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He smiled down at her. She seemed happy as she entered the quiet, cold and empty house. John stood in the door way, he let her have her moment. His head had a slight ache and he was too tired to point out what was wrong with her. That and he was a smidgen scared of this cutie. When she turned around to ask him about the letter he nodded that he knew about it, he even told her that he was attending when they were allowed to go home.

She was thanked several times until he realized what he was saying and closed his mouth immediately. He glanced behind him as he spoke. He detected that she was trying to leave him and go back to living in this husk of a home. He couldn't leave her here to eat sticks and steal very expensive looking clothes so his mind conjured up a meager amount of options for them to stay together. Brookridge Academy of Excellence. There was no way she could get there alone. He still couldn't figure out how child services didn't know about this quirky weirdo. He had to focus before she lost interest or something crazy happened. He turned to check if the coast was clear behind him before speaking to her.

"You did me a very big favor, and I owe you for it." He rubbed his chin as if he was actually considering something before he spoke again. "It looks like your folks don't have a car right now," he gestured to her driveway. Empty. Good. It gave him a smirk that he quickly changed into smile. "I can get my mom to take you with us when we move to Brookridge. You can even come with us after asking your parents now, and we can be the first to take a trip to check out the dorm rooms. It will be a little adventure! I can tell you stories about the Jews, and you can tell me if they were a spell or not." Haha blasphemous, witchy, fun. You are clutching at straws, but hopefully Jesus has the wheel, and is steering things John's way.

John hastily packed his things when he arrived. Not even stopping to say goodbye to Mr. Shannery before he went out the door. It was a bit difficult to do with one hand, but he fired off a text to his mother and winced when he saw his past messages to Cherno. He shoved his phone into his pocket while making sure he still had enough cash for fair. His cigarettes and lighter were safe and his grip on Eleanora's hand was secure, it made him breathe marginally easier. She felt so cold, his grip was even warmer. His gaze kept sweeping up and down the street they stood on as they waited for the bus.

His posture was tense as he stopped moving his head but kept his eyes and ears open and peeled. He had to get a message out. Meeting with everyone was too big a risk. But meeting one person seemed safer. However, two people would be the safest. She could posses one person, but she couldn't possess two, right? As long as they protected this girl and got this information out, he could leave her in another's safety until he said his goodbyes. Jesus this bus was taking a while. He sighed and began tweaking his plan. That is until she spoke.

"A bad lady didn't like the person I had you summon. So she messed up the city till I stopped. Don't you worry though. You handled the person I wanted you to call with ease. You must be a very strong witch. I'm jealous." He had sweat on his brow, a bit warm it was, for winter. He had them paid and settled on the bus solemnly.

He wiped his brow with his free hand while watching her with a patient expression, but internally hoping she would keep it at that one question. Jesus take the wheeeeeeeel. Take it from my haaaaaaaaands. The was pretty fast, like Coy City's news team. He nervously used to waited on her reply, it wasn't soon before long that they were a being dropped off at the same stop they were dropped off on the day of the hot springs incident. After that it was a short walk to their homes.

His shoulders shook as he struggled with regaining some grip on sanity. His stomach hurt, his heart ached and he couldn't get rid of the guilt he was feeling no matter what he thought. Finally despite the tears still flowing and the last tremor leaving the city, John's first sight was the ground he knelt on, and an uncomfortable looking Eleanora. He should do something with her. Whether he liked it or not, he was not the only one affected by his action. And maybe he could find redemption if he lived long enough to find it.

He rose up to his own to feet, shakily. He had to assign himself something or he'd get lost again. So he focused on the imperative. Giving out the bit of knowledge he learned and protecting Eleanora. John had purposely broken a rule. He could feel paranoia creeping up his neck as the tears began to dry on his cheeks when she spoke his name. Protect Eleanora, spread the word. Now he didn't want to risk getting her killed, he needed to keep his wits about him, at least until he was cleverly killed. He prayed to the being that protected him at Lacey's and and even asked Enny to protect her vessel before he directed his gaze to her small sitting form. "Things didn't go as planned ...I need to get to a computer. And we should head inside. When stuff like this happens, people forget their sense."

He felt like any further talk would be a waste of time so he took her hand in his and began to tug her towards the cathedral, he needed to get his things.

