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  Owned

  by Holly Grace

  Copyright © 2014 by Holly Grace

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Disclaimer: I acknowledge the talent of Benjamin Gibbard who composed “I Will Follow You into the Dark” and sung by Death Cab for Cutie, it is track #5 on the album Plans. © EMI Music Publishing; Dallas Austin and Alecia Moore "Just Like A Pill" track #3 on the album Missundaztood. Arista ©; John Stephens, Toby Gad, “All of Me” Single #3 on the album Love in the Future. GOOD ©, Columbia©.

  Still for my Sun

  Without whom I would never have the courage to write.

  FOREWORD

  My husband and I recently moved into our starter home in the Campus Housing at the University he works at.

  He unearthed a box of my writings; short stories, novellas, poetry, unfinished atrociously long epics and ramblings. Some were good, some I cringed at when I read them now. Back in the early nineties when fanfiction sites were still unpopular, I imagined and wrote scenarios of what if’s with Buffy and Spike (which to my fervent giddy wish came true at the last minute); Piper, Prue and Phoebe falling in love and battling with demons and other original stories. My sneaky husband read these works and I shyly peeked at him and he told me to publish these written stories so I would not regret it later on.

  I was a bit apprehensive at first, I asked for a sign from the Universe if I should push through. Then one day a friend from high school contacted me out of the blue wanting to reconnect, our group was really close back then but our friendship fizzled when everyone went each of their own way to college. I wrote this particular story at the renaissance of our friendship; we were in this established Co-Ed Catholic School, it was a turbulent time because a senior just died from a drug overdose and one of our friends were close with his family. Needless to say she was grieving with the lot of them and wanted to have closure, we spent our afternoon finding a place where we could “practice the occult” with our makeshift Ouija Board and borrowed glass from the school cafeteria while everyone is at the symposium in the auditorium for the dangers of drug use. We found the unused part of the school cafeteria that served as a storage room and proceeded to do a séance and contact his spirit. It was scary, I kept on asking if someone moved the glass but nobody answered in affirmation. I was thankful that our School’s Volleyball Coach found us, turned on the lights and never reported us to our Headmistress. I wrote the draft for this story that afternoon just to liberate my fear of what transpired in that room.

  I would have to say that if anyone attempts to dabble in the occult make sure you really know what you are doing or not do it at all. When we did those things immaturity and grief ruled us, nowadays I only relieve my paranormal curiosity through Harry Potter books and many others that have a similar theme. I promised myself to never experiment with the mystical ever again.

  To say the least, meeting her again gave me the courage to share this story that was very real to me. I hope you enjoy.

  Chapter 1 KAT

  “Mom, my boyfriend and I had sex last night”

  The mother only nodded and returned to watching her favorite Grey’s Anatomy episode where Mr. McDreamy just got off the shower.

  “Seriously mom, I’m afraid, what if I get pregnant?”

  The woman huffed; irritated that she missed three seconds of her show, she slowly and menacingly turned to the culprit.

  “Jesus H. Christ, Andrew! If you don’t stop this craziness right now I’m gonna take this pickle and shove it up your ass! How many times do I have to tell you, you don’t have the right body parts to make a baby!”

  “Eww! Veronica that was gross!” Jane chided.

  “Oh shut up Jane, I know you secretly like my dirty jokes.”

  My car was filled with hoots and laughter as Veronica recounted a crude joke she overheard last night when she got out buying tampons in the local drugstore. She loves retelling these jokes for their shock appeal while indulging her green wit, we were now used to it though.

  I am currently parking my Silver with Blue racing stripes 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS in the town’s one and only mall, my friends and I decided to do a disappearing act and leave school now that the snow’s been cleared on the road. Hello Spring! Finally.

  I just hope no one catches us; that would be awkward. I can see the school rags’ front page just now “EXTRA! EXTRA! The Inseparable Foursome Caught Cutting Classes!”, man I would be so grounded for life. That would be the baddest of luck of all, being caught on my first try slacking.

  I never believed in bad luck, or anything supernatural.

  Sure I’ve watched movies, television shows, read books about it, but I never believed it. Until what happened later on.

  All that occurred in my life were great so far, all is fine, I can’t ask for anything more. Everything in my life is kind of ho-hum; I wanted something exciting to be inserted somewhere in my dismal existence, a little adventure never hurt someone. I go to school, my family had money, and I have a car, lots of friends and am quite popular. Yup, just like a streamlined straight highway, no bumps, no curves and no dead ends.

  Until recently.

  Friends. I only consider three as my closest, though I have a lot. They keep me sane. Between hectic class schedules, demanding teachers and their way out of line boyfriends; they add what little spice that keeps me in my toes. There was never a group more quirky than us in school, all of us were different in our own way but I guess that’s why we are so close.

  Here’s the rundown. Joan, our resident blonde ice queen, was the untouchable one; boys never make it to first base with her. I know its cliché; she’s blonde, beautiful, smart but very, very gay. Yup, the reason boys never held her interest is because she bats for the other team. Sssh, out of the four of us I’m the only one who knew. This year she wants to slowly tell the others, for her fear of rejection is real. Joan never even told her parents, who were perfectionist trial lawyers and news like this would devastate them, maybe even cause them to disown her, so she hides under her flawless coiffure and dainty summer dresses to throw off the scent.

