43.13 - Explanation Not Included

Incorporate a lyric by JJ Grey:

Song Free: Line: Don't let go, some let go

Include a math term or equation.

I think this is just going to be a ramble. I need to explain, Lucy!

2(x-1) + 8 = 4x - 20

Solve for x

No?

Something else?

The answer is 13

Do I write this like I do in my journals? Eh, I don't even know anymore.

There's a countdown to Doctor Who on New Years. I can't wait. I guess my brain is focused. When it's focused like that, I don't let go.

Some know how to already let go. I eventually let go. Then it all comes back to me. I have to practice my mantras and forgive all over again.

In a distant future, I do plan on being a writer. I just didn't think it was going to force my hand sooner!

I work full time! And my husband is on the verge of losing his job!!!

I was writing stories for the group, but then I felt like I was discouraged.  It's not on you. It's on me and my mental mind.

So, I was watching Dark Shadows last May through July. That's 2019. I was watching it so much, I forgot to even exercise at all. I mean I was always fat, which meant I wasn't exercising the way I should have been.

Now I have a routine.

I also have more work hours in my schedule. I used to work 4 days one week, and 5 days the next. It was all considered full time, and I accepted it!

Now, I can use all the money I can get. That extra 8 hours every other week? That helps a bit. I know that sounds weird, but every little bit helps. In return, I'm tired. But I come home and I clean. I take the dogs out. I get ready for bed. Lately, I've been exercising in the mornings. I only wish I didn't start while it's so cold out!!! LOL. Hush you non-Floridians! LOL. You don't know what I'm going through with my thinned out blood. And it seems the more I exercise, the colder I get. Last year, the cold didn't even bother me. Huh! I sound like Elsa.

I tried doing "What can go right?" In hopes to be funny. I always wind up being dramatic. Life is full of tests.

The unknown.

Most of us have experienced the unknown. It's a very scary place. For some of us, living in the unknown can lead us to prosperity or poverty. 

I can only hope that whatever unknown I enter into, it won't wind up with me being homeless. I want to get out of my comfort zone more. I want to write more, or make crafts to sell through Etsy. I don't know. I just know I was born to do something crafty, and not sit behind an office all day.

The only good thing is the people there like me. I have a job with health benefits. These are all comfort zones where nothing ever grows. Not even my IRA account. Yes raises are inevitable. But what else?

But with work and exercise, I barely have time to work on my editing in order to even publish it properly onto a blog. But I will get there. 

I feel like I'm floating in outer space. Can you hear me, Major Tom?

Also, it doesn't help there's been a whole Doctor Who marathon going on. I'm waiting for the Doctor with the blue call box spaceship to show up on New Years Day!!!

I'll get there...but I wanted to say something.

I get easily sensitive. I don't know why...I just do. I'm hard on myself to begin with, so when someone is critical on me, I take it to heart. I have to remind myself that not everyone has compassion or empathy or sympathy. I also have to remember that this is the internet, so people feel they can say whatever they like and cower behind the screen.

I think if I met you in real life, you wouldn't behave in such a manner. But that's when you know you must be doing something right, I guess. When people are petty enough to insult you. It must mean I'm going in the right direction.

The only thing now that I have to re-train my brain on is to just not read the comments. Or read them with a grain of salt. But why salt? Eh? Why not rice? I'm just curious.

So, let me get back to the beginning. Watching Dark Shadows. I felt that Dan Curtis, the creator, ended some of the storylines with no closure.

My visions while exercising, I saw this as a means to give the characters some closure. I was planning on wrapping up stories one and two based off the soap opera, but by story three (which I already have 3 and 4 plotted), it will be an original storyline. I'm just wrapping up the final visits from the late 18th and 19th century.

Well, that's how I had placed it in my head. Story 4 goes back in time from the soap opera standard. But then I'm done! LOL

I'm done rambling...I think.

Sorry, I've been a total wreck over my husband with his job situation.

I'm keeping the faith...

Sorry I rambled!

DJ

Topic: Jessica
Picture: Tyler

Picture Phrase Guesses (I put some in my blog in bold)

1. Starman

2. Astronaut

3. Stellar

4. Learning to breathe

42.13

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 42.13 Topic: The Meaning of Dreams

Hard Bonus (2 points): Mention a Childhood Memory

Roller skating

Easy Bonus (1 point): Include Something Battery Operated

Phone

Epilogue

I thought all would be fine by the time we arrived back in our time. I got up this morning to go through my usual routine. I went for a jog, took a shower, went off to work. Carter did his thing too. It was like we just resumed our normal activities.

