"Bad things," my mother says. "Bad people. Bad things. Join us. Run away."

"The book is messing with her," Helena says. She grabs my hand and we run down the long hall. As we run, there are a various arms stretching out toward us.

"What are we looking for?" I ask.

"A source. Something," Helena says.

"What does that look like!"

"I don't know!" Helena yells. The arms are soon coming to an end as a room full of statues wait ahead of us. "Look, maybe we're near."

When we get in the room full of statues, Helena stops me. She points at a statue. "It's... blinking," she tells me.

Sure enough, the statue is blinking. It's not only blinking, but it's breathing, too. Before we think about out next move, the statues turn to face us.

I try to back away, but one statue in front of me catches my attention. A tall male statue covered in green goo and slime over its face. It stands still for the longest time, but when Helena looks at it, it faces her.

Wailing men, and women's voices fill the air, sending my heart into space. The screams and cries around me seem to suffocate me, making it harder and harder to breathe. I feel the voices physically abuse me.

I'm thinking I'll die of suffocation, when all of a sudden, the wailing stops and someone else speaks.

"It's very nice to see you again." The tone of the voice is grim and dark.

"Show yourself!" Helena yells.

"Are you sure you want me to do that?" the voice asks.

I'm looking around at the statues but they're still now. Thank goodness. However, smoke crawls around our ankles.

"Helena."

We turn around and, standing there, peeling the skin off of it's fleshy skin, is a creature I've never seen before in my life. Its eyes are two black marbles of space, so dark that if you got too close, you'd get sucked in. It has a wide gaping hole as a mouth with only a few sharp teeth. Shriveled stringy hair that falls out with every movement.

"You came to join me," it says.

Helena stares at it in horror. This is the first time I've really seen her afraid. "What happened to you?" Helena asks.

"Say my name," it says. "Say my name so I know you didn't forget me."

"I'll never forget you, Cody," she says.

I look at her. "You know the source? You knew-"

"Shh!" Helena says while looking at me. She then faces this so-called Cody. "I'm here to stop you."

Cody laughs and cackles so hard that he coughs up blood. "That's funny," he goes, "because you're the last link to the book, Helena. Helena the queen of the rings. Helena the Savior."

"What is he talking about?" I ask.

Cody slowly points to me with his long sharp finger and makes an oval shape with his mouth. "Oh! She doesn't know?" He walks closer to me. "The book can't be destroyed until the last of demons are destroyed." He smiles at me and looks at Helena.

I'm confused. I can't stare at him long, so I look at Helena. "What is he talking about?"

Cody laughs again. The statues all point at Helena while he laughs. The statues start laughing too.

"She fooled you into believing that she could stop me," he says, "when she knows the only way to destroy the book is if the last demon on Earth destroys it along with themselves, sending us all into the dark pits of hell where we belong!"

I look at Helena. "Helena... why?"

Helena shrugs. "Would you want to spend an eternity in hell?" she asks.

"No but..."

"I thought maybe there could be a way. Maybe we could try," Helena says.

Cody laughs again. "Then try."

Helena quickly points her finger at Cody. Her eyes glow but nothing happens to Cody.

"You fool," Cody says. "Just give up and let us live. Let us control."

"You leave Mr. Harmon alone!" Helena yells.

"He's ours!" Cody's voice deepens so much that we feel the ground shake as he speaks. "Now get out!"

Everything around us turns white again. After a few seconds, Helena and I find ourselves standing outside by the car again. For some reason, the sky is light.

Helena starts sobbing. I approach her when she falls to her knees on the ground. "Helena, it's okay," I say.

"It's not. How much longer does the world have to suffer on my behalf?"

"It's not your fault you don't want to spend you life in hell forever," I say, trying to sound convincing.

"I have to destroy it," she says.

I grab her hand and look into her eyes. "No. No, you can't do that."

"I have to." She rests her hand on my face. "I have to protect you. I have to protect Jasper, Caleb, and everyone else." She puts her hand down and shrugs. "I've been around long enough."

Helena stands up and I do the same. Tears begin to fall from my eyes as I look at her.

"Helena," I say. I don't know what I want to say and the words can't come out. She pulls me in for a hug before I can say anything.

"I'm sorry. I have to do this," she says.

I hug her tighter. "Okay, Helena."