Jake's P.O.V.

As we crossed the road, Julio blankly said. "Hey guys, I have to show you something." "Something? Oh, now I remember you really have a charm for wonderful and magical secrets don't you?" Kelly said sarcastically. "No ma'am, the secret isn't wonderful or magical." Julio said rather sadly, with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "In my world, which is very dark and, dehumanizing, let us just say I have enemies." 'What's Julio talking about?' I thought 'We all have flames in our lifetimes.'

I thought as we entered the deserted construction site. It was a big area, surrounded on two sides by trees, with the highway separating it from the mall area. There's a broad open field between the construction site and the nearest houses. It's a very isolated place.

Originally it was supposed to be this new shopping center. Now, it was just all these half-finished buildings looking like a ghost town. There were huge piles of rusted steel beams; pyramids of giant concrete steel pipes; little mountains of dirt; deep pits that have filled up with black, muddy water; and a creaking, rusted construction crane that I had climbed once while Marco stayed down below and told me I was being an idiot.

It was a totally desolated place, full of shadows and sounds that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. When Marco and I went there during the day, we always found all these beer cans and liquor bottles. Sometimes we found the ashes of little campfires back in in the hidden nooks and crannies of the buildings. So we knew people came there at night.

Tobias said. "Wait, Julio, aren't we supposed to go through with this slowly?" We all suddenly stopped at this point and looked at Julio and Tobias like they are crazy when Tobias said "wait". "what is the meaning of this Tobias?" James demanded looking a annoyed. If I had realized what Julio and Tobias's intention was that day, I would have fled for the hills.

"Wait, what are you talking about guys, what do you want?" Kelly said. And Julio responded, "To tell you a secret-" "But Julio!" Tobias interrupted, "they are not ready yet for-" "Not ready for what?! Spit it out already!" Rachel exploded, then Julio said. "Patience Rachel, all will be revealed soon enough." But James then cut to the chase. "Is whatever you plan on telling us now why those dudes in there where trying to kidnap you?" Tobias just smiled. Black eye and all "Yes and no. They were actually trying to kill me. And you should have done the same to the both of them" "And you're **** right he should have!" We all looked in shock at those same people who were Tobias earlier. armed with brass knuckles. "How did you manage to wake up from that?" said a very wide eyed Marco. "Shut the **** UP!" said an angry, beat up, and possibly insane thug. I then noticed a part soot smeared part white sphere rise from behind the hill they were on. All of us went wide eyed, and to make sure I wasn't seeing things I looked over at the others. All of them were completely dumbfounded except Julio and Tobias who were smiling slightly as if that thing rising behind the thugs is a good thing.