District 2: Nero Ryker (18) Pov-

The ice-cold patch on the back of my neck grows more and more painful the faster I run. I can still remember every muscle in my body freezing up as I watched Declan transform into the demon. Before I knew it his hand was wrapped around my neck. But I managed to slip away.

Adrenaline powers me forward so fast the woods zoom past in a blur. Up until a few minutes ago I could hear the thing chasing after me. Even though I can't hear it anymore, something tells me for certain I haven't lost it.

The hairs stand up on my neck like the bristles of a nail brush as I hear a thump behind me. Like an idiot, I turn around, and crawling behind me are those two horrid glowing eyes. My blood turns to ice as I struggle to pull my own eyes away. It's almost like I can feel my soul siphoning itself out of my body.

It feels like an eternity before the cornucopia comes into view. Jaehaera sits on an unfolded deck chair in front of the cornucopia, sorting her weapons. I hope my terrified expression is enough to tell her I need her help.

"What is it?" Jaehaera demands gravely, getting to her feet.

"A crazy white demon thing… I watched it take Declan, I think it might…"

But I don't have to finish. Jaehaera is already running for the firewood. There's a kind of frantic terror in her eyes that tells me she knows exactly what's happening, more so than me. Almost like she's had to do this before.

I kneel down next to a pile of bandages.

"Over here, you idiot! We need to start a FIRE!" she shouts.

As I hastily pile up tinder and grab the matches, I kind of hope the 2 girl will fill me in on what's happening. She clearly knows. She also clearly knows that I don't.

"Maybe a little info here?" I ask. "You know what this is, don't you?"

Jaehaera makes what must be a nod. "The first time I saw it, I was sixteen … I was at the park with a few friends… and…" she scowls. "The thing is, it's not a ghost or a spirit. It's not a creature that possesses a human host. It doesn't take over you. It is you. It's the embodiment of all of your deepest fears and insecurities, and that stuff… that stuff starts up the Curse if it's let loose."

A bloodcurdling, snakelike hiss makes me jump ten feet into the air. Because fifty yards to my right there hovers two glowing white eyes in the darkness.

"Run!" I scream. "We might be able to escape if we…"

But Jaehaera isn't running. She's grabbed her sword and she's walking toward the creature. Her walk reminds me of somebody reconciling with an old adversary.

"You won't win this time," Jaehaera snarls.

"Oh yes I will," the creature replies. "I'll take you just like I took her, all those years ago."

I figure the her they're talking about must have been somebody Jaehaera was super close with. It's only at that point that I remember I'm supposed to be starting the fire. My shaking hands break the first match in half, but my second try is far more lucky. In a few seconds I've caught the pile of kindling on fire.

"Because you know I'm not going to lose," it continues. "You can't escape me. I'm inside you. I'll always be inside you, hidden down in your deepest animal mind where your terrors run free. I was there when you realized you could not save her."

Suddenly Jaehaera staggers to one side as if slapped in the face. It doesn't take an expert to realize she's passed her breaking point.

"TELL ME!" she screams so loudly the firewood seems to rattle. "I MUST KNOW! WHAT ARE YOU?"

The demon just laughs a horrid, mirthless, scraping laugh. "Forgetting so quickly? You already know everything, girl. You just can't bear the thought that fear will always be with you, always at your side. I've only come into a rudimentary body a few times this millennia, but I'm closer to my pure form than I've ever been, so close I can feel it."

Something tells me if this is Terror's rudimentary form, I don't want to see it in pure form.

Jaehaera roars and grabs the creature by both sides of its torso. With surprising ease, the 2 girl flings it to one side, causing it to land in the dead center of the bonfire. Ashes and chunks of firewood fly in all directions as the creature's body burns away, pieces floating off like confetti into the night sky before dissolving in the starlight.

In moments silence returns. The next moment, the faint whispering voice of the demon seems to spurt back out of the fire. It only lingers for a second or two before being carried away by the wind.

So nearly free.

I look at Jaehaera. Tears stream down her cheeks.

A/N: *shivers* I hope this one was enjoyable. I know it's awfully short but I figured this part was important enough to make its own chapter. Don't worry, everything will be explained later, like the identity of the she mentioned here as well as how the 2 girl's mysterious first encounter with the creepy demon thing went down. I won't be putting a question here but please keep the reviews coming, I love them :D