Supernatural Investigators

Lost Brother

The girls tumbled through the portal, landing with a collective thud in the familiar clutter of their den. "Jacob, we're home!" Misty called out, tossing her jacket carelessly onto the worn sofa. Silence. "Hello?" she ventured, padding out to the kitchen.

No answer. Sarah picked up the discarded jacket, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow. "Who wrote that crazy spell we recited earlier anyway?"

"Me," Stacey replied, a smug grin on her face. "Our ancestors clearly hadn't planned for everything, so I took the liberty."

Suddenly, Misty's voice cut through the quiet. "Hey guys, check this out!" she called from the kitchen. They hurried in to find a scrap of paper stuck to the fridge. It read, in Jacob's familiar scrawl:

Went to drop Maggie off. Be a bit late. Don't wait up - Jacob.

"Well," Misty sighed, a sliver of worry threading through her usual bravado, "at least he's okay."

"Yeah, let's hit the sack," Sarah agreed, stretching. As they started for the stairs, Misty lingered.

"Aren't you coming?" Sarah asked, her voice laced with concern.

Misty shook her head, a stubborn glint in her eyes. "I'll wait for him."

"You read the note," Stacey pointed out, her voice sharp. "He said not to wait."

"So?" Misty retorted, her jaw jutting out defiantly.

Stacey simply stared at her, a knot of unease twisting in her gut. With a muttered goodnight, she followed Sarah upstairs.

A while later, Sarah tiptoed down to check on Misty. She found her curled up on the couch, Jacob's crumpled note clutched in her hand. The jacket lay forgotten beside her. Sarah, her heart heavy with empathy, retrieved a blanket and draped it over her sleeping sister. A gentle kiss on the forehead and a whispered goodnight were all she dared before retreating back upstairs.

The Next Morning

A delicious aroma roused Misty from a restless sleep. The scent of pancakes and bacon filled the air, a tantalizing contrast to the gnawing worry in her stomach. "Jacob?" she mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She stumbled into the kitchen, expecting to find her brother busy at the stove. Instead, she found Sarah and Stacey setting the table, their faces etched with concern.

"Where's Jacob?" she asked, her voice thick with apprehension as she slumped into a chair. The girls exchanged a worried glance, but neither spoke. Stacey passed the maple syrup silently.

Just as Misty was about to take a bite, a deafening thud echoed from upstairs. The girls sprang to their feet, fear replacing the earlier tension. Another thump followed, closer this time.

"It's coming from HQ!" Sarah yelled, her voice strained. They raced up the stairs, adrenaline pumping. Bursting into HQ, they were met with a sight that sent a jolt of terror through them.

A towering, grotesque creature, its indigo skin covered in writhing tentacles, loomed over the Book of Shadows. Its face, a mask of malice, contorted into a snarl as it reached for the ancient tome.

"Stop!" Stacey screamed, charging forward.

The creature swiveled its head, revealing four unsettling mauve eyes. It let out a guttural roar, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. Recoiling in horror, Stacey watched in disbelief as the creature lunged for the Book. But in a flash of unexpected energy, the Book arced away from its grasp, hovering just out of reach. The creature froze, a look of confusion clouding its hideous features. A swirling vortex of water materialized around it, encasing the beast in a pressurized bubble. With a final, strangled shriek, the creature dissolved into nothingness, leaving behind a puddle of water and the Book hovering innocently on the floor.