“What are you talking about, Arielle. Get a grip, would you?” Rachel said, trying to defend herself.

“Actually, Rachel, this isn’t about me. It’s about Rob,” Arielle said, angrily.

Rachel stepped back as Arielle got closer to her face. She felt like she was about to be attacked. She had no idea what Arielle was talking about, but was curious about what happened to Rob. Her heart felt heavy thinking about it. She hoped nothing bad happened to him.

“What do you mean Rob?” Rachel asked.

“He’s gone crazy!” Arielle said. “What did you do to him?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Rachel yelled back. “Stop accusing me of things I didn’t do. I can’t take it anymore.”

“Stop lying and tell me what you did to him. He’s not the same person. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like he’s gone mad,” Arielle said, looking around the room, trying to spot Rob to point him out.

“Gone mad?” Rachel questioned.

“Ugh! Would you stop repeating everything I say. You are such a freak, Rachel,” Arielle said. “Ever since you came things have gone so down hill. It’s like you caused this whole mess. Not to mention you tore us apart. We probably would have gotten married had it not been for you, you little freak.”

“Stop calling me a freak!” Rachel yelled. “You’re completely delusional. He never liked you to begin with. None of this was my fault.”

Rachel watched as Arielle’s face turned bright red and she could tell she was fuming with rage.

“You asked for it!” Arielle said as she quickly turned around and ran off towards the buffet station and picked up a large glass bottle of punch and then, without warning, chucked it across the room, directly towards Rachel.

The bottle flew through the air, one end over the other so quickly, that Rachel knew she was about to get smacked in the face. Then, without much trouble, she stared at the bottle as it came directly between her eyes; she halted the bottle just milliseconds before it was about to smash into her. The bottle stopped dead in its tracks and hung in mid air for a few seconds and then fell to the ground, spinning at Rachel’s feet.

Her friends looked at her in awe, as if she had some supernatural powers. Arielle couldn’t believe her eyes and ran over to her, with her cohort behind her, screaming, “Freak! Freak!”

Rachel felt increasingly uncomfortable as all eyes started focusing on her. She quickly ran off, down the halls of the bowling alley, to find Rob. She had to see what Arielle was talking about and she wanted to make sure he was ok.

At first, she couldn’t find him, then she heard screams and wails coming from inside a dark room, and she went in, and turned on the lights.

“Turn those off!” Rob yelled in pain. “My eyes!”

“Oh sorry!” Rachel said, not realizing what was going on. “Are you ok?”

“My head, my head,” Rob said, clutching his skull. “It’s throbbing.”

“What happened? Tell me, I’ll help you!” Rachel said in as worried tone.

“Ouch. My veins. It’s like they’re on fire. HELP!” Rob cried out.

Rachel was worried; she didn’t know what he was saying or what he was going through. She didn’t know how she could help him but so desperately wanted to. She looked around the dim lit room and saw a first aid kit hanging from the wall. She opened it up and grabbed out an ice pack and twisted it until it became cold. She walked over to Rob and put it on his arm where he was clutching himself in pain. As she applied the ice, she could see steam coming off his skin as the ice quickly melted into warm water.

“Oh my gosh, Rob, you’re on fire,” Rachel said. “Do you want me to call the ambulance?”

“No! Don’t call anyone,” Rob said. “Please, just help me!”

“I’m starving!” Rob said, grasping his stomach.

“Let me go get you some food!” Rachel said, trying to help.

“No, I don’t want food. I’m hungry for something else. I just don’t know what it is,” Rob said, licking his lips.

“Stop, Rob! Please you have to tell me what’s going on. You’re acting crazy!” Rachel said in a panic.

“Make it stop! What’s happening to me?” Rob asked.

“What happened today?” Rachel asked. “Arielle said something happened?”

“A girl with black hair came. Violet,” Rob said.

“OH NO! TELL ME YOU’RE KIDDING?” Rachel begged.

“No, she came and flew me away and the last thing I remember was, well, I don’t remember. It’s all a blur,” Rob said, still clutching his stomach.

“Oh no! This is all my fault,” Rachel said. “You’re a..”

“A what?” Rob said.

