Order of the Hunt: The Wraith, #0.5

By Jo Narayan

War is coming.
The sleepy town of Fairview has had a demon problem for years... but most of the residents don't know that.
The only thing that has kept the demons at bay are a handful of teenagers—but now that a clan of demon hunters has come recruiting, they have the opportunity to join the Order of the Hunt and uncover all the secrets it has to offer.
The only problem? These kids aren't soldiers—and unless they can master themselves, Fairview will find itself overrun with demons.
A coward struggles with harnessing a great power.
An ice queen must learn to trust in her emotions and lean on her strengths.
A pacifist grapples with defending herself and others on the battlefield.
An impulsive loner must forge himself into a leader, toeing the balance between dark and light as he prepares for war.
Before the Order found Dana, they had to find themselves. Read the prequel and see where it all started.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jo Narayan
• Release date: Oct 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9781734476521

Book preview

Other books by Jo Narayan:

The Wraith's Bargain

Dedication

This one is for the readers.

Everyone has their own demons to overcome, their own truths to discover, and their own purpose in life.

Here's to you. May you achieve everything you set out to.

Part 1

Will

1.

––––––––

Will Murphy rubbed his eyes as he stared blearily down at his pancakes, his mother’s complaints mere white noise past his thoughts. The strange symbols from his dream were all he could focus on, and every blink showed another thick white swoosh or swirl.

...You’d think he would be more excited to wake up on his twelfth birthday, but no, the boy slept until nearly noon! Lydia leaned against the door frame, fingers toying with the phone cord. "Of course not, you know Rick. He wouldn’t take off work for his own funeral. I’ll have to do all the decorating myself, you know, since Jeremy’s mom is out of town as usual. It always ends up like this. Leave it to my son to find someone born on the same day to bond with. She chuckled. It’s fine, though. Saves everyone the hassle of two parties." Will forced a few bites of his favorite breakfast down, but when the tightness in his gut did not ease, he stood and clambered up the steps. Turning right at the landing, he walked into the spare bedroom and plopped down at his father’s desk. Maybe this will help me wake up and forget whatever that weird dream was... Will booted up the computer and navigated to one of his favorite games.

He rubbed his eyes again, thoughts drifting as he waited for it to load. What was that, anyway? Who dreams about symbols? It feels like the start of one of those books, and the chosen one has to go off and save the world. It’s even my birthday. Hope I get something cool. He forced himself to chuckle at the thought, but his fingers drummed restlessly on the desk. Who am I to do something like that? No one, just a nerd. Maybe I hit my head too hard one time, maybe there’s something wrong with me. The music from the game was a welcome distraction from his thoughts, and he gladly logged in to play.

In what seemed like no time at all, his mother was standing in the doorway. Enough blasting aliens. It’s time to get ready, didn't you hear me calling?

Will shook his head and saved the game. "It’s Warcraft, Mom, not Starcraft."

Monsters, then. Come on, make your bed and get dressed, Lydia replied, leading the way out of the room. He sighed and obeyed.

The cool colors of his bedroom were soothing to his tired eyes as Will entered and glanced around. His dad had recently helped him to redecorate it as an early birthday present, and the navy-blue walls and curtains still brought a smile to Will’s face. He moved past the posters and stacks of games and threw his sheets and comforter back onto the bed. The NASA logo on the bedspread was off-center, and he tugged the corners until it was perfect. Dad says to get into NASA, you have to be able to clean up after yourself. He's probably just saying that, but just in case... His thoughts drifted to his dream of running mission control, of being the link between astronauts and their home. It’s going to be so cool. After getting dressed, Will grabbed his glasses-cleaning cloth and a pack of gum to stick in his pocket.

As he walked down the stairs, hoping he’d get some space-themed gifts later, an odd thought popped into his mind—but it had his mother’s voice.

‘Always lost in those video games, I swear. We’re going to be late again.’

He missed a step and grabbed onto the rail for support. What was that? Will stuck his pinkie in his ear and twisted it, then frowned. Will! His mother’s voice echoed from the living room, and he shook his head, following her summons. Nothing, I guess...

