"Jason, could you help me for a minute?" Marian asked. Jason looked up and smiled his cute pre-teen smile.

"Sure thing Ms. Marian, what can I do?" he asked. She grabbed a stack of books and put them down in front of him.

"I need these to be delivered all around Gatlin. There's only a few, but I need to be somewhere. Are you sure you'll be alright?" Jason nodded. Marian then went to the back of the library and shut the door.

Jason hauled the books into his bicycle, but noticed that one package was wrapped with golden string.

"To: Mr. Macon Ravenwood, Ravenwood Manor." Jason read aloud. He got onto his bicycle and started handing the packages to the townspeople. When he got to the last package, the Ravenwood package, he stopped at the huge gates of the manor. His mouth hanged as he opened the gates and entered.

It was absolutely beautiful and very bright. He noticed a hearse that contrasted the white house.

"Excuse me, who are you?" a voice chimed. He turned around and saw a girl, about his age, jump off a tree and walk up to him. She had flowing hair and beautiful eyes, but he couldn't make out the color due to the sun.

"I'm Jason; I'm here to deliver a book to Mr. Macon Ravenwood." he stammered. She tiered her head to one side and said, "Why are you wearing a piece of metal on your ear?"

"Oh this?" He put his hand to his ear. "This is my hearing aid. There was something wrong with my ears when I was little. My two doctors gave me this to hear better." Jason explained. Lena looked up and then started to walk towards the house.

"Wait!" Jason shouted. She stopped, then turned slowly.

"What do you want again? My uncle? I'll tell him you're here. Better yet, I'll deliver the book to him myself." She held out her hand, but Jason shook his head.

"I have to have his signature. Besides…I thought maybe we could talk some more." Jason blushed. Lena's brow wrinkled.

"Why would you want to talk to me?" She slanted her eyes and frowned.

"Because you're nice and friendly and very pretty!" Jason exclaimed. She continued to frown, as if deciding whether or not he was being sarcastic, then said in a soft voice "You really mean that?"

"What do you mean? Don't you get that all the time?" Jason laughed. Lena folded her arms and looked angry.

"What?" Jason asked.

"I've never…been told all those things. People don't want to talk to me. Except for my sister Ridley, but she's….gone." Lena looked down.

"Why wouldn't people want to talk to you? Like I said, you're nice and pretty and…"

"A freak." She interrupted.

"Who calls you that?" Jason asked.

"Everyone, except my Aunt Del and Gramma and my uncle. But everyone at school doesn't want to talk to me. They say that I'm evil and that my family is evil. But were not!" She shouted out loud.

"Hey, I don't think you're evil, I think you're the opposite. Besides, people are stupid, especially in small towns. They don't have very big brains, only spines so they can pretend to be brave. It's called bravado or something." Jason rambled. Lena smiled and said, "I think it's cute the way you talk."

"Haha, I'm kinda a weirdo. When I was little, I use to collect worms cause I was fascinated by how they regenerate." Jason said.

"Really? When I was little, I use to burn—" she stopped.

"Use to burn what?" Jason asked.

"Little ants with her microscope." said a deep voice. Jason turned around and saw a tall man with grayish hair and a black suit. His eyes weren't visible under the sun, but Jason swore the man's eyes were black.

"You must be Mr. Macon. I have your book sir." Jason stuttered. The man gently received the book and smiled.

"Ah, Ms. Ashcroft surely has a sense of humor. Tell her that I am thankful." He winked. "Lena, it's time to come inside." Lena started to walk towards the door.

"It was nice meeting you Jason. Really nice." she said as she disappeared inside the manor.

"I appreciate the delivery. Please give Ms. Ashcroft my best regards." He gestured me towards the gates. Jason started to leave until the man said, "I hope that you will not speak of my niece. In fact, I hope you do not even remember her."

"I don't think I can Mr. Macon, she's really pretty." Jason said. But he heard low murmuring coming from the man.

"I can't understand what you are saying." Jason turned his hearing aid up and heard the words "Memento Not, Hoc Locus, Memento Not, Hoc Locus!" Remember not, this place, remember not, this place!

"Ahhhh!" Jason screamed. He clutched his hearing aid and leaned back on the gates.

