My name is Emily. Two years ago I lost everything. I thought I could start a new life. I thought Abby was gone. I thought I'd never see Jasper again. I thought I would never have to play another game of hide and seek in my life. Turns out I was wron...
Helena and I are attending to Jasper while everyone else attends to Jerod. Even Caleb is over there, patting Jerod on the back. My brother is such a sweetheart. Watching him support my friends during a time like this makes me regret all the times I used to be mean to him.
"He's not waking up," Helena says. "He's been out for fifteen minutes."
Looking at Jasper almost makes me cry. Not because I missed him so much, but because of his face. If you look at him now, you can see that he looks like he's been through two years of hell. Sadly, he has. I watch as his chest slowly moves up then down. I've never been so happy to watch someone breathing.
Helena shakes her head as she stares at him. "I don't trust Carmen." She turns to me, giving me this hard and serious look.
"Why?" I ask. I just think, 'Well, it's not so easy trusting you either,' but stop myself from sharing it.
"You don't find it weird that she's hung around this whole time?" Helena points to Jasper. "Everything's unleashing. Nothing was bothering you until you showed Carmen the book. And who's idea was it to play Ouija?"
Don't get me wrong, Helena has a point, but I know Carmen wouldn't hurt a fly. "You don't know what you're talking about. Carmen would never hurt anyone," I say.
She looks at Jasper then back at me. "There's just something about her I can't trust. There is." She stands up and peeks out of the door. "She's not even out there."
I step in front of her to see for myself. Sure enough, Carmen isn't there.
"Where's Carmen?" I say.
Doreen walks up to me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "She went home. She says she can't do this anymore. I'm sorry."
Helena lets out a long sigh. "Come on, Emily. Let's just go." She looks at Jerod, who's crying over his grandmother. "We can save his nana if we stop Mr. Harmon."
Jerod slowly stands up. He steps in front of Helena and looks her straight in the eyes. "Let's go."
Doreen puts a hand on Jerod's shoulder. "I'm in, too."
"We'll need flashlights, and possibly some weapons," Jerod says.
Helena nods. "Yes, we will."
"China," Jerod walks over to her. He pulls her away from his nana. "I'll drop you off at Carmen's house. I promise I'll be back," he says to her.
China doesn't reply. I doubt she could've with all the sobbing. She is shaking and her hands tremble horribly. Jerod picks her up, heading toward the door. "I'll be back guys."
China shakes her head. "What-what about nana?" She struggles to talk.
Helena crouches over Jerod's grandmother's body. "We have to keep it here. Her soul is still alive. Once we get it back, she'll be okay again," she says.
Everyone's ready to go except me. I point to the bathroom where Jasper lies. "We can't leave him here."
"Leave him with Carmen. He's seen enough," Helena says, heading for the front door.
"No!" I say a little too loudly. Everyone stares at me. "He can't stay with her."
"Emily, he's hurt. He's not even awake. We can't waste any more time." She walked toward the bathroom. "I'll get him. Wait for us, Jerod."
I run in front of Helena, blocking her away from the bathroom. "Hey! We are not leaving Jasper here."
I watch as Helena takes a few steps back and points behind me. I turn around and see Jasper walking slowly toward the sink to wash his face. When he's done, he looks at me. I can't talk. My mouth doesn't let me.
"I thought you were dead, Emily," he says then he does something I don't expect. He hugs me and I feel my heart burst with sadness because he's alive. It's so hard to believe. Two years ago, he attacked me for accidentally killing his sister, then after that, he got disqualified. I never saw him again after that day. Everything now feel so surreal. However, that surreal moment is broken by a stupid question.
"If you're the same guy at the store, why isn't your hair long anymore?" Doreen asks.
Jasper breaks the hug and looks at her. I can't read his emotions as he looks at her, but you can definitely read mine. What kind of question is that during a time like this?
"Yes," he says. His voice is deeper and softer than it ever was before. He sounds overly calm. "Mr. Harmon... cut it. Then he used it in one of his paintings that he brought to life."
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"Jasper, why are you here?" Helena askd. She quickly turns to Jerod. "Get her to Carmen's house."
Jerod nods and does as told.
"Jasper?" Helena asks.
His eyes water but the tears don't fall. "Emily, I'm so scared. The day you left, he brought us back into that book." The tears start to fall. "He wants the ultimate power. His mansion isn't a mansion anymore. It's an attraction site. He gives his art to people for free. People wonder how amazing art like that is free. He tells them that the only thing they have to do is pledge their loyalty to the book. Some people do. A lot do because they think it's just a joke. Once they're home, the art consumes them, bringing more souls into the book."
"Why are you here, is the question, Jasper," Helena says.
I glance at her. Part of me really wants her gone. What is her problem?
Jasper nods. "Right," he says. "Abby. The game is their tradition. It will never end as long as they're in control. They just do it for fun. The reason Caleb and I are back is so that you're tempted to go back to the mansion."
"What does he want with her?" Helena asks.
Jasper swallows. "He wants your beating heart in his hands while he watches you bleed all over the floor."
I feel like passing out. I can imagine a happy Mr. Harmon standing with my heart in his hand, watching me bleed all over his expensive tiles in the mansion.
