"Say what you need to save your soul,
but leave your religion at the door"

-Otep, Sacrilege

"Constance I beg you to see reason! This child cannot live any longer! It is the devil's spawn!"

I watch as Constance extinguishes her cigarette, her face sour. The woman next to her was slightly abashed, her neck length light brown hair and pale face, a mess. She took a long drag of her cigarette as Constance folded her hands tightly and leaned on them as if thinking deeply.

"You cannot continue to keep this child. After everything I told you, how could you be so stupid?" the woman said in a rage, looking almost demented.

Constance removed her hands from their tight clasp and looked at the woman savagely, another cigarette already lit in her hand.

"No one and I mean no one-is taking Michael away from me. I'll be damned and buried before that happens, missy. I've lost too much already."

She pointed a sharp finger at the woman near to her, who once again took a long drag and exhaled the smoke slowly, looking around her back as if she expected to be attacked. She turned back to Constance and she smirked slightly.

"What are you smiling about?" Constance questioned in her Southern drawl, her lips pursed and her face almost evil looking.

"What did you expect would become of this? Did you think you could ignore the fact that he's the Anti-Christ? Remember me telling you? It is the essence of evil, it will damn us all."

"He's a good boy," Constance responded, slight tears becoming visible.

"He's murder two nanny's already!" The woman screeched and Constance winced slightly.

She placed her cigarette in the ashtray, wisps of smoke spiraling in the light. Her voice cracked with a sort of sadness as she spoke.

"I can change him," her voice almost delusional and happy,"He just needs my care and affection. He's my grandson."

"That's what you thought about Tate! He's our end. Please Constance, get rid of him. I know people who can help. This is fire you are playing with. Hell fire."

Constance wiped her tears away.

"I love my children," she said softly,"Michael is my gift. I can start over. Tate, made a mistake, but made me a mother again."

The woman shook her head, tears strangled in her dark eyes.

"We both know Tate never had a choice. I told you this already. But, it has destroyed us. If you won't listen to me, then so be it. You will never be a mother to this child. You are simply a pawn in his game."

She threw her cigarette down and stood up, Constance starring at her blankly as she patted her hair. The woman gathered her purse and turned for the doorway before speaking again.

"By the way, if I were you, I wouldn't get to comfortable with having Michael as your own. Someone is going to stop him soon, even though she isn't aware yet."

Constance starred at the woman's back, lost for words.

"Silence suits you, Constance," she looked over at her slightly," Everything is going to change. She will make sure of it."

And with that Constance watched her exit, the cigarette in the ashtray, nothing more than hateful ashes.

"Azura! Wake up!"

I woke up abruptly to the sound of Chloe's voice, the library coming back into focus. I felt myself quickly revert back to the dream I had just had. What had just happened?

"Azura?"

I look up at Chloe, Stephanie eyeing me impatiently.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't sleep good last night," trying not to sound to concerned, even though I was. Who was that woman and what had they been talking about? I had another vision, but this one gave off a strange sense, as if it revolved around me. And who was the boy called Michael? I racked my brain trying to remember everything that was said. Tate's name had come up. Tate. The name slipped and out of my mind like a serpent. Michael.

Tate made me a mother again.

And it hit me full on. Holy shit.

"Azura!" Chloe called out to me again,"I was asking you if you've made any progress yet?"

I brushed my hair away from my face and looked ahead of them. Kyle, Kevin and Amir playing cards. When my eyes looked back at the two girls in front of me, I sighed heavily.

"What's up with you?" Stephanie inquired, rudely.

Chloe starred at me intently,"Yea, you've been off this last week. Its really starting to feel like we don't matter anymore."

I felt hurt by this, but the truth was that I had so much going on in my head. I hadn't spoken to Violet in four days and me and Tate were spending way too much time together. I really feared that the ghosts in the house were going to find out soon. Then again, maybe they already knew. Chad was a nosey little bitch.

"I'm sorry,"I said,"I didn't mean to make you feel so shitty, there's just so much going on. I feel like I'm suffocating."

Chloe looks at Stephanie seriously and then back at me, her brown eyes sympathetic.

"I understand what you're going through. I really do."

I laughed in my head; If only she really knew.

"I'm worried about you," she went on.

I laughed slightly,"I'm okay," A total lie,"Don't worry about it. I made you a promise and I'm going to keep it. Its just going to take some time. Tate doesn't remember anything so I have to try to find the source of what caused it."

Stephanie's eyebrows furrow," That could take fucking forever."

Chloe looks out the library window hopefully and then back at me. The look in her eyes makes me uncomfortable, like she could see right through me.

"You already have an idea, don't you?" she whispers to me and I stare at her taken aback.

Yes, I had an idea. More like the answer. But what would they make of my insane theory? If me talking to them was possible then of course the Devil was a possibility too.

"Yes,"I respond heavily,"I have a theory. But, its crazy. Crazy, but true. I know it."

"Well?" Stephanie asks eagerly, and its the first time I've seen her interested in anything I've said. I suddenly became nervous.

"The Devil," and as it left my lips I knew it was a bad idea to say it.

"That's a fucking joke, right?" Stephanie asks me and I shake my head.

"No. No joke."

Chloe doesn't speak, just stares at me.

"You don't believe in the Devil?" I ask them.

A few seconds pass by before Chloe answers me,"Yes."

I look at her, almost relieved. Stephanie, however, was not amused.

"This is bullshit. You are going to sit here and tell me that Tate murdered us because he was possessed by the Devil?"

