My words caused Ashanti¡¯s mother to look away in more distress. She must¡¯ve been thinking the worst. ¡°Have you contacted local authorities for assistance?¡± my mom asked her. She was hesitant to respond, but replied with, ¡°I have.¡± She then got out of her seat and said, ¡°Well, thank you both for everything. Please let me know if you hear from her.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. She left out of the house in a hurry, leaving me and my mom perplexed. It was obvious to me that she didn¡¯t reach out to the police for help. She wouldn¡¯t wanna bring attention to herself and her daughter. ¡°I¡¯m gonna hit up some people to see if they saw her,¡± I told my mom, heading toward my room. ¡°Wait,¡± she called out, stopping me in my tracks. ¡°Why are your clothes so dirty?¡± Damn. ¡°I was, um, playing football with the guys.¡± Her brows raised in doubt. ¡°Zayn Campbell, the only things you¡¯ve ever played were music and video games. Suddenly now you play football?¡± I hunched my shoulders with a grin and said, ¡°I¡¯m switchin¡¯ it up,¡± before escaping into my room and shutting the door. She¡¯d go crazy if she knew what really happened. Opening my laptop, my immediate plan was to browse through the social media pages of Gold Eagle Academy students and contact them regarding Ashanti. It was awkward to say the least; most of these people I¡¯ve never talked to in my life, which is why I messaged Tory to help out by having him ask about her whereabouts as well. He was way more popular than me. Unfortunately, after two or so hours of questioning the whole damn school, we got nothing. Zero results. No leads, and no idea of what to do next. We couldn¡¯t even go outside and search for her because Miguel and his boys were probably looking for us. Hell, even the cops might have been on the lookout. There were no options. ¡°Dammit,¡± I muttered, failing backwards on top of my black sheets and looking up at the white ceiling. A heap of air exhaled from my mouth as my legs hung off the bed, swinging back and forth in frustration. I was eager to do something¡ªanything just to find her. I started to doze off until it hit me: ¡°Ciara.¡± My upper body shot up to grab my laptop and go to Ashanti¡¯s social media page. I browsed through her list of followers until I came across Ciara, who I messaged right away regarding Ashanti¡¯s location. I prayed for an instant reply, and thankfully, my wish came true. She texted my cell number, which I had left in her inbox. Hi, can we video chat? My heart raced a bit as I texted back, Yea no problem. The video call started, and the look of worry in her eyes through her glasses immediately snatched my attention and never let go. ¡°Hi, nice to meet, uh, see you,¡± she said, trying to force a smile through her apprehension. ¡°Yeah, same. So uh, have you heard from Ashanti today?¡± ¡°I have,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Early this mornin¡¯. I¡¯ve actually been searchin¡¯ for you through her list of followers ¡®cause she told me you¡¯re filled in on everything that¡¯s been happenin¡¯, but I couldn¡¯t find you.¡± I scratched the back of my head and looked away. ¡°Yeah, we didn¡¯t follow each other yet.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay. So anyway, we were video chattin¡¯ while she was walkin¡¯ to school when I noticed she started to pick up her pace. I asked if she was in a hurry, and she said yeah, but then she started runnin¡¯ in a panic, so I knew somethin¡¯ was wrong. She eventually dropped her phone and the call ended. That was the last I heard from her.¡± Dammit. The most logical assumption was that she got caught by those men in black suits. Regardless, Ashanti¡¯s strong. She¡¯d never give up without a fight. ¡°Would she still be on the run?¡± I wondered out loud before looking back at my phone. ¡°What all do you know about the men after her?¡± ¡°I know they¡¯re a part of a government organization that kidnaps and kills people with magical abilities, especially those who have been involved with creatures called Shadows. They¡¯re very secretive and discreet, so they¡¯re not gonna cause a scene by snatchin¡¯ her up in broad daylight. They¡¯d most likely hold her hostage somewhere until nighttime, and then bring her to their base of operations, wherever that may be.¡± I sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta do somethin¡¯. She¡¯s out there somewhere, and I need to save her.¡± She nodded, appearing concerned. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll investigate further into this group and see if there¡¯s more I can find. Please keep me updated, Zayn.¡± ¡°Definitely. Thanks, Ciara.¡± Hearing what they might do to Ashanti, I couldn¡¯t sit inside any longer. I had to go out and search for her despite who might be looking for me. Thankfully, my mom was in her room across from mine with the door closed, so I was able to sneak by and avoid having to come up with some story for why I was leaving out on a school night. Unfortunately, I was spotted outside my home by none other than Lorenzo¡ªor Mr. Payne, who walked over to me from Ashanti¡¯s house with his hands in the pants pockets of his dark brown suit. His Shadow wasn¡¯t present, but that didn¡¯t make the sudden confrontation any less nerve-racking. ¡°Zayn, correct? And where might you be going at this hour?¡± Something told me there was no point in lying. ¡°To find Ashanti, sir. I¡¯m sure you know she¡¯s missin¡¯.¡± His mouth narrowed at my response. ¡°Right. I see. Zayn, you don¡¯t need to concern yourself with that matter. My associates already found her, and I was just on my way to pick her up.¡± His words caught me off guard¡ªso much that I paused for a few seconds to reply, ¡°Hold on, where is she? And by associates, you mean the goons who work for you, don¡¯t you? You operate most of the gang activity that goes on around here.¡± Maybe that wasn¡¯t the best response, because his heavy sigh as he looked to the ground caused me to back away in fear. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was gonna hit me or retaliate with his Shadow somehow. ¡°Come on,¡± he simply said, walking to his car while gesturing his hand for me to follow. ¡°Nah, I ain¡¯t goin¡¯ nowhere with you.¡± He got into the driver seat of his car and closed the door before lowering the window and replying, ¡°You want to be there when we free Ashanti from our suppressors, am I right? Then come along before it¡¯s too late.¡± Our suppressors? What the hell? With hesitation, I got in the passenger seat of his car and strapped the seat belt on. We took off with haste soon after, uncertain of what¡¯s to come once we reached our destination. Chapter 62 - Power & Respect Lorenzo parked his car by a hotel building near an airport. Were the men in black who kidnapped Ashanti planning on transporting her by flight to one of their torture chambers? The thought of it made me angry and disturbed. ¡°Stand outside the car and don¡¯t move,¡± Lorenzo said in a serious tone before a sly grin slid across his face. What was he scheming? I stepped out of the vehicle feeling a warm breeze as tall trees danced in the wind around the hotel. Only the light from the building lobby gave a small radiance to my surrounding¡ªwhich was eerily silent and void of any people despite there being a few vehicles stationed within the vicinity. The anticipation of whatever was gonna do down made me tremble. Out the hotel came three men in black, with one walking closely behind Ashanti. I wanted to rush in so bad and snatch her from their grasp, but the absence of my power and an overbearing sensation kept me locked in position. Lorenzo stopped the men and greeted them before they could reach the black truck parked in the lot. ¡°In a hurry, are we?¡± The men refused to acknowledge him until Ashanti called out my name after locking eyes with me. They stopped and stared at me and Lorenzo, assessing the situation. ¡°Move along,¡± one of them demanded with a wave of his hand. ¡°We have no business with you.¡± ¡°See, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong,¡± Lorenzo retorted in a cocky manner. ¡°When it comes to my people, it is my business.¡± With a raise of his index finger, Lorenzo called forth a horde of gang members in hiding, with some jumping out of the cars in the lot and others running up from around the corners of the building with guns in hand. Something about how robotic-like their movements were and how well-orchestrated the ambush was made me feel like he was actually controlling them. The men in black panicked as Lorenzo stepped toward them. ¡°Now, three things are gonna happen,¡± he said. ¡°One: you¡¯re gonna hand the young lady over to me.¡± The men groaned before the one behind Ashanti nudged her to walk forward. She used the opportunity to run past Lorenzo and into my arms. Words couldn¡¯t explain how good it felt to have her safe and embracing me. ¡°Two: my associates will put down their weapons.¡± He raised his fist in the air, which led to the gang members lowing their guns in sync. Something strange was definitely going on here. ¡°And three: you fine gentlemen will fight me.¡± What? He was dead serious. Without a care in the world, he removed his jacket and placed it on the hood of his car before rolling up his sleeves and facing the men. The whole thing was surreal. ¡°Are you insane?¡± one of the men questioned him. ¡°We are here under official government orders. You have no business interfering with our objective.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. The government. A system that has disregarded and long forgotten about those you see before you. Officials would rather we struggle and kill ourselves than provide guidance, funding, or assistance in helping us achieve our dreams. Well, I say it¡¯s time for a change, and it starts by me showing you who has the power now.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Lorenzo straight up punched one of the men in the face and knocked him out cold, causing the two others to brace themselves in shock and dread. ¡°Come on,¡± Lorenzo urged with excitement. ¡°Make me feel alive.¡± One of the men accepted his challenge as the crowd of gang members looked on. He attempted a defensive technique by gripping onto Lorenzo¡¯s arm, but it was pointless as Mr. Payne was too strong to restrain. Realizing he had to resort to force, the man in black delivered a couple of blows to Lorenzo¡¯s face and body, who stood there without even trying to defend himself. It was almost as if he wanted to get hit repeatedly. Finally, Lorenzo struck back with a hard right, leaving the man dazed before lifting him off his feet and slamming him to the ground. Mind you, these men in black were not scrawny at all, so watching Lorenzo toss the man¡¯s body on the concrete with ease left me more terrified of him than ever before. The sudden sound of a gunshot pulled me away from his display of strength and sent my mind into a frenzy. I soon realized that the third man in black had shot Lorenzo in the arm, but no one except me and Ashanti seemed fazed by the weapon. If anything, Lorenzo appeared disappointed. ¡°What a shame,¡± he said so nonchalantly, looking at his bleeding injury. The guy literally got shot and is acting like it¡¯s nothing. What is he? He approached the man in black, who shook from fright and dropped his gun. Lorenzo grabbed the man and was prepared to strike until he realized the gunshot had alerted the people inside the hotel. They looked out of their windows in apprehension, with some ready to record the action with their cell phones in hand. ¡°You let me down,¡± Lorenzo said to the man, releasing his grip. ¡°Just like those in your position have always done. It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he turned his head to look at me, ¡°I think I got my point across.¡± Without receiving a voice command, the gang members stampeded toward the defeated trio of men and carried them to different vehicles in the vicinity. The only conscious one begged for his life before being shoved into a trunk. Lorenzo walked back to his car and put his jacket on. ¡°Ashanti, do you mind waiting in my car?¡± he asked her. ¡°I would like to speak with Zayn here in private.¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied harshly. ¡°Whatever you have to say, you say it to the both of us, ¡®cause I wanna know who or what the hell are you. My mother made a mistake bringing you into our lives.¡± ¡°It breaks my heart to hear you say that, because the love I have for your mother is one of the few things I can feel. But, very well. Perhaps it¡¯s best if you both hear what needs to be said.¡± As he spoke just now, a thought processed in my head of why I was brought here, and I couldn¡¯t help but voice the possible truth. ¡°I get it now.¡± His sudden grin assured me I was correct. ¡°This was all to showcase your power to me. Like a threat, or a warning¡­ There¡¯s no other reason for bringing me here other than making me afraid to stand up to you and your goons.¡± He nodded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. Two times now you¡¯ve intervened with my men and their business, regardless of how immature and reckless it may have been. The first was the party in The Heights, and the second was your schoolyard buddies attacking the home of my lieutenant. After three issues, Zayn, the Silicon Cogs consider someone or something to be a problem. You¡¯ve seen tonight what we do to problems: we eliminate them. Because you have potential to be a promising component to the machine I am building, I gave you the luxury of witnessing what could happen if you make another mistake. Do not go down that path.¡± Ashanti squeezed my hand as we grilled Lorenzo. Everyone started to clear out as he got into his car and pulled the window down to smirk at us. ¡°Come now, get in. Children shouldn¡¯t be out this late. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± I damn sure didn¡¯t want to, and I¡¯m positive Ashanti didn¡¯t either, but with no money for a cab or rideshare, we had no choice but to get in if we wanted to get home. The two of us slid in the backseat, and before he drove off, I saw the smug expression of Mr. Payne in the front mirror of the car. Had we just been mentally submitted by this man? No. We were going to fight. We just needed the right strategy to win the war. Chapter 63 - Just Put The Fries In The Bag, Bro. You Cant Rap The next day after school, Tory and I sat in the control room of the recording studio up the block from my house. Sitting next to us on the leather couch was a little girl watching cartoons on the phone in her hands. She was the daughter of Darius¡¯s producer. ¡°Let¡¯s run that back,¡± the producer said to Darius, who we could see in the booth through the laminated glass window between the two rooms. The beat dropped before Darius began to rap. It was generic lyrics about money, cars, clothes, and hoes¡ªand that¡¯s cool when you feeling yourself and the song is hard¡ªbut there lies the problem: The track was garbage. Once he was done recording, Darius walked out of the booth and into the control room hyped as hell as if he made some heat. Tory and I were here to ask him about Lorenzo, but I couldn¡¯t resist calling him out on that whack ass song. It was in my nature when it came to music. ¡°It was trash,¡± I uttered over his celebration. His face scrunched up as if he heard the most baffling statement in the world. ¡°The bass is knockin¡¯, but it¡¯s drownin¡¯ out the other instruments on the track. Your lyrics are cool for what¡¯chu goin¡¯ for, but they don¡¯t make sense sometimes. You said, ¡®I¡¯m Tom, this money Jerry¡¯, but if you watch the cartoon, Tom never catches Jerry. So, by that logic, you gon¡¯ be chasin¡¯ the bag forever.¡± The death stare from Darius that followed made me look away in silence. I really gotta learn when to speak my mind. ¡°The youngin¡¯ got a point,¡± his producer chuckled out. Darius¡¯s glare shifted to him, leading to my audible sigh of relief. ¡°Fix it,¡± Darius demanded. ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ back in.¡± Once he left the room to step back in the booth, his producer turned to me and said, ¡°You almost got us killed.¡± He then proceeded to tweak the sound of the song as Darius went over the lyrics noted on his cell phone. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said anything, but so far in his rap career, Darius had only been surrounded by Yes Men. His only foot in the game was the release of two mixtapes averaging low streams online, with one being a collection of diss songs toward a rap group he had beef with who were called the Three Wavy Boyz. Clearly music wasn¡¯t for him, but hey, all it takes is one lucky hit, right? As the recording went on, the little girl beside me began to pout and whine while looking down at the phone in her hands. Her father took notice, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby girl?¡± ¡°Your phone sucks,¡± she said, making me smile. She couldn¡¯t have been older than six or seven. ¡°What¡¯chu mean my phone sucks?¡± He took the phone out of her hands and looked at the screen. ¡°I put cartoons on for you like I always do, so¡­ Wait, hol¡¯ up. What? Why all this old stuff on here?¡± Tory and I gave each other a confused look before he took out his cell phone and went online. His thick brows creased even more. ¡°What the hell? Bro, ain¡¯t no shows available to stream except for old stuff our grandparents used to watch. Websites are goin¡¯ down by the second, too.¡± Darius walked back into the room. ¡°Yo, Jug, it¡¯s time we head over to the ministry. We finna get back to this after we help out.¡± Tory, just as surprised as I was, asked, ¡°You workin¡¯ at the shelter on your own free will? Or you only doin¡¯ it to get some community service hours off?¡± Damn. So harsh and straight-forward. He was worse than me at holding back.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Darius¡¯s producer, Jug, took his daughter and left the room at the sight of Darius¡¯s offended expression. He closed the door behind him, leaving the three of us in the room with awkward tension. ¡°If ya lil¡¯ pencil ass must know,¡± Darius started, grilling his brother, ¡°I been down there for two whole months serving food and unloading stock. But see, that¡¯s ya problem: you think ¡®cause I rap and sell drugs that I ain¡¯t got a heart. I do this and that for us. Maybe if yo ass talked to me like you used to and get¡¯cha head out them fake ass video games, we could have a real conversation.¡± Judging by the dancing of Tory¡¯s eyes, he felt some way about Darius¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t look his brother in the face without seeing the truth that he was yet able to accept. ¡°I think we should get to the reason why we¡¯re here,¡± I voiced with uncertainty. ¡°Tory and I were curious if we could talk to you about somethin¡¯. Maybe ask a few questions if that¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°First, I got a question for y¡¯all.¡± He took out his cell phone from his ripped jeans and showed us the screen. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± The video that played caused my heart to skip a beat. It was all there; yesterday¡¯s confrontation with Miguel had been recorded. And if Darius saw the video, others may have seen it as well. ¡°Damn,¡± Tory muttered, looking away. Even he knew what this could mean: we were targets for the men in black. Just like Ashanti. ¡°Damn?¡± Darius questioned. ¡°What¡¯chu mean? I told you to stay away from them, so why you out there foolin¡¯ ¡®round with these dudes and makin¡¯ videos for social media?¡± Bruh. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Tory asked, surprised and confused that Darius thought it was all fake. ¡°Nah, this is¡ª¡± ¡°A short movie we gotta do for class,¡± I jumped in. No way should Darius know about any of this. ¡°See, we um, making a film about superheroes in the hood, and we wanted real gang members to play the villains ¡®cause you know, to be authentic.¡± Darius¡¯s head swung side to side in disapproval. ¡°Nah, y¡¯all ain¡¯t doin¡¯ none of that. Do somethin¡¯ else. I can¡¯t believe y¡¯all lackin¡¯ like this. None of this is a game to them. They want a bullet in my skull and pretending to be cool with y¡¯all is how they tryin¡¯ to get to me and my squad. What¡¯chu think this is, Baby T? You know better.¡± ¡°Is it because they work for Mr. Payne and you¡¯ve already got three strikes?¡± And there it was. For the first time, Darius had removed his cocky, tough guy exterior after Tory¡¯s question and replaced it with an expression of dismay that he did not wear proudly. He locked the door and stared down the two of us. ¡°What do y¡¯all know ¡®bout Mr. Payne? Spill it all. No cappin¡¯.¡± Tory leaned forward on the couch to look his brother in the eyes. ¡°I know you two were cool when I was little, then he suddenly stopped pulling up to the house. What happened?¡± Smiling sideways, Darius mocked Tory with a snicker. ¡°Aight, see first of all, ya ass still little. Second, the situation between me and Mr. Payne is complicated. We had a fallin¡¯ out years ago after somethin¡¯ went down that didn¡¯t sit right with me. But nothin¡¯ that came out¡¯cha mouth answered my question, so I¡¯mma ask again and be more specific this time: why in the hell do y¡¯all know who Mr. Payne is?¡± Tory slouched back with his hands in his red tracksuit and looked away. I guess it was up to me to answer. ¡°We got into somethin¡¯ with the boys who work for him, so he told us we got three strikes; don¡¯t let it happen again. We just wanted to know about him. That¡¯s all.¡± Darius mean-mugged the both of us until he finally grumbled, ¡°Y¡¯all really think I¡¯m stupid? If y¡¯all got into somethin¡¯ with his crew, why y¡¯all makin¡¯ videos with them? It don¡¯t add up. Stop playin¡¯ wit me.¡± Me and Tory stayed quiet as my eyes wandered around the room. Trying to get information out of Darius while keeping everything that¡¯s going on a secret felt impossible. Now, we were both caught up, and I couldn¡¯t think of anything on the spot to get us out of it. ¡°I tell you what,¡± Darius began, glaring at Tory, ¡°I don¡¯t know what y¡¯all tryin¡¯ to do, but yo ass goin¡¯ straight home.¡± He then pointed at me. ¡°You too. Dead all this and stay in the house. Understand?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response before unlocking the door and walking out of the room. Me and Tory stood up and looked at each other in disappointment. ¡°What now?¡± he asked. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll hit you up in a lil¡¯ bit.¡± Feeling defeated, I walked to the door to head out until I heard him say, ¡°Wait hold on.¡± He dug into his blue backpack and pulled out something that made me gawk in surprise. Headphones. ¡°Bro, you for real right now?¡± I asked as he handed the box to me. ¡°These mine?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t have you out here defenseless,¡± he laughed. ¡°Those the upgrades from your old pair. I was lucky to find the same color. Last ones at the store, too.¡± ¡°Damn, you ain¡¯t have to do this. When did you get these? How much were they? I gotta pay you back somehow.¡± He smiled and shook his head. ¡°I got¡¯em last night while you were out saving your girl. Don¡¯t worry ¡®bout payin¡¯ me back or nothin¡¯. You good.¡± I pulled him into a hug after we dapped. ¡°Thank you.¡± With these new headphones, my power was back. Power I would need to take down Mr. Payne and save our hood. Chapter 64 - Shawty On Demon Time Tory and I walked out of the control room and into the lobby of the recording studio, where Darius and his squad were acting a fool with loud banter around a group of four girls. One of those girls¡­was all too familiar. ¡°Jasmine?¡± She looked and gave me a wink. Darius heard me acknowledge her presence. ¡°Hol¡¯ up,¡± he shouted, causing everyone to stop talking. He then approached me and Tory. ¡°Y¡¯all know her?¡± Put on the spot, I nodded with hesitation. Darius then stepped to the other dudes in the room. ¡°Y¡¯all bringin¡¯ high school girls in the set now? What¡¯s wrong with y¡¯all?¡± The guys shook their heads in defense and voiced their innocence, with one of them saying, ¡°Nah, we ain¡¯t know nothin¡¯. She came on to us talkin¡¯ ¡®bout she 17.¡± Darius shoved the dude. ¡°That¡¯s still too young, stupid ass.¡± He then turned to Jasmine and pointed to the exit door. ¡°You gotta go.¡± Jasmine sucked her teeth as the other females in the room gave her dirty looks. She responded with a flick of her hair using her middle finger and walked out with a smirk. An arrogant, unusual smirk. Maybe I was wrong, but this was not the Jasmine I knew. Yeah, she had always been confident since middle school, but never conceited. And she damn sure was never the type to put herself out there like some groupie with ratchet tendencies. ¡°Z, we gotta see what¡¯s up with her,¡± Tory said beside me. ¡°She out here wildin¡¯ while CJ in the hospital.¡± ¡°You right. Let¡¯s follow her.¡± Outside, we spotted Jasmine walking by the community college across the street from the studio. We stayed out of her sight by trailing behind, using whatever was around us to remain hidden. Things were going smoothly as she turned the corner to reach the back of the building, which has a campus-like structure with benches and a view of the Hudson River. But, as one would expect, something went wrong. I ended up knocking over a trash can trying to hide behind it, causing Jasmine to stop in her tracks at the sound of it falling. Out of nowhere, her body did an unnatural one-eighty twist, with her eyes now zeroed in on the two of us. ¡°If you wanted my attention, all you had to do was ask,¡± she said in a flirty tone with a quick lick of her lips. ¡°Oh, she freaky-freaky,¡± Tory whispered next to me, smiling. ¡°But nah, somethin¡¯ really wrong with her.¡± ¡°I heard that,¡± she hissed, just before positioning her hands and feet in a fighting stance. An immense flow of dark aura radiated from her body¡ªalmost like she was a Shadow.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Thrown off by her actions, me and Tory looked at each other with perplexed expressions. By the time we turned our heads back to face her, she was already inches away from us wearing a devilish grin. ¡°What the¡ª¡± A sudden fist to the gut knocked the wind out of Tory before he could express his bewilderment. Not even I could react as my feet left the ground from Jasmine¡¯s leg sweep, and although I was staggered from the sudden fall, I could¡¯ve sworn I saw her flip backwards to create the sudden separation we now had. Jasmine had taken karate classes and did gymnastics, but damn this was unexpected. Did she have to use those skills on us? Either way, she was clearly possessed by something and needed to chill. It was up to me and Tory to cool her down. ¡°Aight, it¡¯s on,¡± he coughed out, trying to catch his breath. ¡°I ain¡¯t never hit a girl, but shorty right here is a demon. We gotta exorcise her, bro.¡± ¡°This is nuts, but yeah. Hold it down while I sync my cell to the headphones.¡± Tory confronted Jasmine as I ripped through the headphone packaging. He waited for her to throw a jab first before trying to counter with his own strike that ended up missing. I could tell he was still hesitant to hit her, but as the fight between the two went on, he became angrier from her blows and swung more aggressively. Regardless though, Jasmine was too good. ¡°Damn.¡± He backed away after a palm strike to the chest. ¡°How is she hittin¡¯ so hard, bro? Am I gonna have to get serious?¡± ¡°You mean your video game powers? Yeah, if you know how to use¡¯em. She¡¯s obviously not playin¡¯ fair, but don¡¯t kill her.¡± He smirked, turning his red hat to the back. ¡°Got¡¯cha. I don¡¯t know how to activate most of¡¯em, but I been workin¡¯ on it all night.¡± Tory stepped up to Jasmine for round two, only this time, he was the first to throw a punch. It was faster and steadier than his previous jabs, and he even began to incorporate kicks into his arsenal as the two matched each other¡¯s moves perfectly. If I hadn¡¯t known what was going on, I¡¯d think the two were doing choreography for a movie or TV show. They were that precise. Despite keeping up with Tory, Jasmine was caught off guard when he tried to deliver a fiery uppercut that missed her chin by an inch. She didn¡¯t back down after the dodge and grabbed Tory¡¯s leg as he attempted a spinning kick. With unbelievable strength, she tossed him to the side, his back smacking full force against a railing. He cried out in pain just as my cell synced to my headphones. ¡°My turn.¡± The demonic grin resurfaced on Jasmine¡¯s face when I confronted her. We clashed fiercely with my body maneuvering in motion with the beat of the song playing. Tory soon joined in on the session, but somehow, she was able to fend off the two of us and knock our bodies to the ground with ease. It became more and more apparent that we weren¡¯t winning this fight, but Tory disagreed. ¡°She can¡¯t keep me down,¡± he said, struggling to his feet with shaky legs. ¡°I¡¯m right back up like a fightin¡¯ game combo. Let¡¯s go.¡± Regardless of his enthusiasm, we were in trouble, and his weak puns weren¡¯t gonna get us out of it. Thankfully, a swarm of buzzing college students came out of the building and grabbed our attention away from the battle, though it seemed we were the main attraction because most of them stopped and stared at our face-off. Their soft whispers revealed the hard truth: they knew exactly who we were. As I had guessed, others beside Darius saw the video of us fighting Miguel and his crew. We could only hope they believed the video to be fake, but either way, I wasn¡¯t about to give them more evidence. ¡°Tory, we gotta chill,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Fall back and let Jasmine go.¡± We backed away from Jasmine, who got the hint and joyfully skipped away from the scene in eerily fashion. Everything about this confrontation was bizarre and distracting from our primary goal, but we weren¡¯t going to it slide knowing how dangerous she was. It was time to pay CJ a visit. Chapter 65 - Visitation Hours Tory and I walked through the ivory-colored halls of Saint Hospital until we reached CJ¡¯s room. He greeted us with a wide smile while lying in his bed. ¡°There go my bros. What up?¡± He dapped us using his left arm, with his right side being wrapped up from surgery. The visitor¡¯s pass around my neck hit against my chest as I sat in the chair beside him. ¡°How you doin¡¯?¡± I asked. ¡°Recovery goin¡¯ good?¡± He avoided the question and looked at the TV hanging on the wall, his grin vanishing. ¡°Aight, now that y¡¯all here, could somebody tell me what the hell goin¡¯ on with Cable TV? Every channel is some old ass black-and-white show¡ªeven on the sports network.¡± ¡°Yeah, we heard ¡®bout that,¡± Tory acknowledged, standing near the end of the bed. ¡°But speakin¡¯ of strange stuff, we wanted to talk to you about somethin¡¯.¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s ¡®bout those damn powers y¡¯all got.¡± Me and Tory glanced at each other with wide eyes before CJ continued, ¡°Yeah, I know all ¡®bout that. Social media might think it¡¯s fake, but I was there. I know the truth, even if I was unconscious at the time.¡± Tory and I didn¡¯t know what to say. I looked over at him and saw his intense stare at whatever was on the screen of his cell phone. ¡°What is this?¡± he grumbled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, worried. It must¡¯ve been something serious if it overtook the fact of CJ knowing about our powers. ¡°Bro, read this garbage.¡± He gave me his phone. ¡°Great, now my personal life is being affected by all this.¡± I spoke the title of an article on the screen. ¡°Rising Afro-Dominican streamer, PlotArmor69, jumps on the current ¡®fake fight¡¯ trend to increase his following.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t gotta fake nothin¡¯,¡± he complained. ¡°My followin¡¯ is organic. Now I¡¯m gonna have people in my streams claimin¡¯ I¡¯m clout-chasin¡¯ and all that. Dammit.¡± I handed the phone back to him and said, ¡°At least they think it¡¯s staged.¡± My attention then turned back to CJ. ¡°About the whole powers thing, though¡­Jasmine has them too, but she¡¯s not the same person. She¡¯s the complete opposite actually, and we were wonderin¡¯ if you knew anythin¡¯ about this change or any info we could use to help her get back to normal.¡± He leaned his head back on the pillow and appeared concerned, staring up at the ceiling lights with a sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t help y¡¯all. I¡¯m sorry.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. There was another sudden outburst from Tory before he walked to the room door. ¡°Brother¡¯s callin¡¯ me. I¡¯ll take it outside.