Julia Hoffman

Chapter 18

"I don't know it seems a bit drastic," Erica said. The thought of killing herself certainly didn't seem right, but it made sense. Viola knew about it, she had powers too, she new what was happening.

"Okay, think about it," Viola said. "Meanwhile walk with me, there's a really nice spot I love going to, it's called widows hill," 

"Sure.." Erica said, and stood up. 

She turned around as she heard Hunter and her mother were movin their argument downstairs.

"Mom, I'm sick of you treating me like a four year old," Hunter said, stomping down the stairs.

"You don't really give me a choice, do you?" Julia said, following him down the stairs. The caught Violas attention, so she dragged Erica out of the house before Julia could see her, she new they would recognise each other. 

"Now come with me!" Viola said, yanking Ericas arm,

"Viola, I don't like this, " Erica said.

"Yes you do! We need to save your family before its to late! We need to jump off widows hill!" 

"I'm not ready yet!" Erica cried, pulling her arm away. "I can't do it!

"Trust me." Viola said in a calming voice.

"Do you promise that it will make my family happy?" Erica asked, looking deeply into Violas eyes. 

"I promise." 

Viola took Erica to widows hill, they were standing in front of the cliff, Viola had her arm around Erica. Erica looked down, she saw the waved thrashing against the rocks and descending back into water, only to repeat the process. She gulped.

"Viola I don't want to." She said nervously.

"No, you don't," Viola said. She almost reminded Erica of a psychiatrist, she had been with her mother her whole life so she had learned to recognise it. It was like Viola was trying to get down to her level, trying to crawl into whatever cave Erica had hidden in. It intrigued her, how someone who seemed so young could be so mature mentally. "You need to, Erica, you need to," Viola smiled, so kindly it looked almost scary. "Let's go together."

Erica took her hand and then both fell from the ledge, but in what seemed like a millionth of a second Viola disappeared, like she had never really been there, just an imaginary friend. Erica panicked, her body was completely underneath the cliff, until she felt a string arm grip her small fragile hand.

"Erica, what the he'll are you doing?" Hunter said, pulling her up with his muscular arms. Hunter had also had issues of his own, where Ericas had been more physical, his had been mental, he took out his anger with a punching bag. He'd been doing it so long his arms had become, what Julia described as, 'God like'. Erica was slim and light, so her brother had no trouble in pulling her up.

"It was Viola...she made me do it..I can't explain it...she was there.. And then she vanished into thin air." Erica explained as best she could.

"I've never heard of you having a friend called Viola," Hunter said.

"I never did." Erica said. "But she said she knew mom, maybe mom knows more about her," 

"I don't want to run into mom right now, she found my cigarettes in my draw and now she's livid," Hunter said.

"I ickle Hunter scared of the big mean lady?" Erica joked, almost as if there wasn't just a suicide attempt. But it didn't feel like one, it was like she was under a spell.

"Don't make jokes Erica!" Hunter said. "This is serious!"

"What your cigarettes?" Erica said.

"Yes, actually," Hunter said. "But that's not the point, let's get back to the house,"

Hunter dragged his sister to the big house, and up to his mothers room. Julia was sitting on her white leather chair, she'd had it for as long as her children had known her, reading a magazine.

"How are my two painfully annoying children?" She said, before glaring at them through her glasses.

"Mom, we need to talk to you." Hunter said.

"Hunter for the last time, Cigarettes are-"

"It's not about that." Erica said. "It's about Viola,"

Julia instantly shot to her feet and walked up to her daughter. "Where did you hear that name?"

"Mom I-"

"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Julia screamed. "WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT NAME?"

"She did more than just hear the name," Hunter said. "She jumped of a damn cliff!"

"YOU DID WHAT?" Julia yelled. She looked deeply into Ericas eyes. "Why would you do that, we are controlling your powers, they are contained, you don't have to worry baby-"

"But Viola said I was going to kill you with them." Erica said. "She said I was going to hurt you."

"Don't listen to a word that girl says." Julia said, holding her daughter close. "She is evil."

"She was jumping with me too, but then she vanished into thin air..and Hunter caught me just in time," Erica said.

Julia turned to his son and hugged him as well, he was a lot taller than her, but still appreciated the few times his mother actually appreciated him. Or at least the few times he felt like she did.

She looked at both her children this time.

"Now I want you to listen to me very clearly." She said. "If you ever see that girl again, you come strait to me. That girl will poison your mind, make you think that you can trust her, like you owe her something. But you don't. That girl is using you, it's a manipulation, don't fall for it-"

"How do you know so much about her?" Erica asked.

"Because, I meet her before." Julia sighed. "When she was a little girl, she was already powerful, God knows what she can do now."

"Aren't you mad at me?" Erica asked shyly.

"Baby, I will never be mad at you again as long as you stay away from that girl,"