Luckily for us, Lacy's tricks didn't affect much for us. I still have my Scrappy. My sister and my niece are still the same people. Only now I know they're not my actual sister and niece, but that doesn't matter. I will always love them like we are blood.

It turned out my dad--Lucas or Lucifer--was doing what was best for me, his true daughter. It's complicated. Life itself is complicated. It's all about how we handle our complications. Like bizarre dreams we have. We try to understand the meaning of those dreams. Most are utter nonsense. Others are your conscious telling you something. Then there's premonition.

Precognition is the better word for when you're dreaming of the future. Cryptic little details that even someone like me fails to miss. I had a dream when I took a nap.

It was a dream of me as a little girl. I was roller skating. I had seen my mom, laughing and having a good time with me. We were in a roller rink. She turned around and said, "I need your help."

Now, I'm awake. I know that I've been summoned. I realize now that it was Catherine I had seen in my dream. I don't know how this is even possible considering she should be in her own time.

"What's wrong?" I turn to see Carter.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had a feeling something was wrong. I'm right, aren't I?"

"I forget sometimes how easily in sync you are with me."

He walks up to me, and pulls me in his arms. I wrap my arms around him. "I guess we were just meant to be."

"I guess so," I say. I reach up on my tippy toes and kiss him.

"Hello?" I sigh as I hear a voice coming from outside the room. Carter and I walk out to find Jeremiah.

"Cousin," Carter greets him. "Is everything alright?"

"I apologize for the intrusion," he begins. "No. It's not alright. It seems as though Catherine has disappeared."

"My dream," I mutter.

"Dream?" They both say simultaneously. 

"Yes. I had a dream of my mother. Or I thought it was my mother. She asked me for help." I gasp as I look up at both of them. "I realize now it was Catherine asking me for help."

"Do you know where she is?" I can tell Jeremiah is genuinely worried. His second trip back in time brought him closer to Catherine.

I look to Carter. "I need to sit down and meditate." He nods and lets me sit down. I sit and close my eyes. There are flashes forming in my mind. Clothing older than the Victorian era. It's like they're all straight out of a Jane Austen novel.

I see one woman that looks like me. She's definitely my doppelganger, though there is something different about her. I realize this is Valentina. She is the true daughter of the count. I clear my thoughts again to focus. I try to locate Catherine.

I search the vision more. In the Carterson Woods, there is a giant maple tree. I see someone tied up, and a man dressed like a priest saying some kind of incantation. I peer closer to see it's Catherine tied up. I quickly open my eyes.

"She's being persecuted," I gasp. I look over at Jeremiah. "I'm guessing by the clothing, they're back in your original era. Didn't you say you were originally from the late eighteenth century."

Jeremiah nods. "It's where it all began. Poor Valentina was sentenced for being a witch!"

"And yet she's still alive?" I raise my eyebrow at him.

He nods. "Catherine agreed to save her."

"She must have had unfinished business."

The two men just stare at me waiting for me to speak.

"My job is to just go back to the fixated timeline. Time traveling can have serious consequences. When I sent everyone back to their time, Catherine must have gone back to her fixated point of time."

"But why would she want to do that?"

I shrug. "I don't know. To right a wrong, perhaps." I take a deep breath. "Even if so, this version of her doesn't deserve to be prosecuted. We have to go back and save her." 

I get up off the couch. I say an incantation, and within seconds, the three of us are dressed in Georgian era clothing. I take my phone, and place it in the pouch of my dress.

"Are you ready for an adventure?" I hold out my hands. Carter grabs one hand, and Jeremiah grabs the other one.

I say one more incantation, and we are off to the late eighteenth century.

DJ

Topic: Jessica

Picture: Colleen

Picture Phrase Guesses

1. Winter Wonderland

2. Snow White Queen

3. Snow Fox

4. Snow fall

I have no idea.

Sorry. It's been a craptastic week! So much for thinking this new year would be better than this!

41.13: Chapter 11: Lexie's Story

You light up the world

Watch the bear try to whistle

Don't look to the past

Dance across the Universe

You were meant to be a star

"Carter?" I repeat.

"Alex, please come back!"

"I'm right here."

"He can't hear you." I turn to see my dad. "But you do have to go back."

"But what if I want to stay?"

He gives a soft smile and shakes his head. "That's not how this works."

He's right. No matter where I am--whether on another realm, or somewhere across the Universe--I know I'll have to go back to the Earth realm.

