The sun is low and hidden between the towers of pine trees, yet it brings enough light into the house. Its pale tint of orange glow beams through the filthy and fractured window. The cracks splinter the light into fragments of ocher shades, blanketing the room that is now thick with lust. No more blaring disco light, blasting upbeat music, nor groups of girls squealing in excitement. What Aubrey sees is the boy she's falling for, also the one she despises, hovering over her, trailing kisses down her neck on an overused sofa. In the abandoned house.

Aubrey is trapped in her feelings for Asher. His touch, his kisses, and his seductive groan wake up something primal within her, throwing out her ability to use her senses. She wants him, but not like this, yet her body betrays her completely. The animalistic growl echoes in her head, followed by painful nausea every time her conscience tries to fight the unholy desire coursing her entire body.

Tears are forming in the corners of her eyes as the boy begins to undress her. When Asher notices her glassy eyes, he stops short.

"Hey," he says, bringing his fingers to caress her cheek. "Do you want to stop?"

Aubrey wants to scream "yes", instead, her head shakes firmly. "I want you. Now!" the strange voice rolls off her tongue.

Asher smirks, his eyes coated with lust. In one swift movement, he pulls down Aubrey's red velvet dress, revealing her breasts. She's never felt so humiliated like now, yet the goosebumps and the way her body arches into his touch confirm she is ready for mating.

When the boy starts to explore the part of her which has never been touched before, Aubrey's hips jerk, causing the two to scoot closer to the edge of the sofa. To prevent herself from falling, her hand clutches the closest object she can reach before Asher ushers her back to the deeper part of the sofa.

While the boy resumes devouring every inch of her, Aubrey looks away and closes her eyes, ready to give in. This is the battle she can't win; she has no more control over her body. All she can do is silently say the prayers that her muffled mind can muster, ignoring the jab of excruciating pain in her entire muscle every time she calls for her Maker, her Savior.

It's when she realizes that her hand is clutching a thin object that is now digging into her palm. She opens her eyes and is met with a dark mirror with a golden metal frame glaring back at her.

A strong wave of nausea hits her again but she refuses to close her eyes. Something about the object gives her unexplained willpower to keep fighting the unsettling churn in her stomach. In the next second, the lightheadedness strikes as her mind begins to leave her body, swirling and twirling into the very mirror in her hand.

She's then welcomed with darkness.

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Aubrey trudges along the dark corridor with rusty doors lining on either side of her. She was here before. It's the creepy hallway in her dream; the very place she met her mother. Wondering that her mom may still be here in one of the rooms, she roams her eyes over her surroundings, looking for a sign of light that hopefully glimmers through the gap under the door.

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Then she sees it.

Aubrey dashes to the room and instantly recognizes the decayed door with no handle. She pushes it but it doesn't budge.

"Mom," she calls tentatively. "Are you there?"

A shiver runs down her spine when her head replays the last scene in her dream. It was just a dream, right? But then why is she revisiting the dream now? Does it mean her mom is still here?

After a painful silence that feels like forever, a faint voice murmurs from the other side. "Obby?"

Aubrey's heart leaps. The surge of emotions from hearing her mom's voice again makes her want to cry and laugh at the same time. "Mom! You're still here! I can't open the door!" Aubrey takes a few steps backward before pouncing on the door.

Nothing happens.

"Yes, I'm still here and you can't open it. It's shielded." Claire's voice is shaking, followed by a familiar clanking sound of the iron chains. "You shouldn't be here, Obby. This isn't the place for you."

Aubrey glances at her dark surroundings. "What kind of place is this?"

"The place you don't belong, and you need to get out of here as soon as you can."

"But why are you here then?"

"I belong here. I did this to myself."

"Why?" Aubrey presses her ear against the wooden surface, trying to catch any sound coming from the room.

"Because I made a big mistake. A mistake that cost someone's life."

Aubrey frowns. "I don't understand."

"This is the place where they keep the souls, Obby. The bad ones." The sound of iron chains being dragged across the room screeches, splitting the stillness. Aubrey pictures her mom now standing in the middle of the room, under the golden light.

"Who are they?"

"The demons."

"What?" Aubrey holds her breath, not believing her ears.

"I was in a very bad place back then, and I made a deal with a demon. I offered him my unborn child. In return, I could take revenge on the man who ruined my life, your father."

Was she that unborn child? Did her mom want to get rid of her? Aubrey loses her ability to speak. She drops on her knees and waits for her mother to continue.

"Long story short, your father is dead. He killed himself after a terrible accident that took his legs and his willingness to live. But that wasn't how we agreed upon. I never wanted to hurt your father like that." Claire's voice trembles, sounding so close from breaking into sobs. "And I broke the deal. I went back home so that you were protected under the church community and people who truly loved you. I did everything I could to prevent them from taking you, to buy some time. Because when you turned five, they couldn't have you anymore. You were too old to be sacrificed."

"But, how did you end up here?"

"Demons never let you go away without payment, Obby. I sold my soul once I made a deal with them. But little did I know, they wouldn't stop there. They still demand a child that is promised to them. A child who has my blood. Your child."

Aubrey's blood runs cold as a realization comes down on her like a bucket of water. The scenes from the last hours flash through her mind. Bailing from Bob at the prom, demanding Asher to take her to the house, the uncontrolled lust, and losing the battle against the entity that was taking over her body. Aubrey's throat turns dry all of a sudden.

"They will get you pregnant and bear a child for them."

Aubrey closes her eyes. "Oh, God." She shakes her head, her mind going blank. "No! They're not doing this to me. I need to go back! How do I go back?"

"How did you even get here?"

"The mirror! It was sucking me in!" Aubrey jumps up, roaming her eyes over the dark corridor. "I need to find it! And Mom, I'll get you out of here, too!"

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