The sound of rustling wrapping paper and inflating balloons filled the living room as he walked in to investigate. Ready to go, Mom?

I will be if you can carry these to the car, Lydia said, though her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Following direction, Will helped her to load the minivan and climbed into the front seat. The drive to the community park was silent, except for these strange bits of conversation that kept popping into his head, again with his mother’s voice.

‘It’s not like a salesman can’t take an hour off on a Friday afternoon. Sometimes, I think he just doesn’t want to be around us. And what kind of mother chooses to be a truck driver over taking care of her kids, anyway? I feel like I might as well be Jeremy’s mom too. He’s a sweet kid, but I hate having to do everything for him as well. I need to get some wine on the way home. I wonder if Will would put up a fuss about staying in the car?’

Will rubbed at his ears again and started humming in an attempt to drown out the sound. Normal people don’t hear stuff like this. I’m normal. Therefore, I’m imagining it. The humming seemed to help somewhat, but he was still glad when they reached their destination. As soon as the van stopped, he jumped out to run and see his friend. A grumble of frustration reached his ears.

‘Of course, no need to help me. I’m fine, I’ll just carry all of this by myself.’

Will’s feet skidded to a stop, and he spun to face his mother. Why didn’t I do that to begin with? Let me help you, he offered, moving back to the van. The surprise on her face left him feeling a bit smug as he carried a sheet cake emblazoned with the number twelve.

Something feels different, Will realized. I feel like I’m understanding my mom better than before. It must be because I’m older. Maybe I’m just imagining her response because I can understand things now? Whatever it is, she seemed surprised. Maybe this is a good thing, after all.

Awesome, there’s Jer! He walked up to his best friend, Jeremy, who was sitting on a picnic table and staring at a nearby tree. Happy birthday, Will called.

You too, Jeremy said distractedly. 'Where did it go? If no one else can see it, how will I prove that I’m special?'

Will heard his friend’s voice in his head as well now and shook his head, then set the cake down. Looks like no one is here yet. Wanna climb the jungle gym? He gestured, already heading in that direction.

Yeah, okay. With a last lingering look at the tree, Jeremy pushed off of the table and took off running. Race ya!

They ran past Jeremy’s little sister Annie as she stood off to the side, watching them with a wistful look. Her arm swung down, her toy magic wand scraping the dirt. Her voice popped into his head. ‘I never get to play with them. They’re so cool.’

As he jogged to catch up, Will tried to clear his thoughts. This is too weird, and I’m not sure if I like it. I wonder what he meant about being special? Maybe he’s changed too. Maybe everyone changes at twelve. Maybe this is puberty.

After the songs had been sung and the cake had been eaten, Jeremy pulled Will to the side. He looked around nervously, eyeing the dispersing people. Meet me in the woods tonight. He looked around again. I need to show you something.

Where? When? What’s this about?

The clearing. I dunno, ten? Just whenever you can get there. Jeremy glanced around again, and Will echoed the nervous movement.

He nodded his agreement and followed his mom’s call to the minivan. I can’t hear anything extra now. Maybe this sense that I’m getting is sporadic, and I’m not sure if I like it or not. I wish I could ask him what this is about, but it’s time to go. I hope I get some answers tonight. Though going alone to meet him in the dark... it’s got to be important.

* * *

Trees loomed in the darkness, formidable in their height and numbers. Dense bushes and patches of bracken probably concealed creatures of the night that were certainly awaiting their opportunity to pounce. Jeez, it’s creepy in here at night. Why couldn’t Jer have waited at the start of the path for me? It’s much better in the daytime... Will moved noisily along the path, flashlight swinging toward every threatening shadow. He’d been walking for what felt to him like eons, the sound of cicadas drowning out all sense of time, when he finally broke into the clearing.

Jeremy was already sitting on one of the three fallen trees that created their meeting spot. The boy sat hunched in on himself, idly tearing a mushroom into pieces by the light of his own flashlight. Without warning, a feeling of being crushed rolled over Will in a black wave—his knees hit the ground, the flashlight rolling away. It was as if an abyss yawned before him, as if everything he ever had been would soon be obliterated.

