~BOOK 5/PART ONE~ Paranormal: Too Close To Home (Multi-Bandom FanFic)

Chapter 15 - Rachael

"They're using the dead bodies from the war to inhabit," Bruno informed us as he passed around several pictures of the dead men and women he was talking about, "We've been able to single a few of them out and perform exorcisms. However, while doing this, we noticed a few marks that were burned onto their necks."

"They're old wicca and pagan symbols," Lynn added, "They indicate what position they're in. Some are foot soldiers, and others are generals, commanders, or messengers."

"It sounds like she's making an army." Patrick passed along a picture to Brendon who wore a frown on his face.

"That's because she is," Bruno confirmed his belief, "The more bodies Natalie finds to control, the more people she has on her side."

"Then I guess we'll have to shorten her supply," Kenya jumped in, turning to the only human she trusted, "Can you make a protected burial ground that the demons can't get to?"

"Yeah, I'd just need the help of a witch. And once the protection is made, no one else can get into it," Lynn replied.

"Then you and Brendon should get started on that soon." My best friend looked over to Patrick. "I need you and your friends to get a small group to join patrols." She then glanced over at her brother. "Goal is to capture as many demons as possible, get them here so we can perform exorcisms, and then bury them. Send out another patrol in the daytime to survey the areas of where the demons are hiding, that way we can get an idea of how many there are and where they like to hide."

"What about me?" I asked before anyone could start moving. Kenya stopped and gave me a gentle look.

"Rach, it would make sense for you to stay here," Patrick spoke on her behalf. Kenya nodded her head in agreement.

"What? Why? I can help."

"We know what you can do, but we also know that you're a target," Brendon explained to me calmly, grabbing my hand, "It's better to keep you here and off the streets where the demons can kill you."

"This isn't fair!" I shouted, feeling mistreated, "She's my sister! I deserve to be a part of this battle just as much as any one of you, maybe even more."

"But we're not the ones dying, Rach," Patrick murmured, "You are, and we want to keep you alive as long as we can, hopefully long enough to find a cure."

"There is no cure!" I yelled, ripping my hand out of Brendon's and rising to my feet, "Don't you get it? I'm done for! And I refuse to waste the rest of my life locked up in this fucking house. If I'm going to die, I'm going to die trying, not sitting around and waiting for you guys to win this war you're fighting blindly." And with that, I stormed out of the room, the feeling I'd had for the past few weeks growing stronger with every step I took down the hallway. I clutched my chest and squeezed my eyes shut tight, the pain becoming near unbearable.

As I slowly knelt down to the ground, unable to take another step, I heard footsteps rushing toward me. I painfully glanced back over my shoulder to see Kenya hastily making her way down the hallway.

"Go away!" I shouted at her, though the anger wasn't directed toward her, rather than the torture that was being inflicted on my body from the inside, "Please! I want to be left alone!"

"That's good to know, but you and I both know I'm not going anywhere," She stated while sporting a worried look on her face.

I bent forward, hugging myself tightly as I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming. What I thought were tears fell from my eyes, blurring my vision with black. "Please, just...just go back," I croaked, pulling my knees into my chest and curling up into a ball, "I'll be okay."

"I don't think so." Kenya noticed the pain I was feeling. "The cure he was talking about, are you sick?"

"No, I'm not-" I cut myself short, the wind suddenly being knocked out of me. My eyes wide and I reached my hand out, grabbing onto her leg for support. I took in a deep breath and tilted my head down, shaking it. "I'm not sick."

"Right. That explains the black fingertips, and why you're wearing a sweatshirt in the middle of summer."

"Where's Link?" I demanded to know, my chest rising up and down as I tried to bring air back into my body.

"He's in the hospital. The demons banged him up pretty badly. I think we get you there too so someone can take a look at you."

"No," I objected, shrieking in pain as I pulled myself away from her and stood back up. I swayed side to side once or twice before finding my balance and pointing my finger at her. "No, I'm not going to that goddamn hospital. They can't help me. No one can help me." I shakily lowered my finger and grabbed my chest again, a whimper slipping past my lips. "Just go back and fight your war, I'll fight my own." I turned away from her and took a few more steps before the black that had been flooding my eyes blinded me completely, and the floor was pulled out from underneath me.

Kenya caught me as I went down, my body going limp in her arms and my head falling to the side. "Rach, can you hear me?" She questioned as I faded into darkness, "Rach!"