John's face showed nothing but hopelessness. His dual colored eyes were nearly lifeless orbs in his eyes sockets. The tears fell unbidden as he found that he couldn't support himself any more. He had too many thoughts to take in all at once. He couldn't believe this. The bit of information he got and the price he paid was minutes of chaos! She was right, he was an idiot. His breath was coming in small short breaths, he felt light headed and woozy, and so alone and exposed. His head turn quickly to the left, then to the right, again and again. He felt paranoid and trapped, like someone would come and accuse him of all of this. Because it was his fault! He clenched his jaw and slowly his hands wrapped around his shoulders, the amount of comfort it gave his fluttering heart was useless. His tears began to flow in trails now.

So many things could be suffering right now. All the people on the list, the church with Mr. Shannery, his already wrecked home. He brought his gaze fully forward, to the young girl who housed a true Witch inside her. He thought he'd hate her, he thought he'd be outrageously upset and blame it all on her. Because she was the witch after all. A villain, right? Wrong. Hell the Witch inside Eleanora said it herself. He tried to use the girl to end the game and it blew up horridly. And literally. He opened his mouth, his chest felt so constricted and tight and yet he felt compelled to let loose the pent up scream that was contained within his chest. He didn't hate the girl. No, far from it, instead he'd keep an eye on her, he had to make sure that the 'vessel' couldn't be used without proper precaution. But that could wait, it could wait while he dragged his nails up to his skull and tugged furiously on his hair in wide eyed frustration. He closed his eyes tight and images of the destruction around him played before his eyelids, accompanied by the mockery of Enny's voice. It just wasn't fair. It all wasn't fair. This game. These bastards running it. None it was fair. And it just seemed so hard.

Who was dead now? Who was still alive but injured? Was his mother okay? Did he inadvertently kill her in this little stunt? No, no, she wouldn't target those not in the game just because of what he did, right? He hoped Cherno, Eleanora, Madeline were okay, were safe. He didn't want them to be killed for his mistake. He actually liked those despicable sinners. His heart kept pumping blood and his nose kept taking in oxygen so he kept living. But his mind was in a different place, a darker place where the world was a big ball of horrible demons and the witches that fucked with humans. And it was just not fair.

​

2​

DARKNESS.​

AN ECLIPSE...?​

OH NO...​

SOMETHING IS COMING...​

​

Just what rolled his eyes at her responses. Not another sarcastic bitch, just as conceited and bored like the other one. Catastrophe 's became much more obvious to his senses as she spoke. A screech of tires here, a roar of thunder there. He did this. He brought this all on them. His fist were once again curled up as his sides and he glared at the bored Witch. "I brought you here to answer a few questions and help me. Help!" He yelped the word help. After all another tree fell. And this one was much closer. Suddenly he didn't trust her, "Don't do anything, in fact. Just LEAVE!"

​

He did it. He did it right, he did it perfectly! He was about to start sobbing! He shook his head, he had to make the most of this time. No time to be dumb like in the movies. Good. Smart. Questions.

"I used Eleanora to summon you, is she the only way to talk to you and contact you? And if she is, is this a one time thing with her?" Okay Johnny, that was good but don't stop, time is precious here, she could leave at the drop of a dime. " Why did Crestatia not want us to contact you? Why even mention you on the rules, if that's the case? He bit his lip in thought, keeping up the questions he had stored in his memory banks. He was running out of questions and his palms showed how panicked he was, his higher pitched voice did too. "This is a game to Crestatia... I doubt I can ask you to just stop this game and return our lives back to normal and bring back the dead...but my last question is can you, or can you tell me how to make Crestatia a player, something to make this game fair or to put the odds in the humans favor." John was panting lightly, he spoke too fast and had winded himself.

John could feel a rush of excitement flow through his body. Starting in his heart and surging to the tips of his toes. He watched her intently! This is it was all he could think as he safeguarded her mittens while she stood up and discarded her scarf. He wanted to focus on her entire body but when she suddenly revealed a wand he watched it, riveted by one part of himself while loathing the ease in which she believed and was about to display her power.

Her words hit his ears and he shivered, he couldn't catalogue that language she spoke even though he tried. He would ask her about it later. After hearing her repeat her phrase again and again she still had him captured. Even when she stood frozen and he sat tensed swearing he could feel nothing happen. Slowly John's head tilted left then right, maybe time had frozen.

Nope, time still moved forward, people kept enjoying the park. And John began to harden up his face, his fist clenched up as she timidly whispered someone's name. Simon? Whatever! Grasping her mitts in his left hand he began to walk towards her in indignation. How dare this fake! Trick him like this! He moved slowly but closer, how dare she lead him on with her talks of magic and rainbows! How dare she...make a rapidly purpling bruise form on her right shoulder. Her scarf would have covered it completely but with it out of the way he could see it since he was right infront of her. It was strange, so strange and sudden that John stopped and stared dumbly at it. It was red, then a bluish purple, and now it was staying that color. How did that form there? She didn't get touched by him or herself. Maybe she was allergic to the sun. But she was fine at the hot springs and other places. How was this happening?!