  Jane is our golden girl, all bronzed and trim for she run track. She’s the athlete of the group who is also a romantic and too naïve for her own good. She’s too trusting of boys and always gets her heart broken every month, I don’t know how many countless of paper towel rolls she uses just to mop up the tears these heartbreak cause. Good thing that she’s into sports too because of the amount of Pistachio Gelato she consumes during her bouts of heartaches would make any girl as big as a house and for her that would mean social suicide. I told her she’s beautiful either way. She was anorexic a couple of years ago until I forced her to see someone my mom knew who handles this type of disorder from teenaged girls. Now she’s been eating healthy and is staying healthy.

  Veronica is the crazy red-haired bitch that will cut anyone just to defend us. She is the boy crazy of the group, of course she loves boys like any hot blooded hormone filled teenage girl does, but she’s the one leaving a string of broken hearts all over town unlike Jane. She told us last year that she had shed her virginity the day she turned thirteen to an eighteen year-old guy who worked as a teller in the movie theater to score us some tick
ets to watch the early screening of Breaking Dawn. When I heard that, I wanted to find that jerk and take him to jail for having sex with a minor but she stopped me, saying she never regretted anything, her virginity was an encumbrance she was gladly free of she said and now every time she’s away from us I get all worried that some boy or man is using her, she always says she can take care of herself though, I never even saw her cry over someone, believing that whenever a guy breaks up with her, she’ll just have to find someone better. Apparently there are plenty of fish in the sea and the world is just one big ocean.

  Lastly it’s me, Kat. I consider myself as nothing exceptional, I’m the levelheaded one, the nerdy, preppy girl with high aspirations in life, the girl who loves science and math. I thrive in the world of certainties, if it’s not proven or supported by countless substantiated documents or research then it’s not real. Physically, I’m not a slouch they said, with black wavy hair that has a mind of its own and light blue eyes and porcelain skin. I feel like a living replica of Snow White, but I want to be known as the brain of the group, not because of some fairytale princess they compare me to.

  It’s all just a façade anyway. What’s essential is invisible to the naked eye and I just inserted a line from my favorite children’s book. And I also sound cheesy, so I’ve got to stop.

  But I digress; we are losing the point here. Our dilemma started one fine Tuesday morning at school after winter break, the sun was shining, everyone wanted out after a long time being cooped up inside with the winter frost.

  There were times when my enormous brain needed a time to be empty too. To not think about anything and just be.

  Be a kid. Enjoy. Chill. Relax.

  So my friends and I decided to play hooky, that’s the extent of my rebelliousness would allow. I’m not one for using drugs, drinking, smoking and sex but an escape from the four corners of our school will be enough for daring little me.

  We were cutting classes. Slackers that is what we are – just for the day though, so we decided to go to our local mall and bum a smoke or two (totally at Veronica’s insistence) with older guys who frequent the concrete ramps to show their skateboarding skills. That was entirely Veronica’s fault though, a dare if you must. She’s got the balls of steel out of all of us and she’s addicted to nicotine so all that guy hunting was really for her plus she’s crabby when she doesn’t have her daily dose, both of smoke and boys.

  “Hmm, yum look at those hot boys,” that was Veronica, gesturing over to her chosen flavor of the day, “Dibs on the one in red and white plaid shirt and blue jeans!” Catching the boy’s attention that was also checking Veronica out.

  We make quite a stir when the four of us walk anywhere and here was no difference. With Joan’s quiet elegance in mid-length flowery summer dress and open-toed wedges, Jane with her slender athletic loveliness in spandex shorts and track team jersey shirt, Veronica’s smoldering magnificence in her cut-off daisy dukes and fitted v-necked green top and mine’s simple shirt and dark blue fitted jeans and ballet flats; we make quite a foursome.

  Joan was still rolling her eyes at Veronica’s nerve when we saw her sidling to a fairly gross guy with a lip ring and a teardrop tattoo on his left cheek when Jane spotted a newly opened New-Agey Wicca novelty store on the mall’s left side, littered with different kinds of shops partially hidden by fake palm trees. Of course she wants to go in there. All these Charmed witchy stuff intrigues her. Some say her head is in the clouds; Veronica just calls it plain ass dumb.

  When I refused to leave Veronica in the capable hands of the boys she was with, Jane convinced Joan to go with her.

  It was about twenty minutes or more when I noticed that they still weren’t back. I got worried, so I cut off Veronica’s flirting, took her by the scruff of her neck if you want an exaggerated picture. It was not unlike how a momma jungle cat transports her kittens, and forced her to come with me.

  “Hey! I was talking to that cute guy over there! He was about to give me his number!” she protested.

  “Playtime’s over skank. Let’s go find the others. They’ve not returned yet.” I teased, attempting to be humorous because I don’t want my anxiousness to show.

  “You mean you lost them? Now that’s a first!”

