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𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 : 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎, 

𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋, & 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐓

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There was something strange with me discovering photographs with creepy warnings written on the back, it seemed like it was the go to for contacting me. First it was the picture in Clandestine with my name written across the back like whoever put it there knew I'd take it. And now it was this image with the red smeared letters, writing a dangerous 'trust no one.'

The image was bloody, there was no doubt about that.

Cage's white dress shirt was soaked through with blood and there was a large gash on the side of his head that was leaking too. The area in which he was killed was unrecognizable. The ground was concrete and it was taken from above, as if Archer Crow had stopped and said this would make a noteworthy picture, but other than that? Nothing out of the ordinary.

I had about an hour to get home, shower, and change and maybe grab something to eat before both Pandora and Ace arrived. I had to tell them about the cards, how all of a sudden my fate could be linked to just some flimsy pieces of thick paper.

The lovers, the hermit, the hanged man, death, the devil, the tower, and the moon.

Just seven cards, all with different twisted meanings that would somehow control me and my actions, influencing me. Cage had taken the time to warn me, to tell me to be careful just like the three ghost children at the creek, then they must be bad. Or at least something slightly terrible.

I started my car, shifting into drive and taking off slowly down the uneven ground. I cranked the heat on, fumbling with my hands for the buttons and knobs as I kept my eyes on the road. I was pleased to feel the rush of warmth hit my palm and then my face as I tried to ignore how my clothes were soaked through with muddy water.

It seemed like the ghostly world enjoyed dunking me in whatever they could find like a cookie in milk. I wiped my brows, flicking water from my face as I felt some drip down the sides of my face and neck.

As I pulled out onto the main road, I heard a buzzing from inside my bag. I fumbled with the opening, digging around inside and pulling my phone out. I caught a quick glance, frowning because my phone was silent and yet the ringing persisted.

I had almost forgotten about my mother's phone in the front pouch of my backpack and I fumbled again, leaning as far as I could because my eyes left the road completely. I barely caught a glimpse of the caller ID before clicking accept and snapping out a hesitant, "Uh, hello?"

The deep voice rattled out evenly as he said, "What? You didn't miss me?"

I didn't expect him to call me. I thought our one conversation was it, just to leave me guessing about who he could've been. Yet, here he was, this time the one calling me. "Don't flatter yourself," I mumbled as I used one hand to turn left, uneasily gripping the steering wheel. "Just surprised you wanted to talk to me, was our last call not good enough?"

"Actually, no," he mused and I wanted more than anything to see his face. Look into his eyes and know exactly who I was talking to. "I missed the sound of your voice."

A blush raced to my cheeks and I grew hot and I jerked my hand to turn off the heat, feeling a rush of cool air. "Yeah, right," I breathed, hoping he didn't know the sudden and strange effect he had on me. Don't let him fool you, Blaire. You don't know who this guy could really be. He probably talked your mom into killing herself, he's probably a killer. A Morticianer, for godsake. "Why are you really calling?"

"You don't believe me?"

"Not one bit."

He laughed, a deep rumble from his chest. "My people noticed you visited an extremely nosy psychic this afternoon."

"Your people?" I asked calmly over the pounding of my heart. How the hell did he know? Is this the danger those kids were trying to hide me from? Is this who gave me the new photograph? "Are you following me or something?"

"Not exactly," he murmured, like it wasn't a big deal. Like I didn't have strange people following me around through the woods. "I have to keep an eye out for my reg flags."

"Your red flags?" I laughed, stopping at a light. I rested my elbow against my armrest, rubbing my temple with my free hand. I had small goosebumps raised across my neck and arms, the creek and air had been cold today, colder than I expected. "So, you're afraid of me?" Maybe I had the upper hand now, he was worried. I made him nervous.

"Just worried about possible threats and you, darling, are at the top of my current list."

"Who are the others?"

"Why? Jealous you have some competitors?"

I shook my head and said, "No, only hoping they aren't threats to me either." I wondered who else this man had to worry about. All the other semi normal teenagers he had to watch out for. "Did your people like what they found me doing?"

There was the sound of a door slamming shut on his end and deep voices in the background. "Wrath should've kept her mouth shut."

The light changed and I continued down the road before turning into my neighborhood. "What could an old woman really do to you? I doubt you're as high and mighty as you seem."

He laughed again but when he spoke he sounded annoyed, "She knew more than she let on and somethings should've been kept to herself. We don't want you getting too close to the truth, our truths at least."

"Why? Afraid I'll think you're a monster like the others?"

"Others?"