My memories start flooding back in a flash. I remember being spelled. I bring my mind back to the present and look at my dad.

"I can't go back," I say to him.

"Why not?" I hear both my dad, and a ghostly Carter say to me. I must be speaking, or mumbling, on the earth plane too.

"He's going to be upset with me."

"I'm sure he won't be."

"I'm not mad at you," Carter says.

I start to tear up a bit. "I'm pretty sure he will want nothing to do with me when he finds out."

"That's not true," both say.

"What the?" I begin to ask. "Did you see that?" Out of the corner of my eye, I see a bear with a whistle.

"Darling," my dad says. "There's no one here but you and me. You're not meant to be on this plane for long. You're starting to hallucinate. You need to go back and talk things through with Charles."

"Alex, please," I hear Carter's cry. "You light up the world. You are my world. I promise I'm not mad at you."

I turn towards the hologram of Carter. He looks so sullen. I promised myself I would never want to see him sad. I turn back around to see my dad one last time, but he's gone. He must have gone back home.

"This is all astral projection," I say to myself. "But how do I get back?"

I feel a hand on mine. I look to see it's Carter's hand. I look up. He's looking more real, and less of a hologram. He takes his other hand, and places it on my hip. He pulls me towards him, letting my hand go. Both his hands are on my hips, and my arms fly around his neck.

He lowers his head down so our foreheads are touching.

"Alex," he whispers. "I love you. Surely you must know that."

I sigh. "I love you too."

His lips press gently against mine. With my eyes closed, I can feel the energy around us shift. The bad energy from the spell is lifting, being replaced by the good energy.

I open my eyes to find Carter staring at me.

"Welcome back," he gives me a warm smile.

I smile back. "Where am I?"

"This is what my room looked like back in eighteen ninety-seven."

"It's so different than what it looks like now." I bite down on my bottom lip.

He takes his thumb and gently releases my lower lip from the grips of my teeth.

"I know Lacy had told me the spell would be the toughest for you to break, but how in the world could you ever think I would be mad at you?"

I take a deep breath. "I knew after you had your twins, and the loss of your son," I pause. "I just knew you didn't want to have anymore children. You didn't want to risk them becoming wolves."

"Did you think I wouldn't want you?"

I close my eyes and nod.

I feel him gently lift my chin. "Look at me, please," he whispers. I open my eyes and stare into his baby blues. "I have never wanted to be with anyone the way I want to be with you. I feel like we have this connection, me and you, like we're meant to be together always. Throughout time and space."

"We've been together a long time," I admit.

"We've traveled just about everywhere," he smiles. "Now we'll do it as a family."

He takes his hand, and places it on my belly. "This little boy or girl will have a great mom. And I have faith in your powers. You will do what it takes so they won't turn into a wolf on a full moon."

"Actually," I begin, recalling my conversation with my dad. "He or she might be powerful enough to not change on their own."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "Oh, really?"

"Carter, I have to tell you something else."

I tell him the story of what my dad, Lucas, told me.

"I always knew you were special," he smiles his perfect smile. "And Catherine? Does she know?"

I shake my head. "Not yet, but I will tell her before we go back to our time."

"We can go back anytime you're ready."

"Yes," I agree. I want to go see my little pup. "But first, I want to talk to Lacy."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Why?"

"When you were unconscious, the bounty hunter came back after her. He wanted her to testify, but she was so frightened and ran off to Lachrymose Hills. She fell. Jeremiah and Catherine tried to save her in time, but they were too late."

I stay silent for a few moments. I listen to see if I hear any cries for help. No one is asking.

"She must be a peace," I finally say.

"She did live a very troublesome life, no thanks to the count."

"Agreed," I say before changing the subject.

I know now that no matter what obstacles come in our way, Carter and I will always find a way around it.

*****************

Stay tuned for the epilogue.

Topic: Colleen

Picture: Christopher

Picture Phrase Guesses:

1. Jingle bell rock

2. Light up 

3. Fired up

4. Santa Claus is coming to town.

5. Eh, I know it's going to be something clever I'll never get...and then on Sunday I will be berating myself for being stupid and not guessing that...

DJ

Chapter 11: 40.13 -- Lexie's Story

It's funny. I just seen Roman Holiday for the first time about a year ago. It was a very good movie. Bittersweet ending, but good.

 

While I like the lines:

Princess Anne: Do you have a silk nightgown with rosebuds?