"Make it stop!" he yelled. Macon stopped speaking and a gust of wind whipped past them.

"Please leave now Mr. Grant." Macon said. Jason got up and almost ran out the gates, only he couldn't.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ravenwood, but there's something in the way…" He pressed against the open space between the gates, but couldn't touch outside them.

"I-I can't leave?" Jason whimpered. Macon walked over and pressed his hand outside the gates. His hand wasn't blocked by the invisible force.

"What is this? Who are you?" He glared down at Jason and Jason shrunk under his gaze.

"I don't know! It's your house, why is there something invisible blocking my way?" Jason asked. Macon put his hand on his chin and closed his eyes. He pondered for a few moments then said, "Either you are an extremely good mime, or perhaps my charms may have malfunctioned. In the meantime, come with me." He grabbed Jason's hand and walked inside the manor. Jason's arm dangled under the stern grip and he was basically being dragged.

"Excuse me! I can walk!" Jason exclaimed. Macon let go and Jason fell to the floor.

"I will ask Ms. Marian about this. I want to see if you can perhaps exit the manor through another gate." Macon said, not looking at Jason.

"Can I eat first?" Jason asked, looking at the kitchen, where piles of food were appearing.

"I hardly think that this is a time to eat Mr.—" Macon stopped when he looked down at Jason's puppy face and his pleading eyes. Macon sighed and mumbled, "Children."

Macon

"This is delicious sir, did you make this yourself?" Jason asked. I took another drink of wine and groaned. Maybe this is why I could never have a child under my care. They were too wild and obnoxious.

"I did not; I have Kitche-a kitchen staff. They make exquisite food do they not?" I asked nonchalantly. The boy ripped through piles of chicken legs before moving to the mashed potatoes and corn.

"Do your parents even feed you?" I asked curiously. Jason wiped his hands with a napkin and sighed.

"Of course, but this food is fantastic. There's only so much you can order at the Dare-ee Keen." he said with a burp. Boo came in and rested at my feet.

"Is that the sorry excuse for a restaurant where the intellectual young minds of Gatlin go?" I scoffed, putting emphasis on Gatlin. Jason looked at me and said, "Haven't you been there before?"

"I never leave my house or my property." I stated.

"Then how do you get your food?"

"That is a question for my kitchen staff, who is unavailable for questioning." I smiled. Jason clamped his hands together and bowed slightly.

"Thank you so much for the food sir. I promise I will pay it back in anyway I can." Jason said. I waved him away.

"That is not necessary. Now then, let us visit Ms. Ashcroft." I got up and Boo and the boy followed behind me.

"How are we going to find Ms. Marian? She's at the library right now." Jason told me. I laughed.

"Oh she is in a library all right. Just not the one you're thinking of." I told Jason to close his eyes and opened the way to the Lunae Libri.

"Please watch your step." We went down the stairway and stopped when we reached the library. Marian was dusting the shelves and humming to herself, until she noticed us.

"Macon? And Jason? What are you two doing here?" She asked.

"The young man delivered a book to my house under your orders, and after I cast a Memoriam Cast on him, he is somehow unable to leave Ravenwood." I explained. Marian walked over to Jason and checked his right ear.

"Is your hearing aid alright Jason?" she asked. I instantly became frustrated.

"Did you not hear me? This intruder is unable to leave my property! And not only that, but he has also spoken with my niece. Why on earth does his hearing aid have anything to do with this?" I yelled. Jason covered his ears and shut his eyes.

"Macon, this is not like you at all. You're acting like a child rather than a grown adult. I'm asking about his hearing aid because Lila and I made it for him." Marian crossed her arms. My shoulders slumped at the mention of Lila.

"Why…why did Lila….no, tell me why this has anything to do with the fact this boy cannot leave Ravenwood?" I asked, desperate.

"Because maybe he has a purpose within the manor. Or maybe someone is containing him there. I don't know. In the meantime, I'll see if I can find anything in this library." Marian said. Jason adjusted his hearing aid and sighed.

"Ms. Marian, can I go home now?" he asked. I was afraid of what was coming next.

"Unfortunately Jason, Ravenwood is going to be your home for a while."