Will, you okay, man? Jeremy stood, walking closer.

His friend’s voice helped to anchor him, and after a few moments, he forced himself to stand. What is this? Am I going crazy? I don’t need to feel like this, this... despair. Feelings of worthlessness battered him, and he gritted his teeth. I know I don’t feel this way. Maybe it’s my new sense, maybe I’m picking it up from someone else. Are these Jer’s feelings? I know it’s not me... it’s not my pain. Not my pain. I can get through this.

Um, Jer, are you okay?

Me? You’re the one who just fell down.

What word should I use? You seem... sad.

Jeremy shook his head. Just some stuff I’m dealing with, it’s fine.

Will stooped to pick up the flashlight and took a step back from Jeremy. Maybe if I’m farther away, I won’t feel it. As the flashlight illuminated his friend, Will had a sudden flash of understanding. Jeremy’s poor posture, his closely cropped frizzy hair, his oversized clothes—they were all attempts to hide. Even out here, in the middle of the woods, he was hiding. The naturally big-boned boy had been bullied more than once for his size, for taking up space in the world. And even now, he was attempting to shrink into nonexistence. That must be the black wave. He’s depressed. Oh, Jer. I should have known.

Jeremy stepped closer again, placing a hand on Will’s shoulder. What about you? Are you okay? What happened?

I—something is different with me. This morning, I woke up, and I had this crazy dream. There were these weird symbols in it. And ever since, I’ve been hearing things. Or thinking them. I thought I was imagining it, but I was hearing Mom earlier, and now you.

Me? Jeremy dropped his hand. What about me?

When I came up, earlier, at our birthday party. I thought I heard you say, ‘Where did it go?’ and something about being special... He trailed off at the sight of Jeremy’s frown. What?

I didn’t say that, Jeremy said. I thought it.

Thought... I can hear thoughts? Will shook his head. No way, man.

Jeremy began to pace. As he walked away, his words cut across the clearing. ‘So, if I told you that I started seeing monsters today, would you believe me?’

Monsters? Will couldn’t quite keep the incredulity out of his voice.

Jeremy spun around. I didn’t say that out loud. Stop listening to my thoughts!

Eyes widened, Will lifted his hands. I don’t know how. I can’t believe this. What is happening? Either we’re both crazy, or... Wait. Monsters?

Yeah, that’s what I wanted to show you, Jeremy resumed pacing, wringing his hands. I thought I was imagining it, cause no one else seems to see them. But then I got scared when I saw one, and I did this thing with my hands, and this... this energy came out and hit it!

Energy? Will cocked an eyebrow. Which weird thing do we address first? Why is this happening to us? Is it even real?

Here, I’ll show you. Jeremy pushed his sleeves up and took up a fighting stance, throwing his arms out.

Nothing happened.

Will edged closer again, the crushing depression having completely abated. I didn’t see anything. Was something supposed to happen?

Yeah, I haven’t figured it out all the way yet. I’ll keep trying.

Will hesitated, then asked, "What kind of monsters?"

Sighing, Jeremy dropped his arms. "I don’t know. This morning, I woke up late, and Gran was already gone. Annie was at her friend’s house, so I was alone. I went into the kitchen, and there was this... this thing. You remember the movie Gremlins? Will nodded, so he continued. Like that, sort of. At first, I just stared at it, and then it turned to look at me. And it made this sound... it sounded like it was laughing at me for some reason."

What? That's so bizarre. Will frowned but motioned for his friend to continue.

"And then it just ran out. And so, I thought maybe I had been sleep walking, maybe I had dreamed it. But then I saw another one before we left for the park. Gran had picked up Annie and was going to drop us off for the party. This time, I saw it at the edge of the woods behind the house, just for a minute. Then again at the park. Must have been when you heard me say that. I mean, think that. I was starting to figure out that they were probably real because I know that I’m not crazy.