¡± His exit left me to question CJ alone. ¡°You gotta know somethin¡¯. You two were together for a good while.¡± ¡°I know that, but she¡¯s done with me and has every right to be. I messed up, aight? My friends, my arm, my girl¡­ I let this street life get the better of me, and it took them away. Do you hear what I¡¯m sayin¡¯? I lost good people, and I might not be able to play Football ever again.¡± Hearing those last words was alarming. Being on a pro Football team was all he ever wanted since junior high, and even back then when most of us wanted a future with wealth and fame, CJ never cared for materials and popularity. He genuinely just loved Football, and not even his asshole attitude could shadow his passion. He turned to me and spoke again, ¡°Bro, all I can tell you about Jasmine is that her parents are on her back twenty-four seven and keep her on her toes. They robotic as hell¡ªain¡¯t no room for error with them. She can¡¯t have fun and be free like the rest of us ¡®cause her folks think people like me and you are below them. They probably would¡¯ve dismissed me a long time ago if I wasn¡¯t a top prospect.¡± Looks like Jasmine¡¯s house was the next stop. ¡°Alright, cool. Rest easy, bro. It¡¯s all gonna turn out good in the end.¡± I stood out of the chair and dapped CJ before making my way out of the room, but he called my name to turn me back around. ¡°Whether I make it out of here the same or not, take care of Jasmine for me. She¡¯s special. She ain¡¯t like these other girls. I wanna know somebody¡¯s lookin¡¯ out for her whether I¡¯m stuck in this place for a minute or headed off to college. Give me your word that you got her.¡± I paused, taking in his seriousness before nodding with a reply. ¡°I got her.¡± Departing with a smile, I navigated through the hall to reach an elevator before receiving a call on my cell phone. ¡°Hel¡ª¡± ¡°Where are you guys?¡± Ashanti cut off my greeting. ¡°I heard you and Tory were fightin¡¯ Jasmine at the community college?¡± ¡°Damn, there¡¯s a video out there already?¡± ¡°Not a video, but word on social media is she kicked y¡¯all asses. Where y¡¯all at, anyway? I¡¯m ¡®bout to leave my house.¡± I had to question if her coming outside was a good idea, with her being on lockdown and all, but I decided to leave my thoughts in the wind and tell her where we were. ¡°The hospital, but we¡¯ll meet you in the complex. It¡¯s a lot of weird stuff goin¡¯ on and I think we should all be together.¡± ¡°Okay. I got three hours before my mom gets-¡± For some reason, the call was disrupted, and my phone completely shut down seconds later. It was strange, but I shrugged it off and entered an elevator¡ªa shelter to ease my mind and take a deep breath. Things were quiet on the way down and brought a sense of peace¡ªif just for a moment, but I knew it was only the calm before the storm. ??? Tory and I were making our way down the block to reach the complex when we spotted Jasmine carelessly skipping in the middle of the street. People driving by hollered in frustration with one even throwing their half-emptied drink at her. It didn¡¯t matter, though. She was in her own world, unaware and unbothered with a sadistic grin across her face. ¡°Let¡¯s grab her now,¡± Tory suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s do it before we lose track of her.¡± ¡°What about Ashanti?¡± ¡°Bro, we can get to her after we snatch Jasmine up. C¡¯mon, let''s go.¡± And so, the chase was on. Where would it lead? I had no idea, but it was time for the fun and games to end. Chapter 66 - Generational War Tory and I moved in on Jasmine, who saw us approaching and started to run. We chased her all through the south side of the city, racing past a basketball court, a liquor store, a laundromat, and even a graveyard until she entered the library building while giggling with uncanny excitement. We pursued her down the stairs leading to the bottom floor, where she swiftly avoided our attempts to corner and capture her by navigating through the different sections of bookcases and dashing past multiple tables with computers stationed on top of them. Many startled visitors and confused librarians looked on as security joined the chase in a strong effort to apprehend us. Thankfully, we followed Jasmine out of the building and into an outside parking lot across the street before we were caught. ¡°She¡¯s too damn fast,¡± I acknowledged with heavy breaths. ¡°Can¡¯t you use that speed power to catch her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, bro. That was by complete luck when that happened yesterday. I still don¡¯t know how all this stuff works.¡± I grumbled until the game of cat-and-mouse resumed. Jasmine mocked us with laughter before running inside an apartment building for older folks. We entered and saw her sitting on the hallway staircase with a smile, waving her hand in a ¡®hello¡¯ motion. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? Tory asked her. Jasmine stood up and happily replied, ¡°Catch me if you can.¡± And just like that, she zipped up the stairs faster than I could blink. We climbed to the upper floors until we saw her standing in front of a window, her body swaying side to side with her hands behind her back. ¡°Jasmine, chill out and talk to us,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Whatever is goin¡¯ on is turnin¡¯ you into somethin¡¯ you¡¯re not.¡± She giggled before it happened: she leaped out of the window with no hesitation. Tory and I were so stunned, it took us a few seconds before we moved and looked out of the window. She was gone. Completely gone. Only the shattered glass that had fallen to the ground below was evidence of her departure. There was nothing Tory nor I could do to find her now. ¡°Bro¡­what the hell just happened?¡± he questioned while leaning against an apartment door. I looked at him to answer and saw waves of dark energy circulating underneath the door. ¡°Bro, watch out.¡± After he stepped aside, we both stared at the dark aura leaking through the cracks of the apartment door. Something evil was on the other side. ¡°Whoa, so this is what you were talkin¡¯ ¡®bout,¡± Tory murmured, taken aback by the darkness. ¡°What¡¯s goin¡¯ on in there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Someone might be possessed like the old guy at the supercenter. We gotta get in there and help.¡± I knocked on the door a couple of times but didn¡¯t get a response. Seeing the darkness pour out more, I wasn¡¯t about to give up, and neither was Tory, who came up with a reckless but effective idea. ¡°Aight, now watch this. Ain¡¯t nobody else in the world who could pull this off.¡± He backed up and created a fireball in his hand before launching it toward the doorknob. The lock melted away, allowing him to open the door after a strong push. ¡°Bro, this is literally breakin¡¯ and enterin¡¯. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got us. All I gotta do is master the speed ability before the cops show up and we good. Cheat codes, baby.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go.¡± Inside was a dark mist that would have turned the apartment pitch-black had the sun not been beaming through the curtains of the living room. Further in the floral decorated space was an elderly black woman in a wheelchair, who sat directly in front of an older model TV. ¡°I was not expecting visitors,¡± she said, her eyes glued to the black and white show being aired. ¡°Welcome to my world.¡± The purple aura swept over my feet and magically changed my Jordans into an old pair of brown leather shoes. The dark energy then shrouded more of my body, transforming the rest of my attire into a plaid vest and corduroys. ¡°What the hell?¡± Tory exclaimed at the sight of his own clothing now changed. His tracksuit was altered into overalls with his sneakers replaced with boots.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The bizarre scenario formed a solid accusation in my head. ¡°Tory, it¡¯s her. She¡¯s the one changin¡¯ current media and trends into vintage stuff and older content.¡± My claim led to her finally facing us. The Shadow came out of hiding and placed its claws on the rear handles of the wheelchair. The demon¡¯s position was like symbolism of its control over the woman. ¡°You are correct, young man. The filth you consume today do nothing but force agendas down the audiences¡¯ throats. Your media lacks an authentic moral compass, but your generation is too blinded and influenced to understand. I will replace your rubbish with quality gems¡ªentertainment that is much more wholesome and honest.¡± ¡°Okay, boomer,¡± Tory took a shot. ¡°You gotta move on and accept change. Like, for real. Your obsession with the past is toxic and creatin¡¯ bad energy. Literally.¡± She simpered. ¡°Oh dear. I should have expected this response. The awful media of today raised disrespectful, heartless teenagers like yourself. Perhaps it is time to be disciplined the right way.¡± The aura now covered the entire room, swapping all color in the area with a sepia palette. A gust of ominous wind from seemingly nowhere circulated before a pack of shadowy, werewolf-like creatures appeared out of the dark corners of the room. ¡°I will make our world great again,¡± she declared as I gulped from the presence of her ghastly beasts. One of the demons viciously launched itself at us, but I stepped out of the way and avoided its tearing strike. Digging into the pockets of my attire, the dreadful apprehension overtaking my mind worsened after realizing something was missing. ¡°Damn. Tory, our phones don¡¯t exist in her world. I¡¯m useless.¡± Tory, panicking while being circled by three other demons, stuttered his reply. ¡°I-I got us, bro. I-I can do this.¡± Forcing his fears aside, he activated his ability and started using karate moves from a character in a fighting video game. His moves were strong and agile, giving him the power to fight against the demons and prevent them from ripping me to shreds. He even incorporated another video game character in his arsenal by jumping in the air and stomping on a demon¡¯s head after it lunged at him. The landing flattened the creature¡¯s murky body before it reconstructed itself back to normal. And that was the problem: these things were invincible. Tory could hold them back well enough, but he couldn¡¯t do any real damage, and the elderly woman must¡¯ve taken notice of our predicament because she started to spout her master plain in a demonic voice before the war was even won. Typical villain crap. ¡°I will destroy this current era of media, starting with television. The needless reboots, the pointless remakes, all of it. There is no originality, no discovery. You whiny brats get everything handed to you and choose what you want. You will never experience the joy and wonder of flicking through channels and investing into a show after catching it in the middle of the episode.¡± Okay, I would call this woman psycho if it weren¡¯t for the Shadow amplifying her thoughts and emotions. Since we¡¯re on the topic of TV, this level of demonic possession was far scarier than any horror movie I¡¯d ever seen. Stuff like this should not be real. ¡°Why do you children even care, anyway?¡± she shouted over the howling winds now storming through the window. The whole apartment even began to shake with shelves falling and house items flying in the air. ¡°Boys and girls your age don¡¯t watch TV. You don¡¯t even go outside and play real games because you¡¯re all addicted to your computers and screaming services.¡± ¡°It¡¯s streaming,¡± Tory hollered to correct her after pushing back a demon attacking us. ¡°Streaming, you crazy old lady.¡± ¡°Look, you need to fight your demons and make peace with yourself on this matter,¡± I said to her. ¡°Older people like you talk about our generation being influenced and addicted to technology, but maybe if reality wasn¡¯t so hard and depressing, we wouldn¡¯t have to be. We do it to escape the world that past generations created. Your generation. Blame yourself for how things are and accept the facts of life.¡± My conviction seemed to have caused a disturbance to the Shadow¡¯s manipulation, because it started to freak out with bizarre contortions of its body. The other demons vanished into thin air, and I couldn¡¯t help but to think that their disappearance was due to the Shadow losing power over the woman. ¡°Tory, hit the Shadow. It¡¯s weakened.¡± ¡°Bro, say less.¡± With speed and strength, he delivered a straight punch to the Shadow¡¯s gnarly face, knocking it off balance. The woman¡¯s screech shifted from a demented tone to a humane voice as the television screen flashed between black and white to color. After her piercing cry, the woman passed out in the wheelchair with both the room and our clothes returned to normal. The Shadow reformed the structure of its body but fled the scene in black smoke. Somehow, someway, we survived an encounter with literal demons. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said to Tory. We walked out and took a breather in the hallway. Tory was drained, and so was I, even if I didn¡¯t contribute to the actual fight. ¡°Man, that was insane,¡± he uttered with an exhausted smile. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, though. If these demons can make anyone¡¯s wish come true, why didn¡¯t the old lady want to be young again or somethin¡¯? That would be a better and more logical desire to me.¡± I leaned against the guardrail of the stairs and answered, ¡°¡¯Cause it wasn¡¯t what she truly wanted. Think about it, bro. No one knows about these Shadows and what they can do, so people are not going to be wishing for an over-the-top desire they believe will never happen. That woman probably came to peace with her age a long time ago. All she needed in her last days was the comfort of familiarity, which is possible in a normal sense.¡± ¡°Right. I got¡¯chu.¡± He took a deep breath and started walking down the stairs. ¡°On the real, you were good with your words back there. You could probably stop demons with a long ass speech of positivity.¡± I followed behind, saying, ¡°Nah, but it would be crazy if someone was out there doin¡¯ that. I can¡¯t picture it, though.¡± ¡°Me neither. But whatever, let¡¯s go get¡¯cha girl and deal with Jasmine.¡± I chuckled as we walked out of the apartment building, but what we were getting into was no laughing matter. This Jasmine situation was so intense and mysterious that at any moment it could become life or death. We were not ready to make that choice. Chapter 67 - Heart Of A Woman Tory and I met up with Ashanti before the three of us hopped in a cab. We informed her of what happened with the elderly woman in the apartment building as the driver drove in the direction of Jasmine¡¯s place. ¡°So that explains why my apps weren¡¯t workin¡¯,¡± she said, sitting in between me and Tory in the backseat. ¡°You think what¡¯s goin¡¯ on is givin¡¯ people whatever they want?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± I replied. ¡°But I hope we never have to see another demon like those werewolves again.¡± The cab passed by a health center and a local diner before heading through the freeway. It then turned right into a nice neighborhood where every house looked almost the same¡ªgrassy front lawns, brick roofs, and cream-colored exteriors with driveways. Tory whistled beside me, nodding at the people who walked along the sidewalk with their dogs. ¡°Man, this how Jasmine¡¯s livin¡¯?¡± he asked with excitement. The cab dropped us off at our destination: a home with a welcome mat on the ground that read, ¡®Please wipe your feet upon entry¡¯. ¡°Upon?¡± Tory mocked. ¡°What is this, Shakespeare?¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Ashanti hissed, elbowing him. A light ¡®ding-dong¡¯ played after I rang the bell. The door was opened by an ebony-skinned man wearing a button-up shirt tucked in his pants. ¡°You kids selling chocolate or something?¡± he asked, staring at us through his wire-rimmed glasses. ¡°Uh, no, sir,¡± I answered, my eyes glancing down at the gold Rolex on his left wrist. That thing was glistening. ¡°Hon, who¡¯s at the door?¡± A melodic voice asked further in the house. It didn¡¯t sound like Jasmine. The man continued to glare at us and replied, ¡°I believe they¡¯re kids from the volunteer shelter who¡¯re selling cookies.