601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHyHbZiEvW
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53PIzY0WUH
He drove us to the abandoned house. When we got out, I looked around. The house sat in the middle of the woods. If that wasn’t creepy enough, it was literally falling apart right in front of us. It looked dangerous.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJfZtg5qFz
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dntGlx77A
Luke had invited me to a party. He knew I hated parties, but I went anyway. And then, on the way, he told me he wanted to show me something. So here we were, standing in front of this morbid looking, broken thing.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcgACHpzrc
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFWd9YDT7J
The air was cold, so I pulled my jacket tighter around me. I saw Luke glance at me, and he almost moved toward me, but I stopped him.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkh9yoph07W
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxw9QGvg9LP
“Why are we here?” I asked.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkLMtUylQw
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWN3ijyyzav
“My friend said there was something amazing inside,” Luke said excitedly. “I don’t really know what it is, because what could be in there? It’s a shithole.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIa0mnr0Vg
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4zRmWQUmN
I frowned. “I don’t like it here.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKDzhv7DYd
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqu2WLKR5CN
Luke grabbed my wrist and practically dragged me into the house. It was one story and it looked like kids had been coming here and using things to break it down faster, like it was infected and needed to be dealt with.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6aCeNXfmr
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9mzZkCW78
I moved toward one of the closed doors, expecting it to be locked, or have spider webs all over it. Once I opened it, I could smell something so strong that it made my stomach twist.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rYvnqUHNe
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5Xf1wKiSG
“What is that?” I gasped, stepped back.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMawVuJvZHl
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhQqbTWKtT
Luke came up behind me, his face screwed up in revulsion. “I have no idea.” He squeezed his brown eyes shut and shook his head. “It’s disgusting. I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have brought you here.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡak78p0GPbP
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4kgVoPd8o
“It’s okay,” I said.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYwUWagrAV
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpwIA47L18
I heard Luke turn around and I thought he was going to leave until he shouted, "Gail, come here! I found it.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FQtqbOLUh
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy21Z43qR1J
I followed his voice, and it wasn’t that far away, only in another part of the house. It looked like an old game room. But there was only one thing in it, and it was pushed in the corner, a sheet over it.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6NaQoUqfL
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbODYZNzQFA
Luke grinned and removed the grimy-looking sheet.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yL0qVr7dd
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sK0AZSuIt
It was a large, fortune-telling wishing machine booth. The woman inside the glass had a head decoration that looked like little coins, and little stars dangled from them. She was bent over a crystal ball, her eyes looking ominously at anyone who passed her. She wanted them to succumb and make a wish.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lPo3Fo4D8
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJFXA66y5G
“You should make a wish,” Luke urged.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TdJHua5EK
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0O3Wme675
“Why?” I asked. “It won’t come true. This thing is so old that it won’t even work anymore.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25XPdHGoas
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3iXmFvCj7
But, even as I said it, I was thinking of something. I know if I made the wish in front of Luke, he’d just think I was insane.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanzft1XlEv
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7M4hScTUiq
I wish I could make them go away.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEn9tC8SRP
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡry4q1t5d0b
Nothing happened.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fwY3qWq0x
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYpYr8Lg30
I walked around to the back of the machine. It was plugged in. I scrunched my nose in confusion and shrugged at Luke.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSJLdCE3bH
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcHXhTpr94
“Got to say it out loud,” he muttered. “I wish for a Big Mac!”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6ZDFOYtIl
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKmvPRKvmw
I rolled my eyes. “You idiot, that’s not a wish. You could easily go buy one.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WkvQ91IDW
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwup9j3qQwg
He nodded. “I could, but it would be nice if it could just appear out of thin air.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNRVOY26Uw
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaKCLGJ6ME
I walked away from him and back outside. I waited by the car until he came back. I didn’t really speak much until we got to the party. It was a Halloween party. People in costumes were everywhere, and as I got out of the car, some girls shot me glares.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOW4oZRqYOr
