Chapter 21: Turning Point

Jack ran as if his life depended on it, or rather, his friend’s life. Andy’s house wasn’t very far from the garage that Paro’s team—his team now—had rented out. It was only around three p.m. and the sun was still out in full force. Had it not been for such a sense of urgency, Jack might have actually enjoyed the run.

To his left was an open baseball field, with young children learning and practicing the game. To his right, Jack spotted fully-detached houses with gardens and large fountains dotting the landscape.

Jack’s feet kicked up small pebbles and rocks as he raced his way down to the next block. He ran past a series of rather large homes. Swimming pools, hot-tubs, basketball hoops, you name it, Sparrow-Road was a higher income neighborhood. It was one of the most fascinating things about Elms New Jersey. Walking even one minute from a set of low income homes could bring you to a set of mansions. Finally, at the end of another block he came across the semi-detached home that Andy lived in. It wasn’t bad for a middle income house, with two floors, a basement, and four bedrooms.

Jack had been there quite a few times, though never exactly invited. Andy was always alone, and while Jack had Adam, Andy didn’t have anyone, so Jack came over every so often and hung out with him. Even if Andy told his mom he wanted to be alone, she still let Jack come see him. Hopefully, this time would be no different.

He walked over the white rocks that decorated the front lawn and rang the bell. It opened so quickly that Jack was convinced Andy’d been waiting on the other side for him the entire time.

“Jack,” Andy said, his eyes lighting up. For the briefest moment as he was opening the door, he had that defeated, haggard look he’d worn as of late, but once his eyes registered the visitor, his boyish expression returned with full glamour.

“Come in.” Andy waved Jack inside. His face darkened when Jack almost knocked him over trying to push him through the door.

“Andy, pack your things right now. We’re leaving.”

“Don’t tell me … please, Jack, don’t tell me.”

“I’m sorry, Andy, but we need to leave. I’ll walk with you to the nearest train station. I have enough money to help you pay for a ticket. You need to go far … as far as you can, and never show your face to anyone around here again.”

Jack’s heart burned for Andy. Tears slid across his friend’s face and that same desperate look returned.

“Is there nothing else that can be done, Jack? Is there no deal or negotiation that can be made?”

Jack wanted so badly to be able to help Andy, but this was one thing he just couldn’t do. No matter how hard Jack tried, he would never be able to stop Paro and the team from locking Andy away in a cell and tormenting him for the rest of his life.

“Andy, if you don’t leave then those two will probably kill you, won’t they? I know it won’t be easy, but you can still have a life. I’ll come find you some day, and I’ll make sure that it won’t be so bad, but right now you need to go. Pack your things and come with me—hurry!”

Andy scrambled out of the room and sprinted up the stairs. Jack could hear the thump on the second-floor above him as closets opened and closed, and drawers slammed shut. Finally, Andy came running back down the stairs with two small traveling bags. Jack’s heart almost melted at the sight of pure grief and loss on his face.

”Th-this,” he sobbed. “This is all I am now? These two bags, and then I’m all alone? I don’t even have my mom now.”

Never before, not through all the bullying, the years of torment, or the endless pain of loneliness had Jack felt so powerless.

Why can’t I do anything? Jack wondered. Why isn’t there something else I can do?

“I’m so sorry,” Jack said, “but this is all we can do now. It’s our only option. If we leave now we can make the next train. Come on.” Jack had to almost drag Andy to get him out of the house.

Together the two walked away from the home. With each step, Andy’s legs wobbled and he looked more and more like he was about to collapse. They walked slowly, much slower than Jack had wanted, but this would be the last time Andy saw the town he had grown up in. Jack supposed a few minutes wouldn’t kill them.

Andy took in every sight, as if recording it all to memory. Jack felt his heart rip at the thought that Andy would never see his mother or father again and would be truly alone. But what other choice was there? It was either that or spending the rest of his life rotting away in some cell.

“Umm, Jack?” Andy asked. His voice sounded worn and exhausted. “Will you really come see me some time? I don’t know anyone where I’m going. Heck, I don’t even know where I’m going. Do you think you can sneak away and hang out with me some time?”

“Yeah,” Jack lied. It was a painful lie, one that shredded him on the inside. Andy relaxed at the false promise, furthering Jack’s guilt.

Despite the sedate pace, they arrived at the transit terminal well before the next train was scheduled to depart. Andy hesitated while following Jack in, forcing Jack to once again drag him.