¡± Tory mumbled a mouthful of profanities behind me as a woman came to the door and greeted us with a smile. She had olive-toned skin and a thin nose that didn¡¯t sit right on her face. Her honey-blonde hair was in curly ringlets that fell over her shoulder onto the yellow blouse she wore with blue jeans that hugged her curves. ¡°Ooh, you three are just the cutest,¡± she gushed. ¡°Selling cookies, are you? Does that place need more money for books? Terrance, give them something. It motivates them to stay off the streets and not do drugs.¡± Alright, I had to say something before Tory did. We¡¯d never get answers about Jasmine if he went off on them. ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. We aren¡¯t sellin¡¯ anythin¡¯.¡± ¡°Nor are we from any volunteer shelter,¡± Ashanti added. The two adults appeared confused as I explained, ¡°We¡¯re here to check on Jasmine. We¡¯re friends of hers. Her boyfriend, CJ, was in an accident recently, so we wanted to see if she was doing okay.¡± At the mention of CJ, both adults glanced at each other oddly. The man then huffed, ¡°Right, the football player. I¡¯m sorry, but she¡¯s too busy to see you if you¡¯re associated with him.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Tory argued. ¡°Please, sir. It will only be for a minute,¡± Ashanti pleaded. ¡°We¡¯re only here ¡®cause we care. Honest.¡± The two looked at one another again before nodding. ¡°Fine. Sasha, go and get the girl,¡± the man said. ¡°You kids stay here. I don¡¯t want you scuffing the floor with your kicks.¡± He then closed the screen door and walked further into the house until he was out of sight. Tory groaned and shook his head. ¡°We been through so much today just to speak to one person.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for that one person to come down the stairs and open the screen door. Not only was Jasmine wearing different attire from earlier, but her entire vibe had changed¡ªalmost like a different person completely. Not to mention her eyes were red and puffy. ¡°Uh, hey? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up is you on that demon time,¡± Tory blurted. ¡°And I ain¡¯t talkin¡¯ ¡®bout that cam work. Somethin¡¯ wrong with you.¡± ¡°Could you be any ruder?¡± Ashanti berated him. She approached Jasmine closer. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. How are you?¡± Jasmine closed the door behind her and answered, ¡°Not good, as I¡¯m sure you can tell by looking at my face. There¡¯s no reason to hide it; I feel like what happened to CJ is my fault. I still have feelings for him and try so hard to make him happy, but it¡¯s difficult at times. I¡¯m trying not to blame myself for getting him involved with Miguel, but¡­¡± ¡°Nah, you good,¡± I told her. ¡°Him and Miguel been beefing for a minute. Somethin¡¯ was bound to go down eventually.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it,¡± she shot back with a sniffle. ¡°It is my fault. Or, rather, its fault.¡± Ashanti placed her hand on Jasmine¡¯s arm. ¡°What exactly do you mean? You can tell us.¡± She sounded so comforting and reassuring. Jasmine must¡¯ve felt the same way because she led us over to the sidewalk to express her emotions in private. ¡°Believe me or not, but there¡¯s a thing¡ªor other me that¡¯s been running around ruining my life¡ªthat had sex with Miguel. Not me. It¡¯s also what attacked you at the community college. It¡¯s almost like another version of me that acts like the girl CJ desires me to be or something. You know, ratchet and lit all the time. I don¡¯t know, I can¡¯t explain it. I just want it all to stop.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Damn, this some messed up drama. It appeared Jasmine¡¯s Shadow-self was formed from CJ¡¯s desire for her to be different and Jasmine¡¯s confliction to change for him. This formula backfired, though, creating a monster that was out of control and doing things not even the real Jasmine would do. I filled her in on everything I knew about the Shadows, resulting in her fiddling with a silver chain around her neck and saying, ¡°It all makes sense. That demon is me.¡± Ashanti pulled her to the side and asked, ¡°CJ is a horrible boyfriend, isn¡¯t he? Jasmine backed away a bit, shuffling her feet from side to side with a shrug. She was always so self-assured at school, so to see her acting this hesitant and fragile was new to me. Or maybe, this was the real her. ¡°I mean¡­he¡¯s really sweet and funny at times,¡± she answered Ashanti. ¡°Like, I know what you¡¯re going to say, and yes, we fight and break up, but we make up and¡ª¡± ¡°He talks to random girls, then apologizes and says it will never happen again with some romantic lines. Two weeks later, same thing, different scene? Yeah, that¡¯s toxic as hell, sis.¡± Ashanti had her arms crossed with a serious look in her eyes. She continued, ¡°He probably says dumb stuff like why can¡¯t you be normal like whatever chick he¡¯s talking to, right? And having conversations with him is more like a chore than actual fun?¡± Jasmine¡¯s lips pursed together. Reality was setting in. ¡°Jasmine, I know we don¡¯t know each other like that,¡± Ashanti resumed, ¡°but I won¡¯t tolerate this guy being an abusive dick to you. He shouldn¡¯t be talkin¡¯ to you the way he does, and you shouldn¡¯t have to put up with the way he treats you. It¡¯s manipulative. He¡¯s playin¡¯ with your emotions. It¡¯s hard enough as it is for us Black girls. We go through so much mess on the regular, but we¡¯re Queens, you hear me? Not the shadows of a man¡¯s desire.¡± Tears fell from Jasmine¡¯s eyes before she buried her face in Ashanti¡¯s chest. Whispers of Ashanti¡¯s voice could still be heard, with Jasmine nodding her head repeatedly. ¡°Everythin¡¯ good?¡± I asked after giving them a minute or two. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s comin¡¯ with us,¡± Ashanti replied. ¡°The only way for her to be happy is to conquer her Shadow-self. She can¡¯t be the object of CJ¡¯s desire anymore. She¡¯s gotta break this curse and start livin¡¯ for herself. Either CJ respects that, or he¡¯s out of her life. Period.¡± Tory rubbed his hands together. ¡°Cool, cool. So, where we headed? I¡¯m itchin¡¯ to get my revenge on that Shadow clone.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your fight,¡± Ashanti told him. ¡°Jasmine has to do this. Trust me, I¡¯ve seen my mom go through so much abuse in her life from sorry ass men who thought they could rule over her. I know the signs, and I also know what needs to be done for Jasmine to put back on her crown and reclaim what¡¯s hers.¡± ¡°My self-worth,¡± Jasmine mumbled. ¡°I know where the other me is, and who it is with. We can go, but it might be dangerous.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going no matter what,¡± Ashanti uttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ??? A cab dropped us off near an abandoned building in The Heights, where Miguel of all people stood across the street outside of a corner store. He was with four other dudes who I assumed were members of the Silicon Cogs. In the mix of them all was the Shadow Jasmine, who participated in their smoke session and loud banter. ¡°We settle this now,¡± Ashanti said, crossing the street with Jasmine¡¯s hand in hers. She had given me her cell phone in the cab to borrow since mine had died. Lord knows we¡¯ll need my power. ¡°Oh, what we got here?¡± Miguel laughed out after passing a blunt to the dude on his left. He took a sip from the bottle hidden in a brown paper bag before saying, ¡°Jas, I ain¡¯t know you had a twin.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Both Jasmines¡¯ declared at the same time. The guys around the Shadow Jasmine cackled like hyenas. ¡°She¡¯s a basic copycat,¡± The shadow Jasmine said, flipping her hand through her hair. ¡°I¡¯m who she wanna be.¡± She then snatched the paper bag out of Miguel¡¯s hand and drank from it before making out with him. ¡°No way that¡¯s sanitary,¡± Tory scoffed with disgust. ¡°Look, we don¡¯t want no trouble, aight?¡± I told the group of guys. ¡°We just wanna talk to that Jasmine.¡± The dudes continued to laugh at us while Miguel spoke. ¡°You hear this, boys? Headphones here don¡¯t want no trouble. Nah, I remember you droppin¡¯ some of my boys. You ¡®bout that action. Same for your homie next to you.¡± He approached us closer. ¡°Thing is, it ain¡¯t gonna be like that this time.¡± My eyes drifted down to where he patted his white T-shirt. He had a strap tucked in his pants. I backed away with my throat tightened. Ashanti placed her hand on my shoulder and said to Miguel, ¡°We can all be civil. There¡¯s no reason to fight.¡± ¡°Nah, we fightin¡¯. Get¡¯em.¡± Two of the dudes ran up on me so fast I couldn¡¯t avoid taking a couple of blows that knocked me to the ground. With a roll on the concrete, I managed to create a bit of distance between them and myself, but not enough to be out of striking range. They pummeled me over and over no matter how hard I tried to fight back. Pain and fatigue started to kick in as my body continued to take damage, only lessening once the hits slowed down. ¡°Ugh, c¡¯mon,¡± I groaned in frustration while crawling away and repeatedly tapping on Ashanti¡¯s phone. I wasn¡¯t familiar with her cell¡¯s interface, causing me to miss the play button on her music app. Thankfully, my finger touched it as I struggled to stand on my feet. The moment one of the thugs swung, my body reacted with a smooth dodge before delivering a punch of my own. One down, one to go for me. The emphatic sounds of saxophones and trumpets took over my hearing, generating a feeling of relaxation despite the danger in front of me. I didn¡¯t feel as strong as when I listened to rap music, nor did I feel as elegant as when R&B music played, but the energy flowing through my body created a perfect harmony between the two. And the best part: my body was healing. No longer feeling fatigue or the pain from their blows, I went at the thug staring me down with a balance of punches and kicks that ended with his face in the ground. People passing by on foot and in their vehicles all stopped to witness the altercation, which wasn¡¯t a good thing with Tory showcasing his video game abilities to knock out the two other goons that were with Miguel. The Shadow Jasmine tried to exit the scene, but Ashanti and the real Jasmine stopped her in her tracks. Miguel attempted to intervene, but Tory and I stepped in front of him. He lifted his shirt to pull out his gun, but Tory immediately dropped him with a spinning kick to the jaw. It was crazy. All that was left to deal with was the Shadow Jasmine, but that was none of my business. I removed my headphones and looked on with Tory as both Jasmines locked eyes with one another. Ashanti stood behind the real Jasmine, supporting her in facing her demon. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jasmine voiced to the Shadow. ¡°Thank you for showing me who I would become, so I know not to follow that path. I am my own person, and I will value who I am. You cannot make me into something I¡¯m not, because I¡¯m the queen. I make the decisions. Not you.¡± Surprising us all, the Shadow did not rebuttal or attack. It only smiled before dissipating into nothingness. The issue at hand was finally over. Jasmine and Ashanti walked over to us in relief, with the latter giving me a wink. I shot her a grin and said, ¡°Nice music. It hit different. You gonna have to share that playlist with me sometime.¡± She took her phone out of my hand. ¡°That¡¯s somethin¡¯ I can make happen.¡± Her words would¡¯ve had me caught up in the moment if the loud astonishment of the onlookers didn¡¯t kill the vibe. The four of us fled the scene before the police or other members of the Silicon Cogs could show up, but with this instance being another involvement with the gang, we weren¡¯t sure how long we could run from the consequences. Chapter 68 - Boyz In The Hood Tory and I laid low outside my crib the next day after what went down with the Silicon Cogs. Despite it hitting seventy degrees, the black hoodie over my head was necessary to hide from our enemies. Tory, though, had on a bright ass yellow outfit that anyone could spot. ¡°I hate gacha games, bro,¡± he said while pressing his thumbs on his phone screen. We sat on the small step outside my front door. ¡°My luck is ass.¡± ¡°Another one-star review is comin¡¯, ain¡¯t it?¡± He nodded with a smirk. I laughed and grabbed the headphones around my neck, tempted to put them on, but the thought of not hearing someone pull up on us scared that idea away. ¡°Yo, you wanna chill inside?¡± I asked. My paranoia was kicking in heavy after seeing a black car with tinted windows ride through the parking lot of the complex. ¡°And sweat like balls? Nah man, you gotta get¡¯cha AC workin¡¯ before I go up in there again.¡± I brushed his comment off with a slick suck of my teeth before turning my head and seeing Marcus jogging through the complex. He spotted us and sprinted over, pulling out his wired earbuds. ¡°My boy out here lookin¡¯ ripped,¡± Tory complimented him with a dap. The praise was well deserved; I could see his muscle and chiseled chest through his white tracksuit. He dapped me up next before saying, ¡°How y¡¯all livin¡¯?¡± ¡°We coolin¡¯,¡± Tory replied. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s up. It¡¯s just y¡¯all two out here?¡± He looked over at Ashanti¡¯s place, no doubt thinking she was going to come out any minute for his satisfaction. He was obviously still feeling her, but it¡¯s whatever. I wasn¡¯t gonna get jealous or anything like that. ¡°Nah, Ashanti ain¡¯t around,¡± Tory informed him. ¡°She had to help her mom with somethin¡¯. Ain¡¯t that what she texted you, Z?¡± I slowly turned my head to Tory with wide eyes. That was a big lie. ¡°Marcus, you know that¡¯s his girl, right? They a whole vibe right now.¡± Bro, seriously? Marcus laughed, probably thinking it was a joke. He surveyed me and asked, ¡°Straight up? That¡¯s all you?¡± I had to swallow the lump in my throat. The look he gave was the same stare he¡¯d give his opponent whenever he wrestled. ¡°I mean, like, we close, you know? Like¡­we gettin¡¯ there. Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ official-official, though.¡± I stumbled over my words, moving my hands wildly. Tory¡¯s face dropped in his palm, disappointed by my fumble. ¡°Anyway,¡± he picked up the conversation, ¡°you got any matches or events comin¡¯ up, Marcus?¡± I thawed out of Marcus¡¯s icy glare after he looked at Tory and smiled, saying, ¡°Somethin¡¯ like that. I got a call this mornin¡¯ from a wrestlin¡¯ scout in the big leagues. He saw enough of my work to wanna take me out the independent circuit and sign me for a couple shows this summer.¡± Both Tory and I stood up to dap him in celebration. ¡°Damn, bro. That¡¯s sick,¡± Tory congratulated him. ¡°So, like, you gonna be on TV and all that? Doin¡¯ promos and jumpin¡¯ off cages?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡®bout all that yet. I¡¯m probably gonna be used as enhancement talent for some established wrestler to beat up on until I make a name for myself and get out of jobber status.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Confused, Tory tilted his head to the side. ¡°Man, I don¡¯t know ¡®bout any of that, but we gotta celebrate.¡± ¡°Cool, you got it. I¡¯m gonna be celebratin¡¯ later with my mom. This is the first thing to make her smile since my brother got locked up earlier this year.¡± ¡°I hear that, bro,¡± I said to him. ¡°We can join in on that celebration later if it¡¯s indoors.¡± ¡°Nah, we active right now,¡± Tory jumped in, a bit more excited than I preferred. Marcus shrugged. ¡°Aight, let¡¯s head down to the pizza shop by the waterfront. Their slices hit different.¡± The two of them started walking out of the complex, but I didn¡¯t move. I almost couldn¡¯t, to be honest. Just thinking what the Silicon Cogs might do if they saw us was enough for me to stay hidden until we had a plan of defense at least. Tory looked back and saw my hesitation. He turned around and approached me, asking, ¡°Yo, you good?¡± ¡°You know we on strike three, right?¡± I reminded him. He didn¡¯t seem all that worried. ¡°The Cogs could be lurkin¡¯ on any block.¡± ¡°Z, we good, aight? We got superpowers, bro. We charged up, they ain¡¯t.¡± ¡°Y¡¯all busy?¡± Marcus asked a few feet away. ¡°We could do this another time then. I ain¡¯t gon¡¯ die if we don¡¯t go today.