Novels2Search
A Hero Born
Chapter 1: Contract

Chapter 1: Contract

Walking up to the abandoned house, we passed through the large creaking gate leading us onto the pathway towards the main household. The stone path was illuminated by the moon above,above, revealing overgrown weeds and cracked stone. As we approached the primary structure, a two story building made of bricks, it looked like it hadn’t been touched in decades with several long weeds growing up the sides of the wall and several of the front facing windows on the second floor being broken. In all honesty, the place looked like it was ready to fall apart. Arriving at the door, I began messing with the doorknob, which was locked. As I messed with the door knob my best friend, Stephanie, stood behind me looking left to right and shuddering.

“Molly, I don’t think this is such a good idea. If we get caught, we’ll be in serious trouble.”

Turning around, I gave her a mischievous smirk before turning back to the door, pushing on it a little harder while talking to her “Don’t be a scaredy cat, Steph, we won’t be caught. Besides, I don’t know what you’re so worried about. This isn’t even close to the most dangerous thing I’ve dragged you into.”

“That’s my point Molly. You can’t keep doing things like this. What if something happened to you and I weren’t here?”

 “Nothing’s going to go wrong, Steph, and besides, I know you wouldn’t ditch me when I go on these trips. Now, since this door won’t budge, why don’t you help me find an open window so we can get in?”

Walking away from the door, me and Steph walked around the building for a few minutes before we spotted a shattered window. Going up to the window I pulled the sleeve of my jacket around my hand and started picking up the glass still attached to the window and removing them but while I did so I cut my hand and the blood trickled down my wrist as I hissed in pain.

Running up to me, Steph grabbed hold of my hand, giving me a worried look. “See Molly now you’re hurt, we should go. Whatever you think is in this house ain’t worth getting hurt for.” 

When she said that I got mad, admittedly it wasn’t her fault since I hadn’t told her the reasons I came here, but I did, anyway. “You’re wrong, Steph, this IS more important. My parents used to live in this house.”

“Wait, the Wilsons used to live here?”

“No Steph, my biological parents, this is the closest I have ever gotten to finding out anything concrete about them. So please help me through this window, ok?”

Steph let go of my hand and put her hand on my shoulder which would be a kind of intimidating if she didn’t have such a pitying look on her face since she stood a good few inches above me being 6 feet her fiery red hair tickling my nose as she looked down at me. 

Steph let out a long sigh before finally talking again, lifting her hands off me and raising them above her head. “Fine Molly, we’ll search the place BUT as soon as we’re down we are going to go get that hand checked out ok.” 

“You’re the boss.” Giving her a mocking salute with my uninjured hand, I turned back to the window, carefully climbing through it, having to use my cut hand, causing me to wince in pain. Now that I was inside, I looked around the room we were in, which appeared to be a bedroom. The place was covered in dust and mold, but all the furniture was still here, almost like my parents had just up and left, leaving everything behind.

Going over to a nightstand placed next to the bed, I picked up an old picture frame that had been placed face down, only to find it empty. I guess it won’t be that easy, huh? Placing the picture frame back on the nightstand and walking to the door of the bedroom, with Steph following close behind me.

Opening the door to the bedroom and walking out into the main house, we found only more of the same dust, old antiques, creepy paintings, and empty picture frames. Until we had finally reached the only location we hadnt searched yet, the basement. Standing at its entrance, it gave off the creepiest feeling you could imagine, like real horror movie stuff right here. Taking a deep breath, I braved the abyss being the first one down the old wooden stairs, each one creaking with more intensity as I neared the bottom.

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Finally reaching the bottom of the staircase, I turned on my phones flashlight illuminating the room walking farther into the room. Me and Steph split up and began searching the room for a few minutes before I was about ready to give up. When I heard Steph yell from across the room, “Hey Molly, you find anything over there!?” 

