-Note - Skip this chapter if you want. All the filler chapters are skippable chapters but this one isn't Hetalia. Another new thing is that this chapter won't be posted to the Ao3 version of this story. This story is actually an original one, that I wrote last year for a class. 

When I show stories to others, I show my friends. I usually only show the stories that I've already told them all the details about. I wanted to see how people who have no idea what my original stories are about react. This chapter is a fun experiment.  I reread this one last night and I don't remember it hitting this hard. Why does it have so much detail!? This was for class. Please leave a comment, I love reading them. I also want to read about any theories surrounding this family that you have.-

My Dad used to tell me these crazy stories when I was a kid. His life seemed so bizarre to me, but his sense of humor was mysterious like I could never tell when fact blended into fiction. I still don't know which ones to believe, like that one about the demons. 

The day he told it, I was only 8. I remember my Mom had told my Dad not to tell it, but he did anyway. Apparently, Dad comes from a rich and old family. Mom looked surprised by this, later when I was 14, she told me that she had never heard the story before that. Also that she had thought the story was about ghost hunting and had no idea it was about his family. 

Dad had said that his family had a curse on it because his Uncle had made a pact with a demon. "Me, Mom, my sister, and brother had gone on a lot of adventures to try and break the pact. Or find out more about the demon. This adventure, however, had been different, very different." Dad had whispered trying to add effect. I thought Dad was joking but now. 

Dad and his family had traveled up to Maine. my Grandmother had learned about some relations between a townsperson and my Great Uncle. They had driven from Pennsylvania to New York and had stopped in Vermont for a rest and a restock. They went through New Hampshire and stopped in Waterville, Maine. The trip had so far taken 2 days. 

My Grandmother had sent Dad and his siblings in different directions to ask the people about my Great Uncle and the townsperson. Dad had been sent to the Selah Tea Cafe which had only been 4 miles from their stop. Dad had brought a bubble tea. I remember Dad chuckling as he described how he charmed his way into the hearts of the old ladies and young woman of the town.

 He had finally gotten some information out of an old lady by the name of Tabbatha Logan, who had lived in the area for a long time. Dad had told her that they were looking for a person that their Uncle had known. Tabbatha had asked for a name, Jaxon Ranger. A name that didn't think would haunt me for the rest of my life. 

Tabbatha had gushed about how nice of a young man he was, about her age at the time they met, 25. The old lady had described how a friend of hers by the name of Oscar Heathers. Had met Jaxon through her, they shared common ideas and became fast friends. Tabbatha, Oscar, and Jaxon had always spent time together. 

However, Tabbatha had begun to notice the two young men were spending time with each other and excluding her. Tabbatha had said that she wouldn't have been worried if not for the fact that Oscar had some dangerous hobbies and habits. Dad had asked her to go on but the woman seemed consumed by fear. The old lady had walked away muttering about dusty books and houses up in the mountains. 

When the group had met up again. Dad had mentioned all the information the old woman had told him. His sister then said that she had heard from a young man that there was a hermit that lives up in the mountains called Scar. They had concluded that it was the person that they were looking for. They had decided to wait till tomorrow to pursue the man, resting at Grammy Peggy's. The trip had now taken 3 days. 

Dad had told us how smug his brother was in the morning. Uncle Benjamin was the one to suggest they take rope and hiking boots since there were mountains in the area. The trip to the mountains had only taken 10 minutes. They had hiked for 2 hours before they found the house. It looked worn but still in good condition. 

Dad had described how his Mother had knocked on the door three times before it was opened. Out had popped the head of a graying, handsome old man who had a scar running from the top of his eyebrow to his collarbone. Grandmother had introduced themselves as the sister and nephews/nieces of Jaxon. Dad had noted that Oscar had paled and became nervous. Oscar had let them inside, leading them into the kitchen. 

Grandmother had introduced themselves farther by telling Oscar their first names. Oscar had replied with "so your the little sister I had heard so much about from Jaxon". Grandmother had smiled, "ahh yes about my brother". Dad had said that it took a total of 5 hours to get all the information out of the old man. Although, Dad had refused to say how they got it out of him. Leaving the still man, they had gone to the library to search for the book they had discovered from Tabbatha and Oscar. Before this today, I had thought they had meant the man was frozen in fear.