¡± ¡°Nah, we comin¡¯,¡± Tory answered him before addressing my concerns. ¡°I promise you we straight. Let¡¯s just chill and be easy. C¡¯mon.¡± This ain¡¯t gonna end well. ??? While sitting on the benches outside of the pizza shop, Tory and Marcus got into one of their intense debates while we waited for our orders. This time, it was the argument that started it all: Marvel versus DC. I laughed as the two went back and forth, appreciating moments like this. Things would be weird as hell if they ever agreed on something. No matter what happens in the future, we were all gonna be bros for the rest of our lives. After eating and discussing our hobbies, we got up from our seats and crossed the street to walk the long grassy pathway that not only led back to the complex, but other restaurants and festivities. Suddenly, a black van rode up in front of us with five dudes hopping out. One of them, was Miguel. He was a bull seeing red with bloodshot eyes. ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± were the only words I heard out of his mouth before I quickly placed my headphones on. There was no time for hesitation. Tory zipped toward the gang members with lightning-fast speed, using his now electrified hands to strike and take down two of them. The others headed for Marcus, who handled himself well with grappling techniques and hard punches of his own. And then there was the standoff between me and Miguel. Like yesterday, people began to fill the area with excitement and suspicion. Miguel lunged at me with reckless punches that failed to land due to the contemporary R&B song blessing me with evasiveness and finesse. He continued his pointless aggression until I skipped to the next track in my rotation: a rap song that was gonna turn his lights out. With a single blow to his mid-section, Miguel spat out saliva with repeated coughs to catch his breath. Fueled with rage, he continued to come at me, missing each time until he finally grazed the left side of my head with a fist that knocked off one half of my headphones. Angered, I threw a strong punch that rammed into his face, sending him back a few feet before his body dropped to the ground. One of the men Marcus laid out earlier got back on his feet with his gun pulled, pointing it directly at me. Despite my power, the view of the barrel gave me cold feet, but it was Tory who saved my life with a kunai rope that darted out of his hand and pierced the thug¡¯s back, shifting his aim after Tory tugged the rope. The gun, however, still went off. Everything after was in slow motion. My head turned to place my eyes on a disturbing sight. Marcus had been shot in the back. Blood painted his attire as he looked at me with a petrified expression, his body collapsing in the grass. The splatters of his wound created a crimson garden where he now laid, unable to voice a coherent sentence while knocking on death¡¯s door. I did not want to lose a friend. My pleads were louder than the horrid hollers of those watching nearby. ¡°No. Marcus, no. Fight this, bro. You have to fight through this.¡± Nothing. No response. Not even a glimmer in his eyes that were glazed over with a focus on the blue sky above. I did not want to lose a friend. Tory¡¯s voice slithered into the crowd of screams. He was on the phone with 911. It took a minute for me to look away from Marcus, but when I did, the sight of Miguel wobbling through the throng of people to escape made me want to lose all control. But no, now was not the time for vengeance. It was the time for mourning. Why did I have to lose a friend? Chapter 69 - The Get Back My room had become a dark, quiet space with only the sound of rainfall filling the void. Visions outside my window were foggy with no signs of life except a tainted memory of someone I lost. Nightmares do come true. At least, that¡¯s what it felt like after Marcus¡¯s death two days ago. He was announced dead on arrival after the ambulance took us to the hospital. Both my mom and Darius arrived soon after, with Marcus¡¯s mother running in with tears seconds later. If my heart broke into a million pieces that day, hers shattered into a billion. Someone else heavily impacted was Tory, who blamed himself for Marcus¡¯s death and vowed to get even. Whenever his anger got the better of him years ago, there were always consequences afterward. This time, the consequence could be death. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± I heard my mom say before the house door shut. She wanted to stay with me until I was feeling better about what happened, but with it being the first day of her new job, I didn¡¯t want her to take off work and risk being fired. After about ten minutes of listening to the rain crash against my broken AC in the vent, I threw on my blue hoodie and stepped outside of my house, where Ashanti had already been waiting. ¡°You ready?¡± she asked, pulling the strings of her pink hoodie that covered her head. ¡°Yeah, we gotta stop Tory before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°We will.¡± She placed my hand in hers. ¡°We¡¯re in this together, Zayn. Let¡¯s go.¡± We ran through the storm out of the complex and into Tory¡¯s building, where we took the stairs to reach his apartment. Just as I was about to knock, the door swung open with him preparing to step out. ¡°Tory, where are you¡ª¡± He brushed past us. ¡°I have to fix this. This ain¡¯t ¡®bout you.¡± ¡°Nah, this ¡®bout all of us.¡± My words paused his advance. ¡°We sat in this hallway together and decided we were gonna do somethin¡¯ about the violence goin¡¯ on. Remember?¡± Despite his back being turned to me, I knew he felt my words. He had too. Ashanti stepped in the gap between us. ¡°We should go over this more in your place, Tory, not the hallway.¡± ¡°Tory, you heard her. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± He balled a fist before turning around and opening the apartment door. We walked inside and stood in the living room, with Tory looking to the floor with his hands in his black hoodie. ¡°I messed up,¡± he said, pacing back and forth. ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it.¡± ¡°Bro, you not the one who caused what happened. That could have happened at any¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just that, man,¡± he shouted with a swing of his arms. ¡°This whole thing got social media ready to cancel me. People blamin¡¯ me for Marcus¡¯s death ¡®cause they think I stagged the fight with a real gun. How could they accuse me of somethin¡¯ like that? I even got sponsors droppin¡¯ me ¡®cause of what happened.¡± Both Ashanti and I were stunned. We had no words to say. ¡°Everythin¡¯ is my fault, Z. I thought I mastered my powers. I thought I could protect us.¡± He began to sob. ¡°Marcus should still be here. I messed up and I¡¯m sorry. I¡ª¡± I pulled him into me, sharing his pain. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I cried with him. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Whatever we gotta do to end this cycle of violence, we gon¡¯ do it together. It¡¯s all of us or nothin¡¯.¡± Ashanti joined in on the embrace. We held each other until Tory separated and wiped his tears, revealing, ¡°My brother might be in trouble. I told him everythin¡¯.¡± I took a step back after hearing that. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yeah. We fought for a minute¡ªtussled and all that¡ª¡®cause he wanted to gather up his boys and handle the Cogs without me, even though I told him they were dangerous, and that I should come ¡®cause I have superpowers. He wouldn¡¯t let me leave the house, so I ended up gettin¡¯ mad and hittin¡¯ him with some of my moves. I didn¡¯t mean to, though.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stress it,¡± Ashanti consoled him. ¡°There¡¯s a lot ¡®bout our abilities we don¡¯t know. Where is your brother now?¡± ¡°Him and his crew are on the way to confront Miguel at their trap house. You¡¯d think the cops would¡¯ve raided that place after what went down when I first got my powers, right? Maybe Mr. Payne got the police workin¡¯ for him, too?¡± Damn, what if he was right? Ashanti headed toward the door. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but let¡¯s go. Pray we get there in time to stop this.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ??? Heavy rain knocked on the roof of the cab before we hopped out a block away from the trap house. Lightning and gunfire battled for supremacy like the war between both crews, each claiming victory over my nerves with ease. ¡°Zayn, you okay?¡± Ashanti asked, somehow noticing my stiffness through the downpour. ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯m good. Sorry. Let¡¯s move.¡± Our feet splashed in puddles as we scurried out of the line of fire toward the house. We waited behind another home for the shooting to end before we approached and saw a man laid out in cold blood near the fence. ¡°Bro, are you serious?¡± Tory fumed. ¡°He was one of Darius¡¯s boys. Damn.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s yellin¡¯ inside,¡± Ashanti told us. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± The smell went from an earthy scent to sulfur upon entering the house. Inside the molded, worn-down messy place were the bodies of mostly Cog members, with Darius¡¯s crew surprisingly standing tall. ¡°Yo, why y¡¯all in here?¡± one of Darius¡¯s men in a black tee wanted to know. ¡°Ain¡¯t you D¡¯s lil¡¯ bro?¡± ¡°Yeah. Where he at?¡± ¡°Upstairs. He finna¡¯ take Miguel out on his own.¡± Ashanti and I followed Tory, who sprinted up the creaking stairs and into a large room where Miguel and Darius were facing off. Both men looked exhausted, but something was more apparent about Miguel. The darkness he carried all this time had formed into a Shadow. ¡°I told you to stay home,¡± Darius yelled at his brother with hefty breaths. ¡°You brought your friends into this mess, too?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Miguel sneered before cackling like a maniac. The Shadow stood behind him like a dog on its hind legs. ¡°Now I can kill all of you like I should have a long time ago.¡± ¡°Nah, it ain¡¯t goin¡¯ down like that,¡± Darius retorted. ¡°You shot and killed my homie outside. I ain¡¯t lettin¡¯ you get away with takin¡¯ his life. Yo ass done today.¡± Darius and Miguel collided in the middle of the room, swinging left and right at each other with body shots that connected hard until the tussling battle began. What surprised me most of all, though, was the absence of a wild ability from Miguel. Everyone being controlled by a Shadow had one so far, so why was he different? Despite this, he was gaining the upper hand in the fight¡ªwhich tempted me to step in¡ªbut Tory dashed over first, tossing Miguel against the decaying walls. He then mounted over Miguel¡¯s body, delivering a combo of punches to Miguel¡¯s face with a purple glow radiating off his hands. Ashanti looked away from the assault. It was starting to get uncomfortable. ¡°Tory, maybe chill out,¡± I suggested. The purple aura now swirled around his body, changing its color to red and black. This shift seemingly enticed the Shadow judging by its gaze at Tory. Tory grabbed the gun holstered in Miguel¡¯s jeans and stood with it aimed down at him. Ashanti and I gasped while Darius inched toward his younger brother. ¡°T, put the gun down,¡± he demanded. ¡°I¡¯m serious. This ain¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°This ain¡¯t what, huh?¡± Tory snapped back, his finger ready to squeeze the trigger. Miguel was so battered on the floor, he was almost unrecognizable as he could only plead for his life with mutters of agony. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I end him? You were gonna do it anyway.¡± ¡°Nah, I wasn¡¯t,¡± Darius refuted. ¡°I was gonna make sure he¡¯s put behind bars for life. Mr. Payne won¡¯t be able to bail his sorry ass out this time after killing my boy.¡± Tory didn¡¯t care about none of that. He was ready to end it all with a single pull. I had to make sure that didn¡¯t happen. ¡°Tory, bro, you¡¯re stronger than this. You overcame your emotions before, and you can do it again. Right now.¡± ¡°Nah, Z. It¡¯s heartless people like him who make life hard for everyone. They take lives over and over again with that weak ass excuse of, ¡®this is the streets. This the code we live by.¡¯ Nah, forget all that. If it ain¡¯t the cops killin¡¯ us, it¡¯s him. It¡¯s people like him that make it hard for all of us. He got the outside world thinkin¡¯ we all animals, Z. I¡¯m too young for this, bro. I¡¯m tired of it. I don¡¯t wanna be around it anymore.¡± Darius was now close enough to grab the gun, but he gave me a side glance to signal I had one more chance to talk Tory out of it. I wasn¡¯t going to let the opportunity slip away. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the light, Tory? Through all that darkness you talkin¡¯ ¡®bout, there is one. The second you kill him, it¡¯s gonna disappear, and the violence will continue with someone from his crew comin¡¯ after you and your brother. The violence ain¡¯t never gonna stop unless we make it stop ourselves. The Shadows know this, and they¡¯re gonna keep corruptin¡¯ us until we grab that light and make peace with ourselves and our enemies. The process can start right here, with you.¡± His teeth dug deep into his bottom lip before letting go with a long exhale. He dropped his aim on Miguel, allowing Darius to take the gun out of his hand and pull his little brother into a one-armed hug. ¡°You did good, Tory,¡± I heard Darius say. ¡°I was in a similar situation before, and I can tell you right now, it ain¡¯t worth it. It never will be, you hear me? I refuse to let you go down the same path I did. You gon¡¯ be better than me, I promise.¡± With no one else to latch onto, the Shadow disappeared. Darius let go of Tory and stood above Miguel with the gun still in his hand. ¡°If you somehow get out of prison,¡± he pointed the weapon at Miguel¡¯s head¡ªI was doubtful he¡¯d kill him after everything he said to Tory, ¡°I better not ever catch you ¡®round my brother, his friends, or anyone on my side again.¡± This¡­moment. It was this moment. The gun. The positioning. Everything. This moment was unnerving before the truth even registered in my mind, but when it did, it hit me like a ton of bricks, knocking me into an unconscious state. The nightmare began, but this time, I could hear my heart pounding as I witnessed a memory once blurred. The silver pistol. My father¡¯s body. Even the shooter. Everything was clear to me. My father, on the ground at the mercy of the hooded figure who stood above him, stared directly up at the individual and said, ¡°Don¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t have to be another cog in the machine, Darius.¡± The gun went off, ending my father¡¯s life. After everything, the person who murdered my father was in front of me the entire time. Darius. ¡°Yo, Zayn. Zayn, get up.¡± Tory¡¯s voice freed me from my shackled horror. I rose to my feet and made eye contact with everyone staring at me in the room. Including him. ¡°You good?¡± Tory asked. ¡°You just blacked out on us.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯m okay. My fault.¡± ¡°Cool, ¡®cause we gotta dip before the cops show up. Darius already tied down Miguel, and we found some dude in a torn-up black suit locked in a closet. We takin¡¯ him with us for answers.¡± I turned my head to look outside the room and saw a Vietnamese man with long, messy black hair standing in the doorway. If I recalled correctly, he was the same guy who got body slammed by Mr. Payne outside of the hotel. ¡°We need to move. Now,¡± Darius commanded. ¡°My boys downstairs already folded the rest of Miguel¡¯s crew and bagged¡¯em up nicely for the police. Let¡¯s roll.¡± All of us in the room made our way outside the trap house and into Darius¡¯s car. Hiding from Mr. Payne would be damn near impossible now, but at least the truth of the past had been revealed. A truth I was ready to face. Chapter 70 - Confessions Back at Tory¡¯s apartment, Ashanti and I stood in the middle of the living room and watched the man in black devour a sandwich Darius had given him. He then grabbed the cup of kool-aid off the table in front of him, gulping the drink down like a desert dweller on his last legs. ¡°Damn, did they starve you?