When I come to, I'm in pain. Immense, pounding pain. I try to lift my head but it feels heavy. I open my eyes but it's almost as dark as it was when my eyes were closed. I try to focus on something, anything.
The lights flip on, making my eyes hurt. When my eyes focus, I look around, trying to recognize where I am. It looks like a parking garage. I try to move but something stops me. Around my wrists are two tight ropes.
"What the he-." I start to say.
"No swearing." Mary comes from somewhere behind me. She comes around the chair I'm tied to with arms crossed, glaring at me.
"So, you're the one trying to kill me?" I say. There's something sticky on my face. It smells too, like salt water. My head hurts when I talk, making my vision blur.
"Oh honey, you might not want to move. You got a pretty bad blow to your head." She says with mock concern.
"Why are you trying to kill me?" I say slowly, drawing out each word. She sighs.
"I thought you'd figure it out by now."
"What do you mean?" She just smiles at me and turns towards the dark part of the garage.
"You really think she's the one trying to kill you?" A voice says from the darkness. A voice I know all too well.
Jacklyn.
"Hello, Autumn." She steps out from the darkness and walks towards us. Her heels click against the concrete, radiating through my head with each step. I look at her closely. She looks...younger, almost. Her frizzy dark hair is now silky. Her wrinkles have disappeared entirely, leaving a pale faced beauty.
"Do you remember this place?" I don't answer her. " This is the exact spot where that demon screwed up at killing you."
"So what, you just used my dad to get to me? And Jamie?" She laughs at my question.
"Your dad was so easy to fool. Guess it runs in the family." The smile vanishes from her face and she leans in to the point I can feel her breath on my face.
"But who are you? I've never felt energy as powerful as yours."
"I'm Autumn. You know that."I say. She leans back and smiles mischievously. That's when I notice the knife in her hand. I stiffen, my brain finally coming into focus. "What are you doing?"
"If you won't tell me who you are, I'll just have to force it out of you." At that she whips the knife across my arm. I bite down on my lip to keep from crying out. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't hurt.
"Remember when you threatened to cut off your friend's elbows? Well, now I'm threatening you." Jacklyn slices away, cutting an 'x' on both my elbows. "Have anything to tell me now?" She looks at my blood on the knife. I stay silent.
"Did you know your mom over there," She jabs the knife towards Mary, "always loved you. I've been, I guess you could say, possessing her for a long time. Isn't that right, Mary?" I look at Mary, who looks like she's in a trance. "How does it feel to know that every single word she said to you wasn't actually her?" Jacklyn snaps and Mary's face contorts into rage.
"Do you want to do the honors?" She asks her. Mary smirks and takes the knife from her hand.
"What are you going to do?" I ask her. Mary smiles at me but it's Jacklyn who speaks.
"Giving you what you deserve." Mary stabs the knife into my leg, just above my knee. The pain is so harsh, I can't help but scream. Through my scream I hear a laugh.
"This is just beginning to be fun."
_______________________________________________________________
Riley POV
"Where is she, Casper?!" I yell at him. I was sitting outside Autumn's house when I felt her distress. When I went inside to investigate, she was gone. That's when I called Casper.
"I don't know. But Olivia is on the lookout. She got a search party going." I put my head in my hands. "Think. Where would the darkness take her? Where was the first interaction with it?" I think about all the places I've taken her.
"The parking garage, at the rave. But that's an hour from here." I say.
"Okay, that's okay. We can get there in half that." Casper says. " Riley, get yourself together. We've saved her too many times to know that she'll be fine. She always is." I look up at him. I stand up, rage coursing through me.
"Let's go."
