The Presence

Chapter Ninteen: A Normal Day, or Is It...

It's about three a.m. and we're still sitting on the front porch.  Relief and laughter fills the air... the battle is over.  I thought we had lost, but with a little unforeseen help, we were the victors, this time...

We see headlights and a car pulls into the driveway.  "Oh no... It's my dad," Logan says and starts to get up.

"Logan, hold up, let him come to us.   You're part of our family now. We've got your back," I say.

Daniel walks up to the porch and nervously looks at everyone. "Logan, are you alright?"

"Yeah dad I'm fine," he stands up. "But I have something to tell you." He walks off the porch to face his father. We're all silent as we watch... Unsure of what's going to happen, I slowly start to build my power. Logan saved us, so I'm going to be ready for him.

Logan takes a deep breath, "Dad... Clara's gone."

His dad stares at him unbelieving for a moment.  He looks at all of us and suddenly grabs and hugs his son as tears stream down his face...

"Thank God..." A little stunned, Logan hugs his Dad in return...

After a minute he turns loose of Logan and turns back to all of us. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I found out what she was not long after we were married. She demanded that I tell her if I saw or heard of anything weird happening at school. She said that if I didn't," he looks at Logan, "that she would kill you." He turns back to us, "I lost my wife in a car accident not long before I met Clara. I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to my son."

Getting up I step off the porch and ease my power back down. He stares at me as my eyes slowly fade back to normal...

"You have a brave son Mr. Hunter.  He helped to save our lives tonight. And you did what you had to do to keep him safe."  Megan walks down to us and Logan puts his arm around her.  I smile and hold out my hand, "Welcome to our family." He smiles and takes my hand...

It's an hour later and Logan and his Dad have went home and Mom has gone inside.  I've said goodnight to Hailey, and watched her and Rachel walk across the road to their house, arms around each other. 

"Just a few hours ago I thought I might have to..."  I shake my head and smile. "Thank God I didn't..."

Going inside I run into Mom walking out of the living room. 

"I'll prop the door up for tonight," I say.

Megan walks out and Mom quickly hugs us both, "I love you two so much.  I don't know what I would do without you," she turns loose. "I knew both of you were special, but I didn't know just how special you really are."  She smiles at us, "Now, if you think it's safe, I'm going to bed.  It'll be dawn in a few hours."

We both tell her goodnight and she walks around the broken door and heads up the stairs.  With my thoughts, I lift it up and Mom stops on the staircase to watch. Levitating it across the hall I ease it back into place.  I bend what's left of the hinge and lock it so it won't fall.  When I'm done I turn back around.  She shakes her head smiling, "Goodnight guys," she says and continues up the stairs. 

Megan and I walk toward the living room and as we enter, I feel the temperature drop.  She holds her hand out and we stop.  Anna and Joseph are standing on either side of the fireplace.  They turn to look at each other and something starts to form in between them.  I step forward and pull Megan slightly behind me as the apparitions slowly take shape...

A tear falls down Megan's face, "Mom... Dad?" Our real Mother and Father stands before us... We step closer to them and I can see their faces clearly now.