  “Hey, I had no choice! Either I watch your slutty ass or go with them to that voodoo store.” I defended.

  “Ha! Let me guess… Jane.”

  “Yup, you’ve summarized it accurately. Joan’s with her though, but you know her, her ice melts every time Jane trains those big brown eyes.”

  “Yeah, I’ve wondered about those two. My lesbo-dar is tingling whenever they’re too close.” She said sarcastically, the problem with her is I don’t know if she was being blunt or is just joking.

  “You’re such a homo! You’re one to talk! You’re just jealous aren’t you? Admit it you have the hots for Joan!” I joked while I tugged her shoulder length red hair, getting Veronica acclimated to the truth might not be as difficult as I thought it would be.

  “Puh-leaze, I prefer bananas to peanuts, I’m allergic to it.” rolling her eyes.

  I snickered at her outraged reaction to my teasing.

  As we neared the shop, I smelled incense burning; it was not unpleasant but isn’t burning incense means driving away bad spirit or cleansing a place? I’m not really sure; this paranormal stuff doesn’t interest me. I also heard a susurration of eerie chanting not unlike the annoying buzzing of bees. It made my skin crawl and goose bumps just popped on my arms.

  As we entered the shop we saw lighted candles of every color line the four corners. Red incense sticks burn in the altar depicting a decapitated animals’ head, bottles of blood red liquids and other unknown viscous fluids are proudly displayed in clear glass jars were placed under it and an array of unidentifiable wooden, bone, pewter and ivory paraphernalia littered the shop’s display aisle.

  There were no sign of Joan or Jane anywhere though, now I’m really worried.

  “Maybe we should start looking for them?” Veronica suggested.

  “But where? I don’t see them anywhere. Unless there’s a hidden door somewhere here that we didn’t know of.” I countered sarcastically.

  A door with a rusty hinge opened by an unseen hand directly below where we stood. It screeched a terrifying sound.

  My rational brain is telling me that this couldn’t be real because we were in a mall. Floors were solid concrete. How come there is a hollow space enough to fit the whole store down, how the heck did that happen?

  The chanting is louder under there; we looked at each other terrified of what might have happened to our friends.

  We gingerly tiptoed closer and investigated, the steps going down were pure concrete, cracked and chipped in places so I’m not sure if it’s sound. There was a dim light deeper into the chasm and the chanting was louder below.

  I silently urged for Veronica to wait upstairs so she can get help if we never come back out.

  She never got swayed though; she wants to go with me. I know it was a stupid idea to let her come with me but I couldn’t really command her to stay behind, my normal brain functioning must have flew out the window at my anxiousness with my friends safety.

  And so we went down.

  Chapter 2 Jane

  It was never my intention really to harm anyone. I just thought that maybe this would be a great escapade. Diving in to unknown territories. Trying new things. I’m young; I’m allowed to make mistakes aren’t I? To be just stupid for a little while.

  This series of unfortunate events all started with a prick on a finger. A little drop of blood never harmed anyone, right?

  I was absolutely, positively wrong.

  If you thought that above event is kind of fairytaley slash romantic where art thou my prince kind of happening, it’s not. I did find a prince though, but not like the ones you want to bring home to momma.

  My friend Jo and I went in this strange shop hoping to find an adventure but in the end all it brought me
were fright, extreme behavior modification and death. You can say we were cursed.

  But I’m getting ahead of myself here.

  Let me take you back to the start.

  As I was telling you, my friend Jo and I went in this strange shop, selling New Agey-Wiccan Voodoo stuff. I know, not all of these things are bad because it all depends on the person’s views and opinions and how they use this supernatural knowledge. Hey we are two sixteen-year old high school students; cut us some slack for being dumb. I know who wouldn’t make this mistake though.

  Perfect Kat. It’s always Kat is great, Kat did wonderfully on this and that and Kat is everything. Sometimes I wish for her to just disappear.

  While on that thought I picked up a weird looking statue. It was an ebony wooden depiction of a man with his tongue sticking out and is covered with needles, nails and piercings.

  It pricked my finger and blood trickled out from my wound, so much blood for one tiny pierce. I dropped the statue on the floor and it broke in half. It was a lot later when it dawned on me how come a statue of pure ebony wood could break like that. Hearing the commotion and seeing my injury, Joan hurriedly mopped up the blood with a piece of tissue and cooed at my hurt finger.

  The elderly woman who owned the shop was not too forgiving though. She spit out these unintelligible language, what I only understand was the word “curse”.

  She ushered us into the inner part of the store. We had no choice but to follow or she might call on the police for breaking her property, it was kinda ancient so maybe it was expensive and maybe not for sale but just for display. I don’t want to go to jail!

  A trapdoor appeared directly on our path and she forcefully pushed us to go down. She lighted several candles and incense, took a branch of some tree I don’t know about and started whipping us with it while chanting.

  Of course we didn’t like it. No one had ever raised a hand to me before, it hurt. Joan and I protested for her to stop. We could’ve run, we should’ve run but it was as if an unknown force were stopping us. We couldn’t resist, we just stood there and took the abuse she dished out.