My son has always been super helpful to my daughter because she is younger. I never thought what would happen when he turned 16 would ruin everything.

My son is known to be the one to have good grades while my daughter, not so much. I know she tries but I can’t be as proud of her. Randy, my son, gets all As and Chloe, my daughter, get all Cs and Ds. I’m glad she doesn’t fail but it breaks my heart when she comes home from school crying.

“I don’t know what happened!” She would always say.

The day came for my son to get his license. His father and I were so proud of him so we gave him the keys to the mini van for a weekend. We still had another Toyota but the van was in the best condition.

My son texts us that “The weekend is going great! I’m with my friends and we are sitting on a beautiful spot to see the sunset.”

I reply with “Great! Send my a picture if you can.”

I get a ding a couple seconds later and open it. He seemed so happy with his friends, arm around each of them. This felt weird though. Their smiles almost seemed fake, like a cheap actor smile. Then I realize that my son has never once told me about his friends.

“Have I really never asked about them? Did I just not listen when he told me?” I started to ask my self all of these silly questions and realized that I had a husband and daughter that were sitting right in front of me.

I realize “Oh no. I’ve been too caught up in Randy’s life that I’ve missed everything about their days.

“Sorry, what were we talking about?”

“Mom, another one of my papers went missing.”

“Honey, I told you that you needed to keep better track of them.”

“Mom! You have never once actually thought that I am redponsible huh?!”

My husband chimed in. “Now now, let’s now snap at the being who gave you life.”

My husband always talks like that for no reason.

“I’m sorry.” I say. “I just need to check in with Randy. I need to ask when he’ll be home.”

Randy had already texted “I’ll be home before sunset tomorrow.”

How had he known I was going to ask that? Also, I am a strong Christian who never misses church and I won’t let my kids miss either.

“No, you have to be home tonight. Church is tomorrow. You know how I feel about missing church.”

He replied with “Well what’s the point, I mean, I’ve already let the devil take over my body. It is pretty fun!”

Of course, like any normal parent, I freaked out. “What do you mean?! The devil? What did you do?!”

He never came home the next morning, that is until after church. Chloe, my husband, and I got home to a haunted house that was our own. When we walked in there was a Satin circle and my son sitting center.

“Randy! Get out of there!”

“My name is not Randy.” He said in a chivvering voice that I will remember forever.

His clothes were torn, like someone had grabbed at them too hard. There was red liquid on his mouth and around his eyes. I knew I had to get my family to safety.

We ran to Mamaw’s house not even thinking twice about Randy. The devil really had taken over. But where were his friends? Well, that’s for you to decide.