¡± Tory couldn¡¯t resist asking. The man picked at the breadcrumbs on the small plate in his hand. The brown complexion of his skin was beginning to return as he sat on the couch without saying a word. ¡°Aight, we fed you,¡± Darius said, scrutinizing the man as he sat down on the couch across from him. ¡°Tell us why they had you locked up.¡± His eyes darted to each of us before asking, ¡°Will I be free to go after?¡± He had a southern accent. ¡°That depends on what you tell us,¡± Darius replied. ¡°The boys here told me in the ride that you tried to kidnap Ashanti. What¡¯s all that ¡®bout? And why you got beef with Mr. Payne? I wanna know.¡± ¡°We all do,¡± Ashanti expressed. ¡°Whatever¡¯s goin¡¯ on is related to what¡¯s happenin¡¯ in the city, isn¡¯t it?¡± The man sighed, straightening his body as he pressed his fingers together and focused on everything in the apartment but us. After clearing his throat, he finally revealed, ¡°My name is Agent Dai, and I work for a government organization known as Obsidian. We track down and neutralize individuals known as Dreamers; people who possess abilities from their inner desires.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Darius stood up and paced back and forth while rubbing the back of his head. ¡°How is somethin¡¯ like that even real?¡± The man looked down with no answer. Not even he knew how it was possible. ¡°So, that day at the supercenter,¡± Ashanti began, causing the man to look up, ¡°is that when you started followin¡¯ me?¡± ¡°Not specifically you, no. My partner at the time, Agent Grant, and I were tasked to this location due to it being a potential spot for a marked Dreamer. It is crucial we find and detain this person before they do.¡± I lifted my hand and inquired, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with Shadows?¡± His left eye twitched from my question. ¡°We know they get in the heads of people and cause them to use their abilities for bad things, but where are they from? How did this all start?¡± He looked away at the black screen of the TV. ¡°That is classified information.¡± His words triggered Ashanti, who slammed her hands on the table to regain his attention. ¡°Lies. But fine, answer me this: why do you neutralize people instead of gettin¡¯ them help? I know for a fact your organization took innocent lives in the past. People are dead because of you.¡± I knew she was talking about her friend Ciara and what happened to her cousin, James, at Ravenvale High School. She flinched after feeling my hand on her arm before slowly easing into my touch. ¡°I apologize for the strife we have caused,¡± Dai consoled. ¡°However, we are only following orders. Dreamers¡ªlike you children I assume¡ªhave untapped power that comes from your innermost self; the part of you that longs and craves a goal in life. That needs to be controlled, or else you could be a danger to others. You can very well end up with a Shadow. It is the darkest part of yourself that feeds on corruption and negativity. We cannot let that happen. Please understand.¡± His words left us all distraught and unsure of what to say or do next. We sat in silence for a few minutes until he spoke once more. ¡°There may be¡­one more piece of information I can share with you.¡± ¡°What now?¡± Darius¡¯s gruff tone came with a curled lip as he rubbed the patch of hair on his chin. ¡°An army of Obsidian soldiers will be arriving in Newburgh tomorrow due to agents not reporting back to base in a timely manner. Obsidian takes that as a code red. Backup is on the way.¡± Stunned, our eyes widened in fear. Agent Dai looked in Darius¡¯s direction and continued. ¡°You must allow me to contact Obsidian headquarters. I overheard my captives discussing the marked Dreamer¡¯s whereabouts, and I can direct the soldiers to the person¡¯s location in order to complete the mission.¡± ¡°Can you tell us who the marked Dreamer is?¡± Tory requested to know. ¡°Yes. He is the leader of the street gang who held me hostage. The one called Mr. Payne. I discovered this in my confrontation with him the night outside of the hotel. A light from the building flashed on his wrist, revealing the cursed mark before I was thrown into an unconscious state.¡± We all turned cold yet again, but a hot idea burned into my mind. ¡°This is good news.¡± They all looked at me, confused. ¡°We can have real, armed soldiers run up on Mr. Payne and arrest him. He can¡¯t buy his way out of a top-level government lockup, can he? I say we let Dai contact Obsidian and have them handle it from here.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Darius¡¯s lips pressed together with a shake of his head. ¡°Nah, I ain¡¯t no snitch. I don¡¯t associate with Payne and the Cogs, but I ain¡¯t ¡®bout to be a rat to help out the feds.¡± Ashanti scoffed under her breath. She may have kept her retort to herself, but mine was about to come out loud and clear. ¡°You really gonna let some street code stop us from puttin¡¯ an end to Mr. Payne? Put your pride aside for a minute, Darius. Do the right thing. Don¡¯t¡­be another cog in the machine.¡± My words were shaky and emotional. I couldn¡¯t help it. Just looking at Darius made me feel a disarray of emotions that needed to be sorted out, and soon. He stared at me with no expression until he cracked under the pressure of the unspoken reveal. ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ out to smoke. This all too much.¡± He walked out of the apartment in a hurry. I stood next to Ashanti and contemplated on following him until I couldn¡¯t resist anymore. We needed to talk. The smell of weed permeated the air outside of the building entrance, where Darius leaned against the brick wall with his head to the ground. I didn¡¯t know what to say or how to feel, but it was him who spoke his emotions first. ¡°So, now you know. You know the misery I gotta live with.¡± My brow furrowed watching him take a puff of the joint. ¡°Yeah¡­ I know. Were you ever gonna tell me? All those times I be over your house and hangin¡¯ with Tory, did you ever think to say somethin¡¯? Like damn, you even watched me as a kid over a few summers so my mom could go to work. What the hell was that, huh? Some pity payment for killin¡¯ her husband? My dad?¡± ¡°What would I even say? ¡®Yo, eight years ago, I shot your pops. Sorry, lil¡¯ man.¡¯¡± He didn¡¯t smile despite his words laced with sarcasm. My lips trembled, tears blurring my vision. The floodgates of sorrow that had been suppressed for so long were now busted wide open. Darius didn¡¯t move a muscle, though. His jaw tightened as he pressed the joint to his lips for a long puff, not saying a damn thing afterward. It angered me that he could just stand there without a care in the world. ¡°Do you even know the pain you caused me and my mom? I was only eight years old when you took my dad¡¯s life. Eight. That moment still torments me to this day. I¡¯ve been livin¡¯ in a nightmare ¡®cause of you, and I never told my mom ¡®cause she has enough to deal with being a single mother in the hood. All these years, Darius, and she still doesn¡¯t know what happened or who killed him. Does any of that mean anythin¡¯ to you? Do you feel anythin¡¯?¡± Tired of his silent act, I grabbed his shirt and yanked him to face me. He was taller¡ªmaybe by a foot or something¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t about to punk out. I stuck out my chest and looked up at him, seeing a void in his eyes that could only be caused by guilt and grief. It was at this moment that I realized he had been fighting demons for a long time. I released my grip on his shirt. He dropped his joint and crushed it with his foot before saying, ¡°I was seventeen at the time, workin¡¯ for Mr. Payne as a member of the Silicon Cogs. Your old man¡¯s death shook me enough to walk away from that lifestyle, no matter how tough it was gonna be for me in the streets afterward.¡± ¡°But why my dad? Why was he your target? Why did he say for you not to be another cog in the machine?¡± He shrugged and answered, ¡°Maybe to save his own life? I don¡¯t know, but your pops must¡¯ve crossed Payne enough times.¡± He held three fingers up. ¡°That¡¯s the only reason why somethin¡¯ like that would go down. Payne ordered me to do it, and I didn¡¯t know you or your family until you started hangin¡¯ with T a year later. I saw your face and knew you were the same kid who watched me smoke their father. All ¡®cause of some blueprint Mr. Payne has for our society. He removes you if you¡¯re a problem in his grand design.¡± Blueprints¡­ Grand design. Like a machine, a switch flipped in my mind that revealed the ugly truth. ¡°The Cogs are being controlled,¡± I voiced my thoughts. ¡°They¡¯re Mr. Payne¡¯s tools and nothin¡¯ more. That¡¯s all¡ª¡± ¡°Nah, it ain¡¯t that simple,¡± Darius cut me off assertively. ¡°Most of the dudes who work for Payne do it ¡®cause they ain¡¯t got no choice. They got no direction in life and operate for survival. He knows that, so he oils them up and let¡¯em go to work while he benefits off they grind. He like one of them Shadows that agent was talkin¡¯ ¡®bout. He brainwashes the Cogs into thinkin¡¯ his plan is the only way, and that they¡¯ll be rewarded once he builds his empire and takes over the world. It¡¯s wild, but I know some of them Cog boys got heart and wanna be somebody. They just don¡¯t know how to go ¡®bout it.¡± His breakdown of the Cogs and their connection to Mr. Payne further clarified what I had figured out moments ago: The Cogs are being controlled. Mr. Payne¡¯s ability is mind control¡ªcomplete power over those who have no clear desire, which explained why Miguel didn¡¯t have any super abilities. There was no desire to manifest. Still, there was one more question. One last thing to piece together. ¡°Does Mr. Payne¡­you know, feel pain?¡± He laughed. ¡°Damn, you saw him in action, huh? He ain¡¯t just a businessman. He¡¯s a damn monster who believes pain is the biggest weakness in the world. I found out a year after I met him that he endured some rough stuff in the past to harden his body so he¡¯d never feel pain again. The crazy thing ¡®bout it now is, he has become a fiend for that feelin¡¯ ¡®cause he hasn¡¯t felt involuntary pain in so long. He treats the Cogs the same way, too. As long as they follow orders and don¡¯t show weakness, they can do whatever they want ¡®round here.¡± With that, it seemed everything had been answered except our biggest problem: how to stop Mr. Payne. Thankfully, there was a glimmer of hope to solving that murky equation. ¡°You gotta let Agent Dai contact Obsidian,¡± I told him. ¡°Those guys are the key to shuttin¡¯ down the Cogs and Mr. Payne. You gotta see that.¡± ¡°I do see it, and you right. I just wanted to be the one who ended Mr. Payne someday, you know? But this opportunity¡­ Damn, I can¡¯t pass it up, so I¡¯m gonna go back in and let the agent do his thing. But Zayn, you gotta know something.¡± He turned away from me, his body unable to stay composed. He was nervous. Scared, even. These were feelings I had never seen him show. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His gaze returned to match mine. ¡°I apologize from the bottom of my heart to you, your mother, and your father. I can¡¯t excuse my actions or even blame Mr. Payne ¡®cause I should¡¯ve been a better, more smarter person. I can¡¯t ask you for forgiveness ¡®cause God knows I don¡¯t deserve it, but you should know that I¡¯m gonna protect you like you my own blood ¡®til the day I die. It¡¯s all I can do for you, and for your pops. You have my word.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say. No longer did anger or sadness linger within me; only a mass of confusion that would be understood with time. Hopefully. ¡°We should put our demons to rest,¡± I suggested firmly. ¡°They¡¯ve caused enough negativity. I won¡¯t let them cripple me anymore, and neither should you. We¡¯ll fight harder, grow stronger, and accept more. We can be better than we¡¯ve ever been.¡± Darius smirked with a nod. ¡°Yeah. Aight, Zayn. Let¡¯s do that.¡± A dap formed into a hug. What did it all mean? I wasn¡¯t sure. I was just happy to let go of the darkness in my life. All that remained¡­was the end of Payne¡¯s reign. Chapter 71 - Shadows Of Our Society, Pt. 1 Later that night, Ashanti and I snuck out of our homes and met up in the back of the complex. We sat down together on a small bench that faced the Hudson River, which was beautiful at this midnight hour with the moon¡¯s reflection shining on the water. ¡°You ready for tomorrow?¡± she asked, watching the waves flow. ¡°Yeah. I hope Agent Dai and the Obsidian soldiers can take down Mr. Payne.¡± She smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m talkin¡¯ ¡®bout fightin¡¯ with Obsidian. I already spoke to Tory about it when you left out to speak with Darius. He agreed we should join in and help the soldiers. Agent Dai even assured our safety from Obsidian¡¯s side, so I think we¡¯re good as long as we watch out for the Cogs.¡± Her intention to battle in the war left me speechless until I had to ask, ¡°I hear what¡¯chu sayin¡¯, Shanti, but you sure it¡¯s a good idea for you to be in all that? I mean, I¡¯m not tryin¡¯ to offend you or nothin¡¯, but¡ª¡± ¡°I can handle myself, Zay.¡± I chuckled at the nickname as she rolled her eyes and grinned, continuing, ¡°I¡¯m just tired of watchin¡¯ people die. If I can prevent someone from losin¡¯ their life, I¡¯ll risk mine to make sure it happens.¡± Our discussion led me to thinking about Marcus, whose death I never talked about with Ashanti. ¡°So, on that subject a lil¡¯ bit¡­ Marcus¡­¡± She looked at me when his name was mentioned. ¡°He was a chill dude. Y¡¯all two were close and kinda seeing each other, right?¡± ¡°Well, he was a very sweet and respectful guy with a lot of passion. It¡¯s why I took his offer to go on a date that day ¡®cause no one asked me out in a gentle manner the way he did. But to sorta answer your question, no, we weren¡¯t serious or anythin¡¯ like that.¡± I regretted bringing up their closeness, because now I was clueless on how to follow up in the conversation. She looked back at the river, which was a good sign so she wouldn¡¯t see the nervousness on my face. But what could I say next? Bring up Mr. Payne? Talk about her friend, Ciara? Marcus, again? Okay, I went with Marcus again. ¡°I think if he was here, he¡¯d be fightin¡¯ alongside us, you know? Probably locking the Cogs in submissions and drop kickin¡¯em.¡± She laughed. ¡°True. So, with that said, are you with us tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. Thing is, though, I¡¯m still lost on how this whole power system works.¡± She turned her whole body to me and listened. ¡°Like, say if I somehow get over my nightmares and start livin¡¯ a normal life, would my abilities disappear ¡®cause I no longer have the desire to fight my demons? I¡¯ve been tryin¡¯ to rationalize it all and figure things out, but it¡¯s so complicated with the bits of information we have.¡± She was so attentive that I could see the care in her eyes. The sudden spread of her lips to form a smile still didn¡¯t remove the keen expression on her face. She was special. ¡°Zayn, I believe your power doesn¡¯t come from just your own problems, but from the issues that other people have to deal with, too. You can see the Shadows ¡®cause you have a desire to get rid of them. You want to make a change in our society. You want to cleanse the negativity in the air. You, Zayn, are different from most. You have a heart. You are special.¡± As if her words weren¡¯t enough, she raised her hand with her palm facing me, leading me to press my own palm into hers. She then laced her fingers through mine, causing my heart to skip a beat as I looked at our entanglement before staring back at her pretty brown eyes. Like magic, her next move didn¡¯t register in my mind until the warmth of her breath caused a shiver down my spine. It was then that the softness of her lips against mine created a euphoria I would never forget. Still holding hands, we sat for a little longer and gazed at the moon in silence. Stars aligned, as did the motion of the tides in the river. Everything was perfect. For now. ??? Phone in my hoodie. Headphones around my neck. This was it. Showtime. Beside me were Tory, Ashanti, and Darius. We stood a short distance away from a large factory under the clear blue sky. The building towered over the tall trees and small warehouses that were all stationed in a secluded area surrounded by grass and concrete pathways. Lined up next to us were an army of men and women wearing black, full-body armor with a white O insignia placed on their protective gear. They were led by Dai and another male agent in a navy-blue suit. ¡°Are you all prepared?