Cursed ✔️

91. Is It Too Late?

"Oh, man," Clyde began, his voice full of excitement. "That never gets old! As I said, Helena, you so have to teach me how you do the teleportation!" Clyde sounded like a child who just got off from his dream ride.

Helena and Ryan shook their head at his innocence.

"And like we said," Ryan began. "You will, one day. But now, we have to-"

Emily screamed.

"Wh-wha-?" She yelled as she felt weak in her knees. It was the first time ever she saw Ryan - the melted rod faced man - in front of her.

The first time she had ever heard about him was from John. Till now, only John had seen him. Emily had only heard about him.

But imagining the horrifying image of him, when John described him, caused her shivers already - making the hairs on her hands stand up.

She remembered how John told her that he saw him - twice - both times at Skylar's house and how he had always tried to kill him up so close.

Emily searched for something to hold onto as she stumbled backward but the empty basement did her no good.

The closest thing she could find was Scarlett's arm and so she clutched it with a tight grip causing Scarlett to flinch in pain.

"You don't have to be afraid of him, Emily," Helena said after seeing Emily's pale face. "I know he has that effect on anyone who first sees him, but -" she turned to face Ryan, "but we all know who did this."

Helena continued after a brief pause. "Anyway, this is Ryan. Don't be scared. But get away from Scarlett!"

First of all, that's creepy as hell - enough to give anyone nightmares! Emily thought. But maybe she's right. I mean, if he would have been harmful, then why would Helena and Clyde be with him? But if he is not harmful, then why did he try to kill John - twice? And why does she want me to stay away from Sca-

Emily turned her gaze to Scarlett and realized that she was holding a bit too tight by looking at the pressed lips and squinted eyes of Scarlett.

"I'm sorry, Scarlett," Emily let go of Scarlett's arm and faced the three spirits standing in front of her.

"Helena's right, Emily," Clyde began, "Get away from Scarlett! NOW!"

Confused as to what was happening, she asked, "What are you talking about? Why should -"

"Helena, look!" Ryan began in fright, "she's standing in the middle of the pentagram!"

Emily looked down. She was still confused. She looked around everyone in the basement - lost.

"Emily, get away from that pentagram! RIGHT. NOW." There was an alarming, scolding, yet caring tone in Helena's voice.

"Wait - all of you!" Emily said still looking a bit cautiously at Ryan, "this is a lot to soak in. I have no idea what are you guys talking about?"

"We'll explain everything to you," Ryan began, "but first you need to step away from that thing!"

"No, first you all need to tell me what are you all talking about?" Emily asked still standing in the pentagram.

Scarlett looked at Emily and smiled from ear to ear - creepily.

Helena and Clyde looked at Scarlett and then looked at Emily in desperation but Emily still continued.

"And what - what's your - yes, right, Ryan, I'm not buying your whole 'not harmful' thing. Ok? I mean if you are 'not harmful', then why did you always try to kill John?"

"Emily!" Clyde snapped her out. "Listen to them!"

"Oh, now I get it," Emily still continued to stand where she stood. "You all do not want Diana to not make more people as her pawns, right? That's why you all are stopping me. And here I was thinking that by sacrificing myself, I would help you as you don't have to waste your time in fighting Diana's army of pawns, and therefore you'll get time to come up with a way to end Diana - to get to her. She had even taken John! Don't you remember what Father Murphy told us, Clyde?"

Emily's eyes looked into Clyde's.

"Diana has a way of controlling people's mind and body -" Emily began quoting Father's words, "- just like she did with Amber Montana when she tried killing her father that night. So, beware, if the history repeats itself or if Diana got a hold of any of us, she has her pawn and then, it would've been too late. So, you have to do something before Diana begins to take over any of you. If she does, then she would've created a link between her and the person whose mind she had taken over, and then the only way to break that link is the death of that person."

"Don't you understand, Clyde?" Emily still continued. "Don't stop me! Diana's growing stronger and so is her army. Even John's a pawn and -"

"- And so is Scarlett!" Ryan cut her off to get to the point. Emily's safety was important than anything at that moment.

"What?" Hearing his words changed her whole perspective. Emily looked at Ryan - shocked, questioning everything she did. And then she turned her head to look at Scarlett. At first, Emily didn't buy whatever Ryan just said.

How could Scarlett be Diana's pawn?

But when she looked at the faces of Helena, Ryan, and Clyde - all concerned and serious - and then when she gazed at Scarlett - smiling creepily with her eyes turning all black - a wave of terror ran through her. She was just falling for Diana's trap by listening to Scarlett!

Diana knew that Scarlett's the most trusting person. And even Father Murphy trust Scarlett, enough to tell me to meet Scarlett to find my answers. So, Scarlett was the right target for Diana. She had our trust and Diana knew that we would never question her. Bet Father didn't know about Diana's trap. Or did he? Is Father a pawn too? I don't know who to believe anymore. Did we all just fell for Diana's wicked plot? God, what have I done? I just walked right into Diana's trap. She lured me in so easily. She lured us all so easily.

Where were my senses? How could I be so blind?

This meant that whatever Scarlett was telling me about or convincing me about me being 'THE' person and how my sacrifice would help, it was Diana all along. She was manipulating me through Scarlett. And now here I am, just a few inches away to say goodbye to my life that would not even be worth it but Diana made me thought otherwise!

I cannot sacrifice myself. There has to be another way to end Diana. But I wonder is it too late?

Emily began to lift her foot to move away from the pentagram but just then, there was a sound of snap of a finger that came from the stairs which echoed and bounced off the walls of the basement.

Everyone looked at Emily who was about to say something when suddenly after the sound of the snap, she went all loose - fainted and fell to the floor.

"How dare you thought about doing that?" Came a familiar sound from the stairs near them.

Ryan and Helena whispered under their breaths, "Diana,"