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He drove us to the abandoned house. When we got out, I looked around. The house sat in the middle of the woods. If that wasn’t creepy enough, it was literally falling apart right in front of us. It looked dangerous.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBRtleAJvJ
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKx4jrp4QlL
Luke had invited me to a party. He knew I hated parties, but I went anyway. And then, on the way, he told me he wanted to show me something. So here we were, standing in front of this morbid looking, broken thing.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnpJmkFBBI
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVYopxclDY
The air was cold, so I pulled my jacket tighter around me. I saw Luke glance at me, and he almost moved toward me, but I stopped him.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVve3uLsZZe
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“Why are we here?” I asked.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROzmDA6uTr
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQaFhk88It
“My friend said there was something amazing inside,” Luke said excitedly. “I don’t really know what it is, because what could be in there? It’s a shithole.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87LWyG00Yu
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I frowned. “I don’t like it here.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGy53eEH7U1
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKW3U9RT6hB
Luke grabbed my wrist and practically dragged me into the house. It was one story and it looked like kids had been coming here and using things to break it down faster, like it was infected and needed to be dealt with.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9MS1gnGAF
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwvdIdTLZw
I moved toward one of the closed doors, expecting it to be locked, or have spider webs all over it. Once I opened it, I could smell something so strong that it made my stomach twist.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LbMKPOTMA
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuADfTrmsRw
“What is that?” I gasped, stepped back.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKcdhp4m2c
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53VpzYtpBL
Luke came up behind me, his face screwed up in revulsion. “I have no idea.” He squeezed his brown eyes shut and shook his head. “It’s disgusting. I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have brought you here.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXQB4WEMOG
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“It’s okay,” I said.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXh9LSuUou
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjHy4TMwCn
I heard Luke turn around and I thought he was going to leave until he shouted, "Gail, come here! I found it.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAGlb1LRQZ
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1PNvk6bP2
I followed his voice, and it wasn’t that far away, only in another part of the house. It looked like an old game room. But there was only one thing in it, and it was pushed in the corner, a sheet over it.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsIUAwVWxV
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡger1fymMZj
Luke grinned and removed the grimy-looking sheet.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMvUlevtx2
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnplml4UvFa
It was a large, fortune-telling wishing machine booth. The woman inside the glass had a head decoration that looked like little coins, and little stars dangled from them. She was bent over a crystal ball, her eyes looking ominously at anyone who passed her. She wanted them to succumb and make a wish.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd10yn2Eent
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qFNtfdzxA
“You should make a wish,” Luke urged.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHJt3ySosH
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUqyHKp5GF
“Why?” I asked. “It won’t come true. This thing is so old that it won’t even work anymore.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMDxR26BHV
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWekfZJZUB2
But, even as I said it, I was thinking of something. I know if I made the wish in front of Luke, he’d just think I was insane.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoVHVVOXYq
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpf3JkZ1Gw
I wish I could make them go away.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohhZndOsTW
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Nothing happened.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSeIjnCRzG
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I walked around to the back of the machine. It was plugged in. I scrunched my nose in confusion and shrugged at Luke.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiZpmrpkZM
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQT0MuV1EeM
“Got to say it out loud,” he muttered. “I wish for a Big Mac!”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrdf50NEhv
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrpYKEWZ9W
I rolled my eyes. “You idiot, that’s not a wish. You could easily go buy one.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOqxkB4KeB
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoYnKeWlSS
He nodded. “I could, but it would be nice if it could just appear out of thin air.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCXX62eUri
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHDeqiXHiC
I walked away from him and back outside. I waited by the car until he came back. I didn’t really speak much until we got to the party. It was a Halloween party. People in costumes were everywhere, and as I got out of the car, some girls shot me glares.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2z2o8Pi8U
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoTC3l0mO8
“Nice costume, Gail. Ugly is always in.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwsQa7MyeP
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡms98ciFBsc
I frowned at Lily Owens. She was standing with her friends, wearing a black robe and a pointed hat. From bitch to witch.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ224ZIWZA17
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VP5xQ0oT8
“Simmons, you look like someone beat you with a hideous stick.” Miranda Reeves cackled.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvbfnQq1pN
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQP3HM5I9G
“They took too many shots at you,” a voice said from behind me. I was going to turn around and tear their face off, but then I realized their comment was toward Miranda.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡualsvBgN1P
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhsW4Zl9Yf
The boy stepped around me and turned to gaze at my face. His black hair was slightly curly, and his eyes were the greenest I’d ever seen. He smiled, and then returned his attention to the girls.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRR0oT1V2fN
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclnbKydpTe
“It’s a shame that such pretty girls have to be such bitches,” he told them. “Lily, you should realize how much it hurts to be called ugly. Trevor told me about what happened last year. And Miranda, well, I really have no idea what your issue is.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYuVmYpgIH
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOh8Z46ny2h
I cleared my throat, and the boy turned to face me, with a smirk.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDRMKfRZFt
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“I’m sorry about them.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Saxon. Trevor Barnes is my cousin.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtglmEufFHH
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pESpapldA
I glanced at Trevor, who was dressed as Dracula and chugging a beer. I looked back at Saxon. “I didn’t think he’d even have a nice relative.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH46eMlK3CC
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He laughed. “Yeah, well, Trevor’s not exactly the nicest person. That’s why all the girls like me better.” He winked.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvfIlTVITc
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPhP6QUsjQ
I smiled and when he asked if he could get me a drink, I said I would do it. I got into the house quickly, looking for Luke the whole time. When I didn’t see him, I headed to the kitchen. Before I got there, however, someone blocked my path.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCl5daoLrz
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe35xlpRjFj
