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“Thanks for re me”

I restrain an exhausted sigh “I’h, over why her parents would lock her up? Her powers haven’t manifested yet They shouldn’t have since we haven’t injected her with your blood yet”

“They are the ones who got her cursed to begin with,” he says “And, according to the sister, a Shadow Teller was present when the girl was cursed and warned the parents of what she would becoirl herself believes she already possesses some terribly deathly touch”

“So what? Just because so one day, they locked her away in a cage for all of her life?” I don’t get upset or disgusted very often, but her story hits too close to home

“Aw, does the professor of experiments actually have a heart?” Mockery dances in his tone

“I’ve always had a heart I just usually choose not to let it control“Be careful with this mission, Caspian If what you say is true… Then she probably hasn’t touched another hu time Or interacted with many”

“Yeah, so what? You act like that’s going to be a problem”

“She ht freak out when you try to take her, or shecontact with another And we both kno you can react to an overly happy person”

“I’ll be fine I’ve handled worse”

“Just be careful,

okay?” I practically beg “And h Without it, this won’t work”

“I understand what I’rows “I don’t need you to repeat it every time we talk”

I internally sigh “All right But be careful and callher in”

“Okay” He hangs up

I let out a sigh, hoping upon hoping everything goes s, my team won’t be complete and the world could be doomed

Chapter 2

I’e in a room hidden beneath an old Victorian house, a place I’ve called home for fifteen years I’e, to protect the world fro toworse than death

Despite the stories of irl Just one who’s been warned never to touch anyone If I do, they won’t survive I’ Which is why I should be dead If I had my choice, I would be But after our parents passed away, I promised my older sister I’d stick around so she wouldn’t be left alone in the world

Soh, I question ly silent and lonely day

Peering through the iron bars, I check the time and then the date on the calendar Oh, would you look at that? Tohteenth birthday

I sigh at the realization Another year spent in a cage How sad

But er the empty silence ticks by Where is my sister? She usually has visited otten sick of h the bars No hanging out, watchingour toenails My sister does tell me stories of what she does with her friends, so I don’t feel completely isolated At least that’s what I tell her Really, her stories et to live

Maybe you should just give up Perhaps your sister will understand

“What do you think, Mr Spider?” I ask the tiny black critter scurrying across the dao and take my venomous existence out of this world?”

The spider ceases the creeping and turns toward me Hope sparkles inside me Have I somehow attained the ability to speak to other venomous creatures?

“Do you understand?” I ask, gripping the bars of e “What it feels like to be feared by all? To be unwanted?”

The spider stands in front ofup the water stained wall