"Jade."
"No, John. No."
"Jade. We really need to talk about this."
"John. Shut up."
"Jade! My interview!"
"John! What part of shut the fuck up do you not understand!"
This had been going on for an hour. The whole argument about John wanting Jade to turn around. Yes, indeed. John was going to go try and get Jade's attention, to pull over even. But Jade wouldn't even do that. It was already 4 in the morning, and John was definitely going to be late. Not because he couldn't make it (no, they had been driving for the past six hours, and Jade was extremely grumpy and John was trying to make it, and it was about 2 hour drive from home), but if Jade didn't drop him off, he would be late. Or never even make it. "I told you I am just going to search for Rose. It ended, right? I don't want part of this. I really don't!"
"No, John! You don't get it! Rose is in danger and-" Jade was having the last straw. She was so frustrated at Dave. And she really wanted to get this over with. Just really wanted to break down and cry, but she wouldn't.
"And what!? Do you want me to bash her head open like I did with dad? Because I sure don't want to!"
There was a screech, and Jade stopped the car. "Get out." Jade said, getting out as well. So did John. They were on a bridge, the river rushing underneath them.
"John. I know that it was horrible." Jade started, the frustration suddenly gone from her voice. She now understood why John was so reluctant to go.
"Jade. You don't understand. You weren't the one holding the hammer. You weren't the one whose dad was possessed. Hell, Grandpa Harley? He told you about it and I didn't! I never knew demons were real! I didn't know ghosts were real! I thought it was all fun make-believes that I was supposed to be afraid of and you knew it all! And you weren't there because what? Hunting trips? If you were there, you would have exorcised him or something. But I couldn't! Do you have any idea how frustrated and helpless I felt all this time? Do you know why I followed you after Grandpa Harley died? Do you have any single idea what I have been through!? I wish I hadn't even known to begin with! "
Jade's face paled, her eyes wide, a bit full of regret, a bit full of fear. What would she have done then? She didn't know.
There was some revving sound of the engines, and both Jade and John turned to see Bec, the car, revving up, the headlights on. "Did you leave the key?" John asked. No answer, but there was jingling, and Jade staring at the car. She held up the car key. She hadn't left it.
"Oh shit." Jade suddenly pushed John out of the way as Bec came charging onto the bridge, almost running over both of them. Out of the corner of his eyes, John saw a fuzzy shape in the driver's seat. A woman? Her eyes were white, the black hair flowing a bit, wearing pure white. She saw him, he thought, and grinned. Then the car just crashed into a car, and Jade screamed.
"You bitch!" Jade said, running over. "You son of a bitch!" She ran over to the car, assessing the damage. "You could have left the car alone and…" The car was, thankfully, fine. Except for few dents, but Jade had long since forgotten the argument with Dave and John earlier. It didn't matter to her. Only thing that mattered was Bec.
***Few hours later***
"OK. Seriously?" Jade was tapping her fingers onto the table of the café 7 in the morning, John researching the topic of a white ghost. A ghost in white. White lady. There. "So something about women who had unfaithful men, and they steal cars?"
"No, they don't steal cars. They sort of… um… kill them? You know. Standard ghosts with overloaded grudge."
"And how are you unfaithful?" John shrugged. So far, Vriska was the first girl he actually dated. And who would like him anyways? Dorky and childish most of the time. "And I found this picture here in the old newspaper article."
There was a picture of the girl who John had seen (and Jade had seen. She caught a glimpse too.) The girl looked tidy enough, happy even. "Damara Megido. She died… ten years ago? When her sister was six years old, and she had a fiancé who… cheated on her? With a guy?"
"This is the most twisted case of grudge ever. Now where is she buried?" Jade asked, seriously wanting to burn her up to crisp."
"Cremated. I guess we could burn down her house?" John suggested, laughing before realizing Jade looked quite serious.
"We are burning down her house." Jade nodded grimly, and John gulped.
**Again, few hours later**
"Well, thank god the younger sister moved away and the house is empty." John said as he sat on the car. Though he was very reluctant to do this. Jade, on the other hand, looked quite happy. "Come on. Let's burn this sucker down."
"Uh, you know what? I am just going to sit this one out. In the shotgun." John gulped. Fire. Horrible. And if they get caught, this was crime. And he was gonna pay a huge fine. And forget the interview. Forget college. Jade went out of the car, holding a box of matches and some gasoline. As soon as she stepped out of the car, John sighed, covered his eyes, and just decided that coming was a horrible idea.
And suddenly, the car lurched, and John saw Jade running towards him, shouting out his name as the car suddenly went backwards on high speed. John looked towards the driver's seat, only to find the wheels moving on its own.
OK. He was being kidnapped by a ghost. And he said what her grandmother would have said in this situation.
"Ah, snickerdoodles."
Jade had stopped following as she rushed to the house, lugging the gasoline and spreading it everywhere on the floor, on the walls, as much as she could. She was going to burn the bitch down. The car wasn't enough and now her brother? Hell no.
"OK. Miss Megido. Please be reasonable." John was trying to negotiate when there was a halt, and the car came to a stop on the bridge they had been on the previous night. Or early morning. Then the seat he had been sitting on leaned back, and there was someone on him. John blinked, and there was Damara Megido, leaning against him, her chest pressed against him. John gulped. She was wearing really skimpy dress, considering it was torn and her chest was showing really much. And her legs were very bare. Unfaithful men. "I wasn't unfaithful. You can't do this to me."
"I can make you." Was the reply. And she kissed her, and he could feel her nails digging onto his back. He tried to struggle, but there she was, and he could feel coldness going through him.
And Jade struck the match, and the whole place burst into flames.
++++ Few hours later ++++
"Why are we stopping?" John said, looking around, sucking on the wound on his lips, looking around. It was his home.
"You need to go for the interview John. I thought about it in a bit." Jade smiled, opening the door for him. "I thought about what you said. You really don't want to do this, and I should respect that."
"Jade…"
"Shh. John. Get some rest, and talk to your girlfriend. Alright?"
John smiled. "Thanks Jade." He stood up, and waved goodbye as he opened the door, and saw Jade leaving with Bec. Smiling, he turned, walking in the house. "Vriska?" Was she out? He walked around, looking at the house. It seemed rather empty. "Vriska?" Then he paused, stopping when he saw shadows.
"John…" John turned sharply, and there was Vriska, being suspended in the air by someone. Someone with red gleaming eyes, who looked at him. "Oh, looks like you got a boyfriend there, Serket." There was a cackle, and the demon looked back at Vriska. John was about to rush forward, save her, but the demon waved his hand, and he was flown backwards.
"Stay out of this. Her time's up."
He was about to ask, what was going on, when Vriska looked down at the demon. "Pyrope. Couldn't wait for a few hours, huh?" She grunted, attempting to twist the arm to letting go, but it failed, and there was a sharp crack and she slumped to the floor, her eye lifeless, neck twisted.
"No!" John screamed, and the demon, Pyrope, looked at him.
"As I said, the time's up. And she isn't going to cheat me anymore." She snapped her fingers, and there was a burst of flames.
"John. I'm sorry." Jade said. She had come back as soon as she saw the house ablaze. "I'm sorry that Vriska…"
"They didn't even find the body." John said grimly. He wasn't even crying. No tears. Just leaning his forehead against the shotgun seat. "Jade?"
"Yes, John?"
"Do you think if we find Rose, and we catch that demon in her, we might know more about them?"
"Why John?"
"Because I will hunt her down." John raised his eyes, and his eyes were full of determination, and not fear, not panic that he had previously shown. "And make her pay for this."