It was Lily. She sneered at me, gripped my wrist, and pulled me I into the bathroom. Miranda was there with two other girls I didn’t know. I jerked away from Lily and headed toward the door. One of the girls, who was much bigger than me, blocked it.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkorOEg9Djm
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“You know, I didn’t know you were a slut, too.” Lily smiled, wrapped her hands in my hair, and slammed my face into the wall.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDI3shuOnv
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBMKrux645
It hurt, but I didn’t make a noise, because I knew with bullies it’s what they wanted. Instead I turned around, flexed my jaw, and glared at her.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKSvbN3XjR
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncl0nNQEhx
“Leave me alone,” I said. “I didn’t do anything to you.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUFTciBMrT
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujV9b8h7g2
Lily nodded to the other girls and they gripped my arms. Then Miranda’s fist collided with my nose. Blood poured down my face, into my mouth, and onto the floor. Stupidly, I spit some into her face.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnc6tvbk61
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xc3zf8xBn
“You’re sleeping with Saxon,” Lily snapped. “It’s bullshit that you just met him.” When she slapped me, my head actually snapped to the side.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQ5mQe3egk
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Someone was trying to get into the room, but Miranda placed a chair under the knob and leaned it back. I didn’t understand why there was a chair in the bathroom, at least not a first.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4DV8S25KE
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEcnRqVctd
But as Lily pummeled me, and I took every hit, I realized they had this planned. When my knees buckled and I started to sink onto the floor, I heard someone speak.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzjLFLoqxY
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBLBSSoVQp
“Leave her. She deserves this.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHF02fOmSt
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkDJQQXC9a
I don’t know how long I was on the floor for, but when I opened my eyes, I was in darkness. There was no movement, so I assumed they left. I tried to sit up, and when I couldn’t, I just laid on the tiles, aching.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj3ijF3uSk
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOxVViFJSQ
Suddenly, the lights came on, blinding me. Then someone screamed and dropped down next to me. They were saying something, but I couldn’t really focus on the words. Their hands were soft, and they made me want to sleep.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qiotQAonJ
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2XK7hNm7T
So I closed my eyes.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsZdJaZeZ2
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Stay awake, a voice told me.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDDmVQoNtd
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzIPsJ0zcV
But I was so tired. Before I knew what was happening, I was floating. That felt nice. When it stopped, I wondered why. Then I knew. I had died. They had beaten me to death.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnAcU08WC0
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmEyGIdL1F
“You’ll be okay,” someone whispered.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsc7hnHVkP4
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQfPaSbyE6
Off in the distance I heard, “Oh my God. Gail, what happened?”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVCLVZVsqA
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCnvBmcNos
Luke.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0omL32ZzVh
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGndBcZtdgb
I groaned and sat up, bringing my hands up to my face. “Who are you?” I asked to the stranger. I didn’t want to open my eyes.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPLjoR6Gn3
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxMhfhQWWA
“It’s Saxon. Gail, you’re going to be alright. Can you tell me what happened?”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsELzZcVcK
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZLjvBKNfC
I opened my eyes and was grateful to see his green ones. I was slowly getting strength back. So much so that I was able to sit up. I was in a bedroom, probably somewhere upstairs, away from people.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vIPuGj0sV
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQh7gqW6CTP
“Lily, Miranda and two other girls I didn’t know did this,” I said.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXsHZbkgfu
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU79ojiEi8
Saxon narrowed his eyes, stood up, and ran his hands through his hair. “Why would they do that?”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6UwjDee8m
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJUode5fnx
“Lily thought you and I were sleeping together, and she didn’t believe me when I said I just met you.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1x6sTJvg9
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EcPDrGrgv
“That’s ridiculous. Even so, they didn’t need to do that.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZBgQA8s5M
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGu3Z0r9GR1
“It’s okay,” I said, realization dawning on me. “I’ll fix everything.” I stood up, and without a word to him, left the room.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXvWJjDk3y
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I knew what I had to do.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1Fp3KIE8M
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Sirens wailed. Three or four parked on the lawn. Doors slammed and several of the occupants of the cars rushed over. All of the officers had their guns drawn. Two, a female and male, entered the house. There were no lights on, so they used their flashlights.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJ8raoa0Ws
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9f5RKoVSx
They didn’t have to look far, because sitting on the couch was a girl. She had a knife in her hand, and it was covered in blood. But the worst part? The absolute worst part was that the blood was not hers.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpohOFueTy
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EakZNdxwx
“What happened here? Miss, can you hear me?” The male officer asked, crouching down. He placed his hand on the coffee table to his left to balance him and keep the flashlight on the girl’s face, which was blank.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewsSIfSrnV
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCV7lpEYau
“Bradshaw,” the female muttered behind him.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFTxn8oKLM
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OhHpXcxIf
He turned his head after shifting his hand, and saw that a sticky substance had come off of the coffee table.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJUEowQoDz
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VkyInbS34
More blood.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31VSCoFGBX
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Officer Bradshaw turned his flashlight toward the window. He hadn’t noticed it before, hadn’t felt the breeze, but the glass was shattered.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFy87CpCLQY
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“Where are the bodies?” he asked.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuHY3FiGPp
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBubOfJogHI
The girl twitched, turned her head, and smiled.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoE1TWENpNH
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM45l63gSn3
“I made them go away,” she said. “It was so simple.”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw5EXoqFNX
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDi1RFTkCs
“Caplan, come here!”608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvatppeuwN
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyUaQaLksX
The female officer approached them, and she knelt down on the girls other side. She reached with a glove-covered hand and dug through the girl’s pocket for identification. She found something else instead.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFsVg4tLAN
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAAOBZQM8p
There was a small, rectangular card with one single phrase on it.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOXu4x263o
608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqOJOe6l15
Your wish has been granted.608Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdn1GlWKVN2
