Hawk Point *ON HOLD*

Chapter Twelve: Whispers of the Dead

For a long moment after Joe finishes speaking, there is silence in the woods. The only sound is the familiar whisper of wind through the trees. Finally, he says:

"Cif, say something."

"What do you want me to say?"

She can hear her blood pounding in her ears. It feels as if her life had been built on a sheet of paper thin ice, and now the ice is beginning to crack, threatening to plunge her into the icy darkness below. Down into the dark water, she thinks, where all secrets drift in the currents: the forgotten remains of a shipwreaked life.

She glances up at Aven. He seems wavering, indistinct, as if she is looking through blurry glass. "My father," she says, "Summoned demons?"

Joe nods. "Yes."

"Oh my God," Cif leaps away from him, no longer able to stand still, "And Luke isn't...you're...That's not possible. It's not freaking possible!"

"Cif, please don't get upset---"

"Don't get upset? You're telling me that you're my brother? That my dad was a guy who's basically an evil---"

"He wasn't evil." Joe says, sounding almost apologetic.

"Oh I beg to differ!" Cif snaps, "Spouting on about cleansing the human race, I think he was clearly evil. If not, then insane. He was like one of those creepy white power guys and you...you..."

"Cif, relax." Aven moves towards her and she steps away.

"Don't you tell me to relax!" She can hear the tears in her voice. "My mom lied to me. She lied to Luke." Her gaze swings back to Joe. "But you're a demon." She hisses. The very thought sends a ripple of cold down her spine.

Joe's eyes glimmer and his pale lips tug upwards and into a twisted smile. He is a study in contrasts, something to be painted in shades of black, white and grey with splashes of gold and red here and there, like his eyes, for an accent color---

She blinks and then he's gone, almost as if winking out of existence between one second and the next. Where he stood is a circle of charred grass.

"Great, now I'm going crazy," Cif mutters, dropping her face into her hands, "What the hell just happened?" She inquires, her voice muffled from behind her fingers.

"Well," Aven says slowly, "We encountered a certain blonde demon and through a complicated backstory, we have come to the conclusion that  Joe Klinsey is your brother."

"No." Cif's hands fall from her face. "That's not possible---"

"Can we not go through this again; I'm still trying to process everything."

Cif looks at Aven warily. "You and me both." Her voice is barely audible, a hushed whisper in the wind.

"Well maybe he's lying." Aven offers.

"I don't know," Cif replies, "I thought I knew Christopher but he ended up having a twin who was part of a satanic cult run by my possibly insane father. See?" She throws her hands up in the air with an exasperated huff, "It even sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud! Like some twisted, messed up story from Haunting Hour or Goosebumps or some shit like that!"

"Someone better watch their language." Aven places a hand over Cif's shoulder. "Listen. What he said: It doesn't really matter right now. We need to focus on finding Christopher before the Dark Watchers do something---assuming that they took him. Joe could be lying or he could be honest but that's the least of our problems. There are bigger issues that need to be taken care of."  He pulls his hand away and steps back, his brilliant eyes glittering like the eyes of a cat. "The first place we need to go is Christopher's house. You're brother is right Cif; in order to actually get anywhere with this, we need to give the place a proper look through. If Mildred is right and there is something there, we can get all of this over with and get on with our lives."  He turns and is swallowed by the trees.