And. then when I was walking here, I saw the gremlin one more time. This time, it startled me, it jumped out in my path. I threw my arms out, and this yellow ball of light flew out of my hands and crashed into it. I don’t know what it was, but it left this weird static feeling in my arms. So, I decided to call it energy.

Jer, Will began, you have to know how this sounds. No way is this real.

How is that worse than you hearing thoughts? If these monsters are real, at least I’ve got a weapon against them!

Will took a deep breath and lifted his hands again. Okay, let’s calm down. We’ll figure this out. We have to. Because we can’t both be crazy.

I don’t need to be calm! Jeremy gestured wildly. I need to figure out what the hell is going on! Why am I seeing monsters? Why are you hearing thoughts? What’s happening to us? He flung his arm out again, and an orb of yellow light flew from his palm, crashing into a nearby bush.

Will jumped back, clamping down on the yelp that nearly escaped his lips. It’s real? Heart pounding, he stepped gingerly over to the bush and inspected the broken twigs and fallen leaves. If he gets mad like that again, he could hurt someone. And he doesn’t have the best control of his emotions to begin with. I’m sorry, he said, turning back to his friend. I should have believed you.

Chest heaving, Jeremy stared down at his hands in awe. ‘I knew I was special. I knew I was different. This is it, this is my calling. I’m going to fight these monsters.’

Jer, let’s think about this. We have to figure something out. I can’t go around hearing thoughts in my head all the time, and you can’t be blowing stuff up when you get mad.

‘Like hell I won’t! I could be a superhero!’

I’m serious, Will said.

Dude, knock it off. Stop listening to my thoughts, Jeremy grumbled, finally looking up.

If I knew how to, I would. What do you think these monsters are? Why can’t he focus on the big problem here? This is no time to pretend to be a hero. I’m hearing thoughts! There are monsters around town! We have no idea why! You said no one else can see the monsters. Why is that?

I don’t know... Jeremy trailed off, staring at his hands again. ‘I wish I could make one show up here and just show him. How did I make that energy happen anyway?’ He pushed his hands out again, concentrating, and a white light shot out, smashing into a nearby tree. The bark caved in as if it had been struck by something, and Will walked over to investigate again.

Why was that one a different color? His voice was neutral, though he deliberately kept his back to Jeremy to hide the shaking in his hands. Is this magic? Is that what he’s doing? He was almost close enough to see the splinters when he noticed a strange chill in the July air. Pausing, he looked around before his eyes landed on a dark patch in the air. Curiosity prickled within him, even as warning bells went off in his mind. Stay away, his instincts seemed to say. Will opened his mouth to alert Jeremy but froze when he saw something materialize from the shadowed space. His eyes traveled up, and up, and finally beheld the face of the monstrosity.

What—what is that? Is that the gremlin? Will darted back to his friend and hid behind the larger boy as they observed the creature.

The creature observed them back. It was tall—ten feet at least—and pale, with bulging limbs and wrinkles everywhere. It was gruesome to behold, and the stench coming off of it made the boys gag.

No, that’s something else, Jeremy whispered.

We’re going to die. It’s going to kill us. We’re going to die. Is that Stitches? Will stammered. It’s an abomination. It’s—

"Warcraft isn’t real. Jeremy reasoned. It’s a—"

A what? Will heard his voice cracking and rising in pitch, but couldn’t control it. The creature’s mouth opened, emanating a series of grunts and growls.

I’ll protect you, Jeremy said, stepping forward. He lifted his hands, brandishing them like a weapon. Go back where you came from, or else! The creature stepped forward. Go back! Jeremy yelled, throwing his hands forward. A blast of yellow energy swept through the space between them and the monster, knocking it back into the tree. In a blink, it was gone. The only evidence was a bit of a shadow where it had disappeared and some pieces of bark that had fallen to the ground.

Jeremy stood in stunned silence. ‘I did it...’

Will sank to the ground, not trusting his knocking knees. Holy crap. It was so big. We could have died. We should have been dead. We’re too young for this.

