Dark Side of the World // S.S. [Book Two]

Chapter 36

I'm laying on the couch in the McCall living room. Corey points to a black mark on the ceiling. "That's how he got in?"

"What is this?" Scott asks.

"It's a point of impact from a lightning strike." Mason explains. "Usually you'd find charred spots like that on a ground after a violent thunderstorm."

"That's how the Ghost Rider got in. He rode lightning."

Liam glances at us. "If they can use the lightning to get past the Mountain Ash...No place is safe."

"What about the others?" Corey asks. "It's my fault they're marked."

I shake my head. "Corey, it's not your fault. We'll find a way to protect them. It's kind of what we do."

Scott and I meet up with Lydia and Malia. Lydia shows us the ID card. "It's a relic."

Malia frowns. "What's a relic?"

"An object with a fixed association to the past. Jake's ID was left behind after he was taken. And Gwen found her sister's bracelet on her bedroom floor."

I raise a confused eyebrow. "How can someone be erased and still leave something behind?"

"A conservation of mass." Lydia explains. "The total mass of any isolated system remains constant."

Malia nods slowly. "So even the Ghost Riders have a weakness."

Thank the gods. "If we can find a relic, we have proof that Stiles existed." I say with a light smile.

Scott nods. "And maybe we can bring him back."

I head back to the Stilinski household and Sheriff looks at me in confusion. "You want to search my house?"

I bite my lip. "People are leaving things behind. So if Stiles left anything..."

"Why, why would it be there?" Sheriff asks, cutting me off.

"You can't just erase people." I retort. "They always leave something behind."

Sheriff sighs. "I couldn't sleep last night. So, um, I got up, figured I'd do some paperwork. The files were in the back of the car. So, I, I go to the garage, and some junk has fallen off a shelf and I, I stubbed my toe on an old baseball bat. Without thinking, I yelled a name..."

"Stiles." I reply.

I walk through the Stilinski household and Claudia walks up to me. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

I shake my head. "No. But thanks, Mrs. Stilinski."

She nods. "Well, good luck." She sighs and adds, "I'll leave you to it."

I give her a tight smile as she walks away. "Can you see me?"

"See what? See who?" I ask.

I look closer at the wallpaper. It'd caught my eye the last time and after making sure no one is coming, I grab the corner of the wallpaper and start peeling it back. Claudia rushes in and grabs my wrist, causing me to instantly grab hers harshly. "What are you doing?" She asks angrily.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." I say, letting her wrist go.

"I think that's something we can agree on." Claudia replies icily.

I run off and meet Lydia at the school. When I get there, she turns to me. Her mom walks up. Ms. Martin frowns at me. "Were you tearing Claudia Stilinski's wallpaper?"

I cross my arms and nod sharply. "Yes."

She sighs. "Megara, I'm getting concerned about your mental health."