~~~~~~~~~Iv's POV~~~~~~~~~

It had been around two weeks since Ashley came to stay. She was right about the illusion spell, Aiden didn't recognize her as our cousin, which I was honestly thankful for.

To my surprise though, everyone seemed to like her...

She'd always watch cartoons with Alyse, and music with Aiden, and books with Sage, and even video games with Noah.

Especially with Noah.

It honestly made me kinda angry that everyone liked her. But then again, they didn't know her. The real her. Only Aiden and I do, and Aiden doesn't know it's her right now.

Was she just trying to get everyone's trust? Did she have something big in store for all of us?

I was down in the kitchen, taking an apple from the fridge as all of these thoughts passed through my head. I let out a sigh, I shouldn't have let her stay. It's dangerous for all of us.

"Ivangelys?"

I tensed up as a voice called my name. I turned to see Ashley walking over with a small smile, and I felt that familiar anger that always boiled at her sight.

"What do you want?" I asked, not trying to hide her the salt in my tone. No one was around, they wouldn't see this.

However, she only smiled. It wasn't a smirk, nor was it purposely innocent.

It was genuine. I hadn't seen her smile like that since we were kids. It was honestly kinda scary..

"I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay, I know we've never seen things eye to eye, and I know you don't trust me. It still surprises me you let me stay."

"It's not like you gave me much of a choice."

"Still, you could've told your brother who I was, and he would've easily kicked me out without even listening to me."

I thought for a moment, that was true in a way, if there was anyone who disliked Ashley more than me, it was Aiden, simply because he knows the effects of what she wanted to do.

"So I really thank you for letting me stay.." She wrapped me in a hug, catching me off guard. I got ready for anything, in case she wanted to stab me or choke me or attack in any way.

But she didn't.

She only hugged me. An actual hug. "I know I've been the most horrible cousin in the history of ever, but... I do hope you can eventually forgive me..."

I stayed silent, not knowing whether to believe her or not. She soon pulled away, the smile not leaving her face before walking to the guest room.

Was I wrong to hold a grudge for so long...?

I let out a sigh, going up to my room and letting myself fall on my bed. Staring up at the ceiling, my thoughts were more scrambled than before.

I groaned in frustration. "Fuck this, fuck it all, why did any of this have to happen?!?"

I buried my face in my pillows, not wanting to leave my room for the next thousand years. It wasn't long until I feel asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...

"Iv...!"

"Hey, Iv...!"

"Wake up...!"

I let out a yawn, my eyes opening to see two dark blue eyes staring down at me. "Ash...? What's going on...?"

"C'mon, it's time...! We can't be late...!" She said, excitement obvious in her tone.

I immediately knew what she meant, standing up and wrapping my hair in pigtails. She then grabbed my wrist, dragging me out of the room. "Let's go, before your brother realizes we're gone...!"

Ashley, my cousin, had been planning this for months. She thought I'd be a good partner, so she asked me to partake in her plan. I didn't really understand it all that well, but what I did know is that it would give me a lot of power.

We soon made it to an old factory. A few people still worked here, so we did have to be cautious. Ashley led the way, and I followed shortly behind as we walked through several halls.

The more we walked, the more confused I grew, and we eventually entered one of the rooms. Tons of potions and jars with strange substances were scattered all over the room. The smell of everything was terrible, and I grew nauseous almost immediately.

"This place doesn't seem safe, Ash..." I stated, feeling uncomfortable just in the atmosphere of the room. "Maybe we should head back..."

She didn't listen. She was already examining all the potions that were on the table, along with a few buttons on a keyboard.

As I looked around, my eyes landing on a strange sign, growing a bit pale. These containers, they were filled with radioactive chemicals, no wonder they smelled so horrible!

"Ashley, we really need to go...!" Being in the same room with these can already be harmful enough!

That's when I realized she had already mixed a bunch of the potions, holding a vial with dark blue liquid. "This is it, Iv, we're almost done!"

"Alright, woohoo, celebration, now let's get out of here!"

"Wait, there's still one more thing we have to do." She walked over to the containers. My eyes widened as she opened one of them, lime green liquid inside, boiling.

"What are you doing?!?"

"Pouring the mixture into the waste."

I grabbed her wrist and pulled her away as she was about to pour it in. "Are you insane?!? I'm not a scientist, but I'm pretty sure mixing anything with radioactive liquids is not good!!!"