"That group I'm assuming you're a part of," I said, rolling my eyes and wishing he could see me, how I wasn't bothered. At least, I looked like I was unbothered, although my heart was beating quickly against my ribs. "The Morticianers?"

"Oh, so you know."

"Yeah, I know all about them."

"Wrath really ran her mouth today," he cursed and the talking in the background grew louder before it was cut off all together and it was just me and him. It was funny, because he didn't know that I knew most of the information from Cage and from Ace, that I had ghosts who could tell me everything I needed and I had a friend who'd experienced first hand what the church was capable of. "Tell me, Blaire," he whispered after a moment of silence. "Should I be worried about what you know? About what you're going to do?"

You should be worried. You should be terrified.

"I don't even know who you are, so you tell me," I countered as I pulled into my driveway. I turned my car off and grabbed my bag and backpack, holding them stiffly in one hand to keep them from getting mud on them. I locked the car behind me as I made my way up the front steps as I said into the phone, "Listen, I kind of got a lot to do right now, so can you just call me later to complain?"

"What do you have to do besides shower all that dirt off you?"

I froze, hand on the doorframe, just moments before pushing it open. I found myself standing straighter, my eyes widening as I glanced behind me. Was he watching me now? Did he have men lurking behind the neighboring homes? Were there people waiting for me inside my very own? "Are you watching me right now?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper as fear held down my feet, too afraid to run.

"Why? Does that make you nervous?" he cooed and just like that, he had the upper hand again.

"Yes," I spoke truthfully, "it does. It terrifies me."

"Good."

When he hung up, it left my hand shaking. My breath was caught in my throat and I was suddenly terrified to go inside my own house, a place that should've been a safe place. I forced air out of mouth, a slow steady stream as I tried to calm myself before throwing the door open.

There wasn't anyone waiting for me in the living room or kitchen as I stalked inside, searching for my mysterious caller and any of his secretive people. When I found that the house was empty, I could finally relax.

Of course that meant I would only get a few glorious seconds to unwind before something else happened. The second I walked into my bedroom, a chill settling over me. It was close to me, like the door of a freezer opening. As I turned to see what I felt, my eyesight went gray.

Cage stood in my doorway, his eyes blank and his skin a chilling white, but his chest blossomed with its vibrant dark red abyss waiting to swallow me whole. This time, it didn't drip across my floor, as if he was reining it in. I fumbled with my bag, pulling out the photograph I had found taped inside my car and thrusted it into his face.

He took it from me, frowning. "I didn't know they took pictures of it all."

They took pictures of their masterpiece. Their prize, gutted and in ruins.

"Did Crow take this? Like a souvenir for killing you?" I asked as he stepped past me and towards my bed. Before I could tell him not to, he sat down and I prayed his blood wouldn't seep into my nice blankets.

"I'm assuming so," he mumbled and I had a hard time understanding him so I took a reluctant step forward. "Madam Wrath was pleased to see you this afternoon. At least she was, before you showed her that other photograph."

I dug around for it inside my bag, pulling out the slightly crumpled image. I held it out for him to take and he did so as I asked yet another question, "How come he's not old? Wrath said he's been around since the fifties, shouldn't he be like...ancient by now?"

"There are other beings that walk this earth, Blaire," he told me, looking up from studying the photographs. His eyes were dark and unreadable, his tone flat.

"Like what?"

"Demons."

My knees felt weak and I blinked away the exhaustion and the black spots that threatened my sight. "Demons? Like the ones in the bible?"

"Not entirely," he said, like it was no big deal at all. "There are connections obviously, but it's not all biblical, just imagine it as a ghost possessing a body."

"How do you know about this stuff?"

"It's part of our gifts," he explained, drawing his eyes back up from the photos to look at me again. "We're able to identify them, the flashes of black in their eyes–" He sighed, rolling his eyes. "–come on, you haven't noticed them yet?"

"No, I have," I rushed out, shaking my head. "I just didn't realize they could've been...well..."

"Demons inhabit a human host, like Crow and the rest of his group. Their hosts have long been dead, so they're not technically possessing anyone anymore."

It made sense. Detective Ronaldo was a demon, probably an inside man for the Morticianers like Ace had said. I didn't know what he meant at first but now it's all coming together, how they're all been tied to one another, intertwined by the inhabitants of their souls.

"It explains why Crow hasn't aged a day in years," I murmured. "Also explains why Wrath got so freaked out by the photograph of him." I watched Cage and how he sunk forward, resting his arms on his knees, head down and focused on the two photographs once more. "There's just one thing I don't understand." I moved to lean against my dresser. "How come Crow killed you? Weren't you two like, besties?"