He noticed her walking back to the sidewalk.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

John's hand reached out to stop her, grabbing her small wrist and then there was a flash of light that made him flinch and let go. The sky turned abnormally dark and an angry rumble of thunder could be heard from a far off place. When he opened his eyes again, it seemed Eleanora had completely vanished and a much older looking girl stood in her place.

John thought back the day he left the hot springs. He had been planning since watching the news report about a double suicide. It had pushed him much closer to an edge humans shouldn't cross. Since that day he had been plotting, thinking and running through the list of rules again and again until his mind got attached to one rule. No Analynne. Unless that was Crestatia's mom, or the Lord himself, John began to figure that it was some kind of being who had such influence of her that she had to be added to her rules.

Given the fact that disaster seemed to be on their butts no matter where they go, John deduced that maybe the perspective of another deity was in order. Thus he purposely was going to start his search for the only public witch he knew, and set his plan into action. God smiled on him and delivered her just right down the road from his house. His tolerance for these deaths and spiritual interference were mounting. He needed to speak to someone who might have some inkling as to what they should do. Even if this new being wanted something in return.

That's where Eleanora came in.

Resistance? Difficulty? Hmph. Just like Cherno. Why couldn't she just bend like the rest of the mindless did. On the plus side her sudden nervousness and subject change made him start to further believe this endeavour would be worth something. He thought about her words. True, were the words she was speaking. The higher the entities spirit the more likely this little one would be unable to control it.

His brow furrowed in his frequent frowns, no damnit! He was sick of this. His double colored eyes bored into hers and his voice took on a small chill. " Eleanora this why I need you, this not some trick... Or a joke I am trying to pull on you. A girl with your gift and talent can handle what I am asked you to do. Please help me. I need you to summon her so she can help me win." His sudden hard gaze softened as, at first he was pulling the words out of thin air, but now he was speaking from something much deeper then that. And this time, his eyes adopted a penetrating imploring look.

John gave her a genuine smile. She was making him produce happy chemicals, which in turn made him frown at her before he fixed a fake smile in it's place a second later. He turned on his heel and moved away from her. He patted his pocket to make sure he had his wallet before heading towards the park. It seemed like mere moments before they arrived there.

His breath was deep, taking in as much mountain air as he could before slowly letting it all go as he gazed around the park. He was glad this was a mountainous town, it blew the pollution where it belonged. The south. The thought made John smirk. As each step brought him closer to a normal wooden park bench on the trail, he stayed cocooned in his own thoughts, gathering them so that he'd speak smoothly and coherently for the majority of this talk. Finally he reached it and sat down first, giving her baby blues a full on stare while he made room for her.

For safety's sake he gave the park a few quick glances to target possible danger before finally giving Ellie his undivided attention. It was time to see if she could talk the talk and walk the walk.

"Eleanora let me get right to the point, what do you know about summoning entities? It's what I want to learn first." He beamed at her in what he hoped was a way that made him sound less crazy, though this entire situation was crazy in of itself.

John slept decently, and woke up feeling more well rested then he'd been in a long time. Despite spending his days with a blasphemer, out of his home, and without his mother, he was doing much better since he'd slept with that sexily vile blond temptress named Moore. He slid out of bed and stretched fully, his finger tips reaching up for the ceiling as he thought more and more about his mother. He was contemplating getting started on his day, because today was the day. He'd use his little witch to do the Lord(and his) bidding. For the good of them all. He briefly wondered if his plan would kill someone in turn. Or if it'd kill him. That was a scary thought. One that immediately sent fear and heart pounding chills throughout his body. He forced himself to calm down.

Earlier thought about his mother made him miss her, so he called her up again. She was glad, he could hear it in her voice. She filled him in and let him know she was alright, and he vice versa. His eyes widened in surprise when he found out Brookridge was going to accept all of the Bellhurst kids. It also made him frown, because every wretched sinner on that dreaded email's list was a probably a Bellhurst kid. He clenched his jaw in anger and focused on his mother's words, she was still talking about the letter she'd received after all. He would be getting a rid and the few salvaged things that they had before being picked up from the Cathedral and being whisked away to his new home. Moving didn't bother John, he only wondered if this would interfere with the Demoness's game. He was thinking harder then he'd ever thought. Ideas were flooding too him. He jumped up and quickly interrupted his mother's now idle chatter. Hanging up on her with loves and kisses, he rushed into he bathroom to make use of the showers before changing into more comfortable attire, black and white Converse's, a red and white stripped long-sleeved shirt for the seasons, and all black jeans.