“I have to figure out a way to reverse this, before it takes effect. There must be a way,” Rachel said as she popped up and ran out of the room, trying to come up with a solution.

As she ran down the hall she was bombarded by Violet and her evil subjects, standing in a row, as if they’d been waiting for her this whole time.

Violet smiled at Rachel and said, “You like my handy work?”

“No! What did you do to him?” Rachel asked.

“Oh, nothing major, but I figured it would be best to have him on our side. Don’t you agree?” Violet said with a snicker.

“Stop it, Violet! He didn’t deserve this,” Rachel yelled.

“He most certainly did,” Violet yelled back. “In fact, I’m surprised I didn’t come up with this sooner.”

“Why would you turn him?” Rachel yelled. “He’s innocent. He had nothing to do with this. You have to turn him back. NOW!”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible!” Violet laughed as she looked back at her subjects who were also laughing.

“This isn’t funny!” Rachel screamed.

“I don’t know why you care so much. Isn’t it Benji who you love?” Violet asked.

“Where’s Benji? What did you do to him?” Rachel asked.

“We don’t know where Benji is but maybe you could shed some light on that for us,” Violet murmured.

“I don’t know where he is, and even if I did, you’d be the last person I’d ever tell!” Rachel retorted. “You’re evil!”

“Might I remind you, Rachel that this is all your fault? Everything that has happened is all because of you,” Violet said.

Rachel didn’t know what to do or say anymore. She knew she was in big trouble if she stayed in the hallway with Violet, and she needed to escape. She looked around the hallway, but only saw one way out, and that was behind Violet and her people. She didn’t know how she would ever get by them.

“What you looking for?” Violet asked.

Rachel didn’t answer and looked behind her, hoping that she’d missed an exit sign.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” Violet laughed.

Rachel ran down toward the end of the hall but before she got there, Violet had transported herself to the other end of the hall before her and appeared standing there in front of her and the other exit door.

“There’s no way out…” Violet said, shaking her head.

Rachel looked around and saw that she had been encircled by all of Violet’s people. She was stuck. She was helpless.

“Please, let me go!” Rachel said, begging for them to release her.

“You’re going to be one of us now,” Violet said as she started walking towards her slowly.

“Stop! Stop!” Rachel begged, trying to summon her powers, but they weren’t working. She couldn’t figure out why she couldn’t use Mind Control, or anything else she’d learned back at her training. It’s like it had all gotten lost or disconnected or something.

“You’re powers won’t work on us!” Violet said, staring at her, coming even closer.

Rachel could feel a trance coming over her body, as if being put under a spell.

“You belong with us,” Violet continued saying. “You are one of us.”

Then, a loud scream came from the end of the hall.

“RACHEL!” Emily cried out. “What are you doing?”

Rachel shook her head and snapped out of it.

“Emily! Help me!” Rachel yelled. “I’m trapped!”

“HELP!!!!!!” Emily shrieked at the top of her lungs, hoping to get others behind her.

As soon as she yelled help, Violet had transported herself over to her and taped her mouth shut. Emily tried to tear it off, but it was sealed shut. There was no getting that tape off her face, no matter how hard she pulled. Violet then threw Emily to the ground with a touch of her finger and moved her to the corner with the slight motion of her arm. Emily sat there, stunned and panicked with her eyes wide open.

“Leave her alone!” Rachel yelled. “Take me, but please don’t hurt her.”

“Oh, don’t worry. We will take you,” Violet said. “I was just having some fun.”

“You’re really sick, you know that?” Rachel yelled back.

“You better watch it,” Violet said, as she lifted Rachel up off the ground with her hands grasping her throat. “I’ve got you now!”

“Put me down,” Rachel yelled helplessly as she kicked her feet.

Rachel looked over at Emily who was still in the corner, being watched over by one of Violet’s people. She looked scared and she wished she could help her. She wished she could tell her what was going on but she couldn’t. Emily looked at her with fear in her eyes as if she knew she was about to die.

All of a sudden, a surge came over Rachel and she broke free from the chokehold Violet had her in, and dropped to the ground with a thud.

“Take that!” Rachel said, as she started running down the hall towards her friend.

“You’re making a big mistake!” Violet shouted as she ran down the hall after her.