“No, I hav-‘’ before I could finish, my foot fell into the floorboard. I let out and audible squeek, as i did I could feel the heat rising to my face, hopefully Steph hadnt heard that I otherwise I would never hear the end of it. Pulling my foot from the hole it reaveled a secret hiding leaning down to take a closer look inside I saw what looked like a book pulling it out of the hole, the book was coverd in tiny skulls, because why wouldnt it be. I dusted it off before opening it just to reveal blank pages great another dud. As another wave of disappointment fell over me I failed to notice the blood from my hand seeping onto the pages of the book.

Closing it, I tossed the book to the ground before walking up behind Steph. “Well Steph looks like this room was useless and I’m tired so why don’t we just leave and clean up my hand.” when she didn’t respond or move I got a little worried so I turned her around with my hand to no reaction she was frozen stiff. 

Shaking her I was getting worried “Hey earth to Steph, you ok?”

With no response, I began panicking and started fumbling with my phone so I could call for help. “Crap,Crap,Crap.” trying to turn on my phone, it wasn’t working the thing was as frozen as Steph. That’s when I heard this low voice from behind me. 

“Don’t worry, she will be fine, probably.” Quickly turning around, I shrieked in terror as I saw a tall man floating behind me like he was sitting in a lawn chair, but that wasen’t even the weirdest thing. He was translucent. 

I’m dreaming right. This is all one big dream that I’m having after passing out after passing from cutting my hand, right? Right? I know I lost some blood bu I didnt knwo it was enough to for this to happen. I quickly pinched my arm a few times only to find myself still in the basement with Steph frozen.

“This is no dream, sweetheart. I’m very much real and you just signed my contract.”

Staring up at this being, I was freaking out. “What the hell are you? Wait, what contract?”

When I asked my questions, I saw a puzzled look cross the being’s face. “Hm, did the previous generation neglect to tell you about me? One moment” The being began licking his lips as if he was tasting something.

“No, you are of the same blood. This is strange. You should have been told of my existence as the contract dictates.”

I could feel a shiver run down my back at this display before I regained my composure. “You said the previous generation, right? Does that mean you know my parents?”

“I cannot speak of my former contractors, but that doesn’t matter. We have more important business. You’ve given me your blood, so it’s time to begin our partnership.”

The pure adrenaline I was feeling was blocking out the terror I should have felt at the moment. “Partnership? All I want is info on my parents and if you can’t give me, you can stay here.”

“I don’t think you understand how these things work. You’ve already signed my contract with your blood. You no longer have a choice in the matter.”

Lets think about this carefully, Molly, we should probably avoid making the creepy magic man angry by continuing to probe about my parents so we can save that for later, so now let’s think about this. You’ve read enough comics to know the situation. If this is a contract, that means there has to be something in it for you. “So this contract? What’s in it for me?”

“Finally asking the good questions, I see. You get access to a piece of my powers.”

“And what’s the catch, Mr. Book? You obviously must have something to gain from this?”

“Nothing much. I just need a sacrifice.”

And with that, I was out. I quickly made a sprint for the stairs, pulling Steph along with me, her body still stiff. “Nope, Nope, Nope, I’m not becoming some cultist sacrificing people to a devil.”

Before I could make it to the stairs, I heard a snap from behind me before I flashed back to where I was standing earlier. “Don’t be hasty now. I don’t need human sacrifices. All I need is your blood or emotions. Either work really, but all my magic has a cost and I need you to pay it. I can feel your emotions. This is all you’ve ever wanted. With my help, you can finally play hero just like the other mortals that you’ve looked up to. But now it’s time for me to go. I’ve hung around a little too long. I’ll be seeing you later.”

And with that, the ghostly man disappeared and returned to the form of a book. He gave me the creeps, but he was right. If I had access to his powers, I could really start being a hero like I’ve wanted and maybe if I worked with him he might give up some info on my parents and all I had to do was give up a little blood. What’s the worst that could happen?

My mind was going at a million miles an hour so I didn’t even notice Steph calling me, it was like she had never been frozen in the first place and she didn’t even mention it “Come on Molly, let’s go this place empty to.”

Picking up the book from the floor and stuffing it into my jacket, I walked to Steph, who was now standing at the bottom of the stairs. “Yeah, let’s go.”

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