The terminal was a two-story building, with the second-floor on the ground level that they entered on. Below them, and down a wide flight of stairs, was where the trains arrived and departed. There were waiting benches, vending machines, and newsstands, although most seemed to be empty, probably because of the off-peak hours. Looking around, there wasn’t much activity going on. A few people waited patiently on the benches while a sole cashier waited for any customers.

“One ticket to Tampa, please,” Jack said, stepping in the empty line. He nearly stuck his tongue out when he heard the price but thought the better of it. Eighty dollars? Were they selling tickets or the train itself?

Jack led Andy down the wide staircase, and together they took a seat on one of the many unoccupied benches. Andy tensed and then began to shake and twitch. He looked like a wreck, with tears still falling down his eyes. Even his legs started to tremble. He was traumatized.

For a very serious moment, Jack wondered if he was making the right decision. Andy did not look at all like he was going to be okay, like he was going to be able to someday recover. The confusion and indecision was almost painful to Jack, as once again he tried to think of some way, any way, that things could be different. But it all came down to this. Andy’s only chance was to leave and never return.

“I’m going to miss school,” Andy whispered. “And my mom. And my dogs, too. I love them so much.”

Jack didn’t respond. He did not know what words to say, if there even were any. Was there anything in this entire world that Jack could say at this point to make things better?

No, this is all that can be done, and I’m doing it. There’s nothing else. No words, no gestures, nothing.

Jack forced a reassuring smile. “Do you want something from the vending machine?”

“No,” Andy said with a sniffle.

“If there’s anything you need, just let me know. The train should be here in half an hour.”

Jack tried to make more conversation, but Andy was now trembling, shaking, and sobbing himself into silence. After a few moments of remaining motionless, Andy looked into Jack’s eyes. Something was off, and Jack became alarmed. Andy’s face was bright red, distorted, and full of depthless misery.

“Do you really think I’m going to be okay?”

“Yeah, you’re gonna be just fine.”

“Hey!” said a familiar voice. “I hope you two aren’t going anywhere far. I mean, we’ve got finals coming up on Monday.”

A gripping and horrifying panic rushed into Jack, and coursed through his veins at the sound of the feminine voice behind him. Melissa walked casually over and took a seat in-between him and Andy.

“Me-Melissa,” Jack croaked, “what are you doing here?”

Melissa opened a bag of potato chips, and with a relaxed sigh, she devoured each one in a loud crunch. She was even dressed more casually than earlier, too. She wore tight blue jeans and a white tank top. Her golden hair glided down the back of her head. Yawning, she stretched her arms to get in a more comfortable position between them. It amazed Jack that no matter where she went or in what situation, she was always gorgeous.

Melissa shrugged. “Not much, I was in the area. Hey, Andy, what are you doing here? Didn’t expect to see you around.”

She must suspect something!

The thought breached Jack’s mind like a sword ripping through flesh.

Why else would she be here? Andy knows what she is, he … he needs to stay quiet.

Even a complete stranger could see the look of absolute terror and fright as Andy’s mouth gaped and his eyebrows rose. He inhaled sharply and with his right hand, he squeezed Jack’s leg.

“Nothing really,” Andy answered. “I’m just hanging out with Jack. How are you, Melissa?”

“I’m just fine,” she said cheerfully. “Here, want one?”

Andy declined the offer of chips and turned his head away to face forward. The train would arrive in just twenty more minutes, and Jack prayed that things would hold up until them.

“So, Melissa, do you normally come to hang out at train stations?” Jack asked.

“I could ask the same of you.”

“I’m just here seeing a friend off. Andy’s gonna visit his grandparents, and I had some free time. Hey, Melissa, aren’t you coming over tonight? Let’s go home now and watch some TV.”

“Nah, I’ll stay here and hang out with Andy for a bit.” She gave him a playful nudge on the shoulder. “I don’t think we ever really speak much.”

Andy’s face paled, and Jack feared he was only a moment from either passing out or throwing up, perhaps both. Jack was running out of ideas.

“Are you sure?” Jack asked. “I mean, I’m gonna leave. Do you really wanna stay here by yourself? Let’s go together.”

“No, I’m fine,” she refused yet again.

Does she know? Jack thought frantically. How could she? How could she even possibly suspect.

Suddenly the realization dawned on Jack, and even he trembled.

