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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQd55yz7WWo
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They looked exactly the same.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxP1buYXCb
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They asked the same thing of him.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUfwmKR0gi
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Always the same thing.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrePWMiOPIF
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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?”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbP5tXppwn
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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?456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtg2qpjBeV
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“They're important to you,” Liam told him. “But we need you. You're the fourth.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJC6TgKcek
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Olivia slipped her arms around Liam, her chin on his shoulder. “We'll just keep coming, you know.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOp9gFSK6X1
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfthW2eA574
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfGvvCi5hv
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPHaD3Pbk1
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGp4JqaVqfu
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVooHJMZZUW
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnd5LOa4XO
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“Don't kill him, Liv.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoA6ZIFeWth
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfmwR357Rq
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“I was just talking,” Olivia said. “Nothing wrong with that.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOtyfJSSW3
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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?”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JGmDWWbe2
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“Of course not,” Olivia said. “Charlie can make his own choices.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFjNS7Wzie
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKUj4UvkOz
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7ZBwGdzba
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“Olive!” Carly shouted. “No, we talked about this. We need him, so you cannot hurt him. He's the fourth.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK97AHXxkoR
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“The fourth what?” Charlie asked. “You said that before. I don't know what you mean.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwM67I3K7g
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGdzoPAoTW
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Charlie shook his head. “This is such a nightmare,” he whispered.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hYdoRVfS7
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLQ0aXoF8t
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They nodded.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNk9FBRDse
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“Tell me what?” Charlie asked.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToS2LUNoHj
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yAP5JPQ7B
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Charlie swallowed, his pulse racing. “What are you talking about?”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdlaE8IX6p
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfV53TCkLy
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Now he understood.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W0awvYtOi
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWslotaamEB
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But Charlie knew the truth now.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73AGtZ6lTH
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And he prayed he wouldn't be next. 456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFpuQwS3qy
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