"Eleanora? Raise and shine. I want to take you to the park near here, so we can talk spiritually without any...divine offense..." He scratched his head and frowned in thought. Did that make sense at all? He shrugged and knocked softly on her door, incase his words didn't go through.

John thought of his next move while systematically eating all portions of his plate till his stomach gave him the okay. He stood up and cleared both their plates and began to take her around the cathedral, showing her certain spots but mostly petting her absorb information and things through the five senses. Within an hour John finally found the elder alone long enough to talk to. If was at this moment Mr. Shannery learned her name and gently asked where her parents were.

"Happy morning." Cute. John wondered why she stuck so close to him but realized that she only knew him and on top of that she was a witch wannabe in the house of the Lord. John still felt sleepy and his yawn gave it credit. Rubbing his eyes he had his plate fixed by the happy looking women and men behind the lunch carts. Glancing at his charge he would hope she would eat and maybe meet someone aside from him here. Someone who would show her that Christians weren't all burn the witch at the stake. Though he was. With these thoughts swirling in his head, he glared and cleared a way to a table that was lit by the light from outside. He resolved to introduce her to Mr. Shannery. The old man's wisdom and patience may be fun to a young lost soul like Eleanora.

"How would you like to meet the guy who runs all of this?"

Get out ghetto Jayn.

John looked down at her and smiled before speaking. "They have breakfast going on in the kitchen, I was wondering if you will join me in eating." He had to time this right. He couldn't just spring it on the poor girl. He would let her recover from the stadium disappointment.

DAY 14
December 13th, Wednesday
​

John woke up and grunted at the prospect of starting another day in this 'game'. He draped one arm across his forehead and used his other to fish out his phone, with one hand he checked his inbox, responded to lackeys and got nothing from Cherno. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. He blinked them back. Yep, definitely dead. He sat up and slipped his phone atop his bed. Forgetting his little charge until he nearly finished his shower. His palm lightly struck his forehead and he left the tiny bathroom built into the rooms. He had a small talk with his mother, letting her know that he was okay and that he was not one of the dead at Trembling Mountain. Now that he had his possible witch in his 'house's he could ask her the questions he had been mulling over since he left the resort.

John said a quick prayer and softly knocked on Eleanora's door as hunger struck him. He had a few bucks left, but the cathedral was offering free food, but he needed a smoke and some coffee. So after waking and feeding her, it would be time to smoke and drink. "Time to wake up Eleanora"

He made sure to stay close but not too close. Giving her the freedom she needed to find her family and have a reunion of some sort. John mostly kept his eye out for any Bellhurst kids. He was slightly glad that he found none and gladder when she came up alone and sad faced. She helped keep the enveloping loneliness at bay and keeping his patience and temper around her must be greater then actual meditation. His face filled with concern when she told him her plight.

John's hand reached out and awkwardly gave her shoulder two pats in what he hoped was a comforting, there there sort of way. He was about to use honeyed words on his little charge when a voice boomed out at them from right behind John. His heart kept and he jumped two feet before whirling around and coming face to face with Mr. Shannery.

Mr. Shannery was here to help but was inviting him to a free get together slash sleep over at the Two Sister's cathedral. It made John grin, this was nearly perfect for his plan. So he turned that grin on her.

" I'm sure they'll come here soon, or maybe even get the message about kids staying at the cathedral. It's a bit too late for you to be heading back home to that big house alone, how about we head to the cathedral, we can debate magic and faith." When she reluctantly agreed, lead the way to the Two Sister's van. It would drop them off and double back for Mr. Shannery. The old Cathedral owner gave him a key and told him it was too two doors that were accidentally fixed to the same lock, after John' explained the situation with Eleanora.

With both of them guaranteed rooms he could rest easy. Barely befriending Eleanora and getting through this day had tuckered him out. When they arrived at their last destination, John held the door open for her before ignoring everyone and everything, from Greeters to people up chatting. He left Eleanora to catch up as he explained the room situation,. He unlocked the one he'd give to her before unlocking the one given to him. With his witch safe for the night, he flung his shoes off and dropped his backpack by the door. With that done he clambered into bed and rolled in the blankets until he was cocooned in it.