Did you see that? I did it! Jeremy crowed, "That was so cool!"

Will pushed himself to his feet, swallowing hard. Yeah, man. That was awesome. A wave of elation swept through him, and it was so at odds with his own fear that he knew it was not his own. Maybe if I back up, some? He took a few steps back as he watched his friend celebrate. Why am I feeling his emotions now too? This is going to drive me crazy. I have to figure something out.

So you can see them too. Dude. Let’s be superheroes. Jeremy’s eyes were wide, his smile contagious.

Superheroes? Will took another step back. Why don’t we try and figure out what these monsters even are first?

We will. But in the meantime, I can work on my—my abilities. You can learn to control your psychic powers. We can be a team! The boys began their return journey, Jeremy chattering the whole way. Will noticed the shadows shrinking back to a natural size. You’ll be the sidekick, obviously, since my power is way cooler. But you can find the bad guys by reading their minds, and I can go fight them!

Bad guys? Are there really going to be bad guys in our town?

"Or monsters. Whatever. Dude, keep up. We’re gonna save people. And be popular."

He’s going to do it with or without me. At least if I agree, I can help him keep a low profile until we figure out why this has happened to us. And maybe it will help him to be happier. But if we can learn to control it, we can protect ourselves if another one comes. I could level up, gain a new skill, like in Warcraft. Will smiled. Okay, okay. I’m in.

They reached the edge of the forest, and Jeremy grabbed him before he could turn away. His tone suddenly serious, he peered into Will’s eyes. We’re best friends, right?

Of course.

And we’d never hurt each other. So, we’ll never use our powers against each other.

Obviously.

Swear it.

Will frowned. Okay, I swear. Now you.

I swear. Jeremy said solemnly. Cause we’re special. That’s why we got these powers. And we have to stick together.

Special, huh? I don’t feel so special. Will waved a farewell to his friend and they parted ways. A stick cracked and his head whipped to the side, but no monsters were in sight. As he began the walk home, he pondered all the ways he could lose his mind if weird stuff kept happening, though a niggling at the back of his mind kept distracting him. What did I miss? I feel like there was something important I should have seen, but I don’t know what. Why do I feel so afraid of it all? I’m not alone, Jeremy changed too. He can fight the monsters, even if I can’t. And those symbols from this morning, I need to find out what they were. Maybe they’ll have the answers. I can go to the library in the morning and research.

He shook his head and jogged the rest of the way home, lost in thought, then sneaked back into the house. He walked over to the TV to shut it off, the light gleaming off of an empty bottle that had fallen from his father’s hand. Dad’s sleeping on the couch, again... bet Mom locked the bedroom door on him. Will frowned and climbed the steps up to his room, strange images flashing through his mind. He paused, one hand on the rail, and tried to see past the images to the steps in front of him.

A Tupperware party, plastic smiles and fake eyelashes. An unknown woman wearing a pearl necklace picks up an apple, takes a bite. She spits it out in horror, retching. The inside is rotten.

A car speeding in the wrong lane. Headlights advancing in the darkness. An earth-shattering crash, a splatter of blood.

He shook his head as his vision cleared, once again showing only the familiar stairs of his home. Maybe I have a brain tumor. Maybe all of this is a hallucination. He gripped the rail and made his way up the steps, then stumbled down the hall to his mother’s bedroom door. The knob turned easily in his hand, and he peeked inside. A lump under the covers, but no monsters. I guess she didn’t lock Dad out this time. Maybe he just likes the couch. Will gently pulled the door closed and shook his head, moving farther down the hall. The scenes began to creep into his vision again, and Will rubbed at his eyes, pressing hard, and blinked until his vision reoriented. My room. Get to my room.

He closed his door harder than he meant to, unable to focus on anything besides the scenes playing out in his mind. Mom and Dad are asleep, but am I still hearing their thoughts? But people don’t think when they’re asleep, do they? Wait. First thoughts, then feelings... Are these dreams? Mom and Dad’s dreams? His head began to pound as he desperately tried to ignore the dreams until suddenly one became more clear.

