The old man disappeared into the trees and left me standing in the clearing confused.

They work for someone who the devil himself fears?

Wouldn't that be God?

But if it was God we wouldn't be practicing all these rituals and stuff. So who would the Devil be afraid of other than God?

I opened up my backpack and toss the Oethcox inside. The book that Dad had mailed to me was still in my backpack.

"What do I do with this now?" I sighed and thought about what Dad did.

Why would Dad do such a thing?

Initiate his unborn child and grandchildren into this demonic cult?

I stood up and made my way through the woods thinking deeply.

When I got to town it was quiet and sleeping. I walked past Bernie's Diner which was now dark. I remembered when Madison and her friends hung out with me there.

It seemed like four years ago.

I shook my head. I had opened myself into a new chapter of my life. Now I have to kill six people in order to join the Devil's Order. . .or else I die.

That was the hard part. How do I kill a person?

The only living thing I had killed was a rabbit. In our Biology practical!

I sigh. What if I run away and hide for the rest of my life.

I can't kill someone. If I get caught I would go to jail and probably die.

But if I run away the Devil's Order would find me. . .and kill me.

Just like they did to Dad.

The thought of me taking someone's life really depressed me. And if I should kill someone who would it be?

That's when I remembered Frederick. Killing him would be pretty cool. Considering the pain the dude has caused me.

But then again I can't take a life. I sighed.

My house came into view after I had walked for a few minutes thinking about my ordeal. All the lights were off, everyone's probably asleep.

I walk to the side of our house and open my window and hoist myself over the window sill.

I land in the dark bedroom and grope around for the light switch.

But I was blind in the dark. I hit a soft object.

"Huh?" It took me time to realise that I had bumped into someone.

The lights went on revealing Derek, who had a disapproving look on his face. "And where have you been mister?"

"I'm sixteen," I say dumping my backpack on my bed. "I can go out whenever I want."

Derek scoffed and eyed my backpack. "Yeah and I guess I shouldn't be worried if something bad happened to you, like say. . .you were kidnapped."

"How long have you been in my room?" I ask him.

He sits down on my bed and looks at my backpack. "Almost three hours, what's in the bag?" He reached for it but I quickly snatched it away.

"Nothing," I say. "Now can you get the fuck out of here. I have to sleep, tomorrow's school."

Derek only laughs."Yeah, says the kid who's going to bed at one in the morning."

"I said get the fuck out of here!" I say raising my voice a little.

Derek rises to his feet. "Look," He grinds his teeth. "I've only been nice to you because of your mother, if not I'd be actually worse than Cinderella's fucking step mother."

"You done?"

Derek's fist connected with my face and I stumbled and crash on my bed.

"I don't want to show you my true colours." Derek seethed.

I just held my face where Derek had punched me. He had a really strong punch.

"Now I'm gonna tell your mom that I caught you sneaking out last night," He said. "And she's gonna fucking believe me."

I scoffed. "Who do you think she would believe? Her son or the man who replaced her husband?"

Derek growled and grabbed me, "This is the height of it!" He shook me violently and threw me into the living room.

I crashed on the floor and quickly stand up but Derek was faster. He threw another punch that knocked me off balance.

"Now I'll show you how my old man disciplined us back in the day," He said. "You little bastard."

Derek drew closer and I reached out and punched his groin. His eyes grew wide open and he kicked my head.

My glasses flew off me face and land on the floor.

"What in the world?" Mom stood standing at the doorway shocked and staring at the two of us.

"What is going on here?"

I hastily put on my glasses. "Mom it's Derek. . ."

"He was sneaking out honey," Derek said, he was still grimacing. The pain in his balls was still there.

"What?" Mom stared at me shocked. "Chad when did all these start? Did you sneak off to a girls house?"

"No mom, you won't understand." I try to defend myself. "Derek attacked me."

"Because he thought you were a burglar," Mom snapped.

"Yeah!" Derek nodded in affirmation.

I couldn't believe mom right now. Of course she would side Derek.

Mom shook her head in disapproval. "Chad, where is this attitude coming from?"

I sighed. "You won't understand mom."

I didn't want to tell mom that Dad had technically drawn me into the cult that he had once been a member of. It would break mom beyond repair.

"Make me understand." Mom said.

I didn't say anything again. Mom had tears in her eyes. "Go to your room, we'll talk in the morning."

I obeyed her and hit Derek on purpose. "Hey!" He cried.

"Just leave him," I heard Mom say. "Something's wrong with him."

"I'll say."

I close my room door and jump on my bed frustrated. I cry out and punch my bed multiple times.

I grab my backpack and toss it to the ground. It landed on the ground and opened, the Oethcox skid out.

I stopped and grab the box. I sigh and opened it, the Oethcyte lay inside calmly.

Fuck this. I'm doing this for real. My life was a complete mess. I'll have to kill six people before the end of the month.

I glanced at my calendar, we only had two weeks before October. I brought the Oethcyte from the box and examine it carefully.

"Cool," I mutter running my hand against the smooth blade.

Okay, I'm really doing this. But who do I kill first?

Derek?

No, he was out of the picture. If Mom hears that Derek had been murdered she would break and I did not want that for her.

I stare at the window and run the blade across my face. It felt smooth and nice.

"What am I doing?"I ask myself.

The right thing, a voice inside me says.

Yes, the right thing.

What about Frederick, no one would miss him if he died.

I put the Oethcyte back into the Oethcox.

Tomorrow, I kill Frederick Anchor.