Joe Bradley: I haven't worn a nightgown in years!

 

I'm going to stick with the line:

Princess Anne: I don't know how to say goodbye.

 

I think it will fit in with my story better.

 

As for wineries, I looked up local wineries. I've never been to one as I'm not a drinker. There's this one place in Parrish, FL, that looks like fun. I Googled the pictures. The winery is called Bunker Hill Vineyard & Winery.

 

Chapter 11

 

 I awake to find myself roaming around outside. I would say that I'm dreaming, but I've been here before, I just can't pinpoint where I am. It's a bit foggy around, which means I must be in another realm.

"Alex," the familiar voice says to me.

"Dad?" I call and walk down the walk way.

The walkway turns into cobblestone, and I am approaching a cottage. I recognize it as our summer home from my childhood. My parents since sold that house years ago.

I stop and stare at the same wooden door with a small grid window on the top of the door. I watch as the door opens. My hands fly up to my mouth as I gasp. It only takes a few moments to register who is coming out that door. I run up to him.

"Dad!" I squeal. He grabs me and spins me around like I'm a child again.

"My darling Alex," he says. He puts me down. I take a look at him.

"How is this even possible?"

"Do you want some coffee?" He stares down at me. "Maybe some decaf tea."

I give him a strange look. Why is everyone so focused on giving me juice and tea?

"I know you must have a lot of questions." He looks around. I follow his gaze. "Come inside. We can talk more privately there."

"Are we not alone?" I whisper.

He smiles. "Come inside." He holds the door open for me.

I walk inside. The house is just as cozy as I remember it. There's a fire going on in the fireplace. There's no temperature where I'm at. I'm guessing it's just for show. I look up on the mantle to see all the pictures.

"I'll go make some tea," he tells me. I nod, and head over to the mantle.

I remember these pictures. I thought most of them were gone forever. There's a picture of the four of us around Christmas. There's a picture of myself with Amber when we were teens. And there's one picture of me with Carter. 

I have a brief flash of memory. It wasn't long after the day we met. We were at the Bunker Hill Vineyard and Winery in Parrish, Florida. Just as I remember, the memory disappears, courtesy of the spell. There's one thing that the spell didn't take away. The conversations Carter and I have had.

I remember when he told me how he met my parents before they died. He has known me a very long time.

"Here we go," dad says, breaking my thoughts. He heads over to the nook area, and places a tray down on the table. There's two teacups, and a plate of cookies. I walk over to the table to sit.

"Sometimes we're not alone," he answers my question from earlier. "This is a realm, and sometimes some souls get lost here."

"Wait," I pause. "Am I?" The words fall on me.

"No," he quickly answers. "You're not dead. Although I must admit this is the first time a being alive has ever been here."

"Then how did I get here?"

He shrugs. "Maybe hearing my voice caused you to astral project onto this plane."

I'm recalling how I got here to begin with. "I used too much magic," I confess.

"You just have to get used to it. You will get stronger in a few months."

I give him a strange look. "Do you know something that I don't?"

He smiles and shakes his head. "I cannot tell you that. If I do, you may never break that spell."

I inhale sharply. "You know about that too?"

"I've been watching. You didn't even know," he breaks off. "I feel this is my fault."

I snort. "Now you sound like me."

"We are much alike," he sighs. "I have a confession to make."

I've never seen him like this. "What's wrong?"

"Well, I'm afraid you'll be mad or disappointed in me."

"Try me," I say.

"We are definitely alike," he mumbles. "You see, the count is not your father. I am."

I shake my head in disbelief. "I don't understand.

"Have you ever noticed how much Nancy and Catherine look alike?"

"I almost called Catherine mom."

"Well, you wouldn't be wrong."

I cock my head to the side. "What?"

He takes a deep breath. "When I met Nancy, I thought she was Catherine. Once I realized she really was who she said she was, I had to help her. She was in trouble.

"It seems that the count was stalking her for her child, for his child. This child was supposed to have been, not powerful like you, but powerful enough for the count to time travel."

"Wait," I interrupt. "What happened to the baby?"

"I brought her to an orphanage in the year nineteen forty-six."

"Then, if Nancy is not my mother, who is?"

"Nancy always loved you like you were her daughter, you do know that, right?"

I look down. "I know. I also know she was fearful of me with my powers."

"She just didn't know how handle the situation," he admits. "I should have been more considerate back then."

"And she knew that her baby was put in an orphanage?"

He nods. "It was the safest place for her, for the baby."