They knew there was another Psych in the school! And because I originally met the profile, they suspected that it might be a friend of mine. When I stormed out of there earlier I must have looked really afraid or something … Oh God, I did this! I bolted out of there like such an idiot. Melissa must have gotten suspicious and followed me here. But how much does she know?

“Melissa, I really think we should be going. There’s no reason for us to be here. What do you say? Let’s leave Andy in peace.”

Jack shot Melissa his fiercest look, but the one returned by Melissa trumped his and made him lean back in his seat.

“I’ll leave when I want—isn’t that right, Andy?”

Just stay calm, Andy! Don’t let her think something’s wrong. Stay calm!

“Hey, Andy, are you alright?” Melissa asked. There was genuine concern in her voice. “You’re shaking like you’ve got a fever. Here…” She placed her palm against his forehead. “Hmm, no fever, is something bothering you?”

Andy trembled even more, and the look of concern on Melissa’s face didn’t seem to help.

Jack cleared his throat and tried to change the subject. “Sooo, Andy, how about those relatives, huh? You excited to see them?”

“Y-y,” he stammered, “Y-y-y—”

This was not good. Andy couldn’t even speak—he was losing it. There would be no fooling Melissa, and playing this game was getting them nowhere. She definitely knew what was going on. There could be no more doubt about it.

“Please, Melissa, you don’t understand. Just leave,” Jack begged.

“Don’t understand what, Jack? Why are you acting so strange?”

She was toying with him now. It was too much for Jack to handle. He wasn’t good with words. He wasn’t good with playing mind games, either. The situation was sliding out of his control faster than he could manage. All he wanted was to save his friend. All he wanted was for his friend to have some chance at living his life. All of these things raced through his mind, as tears began to glide down his face. He didn’t want this to happen to his friend!

Before he realized he was doing so, Jack grabbed Melissa and hugged her, pulling her close. She didn’t pull away. Instead, she surprised him by returning the hug, letting him cry into her chest.

“I know,” she whispered in his ear. “I know it can be really hard.”

“Please, Melissa, I’m begging you,” he cried into her. “Don’t do this, please. You don’t understand.”

“No,” she said in a soothing voice. “I really do understand. I know it hurts, Jack, just shh. Please, say no more.”

“You don’t have to do this.” Jack felt the tears as they dampened her shirt, but she paid it no mind.

“I do, Jack. Please forgive me.”

“How did you know?”

She ruffled his messy hair and smiled at him. “Because anyone can read you like a book, Jack. Why do you think they let you go off alone? When you charged out like that, Sarah picked up your fear and worry like you were a pair of speakers playing explosive sound effects. She can do that, you know? And it’s not hard to put two and two together.”

“Are they here?” Jack pulled away and wiped his face, embarrassed for his display of emotions.

Melissa nodded.

“Jack, what’s going on with you two?” Andy seemed to be recovering his voice. A look of panic spread across his face. “You know what? I’m an idiot! I just remembered that I wasn’t supposed to visit until next week. I’ll see you guys around. I’m heading home.”

Andy tried to rise, but not before Melissa grabbed his arm. A look of fury and terror radiated off of him as he met Melissa’s gaze.

“Let me go, Melissa! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Andy,” she whispered, “you know who I am, don’t you? I can see it on your face.”

Andy tried to pull away and his voice filled with desperation. “No! Let me go—get your hands off me!”

Jack tried to look away. He tried to ignore what he was seeing. It felt as if his heart were being ripped in two.

“I don’t enjoy doing this to you, but if you struggle, I’ll hurt you. Look around you, there is no way out.”

It took Jack a minute to realize what Melissa was talking about, but when he saw it, he wondered how he and Andy had missed it in the first place. All around them, the people on the benches, the janitors, even the ticket salesmen—they had all been replaced by men and women in disguise. Every one of them was beginning to converge on Andy, about twenty in total. They opened their bags and removed massive assault rifles, and with a tremendous roar surrounded the frightened boy.

“Don’t move, don’t move! On the ground—now!”

Andy wailed. It was a cry of pure anguish and terror, as twenty assault rifles were leveled at him. All around the room the men and women spread out, covering the perimeter and blocking all exits. They didn’t seem willing to take any chances.

“One move and you’re dead,” came a voice from behind them. Jack spun around to see Paro, flanked by the rest of the team.

“Excellent work, Agent Harris. I know it’s never easy the first time, but you’ll get used to it.”