"This is what we've been waiting for! The power we've been searching for all this time! Don't you want this?! With this kind of power, you'll finally be able to get your revenge on Riverton!"

I tensed up at the name, memories from two years ago coming back to me. But I quickly pushed them away. "I want him to pay for taking my parents away from us, but not with this! These are dangerous chemicals, and they're blocked for a reason!"

"Fine, have it your way, but I'm getting the power that I deserve!!!" She tried to pull her arm away, but I wouldn't let go.

I continued to keep her away from the containers, but unfortunately, the vial fell out of her hands, some of the liquid spilled into it, turning what used to be green into a black tar, starting to ooze out of its container.

I stared as I felt my blood run cold, backing away from it. Ashley wouldn't move, she just stayed still as a smirk spread across her face. The black substance started spreading across the corner of the room, melting anything in its way.

No, this is wrong.

She was wrong about this.

I quickly looked around for something, anything that could help. I eventually saw a fire alarm, it was a risky move, but I needed to stop this, whatever she had planned.

I ran over, taking one of the tools that were on the table, breaking the glass that sealed the button before pressing it.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!?" I quickly saw Ashley glaring daggers at me. However, as the black tar passed by her legs, her eyes slowly turned completely black.

My eyes grew wide as it continued to devour everything in its way, running out of the room. I could hear the guards behind, making me look back as I ran.

They tried to corner Ashley, but to my surprise, she really did seem more powerful...

As I turned the corner, I covered my ears as screams of pain came from the room. I didn't know where I was going, nor how to get out, but I just entered another room, locking myself inside.

Taking deep breaths to calm myself down, I looked around at the room I was in. Containers with lava trapped inside filled on side of the wall. Great, out of all things!!!

I then noticed the now familiar black tar oozing from between the doors, slowly melting them as I swallowed a gulp.

Ashley stood in the middle of the puddle, glaring daggers at me. "You were going to betray me...?!?"

Her voice had grown deeper, sending chills down my spine as I backed away against the wall. However, my heart began racing in fear more than ever when I didn't feel my feet touching the ground.

She had her arm raised as it glowed a deep indigo blue. Her other hand pointed at the lava containers, and she began to laugh as I tried to struggle from her grip.

"This'll teach you not to turn on me again!!!" Before I could react, she swung her arm to the side, throwing me over to the lava filled wall.

This was it.

This was the end of me.

If I didn't die from the impact, I'd be boiled alive.

...

It all happened so fast...

The impact was quicker that I expected, and man, did it hurt like hell...

But after a few seconds, I felt...

Powerful...

More than I had ever before...

I opened my eyes to see the ground underneath me covered in lava, making me grow even more afraid than I already was.

But I was unharmed.

Or at least, I felt that way.

My legs, my arm, my entire left side, all the parts that were touched by the lava...

Black, pitch black, my veins glowing yellow and orange...

I was terrified...

"No!!!" I looked over to see Ashley glaring at me in anger, raising her hand again.

But there was no glow. Instead, the tar was frozen, keeping her in place. I weakly stood up, holding my arm close to my chest as I stared at the person who attempted to kill me.

I could hear footsteps outside as she stared at me expectingly. Does she really think I'd help her after this?!?

"Iv, I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me, please, help me out of here!"

I stayed quiet for a few seconds before glaring at her. "Sorry, but after this, I think you need the extra attention from the police..." I ran out through the melted wall, soon making it outside as my body stung from the heat.

I let myself fall to my knees as I grew weak, my left arm and legs now burning as tears formed in my eyes.

This hurts, it hurts so much...

Why'd this happen...?!?

My own cousin just tried to kill me!!!

I hate this!!!

I HATE HER!!!!

"I HATE HER!!!!!"

I shot awake as I screamed, my eyes wide as I stared at the wall to the other side of me.

I was back in my room. Back on my bed. Back to my normal self.

My breaths were shaky as I tried to steady myself, my skin covered in sweat from the memories of that night.

Fuck that goddamn night, I wish I could just forget all of it!!!

I looked at my left arm, that feeling, I had only ever felt it once in my life...

Being honest, I hope I never get it again...

I jumped as I heard someone knock on my door. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "Come in..."

Thanks for reading!!! 'Till next time!!!

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