Everyone observed pin drop silence, minds filled with curiosity about the reason Pepper would have given and what story he could have told. No one cared about the wraith’s presence, they just wanted to hear the story.

  “Seems like everyone is paying attention,” Pepper said, as he spoke, a smirk on his face.

  “Power!” he screamed, throwing his hands in the air, the blue orb glistening in his hands. He expected Crow to condemn him, but she didn’t so he decided to continue.

  “I wanted power, I wanted to be strong but you know dad and his saying about me not being ready,” Pepper started.

  “He said you were never ready because you actually weren’t!” Crow screamed and stood to her feet. The wraith dashed towards her and, “Sit!” it said, its white fangs glistening and its red eyes burning with death as Mrs. Crow hesitantly took her seat.

  “Somehow, I found out about Doom in one of dad’s old books,” Pepper continued.

  “I found the book, found Doom and struck a deal with him. A deal he couldn’t pass on.”

  “What deal?” Crow asked, her interest piqued.

  “The summoning orb and the destruction orb in exchange for power. Of course he drank my blood because he is a monster but eventually, he agreed.”

  “Lies!” Crow screamed.

  “The summoning orb was given to Doom by dad, so how did it get into your hands?”

  “Well, you see,” Pepper said, talking softly as he paced back and forth.

  “The person you saw dying wasn’t dad, it was me,” Pepper said, a sinister smile creeping across his face.

  What? What does he mean by him dying? Crow thought, her inner voice seeming to scream in her head.

  “It wasn’t dad, it was me,” Pepper’s voice echoed through her head.

  “What do you mean it was you?! I saw dad die there alongside mom!” Mrs. Crow bellowed, refusing to believe what her brother had said.

  “It was dad, it was dad and not you!” she screamed, as if she were willing her brother dead, her mind flooded with uncertainty.

  “Crow…. I need you to look out for your brother… I think he’s dead but I’m not sure…. I gave the orb to Doom……… be safe, Crow of the blackwater,” Pepper said, repeating everything Crow’s father had told her right before he took his final breath.

  “No, no, no, no,” Crow muttered as she grabbed onto her thick black hair which reached her back. The room began to spin and her head ached.

  “How? Where is dad?” she asked, clenching her fists, her eyes burning with hatred.

  “Oh, Doom ate him alongside mom of course,” Pepper said, pleased by the statement he had made.

  “It was just like yesterday.”

  Mrs. Crow, filled with rage, wanted to fight but stopped to consider everyone in the room. Besides, she couldn’t have won with the wraith lingering around.

  “I couldn’t have killed dad and mom alone so I summoned Doom and he gave me a little help. I then transformed into our father and played dead. Did you like the way I stopped my heart?” he asked and laughed, Crow oscillating with anger on the chair which she sat on.

  If only she could just attack.

  “Why did he help you? Why did he give you his orb, knowing what was imprisoned inside?” Mrs. Crow asked, still unclear about the situation.

  “Because I gave him my life force. If after a thousand years you were still alive, I would have become one of his slaves and would have lost everything. That’s not something I’m looking forward to.”

  “Well, you will die at my hands so you don’t have to worry about that,” Mrs. Crow said, seriously wishing she could fight as she glanced at the perfect killing machine.

  That’s not a good enough reason for Doom to trust him, Mrs. Crow thought, a part of her sure he was hiding something.

  “Oh and he was so pleased to see the destruction orb in my possession,” Pepper added as he held the blue orb in the air. It turned black and the wraith was sucked back into it.

  This is my chance, Crow thought as she glanced at Anna and the others who were still tied up. No one had uttered a word.

  “Your quest for power wasn’t enough reason to kill our parents, our family!” Crow said. She could see the pity in Annabelle’s eyes as she stared at her.

  “Well, unlike you, I am willing to do what it takes to get what I want!” Pepper bellowed, trying to make a point.

  “You are a monster!” Crow screamed and stood to her feet, her fists balling with electricity.

  “Do you really want to fight here in front of all these innocent people?” Pepper asked, knowing she would back down.

  Defeated, she took her seat, balling her fists as if she were trying to contain her anger. Her breathing was heavy and the fluttering in her chest got even faster.

  “Now that everyone’s here,” Pepper said, dramatically spreading his arms wide open.

  “I think it’s time for a proper reunion!” he screamed.

  “Oh Duncaaaaan!” he called in a babyish manner. THUMP THUMP THUMP…… Everyone could hear footsteps approaching the room.

  “Why did you bring me here? Why our family home?!” Crow bellowed, breathing heavily as the footsteps got more prominent.

  “Oh sister, you should know me by now,” he said and then paused for a while like he was a comedian about to drop a punchline.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “I’ve always loved a touch of drama.”

  The footsteps got louder and louder until someone entered the room.

  It was Duncan. He had a bleak expression on his face and his eyes were red. His dark hair was all messed up.

  “Look, I even played dress up,” Pepper said, gently stroking the jacket of the dark suit Duncan was wearing.

  “Isn’t that your principal?” Mr. Peterson asked, totally confused.

  “Anna, what’s going on? Why is your principal here?” he asked Annabelle, but she just looked away.

  “Is it the principal?” Pepper asked, making a bad joke. He threw his head back and laughed menacingly until tears filled his eyes.

  “James!” he called, and James Bludovitch walked into the room, his eyes burning a bright red.

  Slowly, to the surprise of Annabelle’s family, James and Duncan both transformed, their bones making snapping sounds and their skins stretching until they assumed their despicable forms.

