After having a shower, I make a plan to go down into the main room and watch some mind-numbing television. Tying my hair into a scruffy bun, I step down the stairs and into the main room. Jay is sitting on the sofa, fiddling nervously with imaginary fluff on his jeans. He looks up as I enter and a cheesy grin spreads across his face, "Hey. I came around in the morning but no one was home."

"Oh. Did you come home after you went out with your friends?" I ask him as I pop a mint into my mouth.

Jay looks at me, puzzled, "I didn't go out with my friends this morning. I was at home."

"No, you weren't." I counter, "I went swimming with Shaun and I asked him if you could come and he said he knocked on your door but you were out with your friends."

"He lied." Jay states.

"Why would he lie, Jay?" I ask, my stomach rolling in bewilderment. I recall how angry he got when he found out I had been hanging out with Jay. You leave my company to be in Jay's company... You work fast, Flint... I really liked you, Nikki... I just wasted my time.... My company... Jay's company... Flint... Nikki... Flint... Nikki.... Liked you...

I banish all thoughts from my mind and repeat, "Why would he lie?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Jay looks at me like I'm stupid, "He likes you. As in, like likes you."

"No, he doesn't." I wave a dismissive hand at him, "That's rubbish, Jay. He doesn't think about me that way."

"Do you know that for certain?" He raises a skeptic eyebrow at me. I open my mouth to retort but nothing comes out. The truth is, I don't know for certain that he doesn't like me in that way. I'm not even sure how I feel about him.

"Look, whatever. But that doesn't answer my question. Why did he lie?"

"Because he's jealous that you hang around with me. He thinks he might have competition." Jay states. I roll my eyes passively, running a hand through my hair. If it is true... No! I don't need to think of all that right now.

"You guys and your egos." I unhook my jacket from the hanger, "I'm going to find Shan and I'm going to ask him why he lied. And I'm going to get a straight answer and then we'll see just how wrong you are about all this. I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation, like a misunderstanding or something."

"Wait, I'm coming with you. I know where he's going to be."

"Yeah, the art shop, duh!!"

I stride into the art shop with Jay hot on my heels. Shaun is leaning on the counter, conversing with Mrs Rolleston-Jones. "Hello, Nikki, dear." She smiles awkwardly at me.

"Hi, Mrs Jones. Shaun, can I talk to you outside?" I say. Shaun nods and then leaves the shop with Jay and I trailing after him.

"Why did you lie to her?" Jay questions calmly.

"That's none of your business.If she wants to know, she'll ask me herself."

"Fine, I will." I say, "Why did you do it? Why did you lie to me about something so small? All I wanted was for him to come with us."

"I just wanted to spend some time with you as a friend without him invading our space. Is that so wrong?"

"No, but you didn't have to lie to achieve that." I look up at him, "Shaun, what was the need? You could have just told me, it's not like I would have forced to go to his house and ask him to come."

"Well... Look, I did what I thought was right. If you think I was wrong, then I apologise to you. But not to him." Shaun lopes away, leaving me even more confused than I was in the first place. I sigh and turn to look at Jay.

"Now what?"

Jay shrugs.

The Next Day

LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN!!

I look at the blood-red message and shake my head, my knees shaking, tears pricking at my eyes. I sit on the bed and put my head in my hands. Why does he insist on doing this to me? Hasn't he tortured me enough? Steeling myself, I push my hair back and go into the bathroom, filling a bucket with warm water and pouring good dose of fairy liquid into it. Dipping my hand into the water, i mix it all in until the water is frothy and bubbly. I grab a sponge and a hair dryer and go back into my room. I put the bucket on the floor and dip the sponge in, soaking it. I put a large cloth on the floor as not to soak the carpet and begin scrubbing the tainted wall.

I'm at it for two hours, scrubbing like I'm a cleaner at the Roosevelt Hotel or something. When I'm done, I drop the sponge in the blood-red water and haul it back to the bathroom. After spilling the water down the drain, I sit on the edge of the bath and jam the plug in, turning on the tap, filling the tub for a good old soak.

