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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAz2b6TQXwV
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They looked exactly the same.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYo30ZNZXGG
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They asked the same thing of him.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5qAObE0vU
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Always the same thing.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tddwtsGRL
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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?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQW6mWWB6rJ
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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?441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZH8wAtSrtO
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“They're important to you,” Liam told him. “But we need you. You're the fourth.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cMCbZwqK8
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Olivia slipped her arms around Liam, her chin on his shoulder. “We'll just keep coming, you know.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCqGHjMXW7
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkWEyozNHu
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiJGwRy6QP
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ5gjzeubL
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQ13AUqYPc
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PUOn2gC5w
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HVoLW7zpp
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“Don't kill him, Liv.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttwDJMxFds
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1juXRhAnbu
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“I was just talking,” Olivia said. “Nothing wrong with that.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOP8sbai5Sp
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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?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8mv7R1HZH
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“Of course not,” Olivia said. “Charlie can make his own choices.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuP1sEOBab0
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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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkRgSawDZ1
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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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92elwE9HL9
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“Olive!” Carly shouted. “No, we talked about this. We need him, so you cannot hurt him. He's the fourth.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3CXOLLnTx
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“The fourth what?” Charlie asked. “You said that before. I don't know what you mean.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrGbzOvIfH
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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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlgSFZcLdW
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Charlie shook his head. “This is such a nightmare,” he whispered.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIHA9umbpB
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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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbq57pQV2k
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They nodded.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxHK5yJ9Ha
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“Tell me what?” Charlie asked.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwrOmNVeJh
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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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5ECwY1uVG
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Charlie swallowed, his pulse racing. “What are you talking about?”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9r2w3zmu7
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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.”441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBrJrdjRcN
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Now he understood.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbEiVYxycD
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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.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54Pzt0h254
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But Charlie knew the truth now.441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzGZQdnvVd
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And he prayed he wouldn't be next. 441Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZCHf25LqQ
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