By the time the bus reached their stop the sun was setting. They still had a few blocks to go, but nothing would dull jesse’s fun. She had to skip and jump over every crack in the sidewalk. Rayan smiled, there wasn’t much else that made him as happy as when his sister was smiling.

But his good mood didn’t last long. They were only a house over when rayan noticed it. His home, the front door was open. Just standing there he could feel the ominous shroud that perverted the house. As if there was a pile of bodies hidden under the foundation, the house felt like death. Before he could say anything Jesse ran right to the door.

“Daaad, we’re home!” Jesse announced to the house. Thoughts of what sarah had said earlier flood through Rayans mind.

“No! Jesse wait!” Rayan called out, but it fell on deaf ears as jesse ran passed the opening.

Rushing through the door after her, Rayan saw a mess on the far side of the living room.

‘This isn’t good, I need to find Jesse.’ The mess consisted of a lamp and several scored books laying next the remains of the sofa. ‘Was there a fire? That might explain the door being open.’ Beginning his search for his family Rayan just couldn't shake the feeling that something worse than a fire took place.

“Jesse?” Rayan yelled in a whispered voice.

THUMP!

‘Upstairs!’

“Jesse!” Whispering gone, Rayan called his sister in a louder tone.

The teenager quickly went for the stairs, but stopped and noticed something smeared on the wall next to the banister.

Rayans heart sank.

“Blood..?” The word seemed to echo from his mouth. A bloody handprint painted the wall. Rayan Forwent a quiet pace and rushed up the stairs. Light came from the door across Rayan's room. He came to a sudden stop. The light from under the door flickered as if by candle.

A voice echoed through the air, low in a monotone chant.

“What the Hell?” Rayan said out loud, realizing he shouldn’t have made as much noise as he did. Rayan crept towards the door and peered inside. The room was his father’s study decorated in pictures of the family and lined with shelves full of books. On the far wall a large wood desk sat with the office chair pulled away. Further to the right his father could be seen with the chair beside him.Jesse was laid sprawled in said chair.

His father was looking directly at the wall while speaking. Rayan thought for a moment that he saw the wall glow. At this time Rayan’s eyes began to ache, like pressure was building behind them. As Rayan lifted his hand to rub the discomfort the door slowly opened with an audible creak.

His father's head snapped toward him.

Rayan wanted to feel happy his father was there and not some stranger or worse yet a burglar, but all he felt was fear. A shadow loomed over his father's face. ‘Ah, another headache.’

A feeling of dread radiated off of the adult. The more Rayan looked, the more he saw that whatever was there wasn’t his dad. Like a cloak made of an evil taint replaced his fathers form.

“There you are.” The Shadow said to Rayan as he picked Jess up from a leather chair. “Did you guys have fun?”

“D- Dad what’s wrong with you f- face?” Rayan wimperd more scared than he could ever remember.

“What do you mean? Nothing, Rayan are you feeling ok?” The shadow spoke. Rayan could now make out that this shadow was overlapping his father.

“Why don't you get some sleep.” The not-father reached for Rayans arm. Rayan jerked away. Now looking at his sister, he saw she was sound asleep in there father's arms. ‘That’s not normal’

“Who-..What are you?” Rayan was able to speak again.”Put my sister down!” An evil grin spread across its face.

“Oh, I get it you can see me!” The thing croaked in a deep raspy voice. “I knew you had decent blood considering your old man, but this is a shock.”

“What are you talking about? I said put her down!”

“Oh I plan to, but you, you might be useful.” Rayan didn’t like any part of that statement.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean!” Rayan was scared, scared for his life, his sisters, and his father.

Stolen story; please report.

Setting jesse down softly on the couch the shadow began to walk slowly towards Rayan.

“Well since your dad here has been so inviting, I thought I'd brings some friends along. You and your little sister here seemed like good firestarter for me, though I guess she'll have to do by herself I might have a few good uses for you.”

“You’re not going to tou-” Was all Rayan could get out before pain erupted from his head. The boy had let out a hellish scream.This seemed to please the shadow. Placing his extended palm down as a purple aura faded from the Man's hand.

“Woah! That’s rich! Won’t go down easy huh?” The Shadow positively glowed with excitement as it raised his father’s fist.

“Well call me old fashioned, but I’m going to enjoy this.” Then with a practiced swing Rayan saw darkness.

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‘OW’ Was Rayans first thought as he slowly regained consciousness and ‘Why are my hands tied up’ was the second. As Rayan reoreatainted himself, the shadow was hard at work drawing a circular sigel on the wall. From Rayans fathers slit wrist.

“Uuuuhhhh” Rayan audibly groaned, with the punch and migraines Rayan felt like a train whistle was lodged in his brain. The shadow turned toward Rayan, called by the sound of misery.