Andy’s eyes widened in surprise and betrayal. “Y-you were in on this, Jack? You … you betrayed me? Why, Jack? I trusted you! You were the only friend I had in this world! At least tell me why?”

Jack cried again. “No, you don’t understand, Andy. They followed me. I didn’t mean to do it, I swear.”

“I hate you, Jack, I hate you!”

Melissa kicked out Andy’s legs and knocked him to the ground.

“Melissa!” Sarah screamed. “Watch out, there’s activity!”

There was a murderous scream from behind Melissa, as the nearest recon officer clutched his throat and the skin bubbled around his neck. In one of the most horrific things Jack had ever seen, the officer collapsed, and the area around his neck became nothing more than a gelatinous, bloody mess.

Andy looked at Melissa. A sickened grin formed on his face. “You’re dead, Melissa!”

Things moved really fast. Jack was knocked out of the way by an invisible force while the same force pulled Melissa away from Andy, sending her hurtling into Jack. He was sure Michael had done it. Paro sped past the two, charging at a speed that transcended human capability. He grabbed Andy by the throat, lifting him into the air and causing him to gasp under the pressure of Paro’s squeezing hand. Then Paro ran forward while dragging Andy along with him, before slamming the boy against the wall, pinning him to it.

Small puffs of smoke started appearing inches from Paro’s face, as if an invisible match was continually being lit and then put out around him.

“That won’t work on me, kid. You may as well cut that nonsense out right now. As it is, I might just kill you to save me some time and trouble. After all, you did just kill one of my men. Look at them. They want nothing more than to lodge a bullet in your brain for what you just did.”

Jack pushed himself off the floor and looked in disbelief at the body of the officer that moments ago was a living, breathing human being. The rifle was still in his hand, and his face was distorted, nothing more than red mush.

“Andy … did he?” Jack struggled to form words. “Did Andy just kill that man?”

Sarah rushed over and tried to cover Jack’s eyes, but he pushed her away. “Answer me, damnit! Did Andy just kill that man? Melissa, answer me!”

Jack had never used such an angry, commanding tone with her before. Yet she obliged and answered him. “I’m sorry, Jack, it was my fault. I wasn’t fast enough, I—”

Jack stormed past her before she could finish speaking and came to stand beside Paro. Andy’s terror was replaced by a thunderous hate. He groaned, struggled, and ripped at Paro’s fingers. Paro had him pinned against the wall, hand extended, grip tight on the boy’s throat.

“Jack,” he croaked, “please, kill them, kill them all! You’re like me … you know what we have to go through every day. Do it! Help me, kill them!”

Jack couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Andy was actually asking him to murder people.

“First tell me something, Andy.” Jack was surprised that Paro was allowing him to have this conversation. He seemed content to simply hold the boy in place while Jack had his words.

“Did you kill Richard’s family? Tell me the truth and I’ll help you. But please, Andy, I need to know. You told me you didn’t kill them.”

“I’m … sorry, Jack,” he croaked. “But you know he deserved it, all of them did. I did what I had to, for what they did to us at school. I did it for us, Jack. I did it for us! I went there, and I—”

Jack didn’t feel the explosion of rage until after the words were out of this mouth.

“SHUT THE HELL UP!”

Jack trembled, he actually trembled with anger. This was a terrible feeling, a horrible feeling. It was sickening, but he couldn’t control it. He looked at Andy and poured the hate into his voice.

“You killed little children, Andy! Little girls, seven year-old angels, whose only wrong doing in life was to have met you! You killed his mother, you killed all of them! How could you … tell me, how could you!”

“Jack, I had the right!” his voice was raspy. Paro didn’t seem to be easing up on him. “You don’t understand—I had the right!”

Jack wanted to vomit. “The right? The hell do you mean you had the right? No one has the right to do what you did!”

Jack’s trembling increased even more. His stomach began to hurt, and he dropped to one knee. Michael and Sarah dashed over to him. “Jack, what’s wrong? Hey, what’s with your eyes? Do you see this, Sarah?”

“You mean that’s not normal?” Melissa asked, rushing to them. “I thought it was just something some Psychs did, since I saw Jack do it once before.”

Even Paro glanced behind him, surprise on his face. “Hey, Sarah, is Jack okay? What’s wrong with his eyes? Why are they dilated?”

Jack tuned out their nonsense. A simple thought emerged within him, a simple reality made bright.

