Morgan woke up from the pain coming from his elbow. He must have landed on it when he passed out. He sat up straight and found himself by the steps out of City Hall. It was dark outside, what with the empty streets, and the street lamps lit the paths with an eerie glow. His bicycle was only a few feet away, and beside him, sitting on the steps as well, was Matt munching on a cheeseburger. By his feet were a brown paper bag and two cans of soda. One was sugar-free.

“I can’t believe I fainted in front of Kira.” Morgan rubbed his eye and groaned as he reached for the brown paper bag, taking out a cheeseburger from inside it. “Did you tell Grey or Pa? They’re just going to overreact.” Matt shook his head in response. Morgan opened the sugar-free soda can and gulped down half of it in one go. “I managed to be all cool and ask her out, and then I fainted.”

Matt gave him a light smack on the head, just like what he got from Greyson earlier. “You know better than to skip meals. We were at Crimson for most of the afternoon. Your dad makes food for a living. You could’ve eaten something."

Morgan took three bites. “I did not skip a meal. Grey even fed me something before I went for the delivery run. Aren’t you coming out here late?”

“I took a detour.” Matt averted his gaze. He probably went somewhere he should not have gone again.

“You don’t seem amused. Nothing good in it?”

“They’re just some old books and office notes. Not even one scrunchie to be found.” Matt finished his burger and folded the wrapper neatly. “I found this one, though.” He handed Morgan a very old photograph of four couples with their children. Matt pointed at his grandmother, who looked very young and happy in this picture. Morgan mostly remembered her for being a bit kooky and always at the greenhouse tending to her plants.

“They were in their mid-thirties here, I think. Look here. That’s not Doc, that’s Lolo. They look so similar, don't they? Just take away the beard.” Matt was wearing a necklace with a purple crystal for a pendant. It must be new, but he has seen it somewhere before. “Oh yeah, I found it there too,” Matt said, noticing Morgan staring at the necklace. “I thought Doc put it in the coffin with her. Remember she wore it all the time? A protective charm, she says. Now I get to keep it with me. I could use a little protection.”

There seemed to be something inside the crystal, but Morgan could not see it clearly. Somehow, looking at it is making him feel hazy. “Who are these others here?”

Stolen story; please report.

“That is Kira’s lolo over there, if you’d believe it,” Matt said, pointing at the couple on the left of her grandmother’s. “Our family was really close back then. The other couple on the far left, I don’t remember that well, but judging by her necklace, I think she is a Castellan. There’s this European family that used to visit Lawton every summer or so, but the last time I saw her grandkids was when I was ten. You remember those three brats?”

Morgan nodded. He remembered that summer when three little girls were picking on Matt.

“The last couple, I don’t know who they are. They must have been good friends with Lola too.”

“They had a falling out or something?”

“Won’t surprise me.” Matt seemed unsettlingly somber. “Our family had so many friends, and now it’s just me and Doc.” He glanced at Morgan with solemn eyes that Morgan rarely sees from him. “Promise me we'll always be friends.”

Morgan smiled back and chuckled before glancing back at the photograph he was holding. “Always got your back.” Morgan noticed small dents made by writing at the back of the photo. He flipped it over and saw a note on the back.

This was our last portrait together. The Oracle’s vision is not one to ignore. Something to be feared. It did not happen as foreseen, but her words broke us.

Under it was some kind of poem or limerick.

"No way." Matt exclaimed gleefully. "It looks to be some kind of spell."

A bleeding Moon

An earthly grief

Release the Feral Beast within

Fallen to the crown's judgment

A spirit lost

A river of souls

The Maiden of the Gate

Welcomes the soul in embrace

A King of Death lights the path

From the river of souls

To the land of the living

A child of the moon walks again

Twice Blessed

Twice Cursed