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“
Did you?” she said in a doubtful tone as she walked over to the step I was on and took a seat.

“
What did Nana say?” I asked as I sat down next to her.

“
She said she helped you remember the party – that it was hard, and you were scared.”

“
I figured out I was always right – my first instincts were flawless, and…and this is over,” I said, looking confidently at her.

“
You sure you’re OK, though? With what happened that night?” she asked quietly.

“
No, I’m not OK – I mad as hell, and I’m gonna take a shower, then go over there and end this.”

“
What? Wait! Go where?” she asked, baffled.

“
He bought a house here so he could see me this summer,” I said in a disgusted tone.

“
Creeper – you are not going over there - no way – I’m hours away from showing mom that you’re not only safe and sound, but healthier than before.”

“
Face-to-face is the only way to do this,” I said, confident in my words.

“
I’m going with you,” she said, standing.

“
No,” I said, standing with her. “I’m gonna take Madison,” I said, pulling out my phone to send her a text. I had two unread ones; I cleared them and texted: “Can I get you to go with me somewhere??”

“
I don’t like this; this is bad - I can feel it – why don’t we try a restraining order? That’ll work,” Kara said as her face flushed with fear.

“
Seriously – a restraining order on a demon? And I thought I was crazy,” I said, shaking my head at her absurdity.

“
You’re crazy! You’re the one playing with demons,” Kara said as her face flushed with fear.

“
I’m not playing with anyone – free will, Kara. They have to obey that – I can end this today.”

“
Maybe you don’t remember that party,” Kara said, looking over me.

“
I do – I remember every cold, agonizing second of it – but this time – there will be no ‘relaxing me’, no drugs - just a simple command – one I should have made three months ago.”

“
Free will?! This guy is a creeper – if he believes in it, then he also has the confidence that he can manipulate you,” Kara argued.

I tapped my temple. “I have a shield,” I said, looking down to read the text that just came in.

“
when – where –is Charlie back?”

“
An hour – you don’t want to know – maybe” I texted back.

“
She’s coming – no worries.”

Kara shook her head. “You better not drink or eat anything – I mean, don’t put your fingers in your eyes or mouth – this is bad.”

“
It’ll be over before you know it….then… we’ll have dinner with mom – I’ll play for her, and everything will balance for the first time ever.”

I listened to see if the guitar sound had changed, but I only found a calm rhythm. Kara started to say something, but I put my hand up to stop her, then turned and ran up the stairs, coming out of my clothes so I could take a shower.

I plugged my phone up, knowing it was almost dead. It was already one in the afternoon. I could see that I had three unread messages on Britain’s phone. I didn’t bother to read them; I knew I only had two hours before my mom’s plane landed.

I took the fastest shower of my life, then towel-dried my hair. I dug in the closet for something to wear. I didn’t want to look great, but I wanted to look confident. I made a face, realizing almost all of my clothes were the same – just Charlie. I pulled out a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a purple studded belt, and a black shirt with a cross across the back. Then I pulled on my combat boots. I didn’t bother with eyeliner, but I splashed some perfume on my wrist.

I walked over to my nightstand and picked up Britain’s phone. The first text said: ‘good night sleeping beauty’, the next said: ‘good morning precious’, and the last one read: ‘what time are you coming’.

I texted: ‘right now but I only have minutes’. Instantly, he texted back: ’that will do – time stands still when you are around.’ I rolled my eyes, knowing his time in my life was about to end – I could only hope that someone else could save him – release the demon inside of him.

My phone vibrated, and I picked it up and read the text that Madison had just sent: ‘um I’m down stairs getting lectured – lets go – like now.’

Britain’s phone vibrated again. The message just showed his address again. I grabbed both phones and stuffed them in my bag, then draped Draven’s hoodie across my arm.

I raced down the stairs, listening to the rhythm of the guitar – committing every chord to memory. I could see Madison sitting at the table with her legs and arms crossed, looking totally bored. Kara was pacing in front of her, mumbling.

“
There she is,” Madison said, exaggerating a sigh.

Kara turned to look at me. “I want that address – I wanna know where to send the SWAT team if you aren’t in and out in ten minutes.”

“
Fifteen,” I said slyly, trying to show her I wasn’t scared.

“
I’m serious, Charlie,” Kara said sternly.

I pulled my phone out of my bag and showed her the text; she took the phone and forwarded it to herself.

Madison stood. “Alright, let’s go break some hearts,” she said boldly.

“
Madison,” Kara said.

“
I know, I know – no food – no drink – hands out of mouth and eyes,” Madison said, looping her arm through mine.

I kissed Kara on the cheek., “See you in a bit; no worries,” I said as Madison pulled me to the door.

Once I stepped out on the back steps – I hesitated; the guitar was gone, and I could only hear silence. I studied the shadows carefully as Madison made her way to my car. Once she reached the passenger’s side, she glanced at me. “I already helped everyone here…there were like a hundred.”

I raised my eyebrows, doubting her count. I knew my memory was weak, but I could never remember a time when one of us could help so many in such a short amount of time.

“
OK, maybe like eighty – but it was still a lot,” she said, rolling her eyes as she opened the door and climbed in.

When I climbed in, I looked across at her. “Eighty? Seriously?”

“
Seriously – I’ve gotten really good at it over the last few days – it’s never been this loud….thank God for the energy drinks – I’ve never had to stay this alert this long.”

“
It’s quiet where we’re going,” I said as I put my key in and fastened my belt.