Sirens wailed in the distance. Bottles and cans spilled from the open door, mixed in with the bits of plastic and metal that used to be the front of a car. The grit of the road pressed into his knees, and something warm and wet dripped from his hairline. The one headlight that still worked illuminated the mangled body on the pavement. Bone protruded through one arm, and blood coated the legs and stomach. The head lay at an unnatural angle, the glasses broken and hanging off one ear.

With a shock, Will realized that the body on the ground was his own. Suddenly, reality snapped back into focus. The body I was in, it felt bigger. It must have been Dad. And the other dream, the Tupperware party, that must have been Mom’s dream. Images from the dream of the party pressed against his consciousness, threatening to overtake his vision like the other one had. Will fell backward, just missing his bed, and crashed into the floor. The images finally disappeared, and he heard his mother’s mattress creak in the next room.

He exhaled shakily, blinking hard. I’m going to go crazy if I don’t get this under control. Will ran a hand through his hair. What helped earlier? When I was in the car with Mom, I started humming. It helped a little. Maybe sound? He grabbed a pair of headphones and jammed them over his ears. Concentrating on the music and willing everything else to fade, Will’s mind finally began to quiet. After the longest day in his life, Will fell asleep to the soothing cadences of Kurt Cobain.

2.

Eight Years Later

Will and Jeremy walked casually down the street, their sense of self-importance shielding them from neighborly critique. The residents of Fairview knew well enough by now the pair’s penchant for wandering about at night. They never caused problems like some teenage boys though, so were mostly left alone. While they were dressed in jeans and t-shirts like any other person their age, they carried the invisible, and self-anointed, title of town protectors. Jeremy gazed about, searching for trouble, while Will mostly tried to mind his own business.

Over the past eight years, he’d perfected his technique of crowding out other’s thoughts with his own. He replayed songs in his head mostly, though sometimes music gave way to snippets from TV commercials, video game music, or even conversations he’d had with others. With enough noise, his mind was free from the thoughts of others—a place of solitude. Tonight, Will idly sang Coldplay’s Viva La Vida under his breath as they walked.

Jeremy ignored him, used to his friend’s coping techniques to stay in his own mind. Yo, he said, stopping. It’s a gremlin.

Will fell silent and focused on the target. The bipedal creature was only a couple of feet tall and all angles: pointed ears, chin, elbows, and knees. It picked its way through the bushes lining a fence, its muddy-orange coloring making it easy to spot. It’s by a daycare, Will muttered, gut twisting at the implication. If it weren’t so ugly, I’d say it looked like a little kid. I wonder if that’s why it chose this spot? Will hadn’t seen a monster physically harm anyone yet, other than Jeremy and himself, but the creatures acted like some type of predator.

Stay back, Jeremy ordered, rolling his wrists to draw energy. Will stood off to the side as normal, watching to make sure the creature didn’t escape. He gets to play hero, and I get to make sure he’s taking his aggression out on the monsters. Luckily there are always plenty of them around. I wish I knew where they all came from...

Jeremy sent a ball of yellow energy at the monster. It crashed into the gremlin’s left arm, and the creature turned and hissed at them. As the gremlin ran at them, Jeremy threw another energy ball at it. This one struck right in the center of its torso, knocking the creature to the ground.

Now’s your chance, Will called, use the white one. It’s a good thing we figured out how to get rid of the bodies years ago. The white bolt makes a place we can shove the bodies into, and the yellow one hurts them. Sometimes I wonder where they go, but I’m happy with them just being anywhere other than here.

Jeremy closed his eyes and inhaled sharply through his nose, then threw both palms forward. A white light preceded a shadow appearing near the gremlin; Jeremy circled to blast it again, knocking the body through. A slow clapping startled the pair—they’d been so caught up in what they were doing that neither had thought to check for witnesses.

