The Nightmare's Return

Chapter 15

"What's happening, are you guys okay?!" Gavin said looking over at Akiko and Graham. "Where's Rachel?"

"It's okay Gavin. Everything's fine but.. You need to sit down and read this." Louise handed some pieces of paper to Gavin who didn't sit down until after reading the first two sheets of paper that Rachel had left for all of them. In the long letter Rachel explained why everything was the way it was, and how she hoped everything would turn out. About the things she envisioned and how they were too strong for her to ignore, or deny. About how she knew without a doubt about how she had to do what was needed of her to make everything okay for everyone in the end, and why she couldn't stay. She wrote about how much everyone meant to her, how thankful she was for all of them to have been in her life, and not to worry about her or her mom. That she would find a way for her to be okay. The only ones she wasn't going to be sure about was them. But she hoped that why would take care of themselves and not worry about her. That she would always be their friend and a Midnight Society Member in her heart. Rachel also left a more personal message to Gavin in a separate letter bringing up a few memorable times that only they had shared, and how she would miss him and how grateful she was to have been with him as his girl for awhile.. After he was done reading Gavin put the pages down and looked over at Akiko, Graham, and Louise, seeing by the expressions on their faces that they had read most of the pages too, except for the one that was only meant for Gavin.

"She really felt this is how it should be." Louise said. "It sounds crazy, but to her it made complete sense. We have to trust her."..

In a small clearing of woods somewhere far, far off from where they had been from the now empty lot, Marcus and Rachel appeared after another bright flash of light happened that came out of nowhere. They both looked around for a few seconds seeing what was around them, and if anyone else was there.

"Where are we?" Rachel asked, after seeing that they were all alone.

"Oh, just in some woods that I used to visit that was in walking distance from my home when I was a kid. I used it as a place to go somewhere to dream." Marcus answered, his lips forming into a sly grin. "I told you we weren't too different, you and I."

Rachel smiled and held out her hand, looking at Marcus than the cane, than back at him. "My turn, for just one last wish."

Marcus looked at Rachel curiously, carefully handing the cane over to her. Rachel looked over at a large rock with a dent in it that she felt could act like a chair. She pointed the cane at it and paused just long enough to imagine what she wanted. A small strike of lightning shot out of the cane and hit the rock. Bartholomew suddenly appeared clothes looking torn and burnt, smoke emitting from them. He was screaming and hitting his clothes everywhere, trying to put any fire that could be there out. Marcus and Rachel went to help him, Rachel telling Bartholomew that he was going to be okay, while a shocked Marcus was unable to speak upon seeing his former partner out of nowhere. After Bartholomew calmed down and just sat on the rock breathing hard, Rachel kept a comforting hand on him as she looked up at Marcus.

"I thought that maybe he could use a second chance, too. And you'll trust him more than any new partner, or assistant you could get.. I think he just needs a little time." Rachel added, running a gentle hand across Bartholomew's shoulders, helping to start to aleve some of his trauma. "And now before we do anything else, let's finally get rid of this thing, for good." Rachel stood up and threw the cane down on the ground and stomped on the small stone at the top with her boot as hard as she could. She felt it break under her foot which she then began to move back and forth, grinding it's broken pieces into smaller ones, and than grinded them into the ground. Marcus flinched as she did so, trying not to stop Rachel from destroying the cane.