“
That should have been your red flag – that it was quiet – it’s terrifying to think that there’s something out there that can make the darkness we see tremble in silence.”

I backed out and pulled around the house. “I knew before the silence…I guess I was just waiting on them to make the first move.”

“
That was dumb,” she said under her breath as she leaned forward and looked at the rising water of the creek.

I stopped at the edge of my driveway and typed in the address on the GPS. It said it was forty-five minutes away. I made a face, frustrated it was so far away – but I did like the fact that I had distance.

I plugged in my phone and turned the music to Draven’s track. As he began to sing, I felt any anxieties about doing this wash away.

I glanced at Madison as I drove. “So….any more dreams?”

She looked out the passenger side window. “No…just forget it - K”

I wanted to push her, I knew there was something more to those dreams, but the only way to get her to open up to me was going to be letting her help me.“Did I ever tell you about the woman I saw in the library – the one that warned me about all of this?”

She turned to look at me, and I felt the disappointment coming off her. “Are you telling me that someone warned you about this - and we’re still in the middle of this mess?”

“
She warned me about Bianca – which gives reason to the fact that Britain still may be a victim.”

“
Did Nana help you figure that out last night?”

“
Yeah,” I mumbled.

“
Are you alright?”

The images of that night and the weight of the darkness soared through my memory, and a chill ran down my spine. “I am now…I wanted to tell you about that place I saw around that woman – when I remembered it last night, it reminded me of your dream.”

“
How?” she said in a terrified tone.

I shrugged my shoulders. “This woman was…gray…so was the world she was in. It makes me sick to think there is or was a place like that.”

“
The place I see is pretty wicked – but I think that boy is ruling it, or at least meant to….that’s another reason I don’t wanna find him.”

“
Well…maybe you can save him from that.”

Madison turned to stare out the window. “No, Charlie. Just forget I told you…I don’t wanna mess with this darkness anymore than I have to.”

“
I think we should ask Austin about it.”

“
Charlie.”

“
OK…sorry,” I mumbled.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, then I decided to get her to talk to me again. “Did you find anything out about their family line?” I asked as I remembered seeing that image of Bianca in another time.

“
A little bit – their family has always been wealthy – though no one really knows why or where the money comes from. I’m trying to find a pattern. It looks like in each couple, one person is weaker – like under a spell - even in Britain’s family – his mom is like a trophy wife…she doesn’t really do much of anything; like she’s lost. Bianca’s mom is the same way, but with their grandparents, it’s the other way: the woman is strong, and the man is weak.”

“
You think Britain is the same as Bianca?”

“
I don’t think he’s the same,” she said, looking to her side at me. “Bianca’s bloodline has been the same for as far as I’ve been able to look back, but Britain’s only changed with his grandparents – his great grandparents didn’t seem to look odd to me …I think what you saw – the reason you thought you could save him is because whatever this is hasn’t been in his family as long as it’s been in Bianca’s.”

“
Yeah, but don’t you think if they were possessed or something – we could save them?”

“
I don’t know, Charlie – I mean, it’s safe to say that half of what they are is good – the good person that submitted to the demon is there – in their blood - no doubt there, but at the same time so is the weakness of the good person that submitted to this darkness. Saving them is not an option right now – surviving them is our only choice.”

“
What about the birthmark? Would that tell us if they could be saved?”

“
Why are you so intent on saving him? Do you not see that he has you under a spell?” she said in an angry tone.

“
I’m not trying to save him – I’m trying to understand this. I’d feel horrible if he could be saved and I left him to the devil – or even worse, if he can’t be saved because he’s a devil and he moves on to another girl – one that can’t stop the pull he has – what if someone who could make the world a brighter place is taken because I left this unfinished?”

“
I wouldn’t worry about another girl – every couple I’ve found, it was clear that the bad never had another interest in anyone else – it’s like they’re charged with the purpose of stopping the one that was given to them.”

“
So we save him – or end up fighting him endlessly?”

“
I don’t know…if he doesn’t have that mark, then we may have a shot at this – I saw the same mark either written about or painted in almost every member of Bianca’s family.”

“
I wonder how free will plays into this?” I mumbled.

She shook her head from side to side. “I read a few dark journals I found online – I don’t know enough to say one way or the other, but it looks like if they fail and there’s no hope, then they fall to hell…Evan will know more when he gets back.”

“
He knows you’re looking into this?” I asked, afraid that I had no real secrets.

“
Actually – he was looking into it on his own,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “I think someone…not mentioning any friendly ghost you may know – told him about it. He asked me what I knew about that mark; I told him Bianca had it. He went to the UK to chase her bloodline – I could only trace it a few hundred years back here.”

As I looked to my side at her, my face flushed with fear at the idea of Evan talking to Draven’s mom; it brought the notion of my mom seeing my dad to life, and I couldn’t fathom the idea.

“
Can Evan see?” I asked in a trembling voice.

“
I’m sure,” she said under her breath as she looked out the window.

“
I’m just gonna tell Britain to back away…we’ll figure out the rest later.”

She shook her head, and I could tell she was upset with me. “Seriously – I should get hazard pay,” Madison said, sliding down her window.

“
Thanks for coming – I don’t think I could do this on my own,” I said as I slid my window down.

“
I knew it wouldn’t take you long to come back around – I just figured when you did, you’d realize Draven needs to be here, not me,” she said, shaking her head.

“
I don’t need this from you, too,” I mumbled.

We sat in silence for a while, then all of a sudden she started to whisper – just short words. I turned down the radio and glanced at my side.