They Tattooed Evil on Me. It Came Back for Them.

Chapter 4

My blood froze. I stood rooted to the spot.

My mom was sitting on the ground. Her face was covered with congealed blood.

The camera was set up far away, too distant to show who was off‑camera. All that could be heard was a man forcing her to make a phone call.

My mom kept shaking her head.

The man yanked her hair, trying to make her trick me into coming.

She shook her head calmly.

"Leave Elara alone. She doesn't understand what's going on. If you trick her, she really will come."

My mind went blank. My eyes turned bloodshot. I clutched the table desperately to steady myself.

That was my mom.

When I was little, I was always getting into trouble because I was too naive.

The old folks who raised me often said that I couldn't tell when people meant harm. As long as someone put things nicely, I would easily believe them.

Yet I never thought of it as an illness, because Mom always told me it was a blessing from heaven that would protect me and let me live my whole life innocent and happy.

That was my mom!

I swayed, catching myself on the table to barely keep my balance.

The video continued.

My dad was pushed in front of the camera. He stumbled, and I instinctively reached out to steady him.

Briar snickered twice, her laughter cutting into my heart like a knife.

The group asked him if he still wanted to see his daughter.

My father looked up at the camera, his gaze gentle.

"She finally has a life of her own. Don't touch her."

I couldn't take it anymore! I rushed over to pull the plug.

But Briar picked up the camera first. "What are you doing? It's not done yet."

"Give it to me!" I roared, lunging at her.

In the chaos, the nearby candle holder was knocked over. Sparks fell onto the tablecloth, and it quickly caught fire.

I had just grabbed the camera when my sleeve caught fire too.

Briar screamed and backed away.

I instinctively raised my hand to shield my face.

The next second, my shoulder and the side of my face both erupted in pain.

Someone pinned me down and rolled me on the floor.

Panicked screams filled the room.

Atlas's voice rang out beside me, "Elara, let go!"

Only then did I realise I was still clutching the camera.

Atlas reached out to snatch it.

I clutched it desperately to my chest and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't touch it."

Atlas stiffened for a moment.

After the ambulance came, everything was a blur.