Will saw her first; the woman was older than them, though it was hard to tell in the dark. He decided she couldn’t be older than thirty—her brown eyes were bright and lively against her carob skin, and there was energy in her step. She wore a leather jacket and dark jeans over a pair of sensible boots. She stepped away from the streetlight she’d been leaning against and unwound a bright blue bandanna from her fist. Hey, boys. That was pretty impressive, though it’s obvious you haven’t been trained.

Jeremy studied the woman, taking in her confident stance. What’re you talking about?

The demon.

Demon? Is that what they are? Will asked, his mind hastily recategorizing the monsters.

Yes. She gestured at the space where the body had lain. That was a crazyl demon. Though gremlin is a cute name for it.

Who are you?

Will allowed his mind to settle into a rare silence as Jeremy questioned the woman. He felt suddenly alone without his music, but then her thoughts bubbled into his mind.

‘I hardly have time to explain what a Hunter is. We’re on a deadline, and I need their help.’

My name is Georgia, she started, then paused. ‘How much do I say? I’ve never had to do this before, Fran always took care of this shit.’

What’s a Hunter? Will noticed the woman flinch and shake her head before walking toward the shadow Jeremy had created. She’s not acting freaked about me being psychic, and she knows about the monsters. I need to stay on her good side. Will pressed play on the soundtrack in his mind, music crowding out others’ thoughts once again.

Lesson one, never leave a rift open, Georgia said. What you made is actually a tear in reality. A rift into the demon realm. As soon as you’re done with one, you need to close it. Otherwise, anything could come through. She pulled a coin-sized compass from her pocket and stared at it as she walked in a circle around the rift. At certain points, she paused, muttering something under her breath, her fingers tracing shapes in the air. When the circle was complete, the shadow had vanished.

Will glanced at his friend. How many rifts have we left open all over town?

How did you know how to do that, Jeremy asked, and how do the demons come here in the first place if they need a—a rift?

I’m part of a group that teaches people how to fight these things, and you’re invited. You’ll learn if you join us.

Jeremy stared at her with a slack-jawed expression, then shook his head.

Like he said, what’s a Hunter? What is this group?

Georgia pushed one of her braids back into place. "Like I said, we’re people who are pledged to fight demons. Join us, and we can train you. Teach you. Unlock your powers and help you to protect this town."

Why do you need us? Will countered, afraid of getting involved without having all the answers, as Jeremy was likely to do. The woman paused, then nodded to Will as if confirming something.

"I’ll tell you everything. But I need something from you too. You need four people at minimum to qualify as a sect and protect your town. If you know anyone else with abilities or who can be trained, call them. Most people have the potential to help in some way, the most important thing is to make sure they can keep a secret. She smiled enigmatically at the pair before turning on her heel. Meet me at the park in two days at sundown." Will and Jeremy exchanged looks, jaws dropped. When they looked back, the woman had vanished into the darkness.

Abandoning their patrol for the night, they walked back toward their neighborhood. After a few minutes of silence, Jeremy startled Will out of his reverie. Well?

I get the feeling she can take care of herself. But she calls herself a Hunter, and she needs help with something, Will reported, she said she was on a deadline.

I’ve never seen her before, have you?

"No, I haven’t. But if she was serious about the rifts, we do need to learn to close them. I wonder what else they could teach us? Will rubbed his chin, already imagining what sort of things he could learn. I could ask about the symbols!"

The symbols weren’t real, Jeremy retorted, we spent years looking at every language on the planet and never found anything. It was just a dream. And you never saw them again, right?

Right, Will muttered, shoulders dropping slightly. But still, she closed the rift, she saw the demon. I think we need to check them out.

Yeah, but we have to bring two more people into it, Jeremy reminded him, It’s not like we have a ton of friends. Even the ones we have, they have to believe in this stuff and be able to keep a secret.

Will scoffed. True, and bringing two more in? What is this, a pyramid scheme? Maybe we shouldn't.

"Maybe we should so we can learn more about fighting monsters, or demons, whatever, Jeremy replied. Remember, this is our calling. Why else would we be able to see them? Why else would we have powers that can fight them?"

You have powers to fight, not me, Will grumbled. "But you’re right. I mean, what