Chapter18IDreamtthatChloeWasDead Thefollowingmorning,theSandersarrivedtotakeAnnahomefromthehospital.
Inoticedmyparentslookedexhausted,likelyfromalackofsleep,probablyduetotheirconcernforAnnashealth.
Mom,Dad,didntyougetenoughrest ? Mymommassagedhertemples,Thattroublesomegirl,Chloe,hasbeenstirringuptoomuchchaoslately,andnowImhavingnightmaresbecauseofher.
Youdreamtabout Chloetoo?mydadasked,lookingatmymomindisbelief.
EvenLuke,whowasgettingreadytoleaveforwork,paused.
Yeah,rememberhowthatgirlfakedherdeathbefore?Idreamtsheactuallydiedthistime.
Itsnotunusualforonepersontohavethiskindofdream,butitsabitodd whenmultiplepeopleexperiencethesamedreamatthesametime.
Suddenly,Annaspokeup,CoulditbethatChloe… Lukequickly cutheroff,Thatsimpossible!Chloecantbedead! Annaquicklyremarked,Luke,youremistaken.IwasactuallythinkingaboutwhyChloechoseCloudville,aplaceknownforitscultactivity,insteadofsomewhereelse.Iveheardthatsomecultistsontheborderusedarkritualstoharmothers.Lately,noneofyouhavebeenatpeace,andIalmostdiedyesterday.CoulditbethatChloe… Mymomslammedherhandonthetable,NowonderIcantsleepatnight.Didthatgirlcurseuswithsomeevilspell? Mydadquicklytriedtocalmmymo
mdown.Hewaseasilyswayedandusuallylethermakeallthedecisionsathome.Itwasuncommonforhimtospeakupforme,Intheend,werefamily.Whywouldwewanttoharmher?Plus,allofthatisjustoutdatedsuperstition,nothingtotakeseriously.
AfewpeoplehelpedAnnaoutofthehospital.Astheywereleaving,IcouldstillhearAnnasvoice,lightlyteasing,Mom,Iwasjustjoking.Dontthinktoomuchofit.
Mymomresponded,Whenthatgirlcomesback,Illhaveaserioustalkwithher.
ItrailedbehindLuke,noticingtheconcernetchedonhisface.Heappearedunfocusedthroughouttheday.
Thingsdidntgetbetter.Infact,theyworsened.Everynight,hewouldwakeupfromnightmares,soakedinsweat.
Myphoneremainedoutofservice.HetriedtobookaflighttoCloudville,buteithertheflightswere canceleddueto badweatheroralltheticketsweresoldout.
Asmygrandmasbirthdayapproached,heeventuallyabandonedtheideaaltogether.
JustliketheSanders,hewasconvincedIwouldreturnformygrandmas birthday.
Butunfortunately,Iwasntabletomakeitback.
12:05PM Chapter19HumanskinBible Chapter19Humanskin Bible 0 +5Free Coins Grandmasconditionwas gettingworse,sotheSanderswasgettingreadyforabirthdaycelebrationtowishherwell.
LuketookAnnatoanauctionwiththeplanofpurchasinganantiquewithapositivemeaningforGrandma.
AnnaleanedclosetoLukeandmurmured,IheardOrnatePavilionhassomegreatitems.
Lukehadbeenstrugglingwithsleeplately,hisfaceshowingsignsofexhaustionandhiseyesappearingdull.
Heresponded,Yeah,Illgetyouwhateveryouwant.
Yourethebest,Luke.
WhileAnnaspoke,sheattemptedtocuddleclosertohim.Hereachedout,grippingherarm,hiseyesfilled withcaution.
Whyworry?Itscompletelydarkhere,noonecanseeus,Annamurmuredsoftly.
Lukefirmlyreplied,Thatsenough.
Luke…Annapressedagainsthisarmwithimpatience.

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Theauctionisabouttobegin.Lookaroundandseeifanythingcatchesyoureye,Lukesaid,tryingtochangethesubject.
Fromadistance,Inoticedsomeonesnappingaphotoofthetwobeingintimate.
Whocoulditbe? Thisisntthefirsttime.Iveobservedoverthepastfewdaysthatsomeone hasbeentailingLuke.
Wheneverheswith Anna,thispersontakesphotos.Annadidntrealizethatshehadbeencapturedinhundredsofphotos.
Whocoulditbe?IsthissomeonetryingtodestroyLukesfamily? Whoeveritis,iftheycanrevealthesecretbetweenLukeandAnnaonmybehalf,theyaremyally! OrnatePavilionisanundergroundauction venuewhereyoucandiscoverallsortsofrareandunusualitems,whethervisibleorhidden.
Ivebeenherebefore,butforsomereason,todayIfeltastrangesenseof unease.
Itdidnttakelongtounderstandwhy.
Thefirstitemontheauctionsbigscreenwasaheavyweight treasurebeadedbracelet,aSacredNineeyedbracelet.
ThemaskedauctioneeronthesideexplainedthatthisbeadedbraceletfeaturestwoNineeyedbeadsfromtheancientkingdom,whichwereconsecrationbypriestsandarebelievedtoprotectagainstevilandbringgoodfortune.
Hearingthatitcouldprovideprotectionandgoodluck,AnnaquicklyleanedinandwhisperedtoLuke,Luke,youvebeenfeelinguneasylately.Whynotbidonthis bracelet? Lukestaredintentlyatthebracelet,feelinganinexplicableurgewithinhimtoplaceabid.
Aftertheauctioneersdescription,manyofthewealthyattendeeswerealreadyintrigued.
Besidesthebeadcollectors,manyweredrawnbytheallureofoldsuperstitions.
Awomanin apeplumdresscarriedatray.Assheliftedtheblackcloth,Iwasinstantlycaptivatedbyapowerfulforce.
Ah! Iwasnt surewhatwascomingnext.AllIfeltwasa suddendarknessbeforemyeyes ,andthenmybodyseemedtovanish.WhenIopenedmyeyes again,Ifoundmyselfina dimlylitVIP seat withabiddingsignraised.