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zJrMVxWaO
“Nice costume, Gail. Ugly is always in.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xcIF02MwW
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiz8C6Mmks
I frowned at Lily Owens. She was standing with her friends, wearing a black robe and a pointed hat. From bitch to witch.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PwycjyVYx
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF6jpl8fth
“Simmons, you look like someone beat you with a hideous stick.” Miranda Reeves cackled.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjm5vTVKwPM
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx7wQJFVQS
“They took too many shots at you,” a voice said from behind me. I was going to turn around and tear their face off, but then I realized their comment was toward Miranda.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GASHKbKuq
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVo8BfLDRp
The boy stepped around me and turned to gaze at my face. His black hair was slightly curly, and his eyes were the greenest I’d ever seen. He smiled, and then returned his attention to the girls.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZRTckGqE7
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJtB6VGrGC
“It’s a shame that such pretty girls have to be such bitches,” he told them. “Lily, you should realize how much it hurts to be called ugly. Trevor told me about what happened last year. And Miranda, well, I really have no idea what your issue is.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCZUwCIJrH
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tDth5TfJ7
I cleared my throat, and the boy turned to face me, with a smirk.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiCmeOkayA
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXSlpOOiG3
“I’m sorry about them.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Saxon. Trevor Barnes is my cousin.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBg3WQw1Gwj
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncr2SmoqxY
I glanced at Trevor, who was dressed as Dracula and chugging a beer. I looked back at Saxon. “I didn’t think he’d even have a nice relative.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojrXliOa6K
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTFaCsIovn
He laughed. “Yeah, well, Trevor’s not exactly the nicest person. That’s why all the girls like me better.” He winked.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFgk5hFq5Y
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyViq1lEE0s
I smiled and when he asked if he could get me a drink, I said I would do it. I got into the house quickly, looking for Luke the whole time. When I didn’t see him, I headed to the kitchen. Before I got there, however, someone blocked my path.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdejlNAQYn
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ep9zM2DDT
It was Lily. She sneered at me, gripped my wrist, and pulled me I into the bathroom. Miranda was there with two other girls I didn’t know. I jerked away from Lily and headed toward the door. One of the girls, who was much bigger than me, blocked it.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAzXi32LkL
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nX04k1TuW
“You know, I didn’t know you were a slut, too.” Lily smiled, wrapped her hands in my hair, and slammed my face into the wall.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggReVdDSUk
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsE2plrE8h
It hurt, but I didn’t make a noise, because I knew with bullies it’s what they wanted. Instead I turned around, flexed my jaw, and glared at her.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFIZFZuCce
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WtihMxbsB
“Leave me alone,” I said. “I didn’t do anything to you.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfF2T1XW1Qk
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iVnTuBzfb
Lily nodded to the other girls and they gripped my arms. Then Miranda’s fist collided with my nose. Blood poured down my face, into my mouth, and onto the floor. Stupidly, I spit some into her face.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6WC8qZjBO
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpQZE6Snwx
“You’re sleeping with Saxon,” Lily snapped. “It’s bullshit that you just met him.” When she slapped me, my head actually snapped to the side.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNDBnGeSfs
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡml0jdfCseq
Someone was trying to get into the room, but Miranda placed a chair under the knob and leaned it back. I didn’t understand why there was a chair in the bathroom, at least not a first.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroabaobndJ
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfF0vNVhVVj
But as Lily pummeled me, and I took every hit, I realized they had this planned. When my knees buckled and I started to sink onto the floor, I heard someone speak.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZBaZyqPAK
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRFz74tvuF
“Leave her. She deserves this.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtUEvmviQ7
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyfTUbJg26
I don’t know how long I was on the floor for, but when I opened my eyes, I was in darkness. There was no movement, so I assumed they left. I tried to sit up, and when I couldn’t, I just laid on the tiles, aching.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7crc7AKXE
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJq85sTV3d
Suddenly, the lights came on, blinding me. Then someone screamed and dropped down next to me. They were saying something, but I couldn’t really focus on the words. Their hands were soft, and they made me want to sleep.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFal4ZuUve
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmlX8ZS3uw
So I closed my eyes.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0NhrHstMm
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYM4HgEQrJ