Andy is mine.

Jack remembered being this way before, and somehow he knew he would forget yet again. But the thought brought him no emotion, nothing did. For some reason, when he was like this, nothing bothered him. There was no sadness, hate, or anger. There wasn’t even fear. There was just him, and his thoughts. And the things he wanted to do.

Jack got back to his feet. It would have amazed him, if he could feel amazement, just how much simpler life was when you couldn’t feel emotion. In a way, he wished it could stay like this.

******

“He’s mine,” Jack said in a commanding tone.

Melissa came to stand next to Jack, unsure what was going on. She had seen him like this once before, but only now was she finding out that this was abnormal behavior. She hadn’t been a Psych long enough to know everything about them.

Paro looked at him with ponderous eyes. “What do you mean, ‘he’s yours,’ Jack? What’s going on? Are you feeling okay?”

Melissa felt the first bite of fear. Jack didn’t seem to be himself at all. In fact, he seemed to be nothing even remotely like his normal self. He was detached, cool, and he didn’t seem to be listening to any of them.

“Paro, step away,” he commanded.

“Harris, don’t presume to—”

Paro was cut off as a force slammed into him, and Melissa saw him brace himself. The force caused him to step back and drop Andy to the floor. His eyes lit up in shock, and he looked at Jack.

“Did you just try to throw me?” Paro asked.

Melissa had no idea what was going on, but she had the overwhelming sense that whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

“Jack, get back here. Hey, what are you doing? Put him down!”

Now it was Jack that held Andy by the throat, only he didn’t use his hands. The boy was telekinetically pinned, and he looked at Jack with pleading, desperate eyes.

“You think you know death, do you Andy?” Jack’s voice was conversational, lacking any discernible emotion. “Well, how about I show you what death really looks like?”

There was a shriek from behind them. Sarah’s voice called out with a dire sense of urgency. “I’m detecting Psych movement, massive amounts. At least ten! All with hostile intent.”

Paro turned away from Jack, but Melissa didn’t budge. Upon hearing Sarah’s warning, the nineteen living recon officers raised their weapons and stood at full alert, their guns clicking as they turned off their safeties.

“Sarah, are you kidding me? Are you certain there are ten Psychs heading our way? And all of them with hostile intent? I’ve never been very good with Telepathy. I need to know exactly what you’re feeling.”

Melissa turned her head around while still remaining near Jack and Andy. Sarah was shivering with her head downcast and off to one side—it was her gesture of gathering data.

“No, I was wrong. It’s about fifteen now, and they’re all Telepaths, like me.”

Kazou and Michael had a grim look of death in their eyes, one that was beginning to form in Melissa’s as well. Fifteen Telepaths working together could kill them all. But none of this made any sense.

“You must be mistaken,” Paro said. “Where would fifteen Telepaths come from, and why would they be hostile? Please, Sarah, you must double check and make sure.”

“I am, Paro. And it’s at least fifteen! Maybe even more. I don’t know where this army of Psychs has come from, but they’re heading right for us. Paro … are we going to die?” She began to weep.

One of the recon officers ripped off his helmet and threw it to the ground. “Not while we’re here, missy. Men!” he shouted, addressing both the men and the women of the two squads. “Are we dying here?”

“No!” came the unanimous roar.

They lifted their weapons and waited for the enemy. Paro surprised Melissa by grabbing her shoulder.

“I’ve got no idea what’s going on,” he said. “But if it comes down to a fight, make sure you run away. Take Jack, and get the hell out of here.”

“But Paro,” she whimpered.

“That’s an order.”

At once, a stench hit them, an abhorrent, loathsome, reek of decay, which overpowered every other sense. The stench of death was so strong that two of the officers vomited.

Dark shadowy silhouettes could be made out from the upper stairway, where one of the officers standing guard screamed in the distance. The shadows came closer and closer. When Melissa, and all those on the first level were finally able to see what approached, every last one of them, even Paro, howled in terror.

No! Melissa thought to herself. This isn’t, this can’t, this is not happening!

What awaited them was literally something out of a nightmare. Slowly, at a crackling, slithering walk, ten decaying skeletons emerged from the staircase. Some had swords in hand, others had knives. They had dark red eyes, and blood smeared from their feet, leaving red trails as they walked closer to the astonished recon officers.

“Don’t shoot!” Paro ordered, but to no avail. The recon teams began opening fire as soon as they saw the creatures. Even the loud pop of their automatic weapons couldn’t dull the sense of smell and the sight of pure horror.