¡± Agent Dai requested to know after walking over to the four of us without armor. We gave our confirmation with different gestures of approval before he said, ¡°Good, good. We were unable to prepare protection for the four of you on such short notice, so remember to fall back if necessary. You are more valuable to us alive than dead.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Ashanti snapped at him. Before he could give an explanation, the agent in the navy-blue suit approached us. He lit a cigarette in his mouth before asking, ¡°So, this is your group, Dai. We¡¯re never going to get a break from teenagers thinking they¡¯re superheroes, are we?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. He said that like he knew others our age fighting against corrupted individuals. Could he have been talking about the girl with silver hair from the deleted video? ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t think we¡¯re heroes, sir,¡± Tory began, ¡°we¡¯re just some cool kids from the block here to make a difference. That¡¯s all.¡± The agent chuckled before walking back to the soldiers. Tory had been the most hyped out of all of us. He was dripped out in all white despite the fact this¡¯ll be our dirtiest confrontation to date. ¡°Really, bro? Why the white?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. He smirked. ¡°¡¯Cause we ¡®bout to cleanse the streets.¡± Weak, but whatever. Both Dai and the other agent gave a rundown of the mission to everyone present before commanding the soldiers to move out. I gripped my phone in my hoodie at the sight of them marching forward. Music had been my saving grace throughout my entire life, and that wasn¡¯t going to change here. Not when I was so close to bringing peace to myself and our society. Gunfire howled through the air the second we were close enough to be spotted. Multiple Cog members were positioned in the windows of the factory and warehouses with their guns aimed directly at the soldiers rushing toward the buildings. An exchange of bullets from both sides led to us unarmed individuals hiding behind whatever sturdy defense we laid our eyes on¡ªlike trucks and rows of steel equipment. ¡°This wild as hell,¡± Darius shouted over the storm of gunshots. He, Ashanti, Dai, and I were crouched behind a long barricade while Tory and the other agent progressed onward through the commotion. ¡°I was not expecting our enemies to be so prepared,¡± Dai said to us, standing fully on his feet. ¡°Regardless, we are not safe here. We must move the moment¡ª¡± Ashanti pounced on Dai out of nowhere just before a bullet was fired over the barricade. Had she not pushed him to the ground, he¡¯d most definitely have a hole in his head. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said to her, wide-eyed. She slid off him, still lying low while gripping the side of her head. ¡°Save it, okay? Let¡¯s find a way inside the factory.¡± ¡°H-How did she know?¡± Darius¡¯s baffled expression was something new. ¡°She can see the future or somethin¡¯?¡± Explanations had to come later, especially with our chance to enter the devil¡¯s domain now being wide open after the sudden subsiding of gunfire. Even though the Silicon Cogs had the field advantage, they were no match for the armor and weaponry of the Obsidian soldiers, who had already put an end to the Cog¡¯s surprise assault. After looking around, however, our environment was anything but peaceful. It was a massacre. Bodies of lifeless men hung from the windows of the buildings, the grounds below painted with their dripping blood. Ashanti could do nothing but frown at the unsettling sight before making her way to the front of the factory. Tory and the other agent were already positioned with the soldiers. ¡°This coldblooded,¡± Darius mumbled, his eyes low. ¡°These dudes ain¡¯t deserve this. They never had a chance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Payne¡¯s fault,¡± I told him. ¡°He has control over them with his manipulation power. I don¡¯t believe they¡¯d be throwin¡¯ their lives away like this if that wasn¡¯t the case.¡± He made a fist and chewed his bottom lip. The death of the Cogs was hitting him harder than any of us. ¡°Come on, Zayn. Let¡¯s do somethin¡¯ ¡®bout this.¡± We joined the others at the entrance of the factory, where the soldiers used a battering ram to break open the front door. Inside were boxes, industrial robots, and manufacturing machines that seized operations without the Cogs at the handle. The lack of gang members had us all on alert. There had to have been some of them remaining. ¡°There.¡± Dai pointed to a large steel door at the other end of the room. ¡°That should be our way to traverse further.¡± Half of the Obsidian soldiers did a sweep of the first floor while the others attempted to break down the large door with the battering ram. The impact couldn¡¯t even leave a mark for some reason, leading Tory to crack his knuckles and step up. ¡°Aight, let me take a shot at it.¡± The soldiers backed away and gave Tory his space. The other agent smiled next to me and said, ¡°I like this kid.¡± Tory was ready to put on a show, but the sudden arrival of multiple Cog members with automatic weapons canceled our plans of reaching the finale. They stampeded from different parts of the factory, ambushing us and the soldiers who were investigating the area. Most of us took cover once again, this time behind a long conveyor belt. Both sides appeared to be taking hits as blood-curdling screams echoed through the building. Unable to move without the risk of being shot and killed, I started to doubt our decision to come here. ¡°We have to open that door,¡± Agent Dai hollered. ¡°If we take out the core, the machine will fall.¡± Tory gritted his teeth before yelling, ¡°Cover me, everybody.¡± He dodged the incoming fire with lightning-fast reflexes as the soldiers stood together to fend off the Cogs with their own round of bullets. Machines exploded around us as Tory punched and kicked the door with incredible speed and power, leaving dents with every strike. A Cog slithered his way through the danger zone and aimed his rifle at Tory, whose back was turned while he focused on breaking down the door. My finger was inches away from hitting play on my phone and dashing over to save him, but Dai extended his arm forward and made a gripping motion with his hand, somehow resulting in the Cog member being unable to move his body. He struggled trying to release himself from the invisible restraint until he fell on the floor, giving Tory enough time to smash the door wide open. ¡°You¡¯re a Dreamer, too?¡± Ashanti questioned Dai in disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. ¡°My power isn¡¯t strong enough to restrain those with overbearing negativity, but my desire has always been to resolve conflict without violence. I never wish to hurt or kill anyone.¡± Ashanti gave Dai a small smile before we heard Tory call out, ¡°Yo, come on. Let¡¯s go.¡± Every person on our side sprinted toward him, but unfortunately, more Cog members showed up. This time with even bigger guns. ¡°Time to get serious,¡± Tory shouted. He cupped his hands together and released a wave of energy with the thrust of his arms. The blast lasted until every Cog member in our presence was laid out. ¡°Bro, was that¡ª¡± Tory groaned and fell to one knee, unable to answer me. The strain of his video game abilities was beginning to take their toll on him. This was bad for us as more Cog Members bolted in the factory from the entrance we entered in. Where the hell were these guys hiding in the first place? ¡°You.¡± Dai turned to me. ¡°Go. They will keep coming until the marked Dreamer is defeated. You have to stop him.¡± Ashanti nodded in agreement. Darius stood by me and said, ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ with him.¡± He then looked down at Tory. ¡°Lil¡¯ bro, rest up. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± With the Obsidian soldiers and my friends shielding me and Darius, the two of us headed toward the final battle. It was here that we would confront the true source of our problems. Chapter 72 - Shadows Of Our Society, Pt. 2 The top floor was fitting for the final battle. It gave a clear view of Newburgh, the home we were fighting for. It was a place of hope¡ªof dreams forgotten and held back for far too long by corruption and sin. A major source of that darkness¡­was standing right in front of me. ¡°Wasted potential.¡± The first words of Mr. Payne were low, yet so powerful because of his strong voice. He stood tall in a brown suit with his arms behind his back. ¡°When I look at the two of you, I see nothing but wasted potential. You both possess enough aspiration to go far in life without my assistance. You could¡¯ve been like me, a driving force in our community with enough power to revolt against our suppressors, but you chose to rage against the machine designed for your own people.¡± ¡°Nah, we could never be like you,¡± Darius stated. ¡°All you preach is cap. You got these dudes out here thinkin¡¯ you the key to the promise land, but it¡¯s all to make you look good. They just doin¡¯ your dirty work. Believe me, I know.¡± Mr. Payne snickered. ¡°Ah, Darius. Why are you here, anyway? You have passion. Soul. It¡¯s why I¡¯ve left you alone for all these years. I allowed you to succeed on your own, and yet, here you are, throwing my generosity away and becoming a failure. I despise failure.¡± My teeth grinded from frustration. ¡°Look at this.¡± I gripped onto my blue hoodie. ¡°This belongs to my father. Malachi Quinn Campbell. Does that name mean anythin¡¯ to you?¡± His eyes widened as his arms fell to his side. For once, he showed emotion. ¡°Interesting. So, it all comes full circle.¡± He smirked before bursting into a maniacal laugh. ¡°Perfect. Yes, Zayn, I remember your father well. Like you, he didn¡¯t trust the process. He tried to destroy it because he didn¡¯t understand it, so he was eliminated. By him.¡± He pointed to Darius, who flinched before seething. I looked at him and shook my head before placing my headphones around my ears and turning back to Mr. Payne. ¡°Mr. Payne. Lorenzo. Before we do this, I wanna tell you somethin¡¯: people here can achieve greatness. All we need is a clear path. You claim you¡¯re here to help, but a real leader in our community would guide us in the right direction and not give us false dreams like those in higher power have always done while they looked down on us. So, with that said, today is the day I show you what it feels like to be human.¡± Unfazed by my words, he cracked his knuckles with a grin and tilted his neck to the side. A blur of a shadow whizzed past me toward Darius, slamming him into the wall behind me. The impact knocked him unconscious, with the darkness darting to Mr. Payne¡¯s side before morphing into its true form: the colossal Shadow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, Zayn. I only assured this confrontation will be between me and you. Promise.¡± The Shadow backed away, but I didn¡¯t believe him. Regardless, it was all adrenaline from here. I was terrified of both Mr. Payne and the outcome of this clash, but at the first sound of the rap beat bumping in my ear, I shot past those fears and lunged with a straight punch. My fist connected with his face, and what was the result? Laughter. Freakin¡¯ laughter by a man who delivered a blow right back with a swing of his arm. Had this power not been flowing through me to endure the hit, I would¡¯ve been knocked out just like that. But I did have the power, and I was gonna use it to drop this behemoth. I delivered body shot after body shot, each landing with more force as the beat got harder and the lyrics more aggressive. The chorus broke in just as I swung a right hook to his jaw, only for it to be countered by a fierce strike to my chest that sent me back a few feet. I couldn¡¯t stop now. I needed to keep going. Rushing back in, the smooth vocals of the R&B track that played next allowed me to bob and weave his incoming assault and catch him with a few jabs to the chin. Still, nothing worked. Despite the music giving me the agility and finesse to avoid his hands, it was pointless if I couldn¡¯t hurt him. All I did was delay the inevitable: him catching me once the song ended. The impact of my body hitting the floor was so hard, my headphones flew off in the direction of Darius¡¯s body. He then launched me further back with a kick to my ribs, saliva spilling on the floor. How the hell was I supposed to stop this guy? He was a damn tank. ¡°Had enough, Zayn?¡± ¡°No. I feel pain every single day, somethin¡¯ you can¡¯t relate to.¡± I crawled backwards to create some distance before stumbling to my feet and picking up my headphones. He chuckled before sighing and shaking his head. ¡°Can¡¯t you see, Zayn? We live in a society of weak and confused individuals. I am going to give them strength. Direction. They will have purpose, and that is to crush the government which has enslaved us. We will be bigger than the whole world. We¡ª¡± ¡°All garbage. There¡¯s no we. You¡¯re just a villain who wants power. You should be real with yourself, but you can¡¯t do that ¡®cause you don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to live in reality. You may see it, but you don¡¯t understand it. The hardships that real people go through mentally, physically, and emotionally, are what you consider weaknesses. It¡¯s not. It¡¯s what makes us human, not a machine like you.¡± His cocky and laid-back demeanor would be his downfall. It gave me the opportunity to scan my environment and skip to the next track in my playlist: a jazz song Ashanti had sent me last night. My injuries healed faster than expected, and I was ready to charge back in¡ªthis time with an idea. I swung my arm to psyche him out before grabbling a fire extinguisher off the wall mount and spraying him with it. He covered his eyes and stumbled backward, giving me time to hit play on the hardest Hip-Hop track in my playlist and brace myself to deliver the strongest punch I¡¯ve ever thrown. This was it. This was my chance to hit him with a knockout blow to the face and¡ªThe story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Smack. My victory was shut down by the Shadow¡¯s vicious strike. A firm grip then wrapped around my waist before I was lifted in the air and tossed against the ceiling¡ªmy headphones being smashed to pieces from the impact. Still, the creature did not let go. I was brutalized without remorse, each slam on the floor being more painful than the last. Teardrops fell from my eyes that merged with the blood spilling out of my mouth. I cried for my life like never before, but the torture continued with no way to stop it. That¡¯s when I truly believed only death could answer my plea for relief. It should have been over for me. It really should have. But the demon grew bored of its toy and flung me like an old rag doll, sending me against the wall with extreme force. Despite being alive, I could do nothing after the crash. My body already accepted defeat. ¡°I tried to warn you, Zayn.¡± Mr. Payne looked down at me and smirked. ¡°This is what¡¯ll happen to the government and those who side with it. Do you honestly believe those officials will let you be free after seeing your capabilities? No. You¡¯re just another statistic to them. They¡¯ll use you until you wish you were dead, so I¡¯ll do you a favor and end your life now.¡± He lifted his foot, ready to stomp my face into the floor. That is until Darius¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Get away from him.¡± I saw Darius with a gun in his hand through my blurry vision. He pointed it at Mr. Payne. ¡°I¡¯ll blow your damn brains out, Lorenzo. Back away from him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one with the power, Darius. You must need a reminder.