Chapter 2

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Unable to control herself, she gave a little yelp of excitement and clapped her hands in joy before turning to Sam.

"We're going right?" she asked as she pulled out her phone and started to key in the number.

"Yep, we just have to figure out when, I'm thinking maybe this Saturday" he said, "should I call her or you call her?"

She hesitated for a moment and Sam could tell she was having an inner battle with pride. She got up and almost instantly fell over Sam's long legs.

"Forgot I was sitting in front of you," she muttered as he laughed at her, "I'll call but I'll put it on speaker in case I chicken out and need help, which I won't!"

She counted to ten before finally summoning up enough courage to press the call button. Almost instantly she started to pace her room. She felt a wave of embarrassment at how cluttered it had got. She shot Sam a nervous glance; his eyes were fixated firmly on her, silently urging her on. When she finally managed to get through she signaled for Sam to come over because there was no way she was going to be able to speak to a psychic without any support from him even though she had said she didn't need his help. There was a huge difference in the terms need and want.

"Hello? This is Psychic Martha speaking?" came a chirpy voice from through the phone line.

"Hello? This is Alexis Sondey speaking," she stammered as she ran her tongue over her bottom lip nervously.

"Did you need help with anything, there's no need to worry, you can tell me anything, this is completely confidential," she replied.

"We'll, the thing is, I keep seeing a kid with red eyes, I know it sounds stupid but they weren't contacts, his whole eye was red, bright blood red," she said in a rush, she somehow desperately wanted for her to believe her but all she got was silence that was becoming increasingly unbearable. "Hello? Are u still there?"

"Was the kid a boy of about 13 or 12?" she asked her voice so low, it was almost a whisper "was his features unrecognizable?"

Alex was slightly taken aback that she knew how he looked; she cast a glance at Sam who held out his hand in wonder.

"Yes, how did you know?" she asked in genuine wonder before it hit her in the face like a bus; she was probably able to read minds. After all Martha was a psychic.

"I need to speak to you in person then; do you think you could come over to my house sometime soon?" Martha asked, worry laced in her now-not-so-cheerful voice, "I stay in Paddington."

"Erm yeah, that's just like a 45 minute journey from where we stay," Alex said letting out a breath of relief, "We could come on Saturday."

"Good, because we have a lot to talk about," She said her voice low to the point it was almost a growl, "You are in far more danger than you could have imagined Alexis dear."

"What do you mean, I'm in far more danger than I can imagine?" Fear shot through Alex's body at the thought that she might be kidnapped, "Is the kid dangerous?"

"Talk about a stupid question, of course he is dangerous if you feel the need to run every time you see him." Martha snapped, "Children these days. Anyway, you'd better ask your parents to stay the night; you will need at least two days to get ready."

"Get ready for what?" Alex asked, she was getting more and more confused the longer the conversation lasted.

"I'll tell you when you arrive, but for now make sure your never alone and don't be an idiot and lock the door when you're alone, you'll just be trapping yourself, bye," she said before hanging. Alex was left feeling much more worried and anxious than when she first started.

"Well that was very helpful, not," she muttered as she collapsed on her bed, "I'm so much more confused right now, OHHH!"

She covered her face with her hand in anguish. Then she saw them again. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up straight.

"You saw them again, didn't you?" Sam said. It was a rhetorical question. He felt an overwhelming sense of pity for her and also a douse of protectiveness that took him by surprise.

"You believe me then?" she asked hopefully as she looked at him.

"Yeah, I know you're not one to make up lies for the sake of attention." He reassured her, "Plus, you didn't tell us anything about your dreams or anything, which actually makes more sense as to why you wake up at the exact same time every day, "

She gave him a small smile and crossed her legs before unleashing a tidal wave of questions. "So when should we tell Emma? And how are we supposed to go on Saturday? Straight after the football tournament?

"Yeah, I don't think we should tell Emma, unless she specifically begs us to, because she doesn't believe in all that sort of stuff, and I was thinking that you could pack your bag and bring it to the game with a change of clothes obviously and we could change in my place before we take the bus." Sam said. He had clearly planned ahead. She bit her lip, although they had been friends for 7 years now, she'd only been in his house a handful of times for the simple reason that his house was a Victorian gothic house and it always gave her the impression of being haunted. And seeing the position she was in right now, she wasn't about to chance it.

