By Cleo Liu, TIWP Student

My parents had left me and my older brother, Andrew, at home. It was raining hard. Tip tap tip tap. Fat raindrops hit our brick roof. Suddenly, Boom! Lightning struck the town nearest to our cottage in the forest. I shut my eyes and cover my ears. I felt my brother wince. He put his hand gently on my shoulder and I squeezed his hand. Suddenly, I saw movement among the trees. I squinted to take a closer look. It was Andrew’s friend, Jacob! Andrew also noticed his friend and rushed outside.

“Bro, what are you doing outside during such monstrous weather! Please, come in!” Andrew said.

“I brought something for you and me to play with – and your sister,” he added hastily. Curiously, I peeked into the bright orange bag Jacob was holding.

“Isn’t that a spirit communicator?” I asked.

“Nerd!” Andrew scoffed.

“W-well I thought w-we could p-p-p-play with it? It’s a great time for s-s-spirit hunting,” Jacob stammered. I stared suspiciously at him but I did nothing.

“I suppose we could play with that…” my older brother said, unsure.

We walked into Andrew’s big blue room and Jacob gently placed down the spirit communicator on the bed.

“Oh spirits, oh spirits, please give me the power of the….” he chanted. I didn’t hear the last word because he was too quiet. I nervously swirled my hair. Suddenly, a gust of wind burst through the window, spraying rain water all over me. The wind circled the flat device and the needle on it spun once-twice- then it spun out of control. Electricity crackled out of the spirit communicator. Jacob cackled devilishly.

“I’ve waited decades for this!” he howled. He started levitating. Scarlet-red horns grew from his head. His blue eyes turned red. Blood-red wings burst out of his back. His blood-red feathers fluttered across the air. A red arrow-like tail shot out and curled around his legs. “I am finally in my final form!” he growled. He clapped his hands together and a swirling, red circle appeared under me and my brother. Andrew was paralyzed with fear but right before we fell in, Jacob waved goodbye and shot out through the roof. And we fell into the red void.

“AHHHHHHHH!” I shrieked before I get engulfed by the void.