Their weapons had no effect. The creatures shoved them aside and kept on moving. Sarah wailed, pleading with God to make the things go away. Even the staunch Kazou, the man who never showed fear, whimpered as the nightmarish beings approached them. Michael dropped to his knees and prayed, while Paro and Melissa stood as the only two unshaken.

Paro didn’t say anything, he just watched motionless, his body trembling. Melissa’s mind filled with an oppressive dread. It almost knocked her off her feet.

Sarah reached over to grab onto and hug Michael, pleading with him, “Save me, please, Michael! I don’t want to die! Please don’t let it get me!”

Michael held her close, tears pouring down his face. “We’ll die together, Sarah. There’s so much I never told you. So much I wanted to. I …” He cut off as the things neared him.

The crackling sound of bones rubbing together, combined with the stench of death was too much for even Paro to handle. He fell to his knees, tears in his eyes. Melissa was more shocked at that than anything else that was happening. Paro had never cried before. Michael, who had known him longer than anyone else, had once told her that nothing made him tear up.

All around the room the officers, the team, everyone, they were all falling to the ground, trembling, hugging themselves and each other, screaming at the tops of their lungs and begging for mercy or divine intervention, or anything that would make these wicked things disappear.

The creatures spoke—they actually spoke!

“Annnnnddyyyyy,” they chanted.

“Annnnnddyyyyy.”

Melissa took a moment to gather the situation, struggling against the overwhelming desire to simply die, to lie down and never wake up, if only it meant peace from these creatures.

Why are they chanting Andy’s name? Why would they … Oh my god!

The realization and understanding almost knocked her off her feet. “Paro!” she screamed. “Paro, do you see what’s happening here? Hey, Paro!”

Paro was on his knees, trembling, whimpering. Melissa forced her legs to move, she fought against the oppressive sense of death and slammed her fist into his face.

Paro’s eyes snapped back to their normal fierce intensity, and he shook his head, looking around him. He looked at Melissa, his expression one of pure gratitude. “You just saved our lives, Melissa, thanks.”

“Sarah!” Paro roared. “It’s an illusion, and you’re a Telepath, fight against it! There are no other Psychs!”

“That’s impossible,” she called back. “I can see them, I can smell and hear them, and I can even feel them! Not even fifty of the strongest Telepaths working together could do this. THIS IS REAL! WE’RE GOING TO DIE!”

Paro grunted and looked behind him, to where the skeletons had passed him and Melissa and were heading towards Andy. All around the room, the team was now laying face down, crying and groaning. The recon officers were unconscious.

“It’s Jack, isn’t it?” Melissa asked, tears in her eyes. When Paro nodded she shook her head. “But how? How can one person do this?”

“To even think about that right now is suicide,” Paro said. “All that matters is stopping him and not dying. He’s killing us, Melissa! Jack is killing us. He’s attacking our minds.”

The skeletons approached the boy. Andy didn’t seem to be breathing any longer. Blood was trickling down his open mouth and even from his eyes.

“Anddyyyyyy,” the creatures chuckled, converging on him. They now had human faces, each one bearing the face of a member of the Davin’s family.

“Jack!” Melissa screamed, louder than she had ever screamed in her life. “Stop this, now! You’re killing us! Please, Jack! You’re going to kill all of us!”

Jack didn’t seem to hear her. He was staring at Andy with a blank expression, while the boy seemed to be in a comatose state, bleeding from every orifice. Andy would die within a minute at the rate this was going, and the Recon officers would probably only last another five. If this wasn’t stopped within ten minutes then every last person would be dead, besides Jack.

She couldn’t let Andy die. Jack would never forgive himself. She had to stop him. She had to stop him before he did something that would ruin his life.

She tried to charge at Jack, but there was a barrier between them. It hurt her to merely touch it and was almost agonizing if the touch was prolonged. Melissa didn’t care—it was life or death. With every last bit of power she commanded, she slammed her fist into it with a roar, shattering the defenses Jack had erected. She tackled him to the ground, and all at once, the room was quiet. The skeletons faded, the oppressive feeling was gone too, and all that was left was her lying on top of the weak and fragile-looking Jack.

He looked spent and exhausted, his eyes red from crying.

“Uh-oh, Melissa,” he said. “What did you do this time?” He closed his eyes and passed out.