There's a few moments of silence. I'm taking it all in.

"I knew you were strong enough to stand up to the count," he continues. "My powers become minimal the longer I stay on earth, but I knew you would be powerful. You're not half human. You're half witch."

"Does this mean--

"Catherine is your mother," he interrupts. "She was so evil back then. She just kept a one track mind."

"Jeremiah," I say. He nods. "So if I'm half witch, what's the other half of me?"

"Angel."

"So is Amber half angel too?"

"No, she's not mine. I told Nancy I couldn't have children, so we decided to go to a fertility clinic."

"She's not even my sister," I say softly.

"She's still your sister in every way."

"Yeah."

"Hey, none of that," he pulls me closer into a hug. I didn't even realize I was crying.

I hold onto him. I always felt a connection to my dad, only now I know, he's my real father as well. He gently pulls away, and hands me a tissue.

"I don't know why I'm so emotional these days."

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Alex," I hear an echo of my name.

"He's calling you," dad says.

"But I'm not ready to leave. I have so many questions."

"I'll always be around when you need me." He smiles.

"I don't know how to say goodbye."

"Alex! Please! Come back!" The echoes shout.

"Darling," he says. "You have a lot to do. The longer you're up here," he pauses. "Well, it's not good for you right now."

I shake my head in disbelief. "I don't understand." I look up to see him fading.

"Please don't be mad. Know that I've always loved you, and had your best interest."

"I could never be mad at you," I tell him. There's more fog between us, and now I'm alone in the mist.

"I want to stay," I tried to say, but they died with the fog. I walk around, trying to find something, and then I make out something. It looks more like someone. I get closer to the dark figure.

"Carter?" I look at the foggy-like hologram.

"Alex," he says hoarsely. "Please come home." I turn my head in hopes to see the cottage one last time. There's nothing but fog.

I turn back to face Carter.

**********************

I'll finish the other half next time. It's been a mad crazy long week. I am exhausted!

DJ

Topic: Tyler

Picture: Colleen

Picture phrase guesses:

1. Fame

2. Insta-famous

3. Chilling

4. Zombieland

5. Zoned out

6. Out of touch with reality

7. Outside looking in

8. The Matrix

9. Blank screen

10. Tik Tok 

Chapter 10: 39.13 Write -- Lexie's Story

 

I was originally going to use Tiger Army as my punk band. But they're called Psychobilly music. Psychobilly is a combination of Punk and Rockabilly. It would be like if the Stray Cats did a collab with the Ramones at some point.

Topic: Irene

Picture: Christopher

Picture Phrase Guesses:

1.) Frozen

2.) Do you want to build a snowman

3.) It doesn't have to be a snowman

4.) Well, OK, bye.

5.) Frosty

6.) Blizzard

7.) Winter Wonderland

8.) Jack Frost

9.) I'm watching you

10.) Scout's honor

Chapter 10

It's only late September, but it is freezing here in Maine. Perhaps I've lived in Florida for far too long. It won't be long before Maine has their first frost. I've read about their weather. They expect some freezing temperatures that can start in late September.

I probably won't be building a snowman anytime soon. I can't stay too long in a time period that doesn't belong to me. I might be messing something up. In fact, it was pretty risky for Carter to have me meet his niblings Lora and Colin.

Then again, if I hadn't met them, I would have never found that time traveling spell. The spell that no one should ever have. I'm glad I changed the spell. My job is to go back in time to fix it. I can't imagine some meshuggeneh that might alter time to fit their needs. That would mean more trouble for me.

I can't let my mind wander. I have to save Carter. I take several deep breaths, and look over at my allies. We've discussed a plan a few times. I did explain that plans don't often go as follows, but it's always good to have a plan.

I'm going down to the sea of fire, I say to myself, quoting Tiger Army. The three of us head to the mansion. Now is the time when everything comes into full force.

 

I enter through the door. No one is in the lobby area. I open the doors to the living room. It's no surprise to me when I see the count with his minion and Lacy.

"I see you didn't come alone," the count says to me.

"Right," I reply. "Because I wasn't born yet, you expected me to be alone."

 

"Cute. But you know what I want."

 

"Actually, I really don't."

 

"My dear," he begins. "I'm a weak and dying man. All I want to do is time travel. I cannot do this alone. Not in this body."

 

"So, what do you want from me?"

 

"I want you to give me the power to time travel. I want you to heal my body."

 

"And I would like to see the Ramones perform at CBGB's, but I can't do the impossible."

