PAST AND PRESENT

Narrator's Pov - 10 years ago.

"Mummy, see that man over there." Seven-year-old Natalie called out to her mom. They were sitting in Angel park having lunch. Her mom tied a napkin around her younger brother's neck.

"Mummy, see." Natalie whined.

Lily looked in the direction she pointed at. She didn't see anything.

"Yes dear, It's very funny. Now eat."

"But how is someone holding a sword and a huge dog on a leash funny?"

Lily looked back again. She still didn't see anything. Eric had told her already. "I know, it's not. Ignore and eat." Natalie made a face and looked at her food before she began eating.

Presently - Emma Pov

"Mum ... I'm leaving." I said putting my plates in the dishwasher.

"Alright."

"Mum, Jose and I aren't following you to the office today." Chloe said entering the kitchen still on her PJ's.

"Are you sure?" Mom asked and Chloe nodded.

I made my way out of the kitchen and upstairs, then I locked my room. If Chloe wasn't going out with my mom today, then she was likely to go snooping through my stuffs. After that I came back down.

"Bye mom." I said leaving.

"Bye.

I entered class that morning to find out Natalie hadn't come to school. It was weird Natalie was never late to school.

"Natalie hasn't come to school yet?" I asked Caden when she walked up to me.

"No. You think she's gonna come to school today?"

"I don't know. I'll check my phone during lunch to see if she left any messages.

"Okay." CC replied.

During lunch, CC and I sat at a table to eat.

"So, did she leave any messages?" She asked.

"Let me check." I said and brought out my phone. There was only a text message.

'Hey Emma. Couldn't come to school today. Mom Issues.'

That was weird. "She said she couldn't come today."

"Did she say why?"

"She said Mom issues."

"Mom issues?"

I nodded.

"Could you elaborate?"

"I don't know CC, honestly."

"What about her dad?"

I kept mute. I didn't know what to say, it wasn't in my place to speak.

"She doesn't have one." I said quietly.

"Oh." She said. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

"It's alright. I'll call her later anyways."

CC nodded and we continued eating.

I wondered what Natalie meant by mom issues. Natalie wasn't the type to miss school unless it was for very serious reasons.

"Mom issues?" I repeated to my myself.

I entered the house after school to find Chloe sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching TV while clutching the remote. Her feet were on the table, the nerve of her. She looked at me.

"Hi." She said simply and turned her attention back towards the television.

"Get your feet off the table, child." I said.

Slowly but grudgingly, her feet came down.

"Did Jose stay home with you?" I asked.

"No. He left with mom." She replied.

Interesting, I looked around and saw my laptop on one of the seater couch. What the ...

"Chloe, what is my laptop doing here? How did you even get in?"

No reply.

"Chloe?" I raised my voice this time deciding to read her mind.

"Ok fine chill. I might have borrowed your laptop to watch a few movies on Netflix."

"How did you get in?"

"The door." She said.

'Window. And I forgot to remove my rope of curtains, Shit.' Her thoughts said otherwise.

Immediately, I bolted out through the back door in the kitchen there was a long rope made out of curtains, hanging there.

"How did you pull this off? What did you hook it to?" I asked her when I saw that she ran out with me.

"I don't know."

I brought out my phone to take pictures. "Just wait till mom sees this." I raised my hand that held the phone high up, just as she jumped to grab it.

"Please wait no, don't. I only entered to get your laptop and left through the door."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, please don't tell mom. I beg of you."

I took a picture and brought down the phone. "Alright. I won't tell mom. But I'll hang on to this picture.

"Thank you."

"And?"

"I'm sorry."

"Good."

I walked back into the kitchen and went up straight to my room. Then I dropped my school bag on my desk and decided to face time Natalie. She answered immediately.

"Hey Nat."

"Hey.

"So, why the mom issues?"

"Yeah. I'm not actually certain. My mom woke up this morning saying neither my brother nor I are going to school until Wednesday."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know. No leaving the house. I don't know what's wrong."

"Did you guys at least ask her why?"

"Yeah, and she said it's just her decision."

"Whoa."

"I don't know. She wouldn't be so paranoid if what happened never did." Natalie said frowning a little.

"Natalie ..." I said trying to cheer her up.

"It's ok.

"You sure."

She nodded. "I can't come to the temple today too. I don't know want my mom to notice I'm gone.

"I understand."

"Alright, Bye."

"Bye." I ended the face time with an audible sigh.

Neither her nor her brother deserved this.

That night after dinner, I laid in bed thinking about Nat. I'll go to her place tomorrow instead of school. I brought out my phone and sent a message to her.

"I'll come tomorrow."

After that I brought out Liber Custodes to read about Zelda. I had been reading about her since I met her. I wanted to know the much I could. I decided to read the first paragraph. The first four weren't all helpful.

It read 'Zelda had a half-sister named Zhuri who was a witch like her. Zhuri had met a backwards cult member while trying to gather moss in the forest. She spotted him near a tree and killed him on the spot. After Zelda found out, she was warned not to do it again. Two days later, Zhuri and Zelda were attacked by three cult members and two demons on behalf of the one killed by Zhuri, but Zelda destroyed them all.'

I stopped reading. I thought demons worked with Lord Xavier., Why were two demons with them? I needed to read more on Backwards Cult and I needed to know more about Xavier. Were they partners?