I'm absorbed in our own universe as I reflect on everything we have gone through. I'm jolted out of the daze Clay appears to have me in with a knock on the car window.

I get out of the car as Brie and Logan are impatiently waiting outside and take a deep breath. A shudder travels up my spine when the cool breeze hits the back of my neck.

After a while, Brie and I take a step back and observe the boys complaining about having to do all the labour-intensive work while they load the moving truck. What use is super strength if you're not going to use it? I snicker at the thought.

It feels strange to be back in my hometown; it's almost as if I've never actually called this place home. I'm delighted to conclude that chapter and begin a new one even though being here makes me think about earlier recollections from the past.

Before moving on to gather more boxes as the boys pass, Clay leans down and gives me a quick kiss. At the same time, Brie excuses herself and enters the house.

After some while, I find myself in front of an old, abandoned house that seems to have appeared out of nowhere.

My own family's residence.

I'm not sure what drew me here, but something did. I never strolled past this neighbourhood when I was a child. But today I'm standing in front of the lone location where the darkness formerly dwelt.

I inhale deeply as I step inside and see that the space is covered in dust, broken glass, and cobwebs. I move my palm over the dusty table as I head toward the kitchen.

-Come on, Raven, you need to finish eating so we can get you to school," My father smiled at me.

"But I don't want to go to school, I want to stay home with you, plus I'm not hungry," I cried.

"How about this," He kneeled in front of me, "You finish eating and I'll drop you off in the GT,"

A grin crossed my face. That car was my dad's prized possession and I would do anything to ride in it.-

I stand there and look at the counter where my mother used to stand with a face full of hatred.

-"Vince," She would snap, "You can not keep bribing her to do anything. If she doesn't want to eat, so be it, let her starve." She spewed with venom.

"Julie!" My dad barked. "What has gotten into you. Lately you have been nothing but ungrateful and cold towards our daughter." My dad looked at me, I knew that look. I scooted off my chair and ran towards the stairs. I blocked out everything from that day but I can clearly hear my father say, "If this keeps up I'm taking her and the boys and we will leave for good,"-

Boys?

What boys? I don't remember anyone else that was around except for Brie. I shake my head and believe I'm just making things up in my head.

Memories rush my thoughts as I look around. I sense someone watching me, and goosebumps cover my body. My attention is drawn to a creak in the old wooden floors. Through the front entrance and out the back, a shadow moves. I chase it down, looking for whoever it was that was spying on me.

I look around the backyard, but no one is there. Maybe I'm being duped by my own thinking. I enter again and move carefully through the rooms. I stop at the bottom of the stairs after moving through the living room. I carefully ascend, but I can feel my chest tightening. I detect a dark, dismal atmosphere all around me. Despite my regret, I still came here even if I shouldn't have. I walk toward the room where I spent my formative years while I look at the still-attached pictures. One has my attention. I tremble in response to the piercing coldness in my mother's eyes.

As I open the door, it creaks. I look around the room, which was pink before but is now grey. My eyes land in the corner, which is where I was seeking to hide from the darkness. The room became cold as the wind blew through the broken window.

-"NO!" As the darkness attempted to engulf me, I screamed. As the lightning flashed and the house rocked from the thunder, the air felt oppressive.

My father could be heard yelling amid the chaos, "Stay away from her."

"It is her fate," As night fell, the shadows roared. -

"Raven?" Instinctively, a fire ball appears on the palm of my hand as I jump at the sound of my name.

In a calm voice, Clay warns, "Woah, careful. I'm sorry, I did not intend to frighten you."

"How did you find me?" Nobody was aware of my arrival here.

"I noticed that you had left, and I don't know what it was, but I had a sense that brought me here."

I turn around and shift my weight toward the corner. Clay encircles me in his arms and inquires,

"Is this where it all happened?"

I nod as I lay against his chest. I can still hear myself laughing as my father searched the house during one of our weekly hide-and-seek games if I close my eyes.

As we exit the old run-down structure and stand on the sidewalk, I take one more look at the house that started all of my problems. Upon observing me, Clay comments,

He grins, "Maybe someday we can buy it and fix it up."

I give him a smile and then turn to face the house, saying, "That's sweet, but this place deserves to burn."

"Raven?" Clay seems concerned as he questions me.

"Ignis,"

I mutter and then move on. Clay approaches me from behind.

"Whoa, what the fuck was that?"

"Memories like that one must be destroyed. The darkness and my dreams will burn along with it if it burns to the ground," I yell. "I'm erasing my past, and that terrible past is in that house."

My face is softly cupped as he kisses me.

"Fresh start," He says, grinning. I give him a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

We return to Aunt Lia's and notice the three of them standing there waiting for us.

"Where have you been?" Before I can respond to Brie's question, Clay's look makes it clear.

"You did not?" She examines me, "Ray, you didn't, did you?"

"What didn't she do?" Logan interrogates us.

"Ray used to say that if she ever managed to return to her family's house, she would set it on fire. You did, didn't you?" she asks as she turns to face me.

I steer clear of her query and say,

"So, what's the game plan?" Changing the topic

Brie scoffs while resting her head on Aunt Lia's shoulder. When she sees me, Aunt Lia shakes her head. Logan speaks up.

I turn to face Lia, who is beaming broadly, as Logan says, "Lia wants to drive the truck."

"You two are in Clay's car, Brie is driving Lia's, and I'm in mine." He finalises.

"I'm driving," He hands his keys to me without any hesitation.

Logan enters his Audi as Brie boards Aunt Lia's corvette. I grin to myself as I start the engine. Once we're on the interstate, Brie and Logan start to drive up next to us, and I can't help but giggle as they do.

"Ray, don't you realise what Logan is doing?"

"Yup,"

I smile and turn to face Logan before mouthing "Bye" and driving away. A three-way call with Brie, Logan, and Clay is initiated when Clay's phone rings.'"

"How did you manage to do that, anyway?" I observe Logan straining to catch up in the rearview as he giggles.

As Brie comes up behind me, she begins to chuckle.

"Ray constantly ran into issues as a teen because of street racing. She can outdrive you no matter what you do, Logan." She stops for a moment and I can tell she is concentrating on the road, " I'm sneaking up on you, Raven," She laughs.

I glance at Clay, who has a smile on his handsome face, as I watch them both pull up behind me on opposite sides.

"Do it," He urges. I have the man's trust when it comes to his car. I, therefore, follow instructions when the appropriate moment arises.

Brie teases, "Ray, I think you lost your touch," And Logan chuckles.

Logan says, "I could see Clay outdriving us, but I can't see that with you Raven."

"Well, of all the people, you know I'm a little crazy. I'll see you in Cladwell."

And with that, I'm gone.

As soon as I get to Cladwell, I head toward the apartment. I park in front of the building and step outside. As I circle the car, I hand Clay his keys.