“Oh, so sleepy beauty wakes.” The shadow mocked Rayan. “I guess I got pretty lucky, it usually takes weeks for a human to truly see me.”

Rayan was still at the edge of consciousness, not fully understanding what the shadow said.

“I’ll need to thank your little gal pal when I’m done, she did give me a good lead on a body.” The shadow stated with a dangerous smile. Was Rayan hearing this right?

“What the hell are you talking about!?” Rayan ordered an answer, while struggling against his bonds. Rayan felt a heat build inside him. It was actually starting to make his skin crawl. The shadow ignored Rayan, enjoying his ignorance. The thing went back to work on the wall.

‘I need to get out of here’ Rayan started to really use his strength, but no matter what he did he made no headway. I scary thought came to Rayan ‘This things done this before...’ As if on cue the shadow finished the drawing. The sigel was now surrounded by a familiar five point star.

‘Oh god’

Now finished with his ‘bloody’ work the creature picked Jesse up in a fireman's carry. It took a moment to shoot Rayan a sinister glance. Rayan was helpless, he had thought himself strong (At least compared to others his age), but here he was going to watch his sister die. Tears streamed from his eyes.

“Let her go! That's my sister!” Rayan let loose as a sniffling sob.

“Oh, but I’ll be quick.” The grin on the shadow face stretched impossibly big, almost ear to ear.

Despite Rayan’s continued plead, the shadow walked over to the desk and lifted something that horrified Rayan. A bloody boxcutter. Rayan began to scream. His wrists were bloody from the effort placed into breaking his bonds.The shadow walked to Rayan’s sister savering the torment. The heat in Rayan had grown to feel like a star was situated in his chest.

“Ka te nom et” The shadow chanted holding the blade center mass with itself.

‘She’s going to die’ Rayan mind spoke softly. He could only stare blankly.

“Los mie nom sho” It placed the blade even with Jesse throat hair held in its other hand.

‘Jesse is going to die’

Rayan placed the last of his strength into his arms. Letting go of a bellowing roar Rayan could feel the heat move through his chest to his arms. The shadow turned away from its evil task just in time to see a yellow orange light emanating from the boy.

Rayan felt the heat in his hands as his bonds burt away. It hurt, all the skin was burning off halfway up his forearm. But Rayan didn’t slow down. The Moment he was free he tackled the monster. The blade went skittering off across the floor.

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The shadow for the third time today was left bewildered. First, Sarah (who on her own was rare for a human) gave him an even better vessel, one that could already be linked with. He had been ‘haunting’ her for weeks trying to get her to see him enough to possess her. Second, was the family of his newly acquired body. The girl had quite a bit of strength in her, this on itself was ‘only’ as hard to find as someone like Sarah. But the boy. The boy was able to see him just as easily as he saw his father. It is unheard of for humans to see through the veil. Into it, sure, but completely through. That’s impossible.

‘Guess I can take him apart and see how he works.’ The cheshire smile grew wider.

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Rayan was doped on adrenaline. He didn’t even feel the seard flesh of his arms. Even with this and surprise on Rayans side, it was an uphill fight. The shadow was winning, Rayans mind was racing but he still knew he couldn’t win the way things were going.

The shadow moved impossibly quick and got a grip on the boys arm. Squeezing with enough strength to cause Rayan to let loose a scream of agony, the shadow spun and pinned Rayan to the hardwood floor.

Rayan was struggling with all his strength. He Remembered how his father used to spar with him, but what this thing was doing was on a completely different level.

“Ssssshhhhh just go to sleep.” The thing whispered into Rayans ear.

The shadow moved one hand to Rayans forehead.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH.” Rayan screamed.

“I said SLEEP.” It gripped Rayan’s full face.

“AAAAAHHHHH”

“What's wrong with you!” The shadow questioned with an impossibly deep voice. Rayan struggled to see with either blood or tears filling his vision. But the shadow looked distraught. Rayan took this chance and freed his arms from the creatures grip.

Rayan punched it square in the nose. This seemed to surprisingly calm it.

“Aww you think that's a punch.” It said with blood dripping from its nose. The shadow drew back its fist and impacted rayan with an audible crunch.

“That's a punch.” It said calmed down. Rayan mewed, the only reason he was still conscience was the fact he bit his tongue. He didn’t even feel pain at this point. Rayan felt that heat raise through his chest again. ‘I hope this works’ Rayan raised his hands reaching for the shadows head.

“Oh, finally gave up I was just starting to have fun” The shadow mocked Rayan.

Rayan felt pain, anger, sadness and most of all hate. This thing took his father mercilessly beat him and was going to kill his sister. The heat in Rayans chest exploded through him.

“What are you-” Was the last thing the shadow said as its head burst into a crimson mist.