¡± My heavy head dropped to the floor after being too weak to look up anymore. The loud pops of two gunshots sent a jolt through my body that almost pushed me to rise from my grounded position, but it was the agonizing screams of Darius that forced enough movement to sit up and see him being bashed around the room like I was by the demon. ¡°Please stop,¡± I begged, coughing blood. When the Shadow was done, Darius¡¯s unmoving body was bruised and battered beyond belief. I prayed he was still breathing. Mr. Payne turned to me and gave sight of the bullet holes in the chest area of his suit. He removed his jacker and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing not only his wounds, but an S print deeply embedded into his skin that looked almost satanic. ¡°Yes, this is it. This is what I¡¯ve wanted to feel for so long.¡± He gaped down at the bleeding holes in his chest, rejoicing with a holler of excitement. ¡°I feel alive.¡± I had to stand, or I would die after his celebration. Get up, Zayn. Get up. ¡°You should have minded your own business, young man. I told you this is how it would end for you, and I am always right.¡± He was wrong. I rose with shaky legs. ¡°No. No, my life isn¡¯t over. I¡¯m gonna keep fightin¡¯ ¡®til I¡¯m happy. I can¡¯ stop. I won¡¯t stop. I¡¯ll never give up until my demons are purged.¡± I could hear it. The music. All of it in my head¡ªclear as day¡ªwithout the need of a device. Instrumentals and lyrics from different songs and genres of music all mixed in my mind as my vision became black and white. Only the rainbow aura that manifested and danced around my body was in color. So many emotions. So many possibilities. This power was unlike anything I¡¯d ever felt before. Hypnotic colors swirled around my fist, leading Mr. Payne to question, ¡°Where is that energy coming from? Even your eyes have changed¡­ What the hell have you become?¡± ¡°Your destroyer.¡± Bursting forward, the instant my knuckles connected with his torso, a wave of vibration shook the room and caused Mr. Payne to tremble. The Shadow refused to intervene as he called out for defense against each of my rapid blows that sent shockwaves through his body. The machine was being torn apart. He swung his heavy arms wildly in a desperate attempt to create some separation, but I ducked and hit him with an uppercut on my way back up. He quivered more with every jab I delivered, unable to keep his composure. Despite the overflowing energy within me, I could feel it wasn¡¯t going to last. I needed to act now and break his control over our society. Forever. Channeling all the power into my hands, the thrust of my arms created a sonic boom that shot Mr. Payne through the steel wall of the room. He was defeated. Done for. There was no way he was getting up from that. Almost out of time, I fell to my knees from the numbness of my limbs. Growing weaker with every passing second, I laid flat on the floor as I could hear Mr. Payne¡¯s muffled voice through the shattered steel he was buried under. ¡°I¡­was protecting us. Other leaders from far and wide will come now and take over. This place¡­has no hope.¡± I lifted my head off the floor to see his leg shaking underneath the rubble. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. We, the people of this society, are the hope.¡± His foot twitched one last time before he remained still. The Shadow snarled before vanishing in a black fog that slowly dissipated. Color returned in my vision as Darius groaned on the floor. With all my energy depleted, I was able to pass out in peace knowing we had both survived the war. Our society was now free of pain. ??? Two days had gone by before returning home from the hospital. Other than joint pains and soreness, I suffered aftereffects of the war like random flashes and earaches that not even doctors could diagnose. Still, none of it was in vain. Newburgh had already become cleaner and safer with the absence of Mr. Payne, who was taken into custody by Obsidian and brought to who-knows-where. Some members of the Silicon Cogs who survived the war turned their lives around and contributed to Darius¡¯s request to open a YMCA program for troubled teens. He plans to name it after my father, Malachi Quinn Campbell. As for Tory and Ashanti, they sat by me with smiles on a stone, circular structure in the complex. They¡¯ll be with me through everything from here on out, including my mom, who I told about my nightmares. She intends on getting me help as soon as she can, but right now, my life is all about hanging out with my best friend. And girlfriend. ¡°Hey, whatever happened with all that social media drama?¡± I asked Tory, who was looking up at the sunny sky. ¡°After news about Mr. Payne came out, people online started to see the real things goin¡¯ on ¡®round here, so the heat on me kinda simmered down. I still gotta deal with trolls here and there, but it is what it is, you know? Gotta ignore the hate and love yourself and your accomplishments.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ashanti agreed. ¡°But speaking of love,¡± she glared at him, ¡°I heard you was talkin¡¯ to Ciara.¡± Tory laughed. ¡°Yeah, I hit her up at eleven-eleven last night and we talked for hours. I figured, she¡¯s hot, I¡¯m hot; we¡¯d be lit together.¡± ¡°Oh, hell no.¡± Ashanti got up and started chasing Tory around the area. He shouted at me, ¡°Yo, get¡¯cha girl, bro.¡± I chuckled, not about to get involved. We were all at peace, but the fun and games ended with the sudden appearance of Agent Dai. The three of us stood in anticipation as he approached. ¡°Excuse me. Is now a proper time to discuss an urgent matter?¡± he asked. ¡°Or should I say, an important proposition?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Ashanti was eager to hear. ¡°I should inform you of Lorenzo Crowe¡¯s fate before I proceed: he has been taken from Obsidian custody to be sacrificed in a ritual.¡± ¡°What?¡± the three of us questioned at the same. ¡°Within the shadows lie a cult known as the Black Mask. They are responsible for all abnormal manifestations and require someone with the Mark of Sin to reach the next stage in their diabolical scheme. They must be stopped before the ritual is complete. It is not an exaggeration when I say the entire world is at stake, which is why I am here: to propose an offer to join Obsidian and help us take down the Black Mask.¡± He was serious. I didn¡¯t know what to say. Tory was the first to react with words. ¡°Bro, this is too crazy. Like, say if we accept, right? What happens to our normal lives?¡± ¡°And our families?¡± Ashanti added. ¡°You need not worry. Your family will be safe, and you will remain here until you are called upon. Though Obsidian officials will be keeping an eye on your location at all times, I, as well as my partner, have already vouched for you. All that is needed is your allegiance to Obsidian and our cause, as well as keeping your abilities a secret from the world. What is your answer?¡± The three of us¡ªwho just a week ago were kids shackled by our demons¡ªlooked at each other with newfound freedom and purpose. A silent agreement was sealed with smiles. My next words would make us heroes. ¡°We accept.¡± Chapter 73 (Book 2: Sneak Peek) - A Deal With The Devil The ride to hell was a silent one. For purging a creature born from sin, I¡ªalong with my boyfriend, Lucas¡ªsat in the back of a police car on our way to the station for questioning. What more could be asked was beyond me; everything was recorded for the world to see. I fought a demon and won. ¡°Ali,¡± Lucas began, unable to brush back his platinum-blond hair from his blue eyes due to being handcuffed, ¡°no matter what happens, I¡¯m here, okay? I¡¯m staying by your side.¡± ¡°Same,¡± I replied. The car stopped at an unexpected, unknown location. Out the barred window was a cabin made of steel encircled by thick trees that darkened the blue sky. The smell of the earth seeped into the vehicle as we watched men in black suits walk out of the structure onto the woodlands. Yeah, definitely not a police station. ¡°Where are we?¡± Lucas voiced our thoughts as we inspected the grassy surroundings with limited view. ¡°Sir, what¡¯s going on?¡± The officer stepped out of the vehicle and opened the back seat, giving us freedom to go from one prison to another as the suited men caged us with their presence. Two of them pushed us toward the entrance of the cabin, my arm squeezed by a firm grip that only tightened once the door opened. As if these damn cuffs weren¡¯t enough. Inside was a space made up of luxurious d¨¦cor, ranging from leather sofas and a wall-mounted wine cabinet behind a bar counter, to a glass-enclosed fireplace and an antler chandelier illuminating the home with rustic lighting. The place would¡¯ve passed the vibe check with ease had I not sensed a staggering surge of negativity coming from somewhere deeper inside. ¡°There¡¯s a demon in here,¡± I whispered to Lucas. From out the back room came a tall man with a gray goatee, his black hair standing high in a pompadour style that almost stood out more than his broad shoulders in his white blazer. ¡°Welcome.¡± His light tone couldn¡¯t subtract from his deep, intimidating voice. ¡°My name is Lysander Goodwin, chairman of Obsidian.¡± ¡°What do you want with us?¡± Lucas questioned Lysander, gritting his teeth from the tightened grip of the suited man holding him in place. Lysander sauntered to the bar section and poured him a glass of wine before speaking. ¡°First, I would like to apologize for this sudden arrangement between us, but humanity is in a dire situation when it comes to demons. More specifically, Shadows.¡± How does he know about Shadows? Obsidian didn¡¯t believe in¡ª ¡°No, it was Alvin Steinberg who didn¡¯t believe in demons,¡± he said so suddenly. ¡°All of Obsidian are well aware of their existence and their ability to corrupt manifested desires.¡± Well, that answered my question somewhat, but did he just read my¡ª ¡°Yes, I read your mind. I know all of your thoughts and narratives because I¡ªlike you¡ªam a Dreamer.¡± Great, another madman in power to deal with. Somehow, though, this one felt more dangerous than the last. He took a sip of his wine before continuing. ¡°With that said, Aliyah Dawn, we have more in common as well. We¡¯re both Dreamers without Shadows, meaning our positive beliefs outweigh our negative intrusions, am I right?¡± I didn¡¯t answer. Not like I needed to with his ridiculous mind-reading ability. Talk about intrusions. ¡°Another thing we share is the desire to save people from demons and themselves, so I¡¯ll come out and say it: I want you to join Obsidian.¡± I scoffed. ¡°And why would I do that? Don¡¯t you have enough manpower?¡± ¡°Well, for one, you¡¯d have access to help Dreamers from all boroughs of New York City, not just the Bronx. And while I do have my own force of capable Dreamers, I need more who are close to your age.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Creepy. ¡°What does her age have to do with anything?¡± Lucas asked. Lysander took another sip of his wine before walking over to me and Lucas. ¡°At the risk of sounding comical, you teenagers are our only hope. You see, those your age have the highest levels of aspiration, even in this current world of extreme depression. Thus, your abilities are more amplified than say, someone in their thirties or older. Actually, take me for example. While I may be able to read minds, I can only do so by direct eye contact with the other individual. There are more drawbacks and weaknesses for Dreamers my age as opposed to yours, which is why I need a squad of Dreamers consisting of you and your friends.¡± Please. This man clearly didn¡¯t know my friends if he thought they¡¯d even consider helping him. Janet hates Obsidian for killing her parents, and Robyn isn¡¯t exactly a friend of mine. Hell, she¡¯s no one¡¯s friend and would probably slaughter the entire organization. ¡°Okay,¡± I began, yanking my arm forward in hopes of loosening the grip of the suited man holding onto me, ¡°and if I refuse?¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be good for either of us.¡± Of course the friendly tone left his voice at this point. ¡°You possess incomprehensible capabilities that could pose a threat to humanity¡ªcapabilities that you¡¯ve already exposed to the world. Right now, you¡¯re nothing more than a detriment to your family and friends, who will face public scrutiny as the ones who are close to The Witch.¡± My mind immediately shot to the worse possible conclusion. Lysander confirmed my dreadful suspension. ¡°The video of you combating a demon has been viewed over two million times in less than three hours. The Witch is on course to become the number one trend in the world¡ªa nicknamed dubbed for you, Aliyah Dawn. I don¡¯t think you fully understand the position you¡¯ve put us in. It is Obsidian¡¯s sworn duty to not only protect humanity from demons, but to veil their entire existence from society. You have jeopardized our mission, and so, you will be placed under solitary confinement for the rest of your life; unless you work for us.¡± I hated this. All of it. But what other choice did I have? ¡°Now, before you answer,¡± Lysander started, walking back to the wine bar, ¡°I would like to provide a demonstration of what will happen when we work together.¡± He raised his glass and shouted, ¡°Bring out our drunken friend.¡± Women in black suits dragged a guy from out the back room who reeked of alcohol. His dirty clothes and frightened expression made me assume he was just a hobo caught up in all this mess, but something sinister came out with him: the demon I sensed earlier. It was the guy''s Shadow, a creature with the power to corrupt his manifested desire. Lysander¡¯s nose wrinkled in disgust as he explained, ¡°This man is a homeless alcoholic. His only desire in life is to drown himself in the same waters that cost him his job, family, and fianc¨¦e. This toxic obsession has given him the ability to manifest any alcoholic beverage of his choosing.¡± The happy tone returned when he said, ¡°How do you think I collected so many fine wines?¡± he laughed out. Chuckles from the suited soldiers followed after. ¡°Though we¡¯ve all enjoyed his power, it is time to free this man of his sins. Don¡¯t you agree, Aliyah?¡± I could feel my face contorting in anger at every word of his. ¡°You¡¯re sick. All of you.¡± Lucas turned to me. ¡°Do it, Ali. Help the guy before it¡¯s too late.¡± His voice assertive and melancholic. Lysander sat his glass down on the bar counter and approached the grounded guy, unknowingly standing a few inches away from the Shadow as only Robyn and I had the ability to see them. ¡°Let her go,¡± he ordered the suited man holding me in place. ¡°Let us witness her saving grace.¡± The guy lifted his head off the ground to look up, only to have his vision blackened by my palm on his face. His eyes were blinded further upon the flash of light released from my hand that purged the Shadow and caused the guy to lose consciousness. It wasn¡¯t long before the radiance faded. I stepped back and acknowledged their fascination of my ability. Lysander clapped and said, ¡°Wonderful. Now, Obsidian will do their part when he wakes up, and that is admitting him into the best rehabilitation center in the state, free of charge. Can you see it now, Aliyah? See that you belong in Obsidian? We cannot destroy Shadows without you, and you cannot prevent people from being corrupted again without us. But together, we can combine our actions and resources to guarantee a healthy, stable world.¡± ¡°And how exactly do you know about Shadows?¡± I inquired. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen them or any kind of demon except for the one in the video from a few hours ago.¡± He grinned. ¡°As I said, we have resources. Resources that include captured members of a cult known as the Black Mask. They, as well as a particular member of Obsidian around your age who I hope you¡¯ll be acquainted with soon, have provided all of the information necessary to generate a factual report on these creatures.¡± Ugh. This guy had a perfect response for everything. ¡°What about my boyfriend?¡± I asked, causing his stare to shift to Lucas. ¡°Will Lucas be free to live his life? He doesn¡¯t have a Shadow, and he only knows about the demons because I told him about them. He has no reason to be involved.¡± ¡°Though he will be monitored, Lucas Stewart is free to live his life as he pleases as long as you join us.¡± He huffed and approached me, towering with a glare. ¡°Now, enough questions. I only have time for one more, and that is reserved for me to ask: will you join Obsidian?¡± This man and his weak illusion of choice. Seriously, there was only one option from the very beginning; I had to choose it without hesitation. ¡°Yes. Asshole.¡±