I shook my head as my vision returned. One moment, I had been talking to Karyn in the cafeteria at school, the next, I found myself in my living room. I looked around and saw my sister, Zoe, looking as confused as I was.
"Jon? How the fuck did we end up back home? What's going on?" Zoe asked.
"I...I don't know." I said, walking around a bit. I hoped she wouldn't press me for more info, as I was relatively certain someone had used the stone to bring us here. Though I didn't know why.
It was at that moment that I noticed a flash from the corner of my eye. Turning, I saw that Mikey had now joined us. "Jon, Zoe? What's happening?" he asked.
"Don't really know, kiddo." I said. "We're trying to figure that out."
"You seem really calm about all this, Jon." Zoe said.
"Zoe, just be quiet for a second and let me think, please." I snapped.
"Fuck you, Jon. If you know something, spit it out."
I glared at my sister. While I figured the stone was involved, one thing wasn't adding up. If the stone were being used, and we couldn't hear it, we shouldn't know anything was different. Reality should have changed to match the wish.
"Very astute, Jon." A deep, booming voice said. All three of us turned to the doorway that led to the kitchen and saw...something that could only be described as a demon.
"What the fuck are you?" Zoe asked.
"Come now, Zoe. We've always told you not to use such foul language, haven't we?"
"What are you talking about? I've never seen you before in my..."
"Dad?"
Zoe and I both looked over at Mikey when he said that. Turning back to the thing standing in the doorway, and really looking at him, I could see it. He looked different, but the face was definitely our fathers.
"What happened to you?" I asked.
"I've been freed. After centuries."
The three of us sat in silence for a moment. "You...used the stone, didn't you?" I asked.
"What stone? What are you talking about, Jon?" Zoe asked.
"In a manner of speaking. I was trapped within the stone. My power fueled it. Your father freed me, and I was able to take his body."
"What happened to him?" Zoe asked.
"He's still here." the creature said, pointing to it's chest. "A rather unfortunate side effect of me taking his body after being trapped for so long. But, my wife hasn't had that issue, nor will my daughters."
I could hear movement from the kitchen, and lowered my head slightly. "You already got to mom?" I could hear Zoe and Mikey gasp, but didn't look at them. I didn't want to see their faces at his answer.
"Yes, that was my first action. But don't worry, you'll soon be joining your mother."
I could feel a sense of dread. Mikey moved closer to me and grasped my hand. "Jon...make him stop. Please."
"Oh, Mikey." the creature said. "There's nothing that he could do."
Once the creature finished speaking, I felt like I was hit by an 18-wheeler, and the world went black.
