Hide & Seek 2: The Return of Mr. Harmon

Chapter 8: Caleb's Idea

If there is ever a zombie apocalypse, let me tell you who I wouldn't choose as my partners. Jerod, Doreen, Carmen, and CALEB. I run outside to see the four already in the car and Jerod turning the car around. He beeps the horn and Doreen waves her hand for me to get inside.

I hop in the backseat. Doreen, Jerod, and Carmen are freaking out. They are asking each other about what just happened and did they see that boy, and what dragged the cashier away.

"Guys, I need to tell you some-" I cut myself off as the car shuts down on its own.

Jerod swiftly turns his key over and over again. "What's wrong with the car?" he panics.

"Turn the keys!" Carmen exclaims.

"I am!" Jerod yells.

"Guys," Doreen says in a low voice but is ignored by all of us.

"Jerod, wait, I need to tell you guys some-" This time, I am cut off by Doreen. I look at her, and that's when I see what she sees. We all see it.

Walking toward us, is a girl. Her eyes glow white like lightning. Her size says she is seventeen or eighteen years old, but her face shows twenty or older. As though her face ages more than her body does. She walks toward us with her hands out, like she is the reason the car stopped.

"What is going on?" Jerod chokes as he stares at the girl.

I hold Caleb's hand as she approaches the car. She walks over to Doreen's window and stares at us. Her eyes slowly turn into a more normal, grayish color. She no longer sinister. She looks... normal. She examines each one of her carefully, but as soon as she catches a glimpse of Caleb, her face expression changes. She takes in a deep breath.

You don't belong here," she scowls. "You're dead."

Carmen peeks at me and gives me a face like, who's she. I shrug at her thought.

"I'm Caleb," he says. Pointing to me, he continues, "This is Emily."

"Emily." All of a sudden, she moves to my side and opens the door. Her eyes bulge as she stares at me.

"Who are you?" I ask, a little bit scared and concerned. The others are so close to leaving me behind, I feel it. I figure they will open the door and run any second... but they don't.

She lean toward me, so close I can feel her breath, so close that if anyone sees us, they'd think we are about to kiss. "I'm Helena. I was supposed to protect that book. But...J ason took it."

"Who's Jason?" Caleb asks.

"Jason Harmon," she says.

***

Helena ends up riding back to my place with us. I am finally able to tell my story of Mr. Harmon in the car to everyone.

We end up going back to my aunt and uncle's house, all six of us. Once we are inside, Helena asks us to sit so she can explain something to us.

I am surprised that Doreen and Jerod are still here. Jerod is probably too afraid to go home, since he only lives with his grandmother. Doreen is a Wiccan. She loves dark stuff and anything that has to do with how magic works. With that being said, she is more than interested in my story.

"Jason Harmon wasn't always the man he is today," Helena says, looking at me. She holds the book in her hand. "The day I met him was the day I tried burying the book, but it couldn't be buried in that spot because I saw some people partying in the distance. I was afraid they'd see me. Jason or Mr. Harmon did see me and he took the book from me."

"Did you take it back?" Doreen asks.

Helena sighs and showed us her finger. Around her finger rests a silver ring. "I lost this. Long story short, this ring gives me power. Power to protect the world from the evil of the book. I lost it when Jason chased me. Once the book was in his hands, I was blind to find the book. I can only find the book when it's in the hands of good." She looks at me and smiles. "That led me to you, Emily."

The way she smiles at me is so... soft. Her grey eyes, brown hair, and face that lights up like the moon at night. She looks so angelic and I can't seem break eye contact with her, until Carmen taps me.

"Now what do we do?" Carmen asks.

Jerod nods. "Yeah, we had our first "game" in a store. Who knows when he'll do it again."

"The question is why is he doing it." Doreen says. "Why us? He has power. If he wants Emily, he can take her anytime, right?"

Helena shakes her head. "He wants the ultimate power. But you, Emily, you're like his dog toy. He loves playing with you."

"He seems to loves playing with everyone," I add.

Jerod stands up. "Okay, we found our problem. A crazy man obsessed with power, yeah yeah. What's our solution? How do we stop him?"

Helena shrugs. "He's too powerful for me to end. The only thing that can stop him is that book." She slaps her hand onto her face. "He's just so powerful."

"Maybe we can challenge him." Caleb say.

"How?" Helena asks him, curious of what my young brother is thinking.

I know what he's thinking. I'm sure you do too. Not again. No. Another game but this time... on purpose.