"Okay, game plan: the funeral is on Saturday, where Liam's family is going to be. After the service, the Voices are going to have control over the body, and transport it to wherever. We're going to have to wait for the Voices to pick up the body, and follow them. Problems: the Voices do not want us to know where they take the body, and we don't have a car to follow them stealthily." Chip explained, pacing the living room floor. "Any ideas?" He prompted.

"Slate has a car." The dark head of curls stopped, and his round brown eyes questioned me. 

"Slate's a Follower, do you really think he'd let us?" His foot slowly moved towards me. "Are you sure you trust him?"

"I don't trust anyone." I said curtly. "But he's the best connection we have. He's with Poison and Faeyar's Followers." I looked up at Chip, a worried expression on his face. I shifted awkwardly in my seat, hoping he wouldn't bring up that night. "I'll ask him." I quickly got up to avoid the situation. A lump of fabric was hurled towards me; I scrambled to catch the jacket before it hit the floor. 

"It's winter, I don't want you to freeze." Chip smiled. I didn't resist, putting the jacket on and opened the door. "I know this is a dumb question but..." I already knew what was coming. "...please?" 

"Chip, I would let you come with me everywhere if I knew nothing bad would happen to you. I don't want to go alone, don't think I do." I put my hands on his shoulders. "I don't even know if something bad will happen to me, I can't risk something happening to you." 

"How come bad things can happen to you?" His voice was quiet. "You've been through enough bad things." 

"You have something to come back to Chip, I don't. I'm not important, if something happens nothing will change." I felt him grab me closer to him.

"That's not true. You have me." His head gently rested on my chest. "If something happens to you..." He took a sharp breath in. "I don't know what I'll do." I pulled him away.

"Nothing will happen to me, okay? I know what I'm doing." I assured him, but he only scoffed and gave a sad smile.

"You're going to get yourself killed one day." He sniffed. "Then what? How will you get out of that?" 

"It's not going to happen." 

"You're not invincible, Rowen." 

"I'll. Be. Fine." I walked out of the door and into the night air. Surprisingly, I didn't hear him call out to me or run out to stop me and finish the conversation. I wouldn't be surprised if he was finally done with me. 

I waited outside the Poison house, playing with Rat and Ivy and lost in my thoughts. The stairs creaked as Slate walked down the steps. He sat next to me, putting his hand out to the dogs. I told him what I wanted in a hushed voice. He didn't seem bothered and merely sighed when I finished. 

"I'm not supposed to say yes, you know." I nodded, not looking toward him. Ivy laid on her side as a petted her stomach, tail wagging at the attention. "I'm also not supposed to tell you I know where the bodies go." My hand froze. He slowly stood up and I looked up at him. "It's in the forest at the edge of town. There's a hill with an alter the Voices made, and that's where they take the bodies." I shot up. 

"How do you know this?" I cautiously asked, not sure if I should trust him just yet. 

"I've helped them once. If you don't believe me I'll drive you there right now." His gray eyes stared into my soul, I felt like I couldn't breathe. "Rowen, listen to me. All of the murder victims have been Followers. The Voices have to be behind it, they've been extra suspicious lately. They go on many expeditions and no one knows why."

"How come you haven't reported any of this?" I clenched my fist as he stepped closer, my heart racing. 

"Rowen, this isn't some robbery or gang shit. These people are dangerous." He took another step. "I know you're trying to go after them, but they won't hesitate to kill you. They'll know if I tell anyone... It could get us both killed if you continue."

"I'm not going to stop." My voice started to quiver, a crushing feeling surrounded me. "I- I don't care if I die I have to stop them." His hand quickly shot up to grab my wrist.

"Do you care if I die?" He pleaded. I felt a cold shiver shoot through my body, my skin crawled and my stomach ached. 

What's happening?

"W-why are they doing this in the first place?" The question barely fell out of my mouth. I looked at Slate. His face began to contort, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Slate?" I whimpered; I suddenly felt frail. My knees collapsed as I hit the ground. "Slate, what's happening?" He removed his hand from me. He knelt down, I tried to run but my whole body was stiff. "S-Slate, p-please, what's going on?" My voice became frantic, the situation slowly creeping into my brain. "SLATE!" I screamed, my head landing onto the ground, heavy breathing following. I looked at my wrist, it had started bleeding. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" I howled. Rat and Ivy began to growl at him, but the creaking door made them cower away. 

"I'm sorry, Rowen. I didn't want to." Slate cried. "I'm so sorry..." He began to walk away.

"SLATE!" I screamed after, not being able to swivel my head around to watch him leave. "SLATE, YOU BITCH, COME BACK!" I continued to yell with frustration and terror. "Shit..." I heaved in air, trying to wiggle my body around, to no avail. I heard footsteps approaching. 

Then darkness. 

I heard the sound of waves. It was a familiar, yet unwelcome sound. I stood up, brushing the sand off of me. I heard a bird call. I looked around, somehow this place felt different. I heard the hiss behind me. 

There he is. 