A single fork long stick lay on a cracked a chipped plate . He hoped it was his fork and not his noodles. What the Buck! She could not possibly be living off this! He wanted to win but this was going TOO far! What was wrong with her! This organized filthy husk of a home! This plate of inedible things! John was about to go off on a cursing rampage. He took a deep breath as his anger flared to heights he rarely reached. His jaw clenched slightly for a split second while he calmed his temper down. He took the twig in his right and held the plate with his left, eating heartily of the lungful of air she was feeding him. He mumbled how good it was from time to time for five of the longest minutes of his life before setting the plate on his lap.

Time to compliment this fictional meal and move onward with his plan. " That was great Eleanora, you cook as good as you clean. You've been taught good by your parents."

From his earlier comment he gathered that she was home alone and that the best bet for getting her out of this dump would be to get her to something she wanted. Like parents. All it took was a few more words, mentioning magic a few more times and presto. He was her 'guardian' to the stadium. John bought her bus fare and used his earlier purchased ticket to get on the bus. Once they settled the driver took off and had them dropped off at the Solbridge Stadium bus stop. Alright, time to meet the weirdos who would bring up their daughter this way. Helpful witch or no, she was still a witch. An open witch. And that just would not do.

John stepped into the dark, decrepit building. He took in her appearance and wondered how could anyone live in such a clearly unlivable habitat. The floor creaked under their feet and John didn't even want his feet touching such a filthy and ugly floor. He looked at her socked feet and wondered how did she not get splinters. Or better yet he thought as he gazed about the dark interior and coughed because of the dust, how was sshe not half dead from living in such a place. Once again he had to remind himself that if she could help him, then she would be worth all this. That he had to play along. Maybe she was a thief and that's how she got by. And she showed up to school, maybe she had an odd relative to buy her things to survive and just left her crazy bottom be. He bit his lip and held his breath as he settled onto the slightly damp seats of her couch. His bottom would be wet by the end of this.

Think John. If this nucking futs girl was truly crazy, someone from Bellhurst would have locked her up ASAP. Hell she never would have made it to the hot springs or even convince a driver to allow her on the bus. He was tensed now, but only because her old clearly abandoned home was so bad. He focused on her as she vanished to what he assumed was a kitchen, she was just an odd child who was alone a lot so she invented herself as a witch. But if John's gamble was right, she would possibly lead him to something much more valuable then a crazy witch wannabe.

" Your home is lovely Eleanora. Very good design and so tidy. Do you clean all by yourself?" He kept pretending this situation was normal, there was no need to spook her, he needed her knowledge, and possibly get her to do it'd so he wasn't the heathen between the two of them.

He raised his voice incase she couldn't here him since she was in the kitchen still, " Thank you for being so nice to me. I would like to try it." John swallowed nervously, he could hear banging that was too loud to be a ladle stirring anything. It sounded more like...childlish stick and pot banging which was slightly worrying and slightly relieving, he didn't want to eat pasta or anything red and made by a witch.

John put his hands in his pockets as he waited on her to answer his call(knock). He smiled down at her, just now noticing how short she was since he could see her while she stood and not while she was sitting down on the bus. He looked down into her blue eyes and suddenly jumped back when he realized she was wielding a long stick. It was nearly the size of her forearm and only a circular green leaf adorned the end she wasn't holding. Was she coming to attack him? She seemed to be defensive now, unlike when they were on the bus. His mind whirled and he tried to think of a reason why she'd be in this clearly abandoned home trying to attack him now. She was insane! He'd made some kind of mistake in judging how much a witch she really was.

It was as John held up his hands and his brain thought up possible scenarios to knock her out cold. He noticed that she simply stopped at the door, and had smiled at him before she narrowed her eyes in something that looked like mistrust. He wasn't too sure, but the fact that she stopped at the door and wasn't that menacing made him think that maybe she was all alone, and so, noticing that he, the stranger from the bus ride, was outside her door, she went into her backyard and grabbed the nearest weapon in which to defend herself incase John was some kind of predator. John exhaled in relief as this thought dominated the other, more dangerous ones, he still kept his hands up by he stayed right where he was.

"Eleanora, hello. I just noticed that we're neighbors," he gestured to the house behind him. "And I was wondering if you were alright, most people still haven't returned home in this side of town." He looked right into her eyes, where this innocent sparkle lay. "If your mom and dad are looking for you, your best bet is to head to the stadium. At least to get out of this wet house, you should come."