Final chapter! Thank you guys soooooo much for your support! It makes me sososososo happy! -St0rmy

The radio was set on the window ledge next to the piano, and there was a aura of darkness radiating from it. Soon, it would have a new tune after being inactive for over forty years.

"Dinner is almost ready, and Daddy's home soon," Avery told Reagan who came running into the kitchen to ask about food. "Why don't you go bother Chance?" Reagan happily obliged, not seeming to notice the deathly-cold nature of the dismissal, and ran off to find her brother.

"That smells-" Connor started, as he came through the door. He muttered "Oh, it's Saturday." under his breath, but Avery still heard him.

"It's almost ready." She wasn't allowed to eat with them, Connor had said. Not that it mattered. It worked great for her plan.

"Mmm, alright." He walked through the kitchen to get upstairs to change and shower quickly before dinner. Avery turned back to the food, a smile slowly making its appearance on her face.

Connor came back down, soon followed by Victoria, and Reagan chased Chance into the dining room from the family room where they were watching a movie. Avery set their plates down at their respective chairs, and spread side dishes along the center of the table. She headed to get their drinks, pausing momentarily before grabbing them. This is it.

Avery set their glasses - and Connor's beer bottle - down. "I'm going to go draw," she said simply, not caring if she wasn't allowed. She startled a bit when the radio flashed on as she came near it. She sat down on the ground and recited her numbers as she drew.

Her drawing was green flames with a white space in the middle, where she would paint his symbol. Underneath that was her family, all lying down, dead, but looking peaceful.

The timing was perfect. As soon as she set her pencil down, she heard a fall and clanking of dishes. It didn't take long. She heard sudden outcries that were cut short. She heard a small body fall to the ground. Avery breathed in and out deeply before getting up slowly and going to the closet where she stored everything she needed.

/

The Bowen family was laid out in an X-shape, bound with duct tape on their mouths sacks on their heads. Surrounding them were stacks of birch logs, the ones Victoria wanted to decorate the fireplace with off-season. Avery doused the logs with methanol before sprinkling roach killer - boric acid - on them.

The radio's eerie orange glow lit up the large room.

Avery went over to Chance first, clutching a large butcher knife in her hand. Her knuckles were white. She slit his throat swiftly before moving to Reagan Grace. Another swift, deep slash. Ripples of velvety-red flowed from their small necks.

Victoria was conscious still. So was Connor, as he mumbled and thrashed about trying to figure out what was going on. Avery dragged the knife across Victoria's neck slower than with her siblings, watching the blood trickle before moving on.

Avery stepped over to her father. She knelt next to him as she ripped the sack off his head. His eyes were wide with sheer terror. She ripped the duct tape off his mouth.

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" Avery asked quietly, before Connor could react. "Why do you hate me so much, Daddy? All I've ever done is love you and try to be good!" There was no hatred in her voice. Only hurt.

"Avery... I..."

She shook her head slowly to silence him. "I just wanted you to love me." She glanced down at him, tears slowly cascading down her face. "I'm sorry." Slowly, she dragged the knife across his neck. That stopped her tears from falling. Her sacrifice was almost complete. She let the blood trickle for a few seconds before letting it collect it in a small bowl.

Avery lit matches now, and set fire to the logs. The chemical flames danced with a glorious green, and she smiled. Green was her favorite color. And now it symbolized more. It symbolized freedom. Freedom from pain, freedom from hatred.

She had a paintbrush that Ashley had lent her, and she would use Connor's blood for the rest of her artwork. She was inspired by Cody, in a way, and painted in great detail Bughuul's symbol.

She took a deep breath and sat down at the piano and started playing. Her song was eerie, haunting, and melodic. Unlike anything she had learned from her lessons. It was better. Her talent was never appreciated by her parents, but this time, her song wasn't for them.

Her music rang through the house, and through the radio into Bughuul's realm. He heard it, he let Ashley and her group hear it. It was dark and moody and absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.

She played until she noticed the radio was off. Now what? "Ashley? Frida?" Avery sounded concerned. She started coughing, now, as the house had been getting smoky. Slowly, her trance began to fade. "Bughuul?" she uttered, as if saying his name would make her face the inevitable.

She was alone.

"Wait, what did I do wrong?" she said, half to herself. "I did everything I was supposed to, didn't I?" she yelled into the radio. "Everything!" she turned back to her family.

"I did this..." she walked over to Chance and Reagan Grace, horrified, wincing at the large slashes in their necks. Stifling a gag at the pools of blood surrounding them. "I-I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! I hope you knew how much I loved you two. I-" she choked down a sob. "I'm sorry." That would be her goodbye.

Her knife was down by Connor. There was no other option, she thought. She didn't realize her drawing was gone. She bent down to pick up her, knife, coughing violently from the smoke, letting the tears flow. She stood up slowly, glancing at the knife. It glistened in the dying flames. She had to do it now, before the police came.

Suddenly, Avery felt a hand on her shoulder. Immediately, she dropped the knife, knowing who it was and turned into him, sobbing. She wrapped her arms around him; he didn't scare her anymore.

Bughuul gently returned her embrace and let her cry for a few before he shushed her. "Avery." His voice, calm and soothing, beckoned her to look up at him. "You're alright now. You're safe."

"What did I do wrong? I tried so hard!"

"You did nothing wrong, Avery. I am so proud of you - you did more than I expected. Thank you."

"Really?" she asked, voice shuddering with cries she tried to stop. "Why didn't you come? I-"

He shushed her softly. "Are you ready to go home?"

Avery swallowed hard and nodded slightly, wiping her tears with the back of her bloody and sooty hand. "You mean, you're going to adopt me?"

Bughuul lifted her up then, and she felt comforted and loved in his arms, something foreign in her relationship with Connor and Victoria. "Yes, I am."

After a few steps, Avery began to feel sleepy, but no longer sick. She could breathe again. They were home.

At that moment, everything was alright. Avery would be free, safe, and loved. Now that the ritual was complete, Bughuul's realm would be calm again. Right then, everything was perfect for father and new daughter.

Avery rested her head on him, blinking heavily. "I love you, Daddy," she whispered.

"I know you do," Bughuul replied. "I love you too, my child."

This time, the music wasn't in his head, he was sure of it. The eerie, mournfully haunting music now had a tangible source. He slowly got out of bed and crept to his desk. A wave of terror rushed over him as he looked at the HAM radio sitting there. He looked at it confusedly as a wave of dread rushed over him.

"Such a shame..." came a voice behind him. He whirled around. "You're all alone again, Dylan." A sinister smile was spread across Avery's face. Several of her siblings materialized beside her. "But you don't have to be."