Page 132 of Black Hollow: Awakening

“For example, I stopped liking people I used to like.”

“Are you talking about me?” Blake asked openly.

Will smiled faintly. Also, but he wasn’t about to admit it.

“I used to be a huge fan of Venom, for example. Then suddenly, I couldn’t stand him.”

“So the improvement in your musical taste is thanks to the demon?” Alden scoffed. “If so, you should be thanking it.”

“Improvement?” Will said, surprised.

“Of course! How can anyone listen to that trash?”

He had theoretically expected that Blake, in his eternal loftiness, would scorn popular music, but it was nice to hear someone agree with him. To be honest, he didn’t know a single person who didn’t like Venom’s work.

“But it happened literally overnight.”

“Meaning after that day you don’t fully remember?”

“Yeah… except now I remember a little more,” Will admitted after a moment’s hesitation. “When I was walking home, I saw something fall. Like… a device?”

“Fall from where?”

“I don’t know,” Will admitted with a shrug. “I didn’t know then, either. Like… from the sky?” he mumbled uncertainly, and Alden furrowed his brow. “It was just… falling. But very slowly, like it was light, which is why it caught my attention. When it finally hit the ground, I picked it up. I don’t remember anything after that, and it scares me. Did you know that girl, Christine, killed her parents?” he asked, and Blake nodded, grimacing. “And it was because of something in a family heirloom. How do I know I didn’t stumble upon an enchanted object myself? And that I won’t do the same thing?”

“Do you have the object?”

“No. I don’t think so,” Will corrected himself after a moment of hesitation. “I checked the place where I found it, but there was nothing there. I searched the house, too.”

Blake was silent, lost in thought.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Will whispered.

Alden breathed out quietly, then replied:

“If you really believe you’re possessed, we can check.”

“How? Norma said it wasn’t that simple.”

“Because it usually involves mundane people. Or people who are completely under the demon’s control.”

“So it can be verified?”

“Yes,” Blake confirmed. “Come on.”

Without waiting for Will, he headed down the corridor. Will dragged himself off the windowsill and followed, a growing fear churning in his gut.

He still wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

*

Will, Blake, Abby, and Norma were in an empty classroom. Will was sitting at a desk, across from Abigail, who had placed her chair on the opposite side of the tabletop. Blake and Norma stood watch nearby. Blake seemed focused; Norma, rather annoyed.

“This is so stupid,” she kept grumbling under her breath, earning glares from Alden.

“How is this going to work?” Will asked uncertainly. Blake had briefly explained the process, but he still didn’t understand much of it.

“I’m going to connect with you,” Abigail explained in a detached voice. “To put it simply, I’m going to try to enter your mind. But I can’t do it against your will. You have to let me.”