The Haunted_Edit Copy 4-9-17 final final 5 Upload

there around eight. Ethan, Richard, Chelsea, you all make sure you
thoroughly ground yourselves. I don’t know how tonight is going to
affect any of us, but you need to make sure you’re protected.”
Daisy ordered a few pizzas for us, and while we waited for
them to arrive, we moved into their living room to put on the TV
and pretend we weren’t terrified about what was going to happen in
a few hours. Susannah retreated to whatever room she’d stayed in
the night before, which I was grateful for. It would have been way
too hard to ground and focus while I was staring at her.
After we’d downed a few slices each, Craig came around to
each of us with a cross on a thick string. “If you don’t believe, then
this won’t have any power. But if you believe in the strength of the
Lord, it will keep the devil and his minions at bay.”
“Are you Christian, Craig?” asked Ethan.
“No, I’m not. But I’ve seen too much to kid myself into
believing there’s not something bigger than us working out there.”
Craig placed the wooden cross in his palm.
I closed my hand around the cross once he handed it to me.
I was sure what I believed in, but I definitely put some kind
of stock in the crosses and something bigger. I draped it around my
neck and tucked it inside my shirt. It made a weird bulge beneath
the green striped fabric, but I felt some comfort in feeling it resting
against my chest.
“I have these for you, too, Chels.” Gunner reached into his
pocket and produced two big chunks of black stone. “They’re
obsidian. They repel negative energy.”
“Where did you get these?” I asked. The stones were hot
when he dropped them into my palm.
“I bought them when Mom left. Don’t worry, I cleaned them.
They’re fine to use.”
This immense affection for my brother overtook me and I
pulled him in for a hug. “You’re the best little brother ever.”
“Stop. Don’t be weird.” He wriggled out of my grasp. “But
remember what I said, okay? You can do this.”
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