Looking down at the blood oozing from the cut, he swore. He pressed against my throat even harder, and I felt myself weakening. My attempts to fight him grew clumsy. The dagger slipped from my limp fingers.
The room started to gray out around the edges. The graying got bigger and bigger until I could only see a small circle. In it, I saw Chay’s face as he strangled me, as he watched me die.
I heard my dad yell for Chay to stop, just as his arm was ripped from my neck. I took in large gulps of air, bending over so I didn’t pass out.
“Milayna! Are you okay?” my dad yelled.
My hand at my throat, I nodded. When I looked up, I saw my dad behind Chay, his arms locked around Chay’s, pulling them behind him. Uncle Rory stood in front of Chay, his hands on his shoulders, pushing him back. Chay’s eyes never left mine as he fought against my dad and uncle.
“Fight it.” My voice cracked. “Fight the vision.”
I walked to where he struggled against my dad and uncle, placing my hands on either side of his face. He stopped struggling, still looking into my eyes.
“Chay, I love you,” I whispered. “Fight. You’re stronger than him.”
I felt electricity build along my nerve endings and move toward Chay. It reached out to him. I kept my gaze on his. I wanted to create a bridge. I needed to know what was in his head—what he was feeling. The surge poked around his face and chest, looking for a point of contact. I gritted my teeth.
Damn it! I’m looking him dead in the eyes. This should work.
Still, the pulse moved around his face, searching but finding nothing.
“Do you hear me? I love you. You’re stronger than this.” I gave his head a small shake to emphasize my point.
He looked at me and blinked. For the briefest second, I saw the real Chay break through. The electrical pulse grabbed onto him. His emotions slammed into me: Confusion. Love. Fear.
He was fighting the vision, but it overtook him again and he began struggling. The bridge was broken, and I lost my connection with him. But I knew from our brief connection that he was in there, and I knew what was happening to him was beyond his control.
“Milayna, get out of here,” my dad yelled.
I ignored him. “Chay, I love you. You’re strong, good, and kind. Abaddon isn’t stronger than you. Fight.”
“Milayna, go,” my dad said, straining to keep his hold on Chay.
“No, Dad. This isn’t Chay. Something is forcing him to do this. He wouldn’t hurt me.”
“He just tried to strangle you!”
“I’m calling the police.” My mom picked up the phone.
I grabbed it from her hand. “No, Mom, please. This isn’t his fault. It’s Azazel or Abaddon. I saw his emotions. I connected with him. He’s confused and scared. It isn’t him!”
I turned back to Chay and cupped his face in my hands, my thumb rubbing gently over his cheek. “Listen to me. I love you. You love me. You would never hurt me. Fight this. Fight whoever is doing this.” I grazed my lips over his. “I love you,” I whispered again.
He stilled. Slowly, his eyes cleared. “Milayna?” he said, confused. He looked around. “What have I done?”
“It wasn’t you…”
Hesitantly, my dad let him go. Chay pulled his arms free and looked down at them. He ran his fingers over the scratches and the cut across his forearm. Raising his eyes to my neck, he lifted his fingers to the bruises that were already forming, stopping just before touching me, his hand hovering in the air.
“I have to get out of here.” He dropped his hand and pushed through my dad and uncle toward the door. Flinging it open, he flew through it, taking the porch steps two at a time.
“Wait!” I yelled after him.
“It’s not safe, Milayna. I can’t be around you.”
I watched as he ran down the street until he was swallowed by darkness.
26
Gone
Sunday afternoon, I received a phone call from Mr. Roberts, Chay’s father. Chay hadn’t gone home after leaving Muriel’s house the night before.
“Do you know anywhere he could have gone?” Mr. Roberts asked me, worry tingeing his voice.
“No. I’m sorry.”
“Did he say anything to you about leaving? Did something happen?”
I hesitated. “Um… he didn’t say anything about leaving.”
“But something happened, didn’t it? Chay’s been upset about something for weeks. He wouldn’t talk to his mother or me about it, but you know what it is. Don’t you, Milayna?”
“Yes. I mean, I do now. I didn’t know. Not until last night.”
“Tell me.”
“Chay tried to… Well, that’s not exactly right. Someone was controlling him. I think Abaddon forced a vision on him, and Chay tried to…”
“What?” He was growing impatient.
“He tried to kill me last night.”
He slammed the phone down, hanging up on me.
***
By Monday morning, everyone in the group knew what had happened and that Chay was missing. No one had heard from him despite their numerous calls and texts.
Tuesday came and went without word from him. I texted and called at least a hundred times over the two days. It was Tuesday evening before someone finally answered the phone.