The Lucky Seven

Part 5 - Home

The flight was quiet. At least for Ethan, Fred and Gareth. Fred called ahead so Gareth and Ethan can have a place to stay in Minnesota. Gareth called the publishing house and Ethan his department in the hospital to inform them of their delay in coming back.

Only three weeks left before Halloween, but already the streets in their hometown were filled with everything Halloween. The same streets the lucky seven used to run through when they went trick-or-treating. The same streets they walked on when going to and from school. The same streets that held fond memories of the lucky seven. When they were still seven.

"So now we're here," Ethan said. "What now?'

"First you two unpack, wash up, and rest," Fred said. "I'll come back to pick you guys up so we could eat. It's been a long day. I'll see you later."

Fred left the two in the inn. Father Moore had arranged for someone to pick up then drop off Ethan and Gareth in the inn, as well as bring Fred home.

As the car approached Fred's home, he noticed someone standing on the porch.

A cold chill crept into him. Is this the shadow that Andrew and Brian saw? But wait!

"Devon?"

"Charlie should've called us by now. How long does it take to fly from New York to L.A?

"5 hours I think. I keep getting voice mail."

"I hope he's okay, Gareth. This thing is making me paranoid."

"You and me both. What's taking Fred so long? I'm really hungry."

"I think that's him. That's the same car that picked us up at the airport and dropped us here. Oh, he's driving, and... wait a minute! What the hell?"

"Thank goodness Fred didn't hear that."

"Look!"

Gareth went to the window to see what had gotten into Ethan."

"Unbelievable. He's here? He's really here?"

"So you're all probably wondering why I'm here," Devon said after along awkward silence.

"You were in the same state as Andrew, Devon. All you had to do was come. Why didn't you?" asked Ethan angrily.

"Ethan calm down," Fred said trying to pacify his friend.

"I was there. I saw you at the cemetery. I just didn't join you."

"Why? Were you guilty of something?"

"Ethan!"

"Why didn't you join us? Why didn't you come to see while we were still in New York?" Gareth asked.

"I couldn't. I don't know why, but I just couldn't. I'm really sorry."

"Did you even visit Tina?"

"Yes, Ethan, I did. And she was very grateful that you stayed as long you did. You didn't have to but you did and she really appreciated everything."

"You came to visit her, whenever we're not around, huh?"

Devon didn't answer Ethan.

"When did you arrive here?" Fred asked Devon.

"Yesterday. I'm sorry I wasn't there during Lindsay's funeral."

"Don't be," Gareth said. "You couldn't make it."

"And I'm sorry Ethan. About..."

"Christie? Christie who broke up with me? Days after we left your party at your home 5 years ago? Because she felt so guilty after she cheated on me. With you."

Devon kept quiet, his head bowed down, his eyes glued to the floor.

"She dumped me you know."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"I wish that it would."

"Well it doesn't! You were a jerk back in high school and you're still a jerk now! It's a miracle you and I remained friends for as long as we did!"

Ethan took off. Gareth and Fred did not try to stop him.

"I'm sorry, Fred for..."

"Why are you doing this? Why all the apologies? Are you confessing?"

"Maybe. I don't know. But after what happened to Charlie and...."

"Wait, what about Charlie?" Gareth interrupted him his concern growing.

"You haven't heard? You haven't heard or seen the news?"

"We haven't turned on the TV in our room since we got here."

Devon turned on his phone and typed something. When he found the video, he showed it to Gareth and Fred.

What they saw shocked them and left them in a daze. The plane that Charlie was on crashed and all the passengers, though with injuries, somehow survived. Except for one. Charlie.

"There's more." Devon opened his email and showed an image he received.

"That's us when we went to your party 5 years ago," Gareth said.

"Look at the sender and the date."

"Andrew sent this to you? He sent it... that's impossible. There must be something wrong with your settings or something, that's not possible!" Gareth exclaimed.

"I assure you there isn't. I had it checked by our I.T.s. That date was right."

"But that's impossible! How could he have sent that picture to you after he's..... after he's...."

"Dead? He sent that to me two weeks after he died. That should have made me immediately run to you guys, but I was still in shock and in disbelief. But two days ago, something happened to the picture. I checked it again when I was still struggling whether to contact you or not."

"You mean these?" asked Fred pointing to the red slightly crooked vertical lines drawn on the chests of Andrew, Brian and Charlie.

Andrew had a single line drawn on his chest. Brian had two. On Charlie, was three. No lines were drawn on Ethan, Fred, Devon and Gareth.

"I think we're being killed in order. Just like the way we carved our names on that tree. I've been wanting to go back there since I got here, but I was too scared to go alone. I think this is happening because of what we'd.... what I did all those years ago."

"Andrew, Brian, Charlie. A, B, and C. That means...." Fred trailed off.

"I'm next."