Stay awake, a voice told me.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XfV137sSD
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9UWuzuiXJ
But I was so tired. Before I knew what was happening, I was floating. That felt nice. When it stopped, I wondered why. Then I knew. I had died. They had beaten me to death.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiTgia8jHk
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qp3XaDAMP
“You’ll be okay,” someone whispered.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyiaUxWS3u
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGawDE2sZi
Off in the distance I heard, “Oh my God. Gail, what happened?”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDVa0gHj5L
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj6qJPQv6U
Luke.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqMi2eVb56
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwKhb4ycwo
I groaned and sat up, bringing my hands up to my face. “Who are you?” I asked to the stranger. I didn’t want to open my eyes.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNqm9AF8gd
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekmhYvWEmT
“It’s Saxon. Gail, you’re going to be alright. Can you tell me what happened?”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5quRFWJnB
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1huA7LE48h
I opened my eyes and was grateful to see his green ones. I was slowly getting strength back. So much so that I was able to sit up. I was in a bedroom, probably somewhere upstairs, away from people.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRs9nnUJdz
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Yo1Qc0CeL
“Lily, Miranda and two other girls I didn’t know did this,” I said.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPFpbCwfXF
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAv2zBjK0I2
Saxon narrowed his eyes, stood up, and ran his hands through his hair. “Why would they do that?”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9cGswqoQb
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPpvxoxQWy
“Lily thought you and I were sleeping together, and she didn’t believe me when I said I just met you.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOmSVziADK
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4NXqhD4bZ
“That’s ridiculous. Even so, they didn’t need to do that.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMVGGNg0Xm
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yo6cgfUwh
“It’s okay,” I said, realization dawning on me. “I’ll fix everything.” I stood up, and without a word to him, left the room.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsWKwRCa9M
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqscCzowTQU
I knew what I had to do.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbiF1Uhgfc
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfR4dCPhWS
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBE6Xyq3gb2
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65sJGrrrsg
Sirens wailed. Three or four parked on the lawn. Doors slammed and several of the occupants of the cars rushed over. All of the officers had their guns drawn. Two, a female and male, entered the house. There were no lights on, so they used their flashlights.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mENwfWWMU
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWXTajIKyL
They didn’t have to look far, because sitting on the couch was a girl. She had a knife in her hand, and it was covered in blood. But the worst part? The absolute worst part was that the blood was not hers.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3qA6VH05W
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOggvjurkZA
“What happened here? Miss, can you hear me?” The male officer asked, crouching down. He placed his hand on the coffee table to his left to balance him and keep the flashlight on the girl’s face, which was blank.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqT5AJBQaZ3
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojNMYUwBXf
“Bradshaw,” the female muttered behind him.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8p9gxRDMA
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudba0leQFO
He turned his head after shifting his hand, and saw that a sticky substance had come off of the coffee table.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33M0yPI6dK
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtkvZeYAb6
More blood.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nTJJOD150
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZugnfOqAKj
Officer Bradshaw turned his flashlight toward the window. He hadn’t noticed it before, hadn’t felt the breeze, but the glass was shattered.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJ2H61Eaju
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofgrHL6zhr
“Where are the bodies?” he asked.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LxyfPbMec
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhagOcwoo9U
The girl twitched, turned her head, and smiled.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypylYFJxZz
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjzZ2ca5xA
“I made them go away,” she said. “It was so simple.”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgZu03ZIHN
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XY08Pm2bD
“Caplan, come here!”601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm37C3abjNf
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB3PPnCnqN
The female officer approached them, and she knelt down on the girls other side. She reached with a glove-covered hand and dug through the girl’s pocket for identification. She found something else instead.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxTCvTeAhx
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPoj8qIL2p
There was a small, rectangular card with one single phrase on it.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWlLlG0snd
601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvOzwCfvsH
Your wish has been granted.601Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aCDUzHW7Z
