From that first night when he was twelve, and the three had come crawling through his window, Charlie Cross was marked. For years afterward, it was the same as if he had stepped back in time.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9G4SfG1CME
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They looked exactly the same.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCHHvFPGTE
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They asked the same thing of him.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9yyWJO7Q0
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Always the same thing.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CLFNmIqw4
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“We chose you. We want you to join us. We want you to kill with us, Charlie. So we can stay here. Won't you do it?”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbVxpbx12A
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And he always refused, terrified of what would happen if he didn't. Would they ask him to kill his parents or friends?440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5RIOWtQmU
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“They're important to you,” Liam told him. “But we need you. You're the fourth.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2IMnERGDS
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Olivia slipped her arms around Liam, her chin on his shoulder. “We'll just keep coming, you know.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvo7fEC4CJa
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They had kept that promise. When Charlie turned sixteen, he thought somehow he was safe, that he had reached the age where nothing could get him. He was wrong.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4azLtPJYpk
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He was sitting on the couch, remote in hand, after everyone had gone to sleep. He kept hearing footsteps upstairs, and assuming it was his parents, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWSAbuTOka
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But he had barely closed his eyes when a familiar voice called his name. He sat up, eyes wide. But he wasn't afraid. He knew they would come again, just like before. He was stupid to think they were still imaginary, even after all this time.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡco3pHBTXtG
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That was when he saw her, standing by the TV. She twisted her long blonde hair around a finger. Her brown eyes fell on his startled face, and she smiled. “Hello, Charlie,” she said softly.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSesj8E1SSO
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“Olivia,” he said. “Hi.” He looked around. “Where are Liam and Carly?” He thought it was strange that she was here, alone, a week before Halloween.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc6Jn8AjhE
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As she sat next to him, he caught a scent that made his stomach churn. Blood. He knew that smell all too well. He wanted to ask her about it, but thought better of it.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh3ZCECW1u
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“Don't kill him, Liv.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPfGJ2CdWk
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Carly emerged from somewhere in the darkened room, making Charlie wonder if she had been there the whole time. He never got used to the sight of her slashed neck, or the smell of rotten flesh.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVSmkghi8K
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“I was just talking,” Olivia said. “Nothing wrong with that.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXh41BTAMI
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“You're trying to persuade him.” Liam put a hand on Olivia's shoulder, his nails digging in. “Aren't you, sweetheart?”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSqSaq3hl0
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“Of course not,” Olivia said. “Charlie can make his own choices.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtA9LQdPr9
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“It's not Halloween,” Charlie reminded them. “And I'm not going to help you, I'm sorry. I won't kill anyone.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxBEj07XY9
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Olivia's eyes darkened and she scowled. “Yes, you are.” She slid her nail along his arm, some blood trickling down his skin. “You refuse us again and you'll be sorry.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDadyQMmLDB
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“Olive!” Carly shouted. “No, we talked about this. We need him, so you cannot hurt him. He's the fourth.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3jpeR32Ry
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“The fourth what?” Charlie asked. “You said that before. I don't know what you mean.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvstKY6svy
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“One more person makes us stronger,” Liam answered. “Each of us needs to feed on someone to continue to gain access to this world during Halloween night.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqX3OqZo4F
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Charlie shook his head. “This is such a nightmare,” he whispered.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ju4IORvbw
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“Only it's not,” Carly said, sitting on his other side. She glanced at the others. “We have to tell him.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrOMxsaqPO
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They nodded.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eB9I401zd
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“Tell me what?” Charlie asked.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncksyPohqR
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Liam spoke, his voice apologetic. “This is your last year to refuse us. You won't get another chance next time.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRMpIdT3MM
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Charlie swallowed, his pulse racing. “What are you talking about?”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3FDRfGR5y
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“We've lived so long because of others. Eventually, before their sixteenth year was up, they agreed to help us.” He cast a glance at Olivia. “Until she decided we didn't need them anymore.”440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyZluhY8pL
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Now he understood.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGwZlhU4a7
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Every year for as long as Charlie could remember, he'd heard the stories. Halloween had come and gone, and with it, another body. Everyone thought some troubled teen had decided to take off.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fwz5S5TkR
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But Charlie knew the truth now.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81ebftv7IU
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And he prayed he wouldn't be next. 440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHoVw5WkfoH
Penana
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