I watch the water rise as I skim my hand across it. Then, remembering to get a change of clothes, I dash into my bedroom, getting my tank top and shorts out and then returning into the bathroom. I freeze, dropping my clothes to the floor. Someone's in the tub. Breathing irrationally, I step forward hesitantly, keeping the door open, ready to make a run for it if necessary. I finally get to the tub and look down. The tub water is brown. Heart racing, I pull the plug and begin refilling the water. I turn to the sink and splash my face with some water and then look up into the mirror, seeing a hazy figure right behind me.

I whirl around to see... no one.

Clutching my chest, I slide down to the ground. I'm being so paranoid. These last few encounters with Trevor have maybe sent me off my rocker. I'm officially mad. No, a voice inside my head tells me, You're being terrorised by your cousin's ghost, for heaven's sake. You're entitled to a little paranoia. After all, it's not like he's harmless and hasn't done anything to you before.

I nod and stand up, looking over at the tub. I close the tap and undress, easing myself in. After a few minutes of terror, I relax and close my eyes, soaking in the good water. When the water finally turns cold, I pull the plug out and let the water drain. Once the tub's empty, I get dressed and then tie my damp hair into a ponytail at the base of my neck. I walk into the hallway and as I'm passing the attic door, I hear someone calling me from within. Learning from my mistakes, I don't go in but instead I press my ear to the door. The voice isn't any clearer.

Against all of my screaming instincts, I open the door and creep up the stairs, pausing before I turn the knob and the door swings open. Trevor is sitting on the bare bed, his back to me, muttering to himself. I turn to leave but suddenly Trevor is standing in front of the closed door. "I know where you were all day." He says, his teeth clenched.

"What?" I frown.

"You were with Shaun Simpson in the swimming pool. Do you like him?" Trevor leers at me, his eyes darkening.

"Trevor, no! Let me go." I say, attempting to pass by him. He blocks my way.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson for not leaving while you were out." He says and then whirls right through me. I collapse to the ground, clutching myself as a burning feeling rips my muscles apart. I gasp for breath, hot tears rolling down my cheeks as a huge weight pushes me into a lying position. My back arches as the pounding pain raises the stakes, nails pushing themselves into my bone marrow, hammers smashing against my heart, clubs banging against my head, needles piercing the soles of my feet and swords cutting into the palms of my hands, curving patterns of blood into the soft skin. Shaking, I take a gasping breath and cringe even as the smallest movements cause me pain.

I flail, my hands groping for something to squeeze, for something to hold on to so the pain subsides. For a moment the pain takes a backseat as I have the feeling of being airborne. I hear a dull thud and the pain floods back in, making me scream and arch my back in agony. I hear distant voices calling to me and Trevor's malice-filled face sneers down at me, spitting and scratching at me. I scream louder, calling for death to take me. I hear a piercing wail and a woman's frantic cries. I see red and blue and green. I see black dots in my vision. A distant vibrating makes me jolt and the pain rears up, punching me in the gut and pulling back my hair to expose my neck, allowing the vampire to drink and fuel itself.

Something closes my fists so hard, I draw the few drops of blood I have left out. I yell for it to stop, to stop the pain. A restraining object is placed over my mouth, forcing oxygen into my lungs. But it only makes the pain worse. I scrabble for the object, but my hands are bound by a huge weight. I try to move my legs, but the same weight pins them down. Sledgehammers bounce off my stomach like it's a trampoline and I struggle to take a breath. I yell to make it stop, take the pain away. I feel snakes' teeth plunge into my wrist and cry out in fiery pain, trying to yank my wrist away, only to raise the pain to a higher level. I screech out loud, calling to mom, to dad, to anyone who can take it away.

You'll think twice before disobeying me again!

Trevor's voice pierces through the darkness like sharp daggers, making me gasp for a retching breath. I see a dark tunnel and stumble toward it, toward anything to grant me salvation from this terrible prison...