 

"Ah," he chuckles lowly. "I believe you can. In fact, I believe I have enough motivation for you to give me what I want." 

 

He points over to my right. I look to see Lacy coming out of a hidden door with Carter tied up. She places him far enough so that I can't reach him. Then she's holding a gun to him.

 

"Those are not ordinary bullets in there," he says. I turn back to face him briefly before staring incredulously over at Lacy. "These particular bullets are made out of silver, and silver nitrate. One shot, and it will be a matter of moments before the liquid silver goes through his blood stream and kills him."

"Alex," I turn to Carter. He's weak. The rope he's tied in is bound with silver liquid and wolf's bane. I can smell the strong odor of the silver nitrate. "Don't do it. Don't give him what he wants."

"What did you do to him?" Jeremiah demands.

"A little something like this." I watch as he uses his hand to fly a stake into Jeremiah's heart. "That should have done the trick the first time around." 

Apparently, my father doesn't know that I changed Jeremiah's DNA vampire structure, though he should have guessed, since it is broad daylight. When evil people are desperate, they fail to notice changes. I mentally tell Jeremiah to stay calm. I'll be there to help soon. Though there's not much he can do. He's paralyzed until I can remove the stake.

"And you," I look back to see him putting a choke hold on Catherine. "I may be weak, but my powers are still greater than yours."

I'm frozen as I hear her gag. There's only so much I can do. I'm just one being.

"Now," the count continues. In a split second, I watch as Lacy shoots the gun.

"No," I cry out, but it's too late. She shot him in the shoulder.

Out of nowhere, I feel a sudden change of seasons in the room. One minute, it was drafty like fall weather, with a small fire burning in the fireplace. Now it's a summer inferno. I could feel the light forming throughout my body like a fire. 

I can feel myself floating in the air. Everyone around me takes a gasp, but I do not have the time to freak out. I have to save everyone.

"You," I pause, staring at the count. My voice is booming loud like a god. "The three of you will pay for your crimes."

I look to the fireplace, and call for a bounty hunter out of the ashes. I create the ultimate bounty hunter. Black smoke forms, and an ashy, burly man comes crawling out of the fireplace. "You will now spend an eternity down below."

The bounty hunter grabs the count and his minion. They scream, but through the ashy shadow, the bounty hunter smiles. He takes the two men into the fireplace with him.

I look over at Lacy. "Oh sis," I begin. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Alex," Carter says hoarsely. "She was spelled. Everything she did was under the influence of the count."

I look from Carter back to Lacy. I watch as she shakes her head and throws down the gun. She looks in shock. "What have I done?" She looks over to me. "I'm so sorry Lexie."

I slowly descend, and the white light disappears from my body. "Where's the antidote?"

She shakes her head no. "I might have been spelled, but I was aware of everything going on. I was a zombie. I was not in control. There is no antidote."

"Alex, darling," a familiar voice calls to me.

I look around to see nothing. "Dad?"

Catherine walks over to me. "Who are you talking to?"

I give myself a mental shake. "Never mind. What's important is to carefully remove the stake from Jeremiah." Catherine nods and does as I request.

"Can I help?" I look to see Lacy.

I nod. "Close the door to the living room, and make sure no one comes in." She bows her head, and does as she's told.

I hurry over to Carter. I open up his shirt. I can see the silver spreading through his veins. He only has a matter of minutes. I magically remove the bullet from his shoulder. The poison is still spreading. What do I do? I ask quietly.

"Alex, you can heal him." This time I know I'm hearing my dad speak.

"What? I don't understand."

"Trust me."

"How can I heal him?"

That light. Find that fiery light again. Place it on his shoulder, and you will heal him.

I inhale deeply. I try to find that light inside me I used, but it's faded.

"Think about what that count did to you. You almost lost your friends. You almost lost your family. He put you under a spell."

A spell I'm still under, I remind myself.

"For now, you have to get angry," he continues. "Aren't you angry for what he's done to you?"

I think about my dad's words. He's right. I'm pretty angry, though I'm more slightly annoyed having to go through this drama to begin with. All the events. He tried killing Jeremiah twice. He possessed Carter, and he tried to get me to do the very thing that goes against my principles.

The fiery white light comes back, and I place it on Carter's shoulder. I watch as his head snaps back. The light is healing him. Within seconds, he's healed, but now I'm dizzy.

I've used far too much power today. I go to fall, but Jeremiah quickly picks me up thanks to his vampire speed. Everything else fades to black.

©DJ 12.5.2020