  “What are those things? What’s going on?!” Annabelle’s mom asked, her features tight with fear.

  “Well, I’m bored,” Pepper said as he stepped into the house. Everyone could hear the soft clanging sounds of cutlery and ceramics as he hummed a song in the kitchen.

  About five minutes later, he returned, a steaming cup of tea in his hand.

  “Tea?” he asked, gently waving the cup around with a smile on his face.

  “Well, I guess not.”

  He took a sip of the tea and handed it to Duncan who gently carried it in his monstrous hands.

  “Why do you want Annabelle dead?” Crow asked, glancing at Anna and her parents.

  “It took a while for Pepper to reply because he was too busy checking himself out in his portable mirror.

  “Well,” he said, handing the mirror to James.

  “Long ago,” he started, an expression of pain and regret on his face.

  This must be another joke. He clearly doesn’t feel bad for what he is saying, Crow thought as he spoke.

  “I was in love with a girl.”

  “Oh please be serious for once!” Mrs. Crow snapped, thinking her brother was trying to make a bad joke.

  “She was really beautiful,” he continued, still expressing his pain.

  “Oh my Annabelle,” he said, confusing everyone in the room.

  Everyone who could, looked at Anna, confused expressions on their faces.

  What does he mean by Annabelle? Anna thought.

  Pepper Crow stopped for a moment, tears trickling down his face as he gazed into space as if he were remembering what had happened.

  “Oh my Annabelle,” he repeated, his voice a bit shaky.

  “What do you mean by Annabelle?” Anna asked, her interest piqued.

  He resumed pacing back and forth talking calmly and softly.

  “It all happened long ago. I was in love with a woman called Annabelle. Not you of course,” he said as he turned to Anna, his eyes partially clouded by tears.

  “She was my everything. We did a lot of things together, me, her and my best friend Griffin.”

  Why is he mentioning my grandfather’s name? Mr. Peterson thought, trying to connect the dots.

  “What do you mean Griffin?” he asked.

  “Oh, your great grandfather and I were best of friends Annabelle,” he said, leaning towards Anna.

  “What?” Annabelle mouthed.

  “That’s a lie!” Mr. Peterson protested.

  “He never told me anything about you!” he argued, refusing to believe what Pepper had said.

  “That’s because I killed him eventually,” Pepper said, his voice ringing through everyone’s head.

  “I killed him eventually, I killed him eventually, I killed him eventually,” the voice played over and over in Mr. Peterson’s head until he lost control of himself.

  “You monster! That’s why no one ever found his body!” Mr. Peterson bellowed, his body pumping with adrenaline as he struggled to break free. In his uncontrolled rage, he stood to his feet, carrying the people he was tied to as he stood.

  “Aaah!” Mrs. Peterson screamed, for the ropes were tugging at her wrists and torso.

  Mr. Peterson, ignoring his wife “You killed grandpa!” he screamed, charging towards Crow, his family handing off his back like they weighed nothing.

  “Oh sit,” Pepper said exasperatedly as he effortlessly pushed Riles, nearly toppling him over his family.

  “Watch him,” he instructed Duncan and James, who moved closer to Riles.

  “Griffin and I were best of friends and I never expected him to betray me like that,” Pepper said, his fists balled up at his sides.

  He stopped for a while to examine the looks of concentration on everyone’s face and then continued.

  “You see, Griffin was a magician just like me but he was far stronger. I couldn’t beat him even if I wanted to.”

  Could his magic have passed down to me? Annabelle thought, remembering the incident she had with Gruff in the bathroom.

  “What were his powers?” she asked, trying to find an explanation for what had happened to her.

  “Oh Griffin?” Pepper said, stooping down to meet Anna’s eye level.

  “He was magnificent. He controlled time itself,” he said, as Anna remembered she had travelled through time before.

  “Tell us about Annabelle,” she said, shaking off the thought.

  Pepper stood to his feet and continued, his face devoid of all expressions of playfulness.

  “Griffin and I were friends until……………until he took Annabelle from me.”

  “Wait, you mean grandma Belle?” Mr. Peterson asked but was ignored.

  “He took Annabelle from me and didn’t even feel remorseful about it,” Pepper said, remembering as he told his story.

  “Or maybe Griffin had more style than you,” Crow joked.

  Pepper, filled with regret, ignored his sister and continued his story, his boots making soft clunking sounds with every step he took.

  “He took Annabelle from me and I confronted him about it. Not being strong enough, he beat me mercilessly and then ran off with her,” Pepper said, balling his fists at his sides as drops of sweat trickled down his face. He was filled with hatred, loss, uncertainty and doubt at the same time.

  “Years later, I killed him.”

  The clouds outside began to grow dark and the sun seemed to lose its glow as the clouds covered it.

  “I pretended to be okay with it and then poisoned him. At least one thing must kill a man,” he said and forced a chuckle.

  He killed him, he killed him, he killed grandpa, Mr. Peterson thought.

  “I poisoned him and swore to him that any girl that was ever born in his lineage would have to die by my hands after a torment of twenty years,” he said and looked at Annabelle. ‘

  “But since my sister decided to step in, I just have to kill you now even though I planned on tormenting you the same way he tormented me!” Pepper bellowed.

  “That’s enough!” Crow screamed having heard enough.

  “That’s a very stupid reason for you to do all this. I mean look at all this chaos! All because of love?!” she asked, her chest fluttering as her anger riled up.

  “Looks like I’ll have to deal with you first,” he said as he stretched his hand to the captives and snapped his fingers causing them to vanish.