The way she said it made it seem more insane than it already was but I stood my ground.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Hell is real. And so is the Devil. If I recall, you are in hell now."

Stephanie doesn't respond to me, only folds her arms and looks over at Chloe who tries to think of a way to respond. I felt guilty then.

"The Devil makes us sin,"Chloe says softy and almost comprehensive. Me and Stephanie stare at each other,"I always wondered what made humans evil. Who would have thought."

The bell rings overhead and I groan,"Great."

I pick up my bag and notebook and send a wave good-bye to the guys before talking to Chloe and Stephanie again.

"I guess we will have to continue this tomorrow."

Stephanie simply nods and walks away. I stare after her, almost tempted to throw my book at her.

"You real think its true then?" Chloe asks me, her voice almost assured.

I can't help but smile at her then,"Yes. I would never lie to you."

She smiles back,"I know. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"See ya," I wave to her and watch her join the others, my heart heavy once again.

"Talking to yourself?" I hear a voice ask me and I turn around suddenly to see Oliver smirking at me. I looked back only to see that the others had vanished.

"It's rude to sneak up on people," I said annoyed, turning back to him,"Shouldn't you be somewhere else?"

He laughed,"Maybe. Who were you talking to?"

I frown at him and feel myself become slightly mused,"Dead people, obviously."

"Ah, I see. Well then, do they talk to you often?" he smiles.

I chuckle and walk past him, my hand on the door handle,"Everyday during lunch."

It was amusing to know that this was completely true and he thought it was a joke. I wave at him, open the door and disappear. The look on his face is priceless.

When I got home, I had intended to find mom and tell her everything that had happened in my vision, but part of me thought better of it. What would mom do? What would she say? I felt shaky as I exited my car and made my way up the porch, only to hear someone calling my name. I turned around to see Constance by the gate. I tried to keep my composure as I met her, but I felt my knees go a little weak.

"Constance, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

She still had a cigarette in her hand, but this one was fresh.

"Well, I just thought you would like to come over for a bit? Have some tea? I thought we could have a little talk."

I gaze at her, trying to see through that fake southern smile. There was something off about Constance and something conniving. And I needed to know what. It was the opportunity I needed to prove what I had seen. Mom wasn't home yet but hopefully she wouldn't miss me or care too much.

"Um, yea. That would be great."

She smiled and beckoned me to follow her, and that's when I felt a chill run down my spine. I turned around and looked up at the house, Tate starring at me through the middle window, a look that plainly said please don't go etched onto his face.

"What kind of tea would you like now?" Constance asked me happily, laying various cookies and bread on the little table in a very old-fashioned kitchen. It felt like something out of the South for sure.

"Um anything is fine," I reply, trying not to sound too out of place.

I watched as she prepared two cups and placed them on the table, her smile becoming more overwhelming to me.

"Now then, tell me everything. How are you? How is school?"

I look at her fixated, not touching the tea in front of me.

"Its ok. I do pretty well."

She retrieves another cigarette from the carton and lights it up. I wondered how black her lungs were.

"That's darling," she waves the smoke away,"I was an excellent student. Daddy always told me that I had to earn everything."

I nod at her, tying to act like I am at least mildly interested, when I spot a bottle on the counter.

"You have a kid?"

She see's where my eyes are locked and then turns back to face me, beaming casually.

"Oh yes. One of my relatives died and I was the only one who could take the baby. It was so sad, so sudden, but I know all about children. I had four of them. I'm a mother you see. I love my children."

I knew very well about all of this already from the others, but apparently Constance didn't think I knew and I wanted to keep it that way as long as I could. She was practically laying the bait out for me.

"Where are they?"

I could tell the question took her off guard, like a smack to the face, and she took a puff of her cigarette before placing it in the ashtray.

"Unfortunetly I lost my children to other things. A sad subject and all in the past now. But, I have Michael and I can finally start over."

I felt my skin become cold and my stomach turned.

"I love kids," I stated and Constance laughed in a high pitch.

"Follow me."

She removed herself from the table and I followed her upstairs into a nursery that was coated in a baby blue that almost made me sick. It was way to sweet for a child that had apparently been dubbed the Anti-Christ. I stopped in the center of the room as Constance walked over to a white crib and removed the little boy from his sanctuary.

Any other time I would have fainted, but this was not the time to do it. I literally felt my whole body immobilize as I set my eyes on the little boy in Constance's arms. Its wispy blonde hair and bright blue eyes were taunting me and his smile was one not normal for a tiny infant. I couldn't look away from him as his eyes searched mine, as if to say, I've been waiting for you. I was looking into a spitting image of Tate and I felt myself want to vomit, the sickness finally succumbing.

"Are you alright dear?" Constance asks, her tone jeering in some way as if she found my apparent shock, amusing.

I finally find the will to break eyes contact with the child and look up at Constance, her face searching mine.

"He's-he's beautiful," I reply and it was true. The Devil would never settle for an unfit child.

"Yes, he is a spitting image of his father," Constance starred at the baby lovingly, her voice breathless.

Did she know I knew? It was beginning to feel like she was fucking with me.

"I real should go now, though. I'm grounded and mom won't be happy if I get home after she does. Thanks for the tea."

I turn on my heel, desperate to leave when I feel Constance lay a hand on my shoulder.

"Do you want to hold him?"

I look from her to the baby in her arms and feel utterly repulsed, a sudden sense of longing to kill the thing coming over me, but I didn't show it.

"Don't worry," I said, backing away from her, my voice sounding almost determined,"I'll come back."

It's the darkness. It has me