“I better go. It’s getting late.”

“Ayden,” he calls out. I pause, twisting around. “Remember, if you ever need to talk, I’m here. Even when it’s not a session, you can always call me.”

I bob my head up and down then exit the office, pretending his words don’t affect me as much as they do. But the fact that I have people in my life who care about me still gets to me and makes me feel warm and cold inside. Warm, because it’s amazing to have people in your life rooting for you. And cold, because it’s terrifying having people in your life, putting themselves in harm’s way to help you.

My thoughts drift to my brother who probably had no one in his life. Who died all by himself.

“Why were you there?” I whisper to myself as I enter the crisp night. The moon is crescent in the dusky sky and a haze conceals most of the stars. “Was it because they had you against your will?”

A depressing thought occurs to me. I might never get the answer to those questions. I might never know what happened to my brother.

But I can still find out about my sister.  If I can find her.

On my way to the car, I check my email on my phone, hoping there’s a message from Rebel Tonic. Almost three weeks later and still no word from him, I’ve pretty much lost hope that he’ll ever get back to me. More than likely he played me, and like a sucker, I fell for it.

No new messages so I stuff the phone away and speed up across the vacant parking lot. The sole lamppost that usually lights up the area has burnt out so I can scarcely make out the outline of my black Mercedes. As I find my way through the dark and approach the vehicle, I pat my pocket for my keys but can’t find them. Wondering if I left them in the building, I flip around to head back inside. Mid turn I notice something in the trees lining the property. Movement? A figure moving? I can’t quite tell.

I dodge to the right and skitter for the door. It has to be a dog or something. No need to get paranoid. With everything that’s happened over the last couple of months, my mind’s just playing tricks on me.

Then I hear a bloodcurdling scream reverberate from nearby.

Fuck, dogs don’t scream.

Freezing, I scan the trees, the closed stores across the street, and the office building, but I can’t see anyone or anything around. I jog for the door, my boots thumping against the pavement. As I reach the curb, I hear another scream. This time the noise fractures my heart into a thousand pieces.

This time I recognize the scream.

“Sadie?” I frenziedly whirl around again. Branches snap and leaves rustle. I fumble for my phone as I inch toward the tree line, prepared to dial nine-one-one if needed. “Sadie, are you in there?” I call out as the tips of my boots reach the border of where the parking lot shifts to a shallow forest. I squint through the darkness, but it’s pitch black. Too fucking dark.

Darkness settles

a heavy quilt

suffocating.

I can’t breathe.

Whisper the words,

They say

Whisper them and we’ll free you.

Whisper.

Whisper.

Whisper,

that you worship us.

Belong to us.

That you’ll do anything for us.

We’re coming back for you.

I swipe my finger to unlock my phone and illuminate the screen. Then I aim the light toward the forest.  A screech echoes from amongst the thick leaves then a figure zips from the trees at me. I stumble back, clumsily drop the phone, and darkness smothers me.

Find the fucking phone.

Footsteps rush around in soft pitter-patters.

I collapse to my knees.

Find the fucking phone.

“Ayden, Ayden, Ayden,” a low chant echoes around me. “You think we’d let you get away that easy?”

Ayden, Ayden, Ayden,

do you hear us calling your name?

Feel the cuffs around your wrists.

We own you now, Ayden,

there’s no getting out, even when you leave these walls.

Ayden, Ayden, Ayden,

Do you see what we can do?

Do you see the blood that stains the ground?

If you leave, we’ll come after you.

“Ayden, Ayden, Ayden.” Whispers mix with the wind. “We have her. Your sister. And we’re coming for you.”

“It’s just your imagination.” I cover my hands with my ears. “You’re just remembering again. Nothing is happening… Nothing… There’s nothing out there.”

I feel a tug on my hair, strands getting ripped out, then nothing. With a deep breath, I lift open my eyelids. Nothing but darkness and trees and I lower my hands from my ears.

“Ayden.” A voice slams up from behind me.

I stagger to my feet and spin around, only to find Dr. Gardingdale standing there with shock frozen on his face. “Where did you…” I reel back around. The area is silent. The trees still. As if nothing happened.  “I don’t…” My mind races a million miles a minute.

What the hell just happened?

Did I just imagine it?

Or was it real?

They said they’re coming back for you, like they did when you were pulled out of that house. Is this it? Are they returning to me? But then, why taunt me instead of taking me? Why scare me, rip out a chunk of my hair, and break into my house to take my knife? Is this part of the ritual? And what is the ritual for?

“What’s wrong?” he asks as he surveys the parking lot then the forest. “Did you see something out there?”

I face him and shift my weight so the trees are in my peripheral vision. Then I give the doctor a recap of what I think I just saw, trying to explain to him the best that I can.