I began my sprint into the sea, as usual. These dreams were inescapable. They terrorized me every night, yet I still anticipated the end of each one. All this time, I yearned for the purple water in front of me. I wanted to be clean, washed of the sand and safe from the impending doom that followed me. But of course, that's never what happens. The water in which I try to find comfort in ends up being my demise. Not this time. 

I turned around, letting my feet sink further into the white sand. The sky's color started to change from blue to swirls of purple and pink. The marbled sky was a blanket for the trees beneath, that had spikes grown out of them, and a never-ending abyss within them. 

The eyes. His eyes.

Two glowing orbs greeted me, their iris' a sliver. They hissed. 

"You can't hurt me, you're not real. Not anymore." I called. The creature emerged, a tall feline with brown markings and large paws. It growled. "I don't need you anymore!" I stood tall. "I'm done playing this game!" The creature lowered itself, preparing a pounce. I mimicked it, crouching down. Suddenly, it lunged at me, it's jaws unhinging like a snake to swallow me. I braced myself, shutting my eyes as tight as I could.

"Wolf, come in." I heard the low voice growl with amusement. I opened my eyes to see a boy with pale skin, brown hair, and frosty eyes. 

No. My blood went cold. Not this memory, no, please. I watched myself step into the dull room. Its walls were dark, no windows and only a dim ceiling light. The carpet beneath me was stained, bloodied. 

"You wanted to see me?" Wolf asked. I watched him walk up to a chair that was turned away from us. 

"Stop! NO!" I called to him, with no answer. 

"Yes, I did. As I always do." The other voice said. Wolf stood patiently. He was young. I knew he was eleven, but to most he looked a lot older, mostly from his stature and rough demeanor. The chair swiveled. A teenager with dark skin, long, dark brown hair and false reddish pink eyes looked at Wolf. He had a jacket with fluffy fur lining, and a belt with a gun in a holster. He had scars on his cheeks and one of his eyes. "How are you doing, buddy?" 

"Fine." Wolf replied. "Do you need anything, Lynx?" 

"Yes, actually I do." Lynx pulled his hair back into a small half ponytail. "I have something very important for you to do." He stood up, taller than Wolf, and put his hand on his cheek. His other hand reached for the gun on his belt. Wolf's eyes widened as he pulled away quick, ready to dart out of the room. "Hey." Lynx said in an assertive, loud voice. I flinched the same way Wolf did as he stopped in his tracks. Lynx handed the boy the gun. "I need you to take someone out." wolf looked at him in disarray. 

"W-what?" 

"You heard me."

"Why me?" He examined the gun, looking completely terrified. "Why can't you?"

"You need to toughen up, that's why." Lynx growled. He grabbed Wolf by the shoulder and looked into his eyes. "If you want to stay alive, you'll do what I say." He threatened through gritted teeth. I felt my stomach roll. Lynx began to walk away, but froze when the small voice rang out.

"No. I'm not going to kill someone." Wolf said. Lynx turned around, anger filling his gaze. "I'm not going to let you tell me what to do anymore! I'm tired of doing everything you make me do." Wolf shamefully looked down at his feet. "I'm leaving and never coming back!" In a flash, Lynx had grabbed Wolf by his neck and held him in the air.

"Don't act like you can just leave!" He threw the younger boy on the ground, I flinched and fought the urge to help Wolf. "I am all that you have. You are nothing without me. Have you already forgotten? I was the one who took you in, I was the one who took care of you!" Wolf choked, tightly gripping the ground beneath him. "You do as I say, and I give you everything you don't deserve to have. You deserved to die out on the streets." Lynx kicked his thick, leather boots into Wolf's side; the boy let out a scream of pain. "I've given you food, shelter, and a family. You rule right beside me and once we have more members, you and I will control this entire town. And yet, you can't obey a simple order. I've spoiled you." He reached for his pocket, taking out a pocket knife. "I have showed you love, Rowen. Nobody else in this whole world loves you except me." The blade was held up to Wolf's neck. "You're still young, so I'll take this as simple youthful rebellion." Wolf's blue eyes narrowed, a resistance gleamed from them.

"You're only sixteen, you're not an adult. Stop acting like one." 

SLICE

I felt like I was going to throw up as Wolf shrieked in pain. I looked over to see blood pouring from his nose bridge, and I unconsciously reached for my own nose. 

"I think it's time you grow up." Lynx got up and returned the knife to his pocket. "You're becoming ungrateful." As his back was turned, Wolf slowly stood up. His hand dropped from his face, and he raised the gun to aim at Lynx. 

"I don't need love." Lynx turned and simply stared at the gun faced towards him. "I don't need you, I don't need anyone. I'm fine by myself. You're going to let me leave and never fucking talk to me again. Or I won't hesitate to kill you." Lynx's face contorted. My vision started to blur, as I remember he let me leave with the promise I would be a spy. Elsewise, he'd kill me. I knew I didn't stand a chance, so I accepted.

Now here I was, waking up from a sedative and searching a cold, empty room for my kidnapper. 

"I'm so sorry, Chip."