 It turns out the book was about demons and how to summon them. After grabbing the book, my Grandmother had sent Aunt Evelyn and Dad off to search the house and office. There had been so many hidden things. "Hey Liam, over here." My Aunt had hissed pointing to a piece of loose wallpaper that was revealing the metal underneath. Under it was safe, after unlocking it they had found letters between Jaxon and Oscar. After loading it all into a backpack, my family had hightailed it out of the town. Only after getting rid of all clues of their visit. The trip was now over, it had taken 4 days. 

I had always thought this story was a joke or it was just a made-up story to scare me. But as I got older I realized there were too many details for it to be false. So I looked up the names of Tabbatha Logan and Oscar Heathers. What I found had shocked me, they were both missing and presumed dead. That day I had gone over all the information I knew in my mind about the trip. 19 years after the story was told I had decided to find out if it was true or not. 

The only way to find out was to find Tabbatha Logan and Oscar Heathers. I had asked around and it seemed everyone in the town thought the two elders didn't exist and it was just an internet hoax. I, of course, pointed out they were missing and presumed dead. In which many told me it was part of the hoax. I had spent two nights confused, and then I realized. It was part of the coverup, 'how to cover your tracks No.1'. 

There was only one thing to do, find the house of Oscar Heathers. I poured over the map of the mountains. Crossing off places where you wouldn't be able to build or even hike. I as well followed my Dad's story. I managed to narrow it down to two places that were close to each other. In the morning I took off. The house had been between the two points. 

It looked even more worn and torn than Dad described. It was an old, red Victorian house. The inside was dusty, filled with ivy, and there were bugs. I walked down the dark hallways, stopping at the kitchen. There was nothing unusual there except the bloodstain on the wooden floorboards. I remember the fear that gripped me. "Dear god no." I had whispered.

 I had backed out of the kitchen and ran to the library nearing tripping. I stopped in front of two old and broken looking doors. I pushed them open, flinching at the creak they made. I looked around in the library, staring at all the books. Noting the ones that were about darker topics.

 I had been looking at a book called 'Lolita' when my foot hit something soft and squishy. I looked down and froze. It was a body It was obvious who it was, Oscar Heathers, the man I had been looking for. Looking behind Oscar there was another body, who wore an old and torn dress, Tabbatha Logan. Both covered and laying in dried pools of blood. 

So many thoughts flew through my mind at that point. But one stuck out, 'how could he?' My dad had murdered someone, no my dad's side of the family had murdered someone. There was only one thing I could do now, RUN. I had spun on my heel but was stopped when something grabbed it. I fell to the floor. 'Oh god, it's the bodies' I thought at the moment. 

I, at last, had the thought to turn around. Gathering myself I slowly looked behind me. It wasn't the bodies, it was a monster. 'A demon' my mind had supplied, and honestly, I wish it hadn't. 

The demon had a distorted face with curly horns coming out from holes in its forehead. Its skin was red and purple, it had welts and open cuts that were oozing black gunk. Its bright, red eyes appeared to have no lids. Its hand had sharp claws that bit into my ankle through my boots. 'You shouldn't have come' it hissed at me. 

A flare of determination to live had flashed through me. I kicked the ugly thing in its face and ran as it howled. While running I had tripped over that loose floor broad, twisting my ankle. I picked myself up, I wanted to live. I wanted to go home to my love. I ran as fast as I could to the nearest room. Which happened to be the office of Oscar. 

I hid under the desk, I finally resigned to my fate. I was going to die, but I was going to leave something. I had before told my nephew, with the help of my brother, about the story. Hopefully, someone could come and discover me. So instead of leaving a body for them to find.

 I wrote this letter, will, or last wishes? I can hear it getting closer. So please to whoever reading this DO NOT go after the demon. DO NOT get involved with Jaxon Ranger. I sincerely hope that no one continues the family curse. And with that, I shall put up one last fight.

Goodbye,

Victoria Ranger