"Actually, how about we take the train, it'll be faster and we can change in the toilets, because I don't think we'll be able to get away from the tournament until like three which is pretty late," she offered instead, she didn't want to appear ungrateful and everything she was saying was pretty much true.

"Yeah, I think you've got a good point there," he laughed, "anyway, I'll be allowed to go with you I'm sure, and so all you have to do is ask."

That was problem number two.

"I don't think I'll be allowed to but my mums working night shift again, so I'll just leave a note saying I went to Paddington with you," she bit her lip as she contemplating weather her plan would work or if it would just make her mum phone her and demand her home that instant. She never was good at lying, "It's not a lie, but it's not the full truth."

"I think we've got a plan." He smiled.

                        *********

After Sam went home; Alex unlocked all the doors, and made sure that there was an easy escape route out of the house just in case anything happened during the night. Not that she was planning to sleep. She made herself a strong coffee, not that she could drink it all. She managed a fifth of it before, pouring the rest down the sink and giving in. She was going to have to sleep eventually and this time her mum would be in the house with her. This thought alone reassured her and the eyes did not appear in her dream again, but she could feel them. She was being watched and it was almost just as terrifying, she was grateful when she woke up and sunlight was blasting through the window. She sent up a silent prayer that her reality would be similar to her dream. Demonless.

It did. Up until the fourth period, that was Physical Education with Mr. Dunlop, which was, her favorite subject and she was looking forward to it because it was their football block. Mr. Dunlop had tried to get her onto the girl's football team, but after taking one glance at the team, she had decided that they were probably the worst team she'd ever seen due to the fact that half the girls only did it for the attention they receive from the boys. No instead she had tried out for the official school football team and because there weren't a no girls allowed rule, they couldn't rebuke her. And the fact that she was better than half the boys that trialed. She smiled to herself as she remembered Sam's trial; he had completely messed up and literally had to beg for another chance, only getting on as a substitute before finally proving himself.

"What are you smiling about? Emma asked as she pulled her Favorite panther leggings on, "Oh wait- you actually like physical torture."

"Whatever, I was just remembering when Sam tried out for the football years ago; He was such a scrawny kid back then,"

Emma laughed as the memory came onto her mind, "Anyway, where were you yesterday? I waited for ages for you"

"Sorry, Sam said to leave you to have some time with Max," she replied as she pulled on her crop topped hooded jumper before going out to the field where Mr. Dunlop was waiting for them. They started in little drills before going into games, but somehow she felt an unease that spoiled the enjoyment of the game. She could feel someone watching her, not that that was something new. She knew that she was always being watched; especially in P.E. she was constantly the subject of scrutiny because she was the only girl on the Boys football team. Some girls still thought she did it just for the attention but once they see her actual love for the sport, they always shut up. That was not the same for the boys. There were several boys in fourth year who were really pissed off at a girl on the team.

Alex was so lost in thought that she almost missed the pass that Julie had given her. She was the only other half decent girl there was at football. She turned and passed it on to their striker, before running into space. For a moment she lost sight of the ball and scanned the area for the ball but instead she caught sight of Max. He was staring intently at Emma. Talk about love-struck Alex thought in disgust. But he just turned and started walking up the ash pit used for baseball. Unconsciously her eyes zoomed forward to where he was heading and she saw a little figure at the top, facing towards the pitch, she did not even need to see the eyes. She knew they were there and she knew they were staring straight at her. Her body began to shake uncontrollably, and her breath turned shallow. She heard her name being called and she made the mistake of looking around. She saw the ball coming for her and she just managed to duck out of the way, but then anxiety took over. She couldn't find the figure anywhere. She knew he was close, her mind was going on over drive, she could almost feel it, and it made every hair on her body stick on end. She looked everywhere frantic but all she saw was Max looking in their direction.

"ALEXIS" She heard. It was low and harsh and it was terrifying. She could feel the blood drain from her face and her heart dropped to her feet. Everything blurred like a veil of fog before her knees gave way and everything went dark.

She had lost all sense of feeling and sight but not her sense of hearing. Unfortunately she could hear several things, but there was one sound that was more over powering than all the others and it was slowly driving her crazy. It was the cry's and screams of people she didn't know but she was sure she heard before. They all seemed to be kids, she did not hear even one adult cry and that alone was depressing but it gave her a clue. The demon or whatever that kid was. It was after kids, to be more precise, her.