From that first night when he was twelve, and the three had come crawling through his window, Charlie Cross was marked. For years afterward, it was the same as if he had stepped back in time.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPddTzKfVf
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They looked exactly the same.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSYsLeRsrP
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They asked the same thing of him.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XEeazoJ28
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Always the same thing.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUAAx4a1fg
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“We chose you. We want you to join us. We want you to kill with us, Charlie. So we can stay here. Won't you do it?”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTX6X3eqoc
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And he always refused, terrified of what would happen if he didn't. Would they ask him to kill his parents or friends?414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8bkhmKcbr
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“They're important to you,” Liam told him. “But we need you. You're the fourth.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp2hgTIsjB
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Olivia slipped her arms around Liam, her chin on his shoulder. “We'll just keep coming, you know.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntwplsbgH3
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They had kept that promise. When Charlie turned sixteen, he thought somehow he was safe, that he had reached the age where nothing could get him. He was wrong.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUvFw3TAlZ
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He was sitting on the couch, remote in hand, after everyone had gone to sleep. He kept hearing footsteps upstairs, and assuming it was his parents, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyjivmtvBL
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But he had barely closed his eyes when a familiar voice called his name. He sat up, eyes wide. But he wasn't afraid. He knew they would come again, just like before. He was stupid to think they were still imaginary, even after all this time.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnlXBgc2wA
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That was when he saw her, standing by the TV. She twisted her long blonde hair around a finger. Her brown eyes fell on his startled face, and she smiled. “Hello, Charlie,” she said softly.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxLeKXqaV7
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“Olivia,” he said. “Hi.” He looked around. “Where are Liam and Carly?” He thought it was strange that she was here, alone, a week before Halloween.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLd7RO8QoH
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As she sat next to him, he caught a scent that made his stomach churn. Blood. He knew that smell all too well. He wanted to ask her about it, but thought better of it.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItTQ2fcSzw
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“Don't kill him, Liv.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdMQRESHkL
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Carly emerged from somewhere in the darkened room, making Charlie wonder if she had been there the whole time. He never got used to the sight of her slashed neck, or the smell of rotten flesh.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdcahTNqhB
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“I was just talking,” Olivia said. “Nothing wrong with that.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxwnkJB1KJ
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“You're trying to persuade him.” Liam put a hand on Olivia's shoulder, his nails digging in. “Aren't you, sweetheart?”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkOjXfJdBb
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“Of course not,” Olivia said. “Charlie can make his own choices.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbyQcSch24
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“It's not Halloween,” Charlie reminded them. “And I'm not going to help you, I'm sorry. I won't kill anyone.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAn9jwTd4si
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Olivia's eyes darkened and she scowled. “Yes, you are.” She slid her nail along his arm, some blood trickling down his skin. “You refuse us again and you'll be sorry.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7XCfrQBKi
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“Olive!” Carly shouted. “No, we talked about this. We need him, so you cannot hurt him. He's the fourth.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzWF3V13Vv
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“The fourth what?” Charlie asked. “You said that before. I don't know what you mean.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyh0ip1MrDt
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“One more person makes us stronger,” Liam answered. “Each of us needs to feed on someone to continue to gain access to this world during Halloween night.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YlP1xnag7
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Charlie shook his head. “This is such a nightmare,” he whispered.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hiVAGWw4y
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“Only it's not,” Carly said, sitting on his other side. She glanced at the others. “We have to tell him.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINKAeDyFPT
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They nodded.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5uUMeIrS0
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“Tell me what?” Charlie asked.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KNTocyBli
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Liam spoke, his voice apologetic. “This is your last year to refuse us. You won't get another chance next time.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3c2rixHix
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Charlie swallowed, his pulse racing. “What are you talking about?”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjudea0p5MR
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“We've lived so long because of others. Eventually, before their sixteenth year was up, they agreed to help us.” He cast a glance at Olivia. “Until she decided we didn't need them anymore.”414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmm4xyML1sA
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Now he understood.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZdqDW9ERc
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Every year for as long as Charlie could remember, he'd heard the stories. Halloween had come and gone, and with it, another body. Everyone thought some troubled teen had decided to take off.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZ8DMbSstU
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But Charlie knew the truth now.414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaWqJPly1d
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And he prayed he wouldn't be next. 414Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6tsdbjuXO
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