I flipped through the journal. Several library books containing codes and hieroglyphs spread around me. A pile of paper covered with scribbles.

I lay on his bed, with his hat on my head. I found it helped me think.

For the past four weeks I had been trying to find out what the encrypted words in this journal meant. But it seemed to change every time I discovered the rules. All I had managed to decipher were the words on the first sentence of the first page: Journal 1.

The next sentence below it was still a mystery.

I sighed and closed the book shut with a clap of paper on paper. I wasn't good at this stuff. That was the problem. He had been the one who knew about all this stuff. Not me. Ugh!

I felt a well of sadness grow inside me at the thought of him and hastily opened the journal again. I had gotten into the habit of doing this every time my thoughts veered towards him. It was a good way to distract myself, at least.

He had been on my mind a lot lately. It was usual for me to think about him a few times a day, but the hurt was supposed to get lesser after time right? Like they said. Time heals all wounds.

Maybe it was that Alcor guy. It was probably because of him.

As usual, every time I thought about him my head began to hurt. I kneaded my forehead irritatedly. I knew I hated him. I had to, after everything my Grunkles had told me he'd done. Well, Grunkle Ford had told me. Stan always seemed to have to leave whenever the subject was brought up.

Grunkle Ford had told me that Alcor had impersonated my brother and had actually gotten me to believe that he was alive again, only to trick our whole family and stab us in the back. Finding all of the nine people remaining of the Cipher wheel, including Myself and Grunkle Stan and Ford, and had kept us locked up, torturing us all. The long white scars on my arms proved it. They had healed over and looked years old at least. Grunkle Ford told me he would cut me, and then heal me, only to cut me again.

And now he was out there, somewhere. While I was stuck in here. Grunkle Ford didn't want me leaving the house in case Alcor found me again, so I had to sneak out during midday when the store was open and Ford couldn't leave the Lab through the vending machine door.

I closed the Journal again. Sighing. I needed Mabel Juice. Now.

I stood up and whistled to Waddles, who was lying on his back on my bed. He squealed and turned over and trotted over to me. I pet his head and opened the door.

Stan was working and Ford was down in the basement. I moseyed into the kitchen and pulled out a jug of Mabel juice and a slice of leftover pizza.

I bit down onto a cold but tasty slice as I moved my lunch into the TV room and switched the TV on. It was one of those paranormal movies. What was it called again... Ghost Harassers!

I was about to change the channel but paused, biting my lip. He used to love this.

I kept it on, watching while I ate. I remembered this movie. He had dragged me and Mom there when it had opened in the Cinemas. But he got so excited we were there too early and had to wait twenty minutes before the movie started. During that time I had eaten all of my popcorn and moaned throughout the whole movie. He was so mad after that!

Yeah... We had had fun. So many memories. Who would have... Who would have ever thought that they could have ended?

I shook my head. No. I needed to focus on the Journal. On beating Alcor.

Because...

Wait for it...

Guess what...

I had a plan!

I had done a ton of research in the library on demons and their weaknesses, as well as sneaking into the lab to find information on Bill. Grunkle Ford had told me that Alcor was Bill's son. So it made sense that he had the same weaknesses as Bill. I had a plan. If Bill was dead, then maybe I could summon him and Alcor would appear. All I had to do was steal a picture of the Cipher Wheel to draw out in the woods, and some of Ford's new Demon Killers.

Whatever had happened between Ford and Alcor that I didn't remember, it must have spooked Ford real bad. For the past four weeks he and spent most of his time in his lab, building inter-dimensional laser weapons from the old dismembered portal that he called Demon Killers.

They weren't very accurately named. Ford admitted that they couldn't necessarily kill a Demon. Just painfully knock one out. Because of that technicality he had also developed little cubes the size of dice, that would expand to the size of a tiger cage and would hold any demon inside of it.

So all I needed was a Diagram of the Cipher Wheel, a Demon Killer and a Prison Cube, and then I'd be all set to get my revenge.

Woop woop!! The second Book is OUT! (Sets off party streamers)

OK first off I am just going to say Oh. My. God. The support for my first book has been absolutely insane. Its only been out for a while but it has already reached far beyond what I had expected! Thank you so so so much for all of your support!

Muse: And huge apologies for this coming out late too. It really wasn't on purpose. It just that every electronic device in the house decided to rebel the day before. Waddya gonna do?

Me:Agreed! So! Let's roll out to the next chapter people!!!