"He did what had to be been done," he answered darkly before continuing, "There were countless arguments that led to that moment, we disagreed with how things should've been done. His organization especially. There were holes that I was there to fill but it wasn't enough. People were getting suspicious and when they started the killings...I tried to stop them."

"Then what? What made him turn on you?"

He sighed, reaching up to rub his forehead and I noticed how dangerously close he was to smearing the blood on his head. His injuries mirrored the ones seen in the photograph of him. Cracked open and ripe. "I wanted to go to the police, almost did it too but that damn cop–"

"Mike Ronaldo?" I guessed.

He nodded, snarling, "Had no idea they had an inside man there, and he told Crow and well, you know the rest."

You're not telling the truth. There's more hidden. There are always more secrets left to be played.

I frowned, crossing my arms. "Then how am I ever going to stop them? How do I turn them in if there's demons in the police department?"

"You don't, not that way at least."

We were both silent when he looked up. The blood on the side of his head dropped down slowly and I watched it disappear behind the collar of his shirt. His chest was red, the blood threatening to spread further and spill out onto my floor.

"Then how?"

He smiled and a sickly feeling crept over me. "You have to kill them."

My head was pounding and I felt the urge to just close my eyes and let myself fall back, to ignore this, to wake up like it never happened. Static was building up in my ears and I wanted more than anything to break loose and send him away.

I watched his mouth move and I shook my head as he repeated himself, "Did you hear me? You have to kill them, Blaire."

"Huh?"

"They can't be here anymore, you've got to kill them before they kill you."

I couldn't stop myself, a small laugh escaping me. "Like, what?" I laughed again, my stomach twisting and pulling.

"Things will become more clear after your mother's funeral."

"So I can finally open that weird box she left me?" I asked, sighting myself not to smile and laugh again.

He nodded. "Once you see the contents, you'll understand how you have to do it. You'll understand more and you'll realize it'll all come together in the end. The Morticianers have to die, it's the only way it'll all finally stop..." He trailed off, looking towards my nightstand where an old photograph of our family sat. How different everything was then, how naive and simple I was, if only someone had warned me I'd be standing in my empty home talking to my dead father. "...your mother would want this, it's all part of the plan."

Mentioning her sent a sharp jab to my ribs, almost making me want to bend over and cry and scream. Would she really want this? Would she have asked me to kill people for her? How the hell was I supposed to kill someone? The idea of deliberately hurting someone made it hard for me to see straight.

When he stood, I was glad to find not a simple drop of blood on any of my belongings. He held out my photographs and I took them before realizing something important. I flipped the photos over and he took them again, snatching them from my hands like he was embarrassed he had missed something so important like the notes on the back.

The warnings.

His eyes were searching the picture and his shoulders fell. He didn't expect it, I wasn't surprised. When he spoke, his image began to fade and the photos fell from his hands, "Trust no one, Blaire, not even the dead."

Color crawled back into my room when he finally left, leaving me with dark parting words. I crouched down to gather my photos, feeling unsteady when I stood. I placed the images on my bed and stripped off my clothes that clung to my body with cold.

I didn't know what Cage truly expected of me. It wasn't like I could go out and randomly kill a man when the very idea of doing so made me shiver. I didn't know the first thing about taking a life, hell, I didn't even know how to find the guys to begin with. And to top all of that off, those guys weren't even ordinary men. They were demons. Practically immortal, black eyed demons who seemed to resemble more traits with vampires than their own demon history.

I turned my shower on after I entered my bathroom, waiting for the water to warm up. I wondered why he was affected by the messages on the back of the photos, he wasn't as concerned as I was. Not by a long shot.

I stepped into the warmth that was pooling inside my small shower and I felt the cold run from me as the heat swallowed me whole. I turned my face up towards the water, letting it wash over me as I thought absentmindedly.

I had a group of murderers I supposedly needed to kill, I had an infatuatedly creepy unknown caller who had his own twisted ties to the group I needed to kill, and I had to go to my mother's funeral. Of course that wasn't even the half of it because I still had that stupid box in Cage's office I needed to open because it could tell me the truth better than him and anyone else could.

Instead of doing all of that though, I decided showering and getting in a quick power nap was way more important. I was a teenager after all, I didn't need to be thinking of murderers and demons.

At least not right now. That would all be a later problem.

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kinda a filled but kinda not hehe?

any ideas what could be in the box left for blaire?? or who her lil mysterious caller is??

vote/comment or wrath will expose u!!