Hide & Seek 2: The Return of Mr. Harmon

Chapter 20: Our Sacrifice

Carmen is smiling while she holds that... that monster. I can't begin to explain what he is. The more I stare at him, the more holes grow on his face. You know how in scary movies the creature has two holes as eyes? This one has eight now.

"Carmen," Helena says then takes my hand. We slowly take a few steps back and when we do, I feel my shoes step in something wet. Before I look at the ground Helena asks, "Where's China?"

On the ground, I see China's body. Her face isn't covered but the rest of her body is. Fresh blood oozes from underneath the blanket.

Helena glances at the body then looks back at Carmen. "Oh, you sick bastard."

Carmen lets go of her father's hand and he slowly walks out of the room in a creepy way that makes my heart stop. The way he walks is like a windup toy, except you can hear his bones as he moves.

Tears flow from Carmen's eyes but she smiles at us. "Emily, this book is amazing! It's unbelievable!"

"It's dangerous!" Helena says, pointing at her. "You killed Jerod's sister. You're insane!"

Carmen laughs. "No!" She points to herself. "We're insane. Us, people, everyone! Don't you see what this book is? It's the key to life. We are living in hell and this book... is paradise."

"That's crazy talk," I say, looking at her as she walks near the bookshelf and pulls out the book. There are tears in my eyes. "Please, don't do this,  Carmen. You're my best friend."

"Emily, do you see that?" Helena whispers. She points at Carmen. Carmen is scratching her neck really intense as she stares at her. She's moving her mouth but no words are coming out, and that's when I see it. If you look long enough, close enough, and focus hard enough, you can make out the small stitches above her lips moving around as if she wants to say something but she can't.

"Oh, my God," I whisper. "The book controls what they say."

Helena nods. "Only sometimes. But it is now."

"Please. Sacrifice your souls to the book," Carmen says. "There's so much power." When she says power, I can hear a voice behind hers that is very, very odd. Kind of like the way a bear growls, just with added words.

Helena shrugs and smiles. "Fine," she grabs me by my ear gently so she can tell me something. "I'm going to have to do something real crazy."

"Crazy how?" I ask.

"I'm going to put a temporary spell on you," Helena says. "So you don't get too attached to the book."

"How does the spell work-" Before I can ask, Helena's lips meets mine. I try to pull away but she grabs the back of my head, making sure I don't move. I watch with wide eye as her ring glows white and the light from it slides through her skin, up her throat and into my mouth. I feel a tingly feeling in the back of throat from the light. Helena backs up and faces Carmen.

"We will sacrifice our souls to the book," Helena says then grabs my hand again. "Both of us will."

"Emily?" Carmen asks. "Do you?"

"Yes," I say nervously.

Carmen opens the book to the middle. Several hands reach out at us and grip us around our stomachs. It hurts and I can barely breathe as we're slowly pulled into the book.

When my body enters the book, a strong gust of wind hits me and for a second, I make out the face of a familiar creature. It has two horns, small eyes, wrinkly skin, pointy elf ears, and sharp uneven teeth. Almost like a devil.

Then it vanishes. I find myself standing in a dark room of the sort. I hear people saying my name. Their voices are light as air. I can barely hear them. Helena walks behind me and her ring glows, revealing hands reaching out at us through the walls around us.

"Nice of you to finally join us," an unfamiliar voice says in front of us. I face her... I face my mother. Her jaw is gone and her tongue hangs and drips blood as she stares at me. "Help us," she tries to say.