From that first night when he was twelve, and the three had come crawling through his window, Charlie Cross was marked. For years afterward, it was the same as if he had stepped back in time.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJBibHwOzP
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They looked exactly the same.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXbo7z5sWe
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They asked the same thing of him.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHReKzWSrI
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Always the same thing.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMgF3UZ7Te
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“We chose you. We want you to join us. We want you to kill with us, Charlie. So we can stay here. Won't you do it?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegQEeE82MS
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And he always refused, terrified of what would happen if he didn't. Would they ask him to kill his parents or friends?429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvw2lWi2oUt
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“They're important to you,” Liam told him. “But we need you. You're the fourth.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wlfFhZ0Iy
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Olivia slipped her arms around Liam, her chin on his shoulder. “We'll just keep coming, you know.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEr48BEcob
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They had kept that promise. When Charlie turned sixteen, he thought somehow he was safe, that he had reached the age where nothing could get him. He was wrong.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKmBhpJrVR
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He was sitting on the couch, remote in hand, after everyone had gone to sleep. He kept hearing footsteps upstairs, and assuming it was his parents, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ402URTfBEK
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But he had barely closed his eyes when a familiar voice called his name. He sat up, eyes wide. But he wasn't afraid. He knew they would come again, just like before. He was stupid to think they were still imaginary, even after all this time.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuxuHNHzG2
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That was when he saw her, standing by the TV. She twisted her long blonde hair around a finger. Her brown eyes fell on his startled face, and she smiled. “Hello, Charlie,” she said softly.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebKlUU852E
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“Olivia,” he said. “Hi.” He looked around. “Where are Liam and Carly?” He thought it was strange that she was here, alone, a week before Halloween.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtHeBwlzP0
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As she sat next to him, he caught a scent that made his stomach churn. Blood. He knew that smell all too well. He wanted to ask her about it, but thought better of it.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmwI6QJH3F
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“Don't kill him, Liv.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRtRf2CxyB
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Carly emerged from somewhere in the darkened room, making Charlie wonder if she had been there the whole time. He never got used to the sight of her slashed neck, or the smell of rotten flesh.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TjLOhPKxK
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“I was just talking,” Olivia said. “Nothing wrong with that.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tepqvW5Fd
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“You're trying to persuade him.” Liam put a hand on Olivia's shoulder, his nails digging in. “Aren't you, sweetheart?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIFgEfXpTS
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“Of course not,” Olivia said. “Charlie can make his own choices.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3V7ZndsxJf
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“It's not Halloween,” Charlie reminded them. “And I'm not going to help you, I'm sorry. I won't kill anyone.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltQJaON1jT
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Olivia's eyes darkened and she scowled. “Yes, you are.” She slid her nail along his arm, some blood trickling down his skin. “You refuse us again and you'll be sorry.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHTsSSedUQ
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“Olive!” Carly shouted. “No, we talked about this. We need him, so you cannot hurt him. He's the fourth.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHvtS1vAgl
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“The fourth what?” Charlie asked. “You said that before. I don't know what you mean.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaoRpG1Uxe
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“One more person makes us stronger,” Liam answered. “Each of us needs to feed on someone to continue to gain access to this world during Halloween night.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNaZSivLXl
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Charlie shook his head. “This is such a nightmare,” he whispered.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceebFmK9Qi
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“Only it's not,” Carly said, sitting on his other side. She glanced at the others. “We have to tell him.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU8hwMltbN
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They nodded.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRFoZS47Ju
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“Tell me what?” Charlie asked.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOuhKjEAhm
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Liam spoke, his voice apologetic. “This is your last year to refuse us. You won't get another chance next time.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXft3Phrsxx
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Charlie swallowed, his pulse racing. “What are you talking about?”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlT2EeiqxT6
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“We've lived so long because of others. Eventually, before their sixteenth year was up, they agreed to help us.” He cast a glance at Olivia. “Until she decided we didn't need them anymore.”429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7MR7Uap9t
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Now he understood.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XLRYHT66w
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Every year for as long as Charlie could remember, he'd heard the stories. Halloween had come and gone, and with it, another body. Everyone thought some troubled teen had decided to take off.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhl3e8ktZL
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But Charlie knew the truth now.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8D0yywZEs
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And he prayed he wouldn't be next. 429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxCUk94u8u
Penana
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