And The Darkness Rained Upon Her (ON HOLD)

An Unpleasant Suprise

Stephenie stared at the brooch whilst laying in bed. 

She had returned the brooch to Beryl but as she was walking away she saw her aunt dump it in the trash before re-entering her house. She went up to the trash can, enraged that her aunt would do such a thing and she reached in the trash can before pulling out the brooch and heading home.

Of course, the cops had informed her parents of what had happened and of course, her parents were worried sick which was why her parents decided they should install security measures. They decided they would do the very next day.

After enduring 45min of her parents' fussing, she went upstairs after dinner and stared at the brooch.

She couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly that Skulduggery wanted to do with it or what it was that made the brooch so special. But if Skulduggery wanted it, it must've been important.

She ran through a list of possibilities before deciding she'd figure it out tomorrow and so she took off her clothes and went to sleep. (Quick question: Does Val sleep without clothes on more often or does she sleep wearing nightgowns more often?)

She awoke later that night hearing footstep. She looked over at the shadowed figure causing the footsteps and froze. 

The window was open and the wind came in making her curtains sway as the silver of the moon's light hit his skull, making it gleam.

Skulduggery was right beside her bed when he noticed a pair of dark eyes staring at him and he stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

Skulduggery stared at Stephenie. Stephenie stared at Skulduggery.

Stephenie's eyes flickered over to her nightstand. The drawers were open and the objects were everywhere. He had been searching for something. 

The brooch.

The two were silent for a long moment.

"Skulduggery," said Stephenie with a nod, breaking the silence.

"Stephenie," said Skulduggery and nodded back at her

It was then Stephenie realized she had no clothes on.

"I have already had you arrested for stealing. Do I have to have you arrested for pedophilia or attempted sexual assault too?" asked Stephenie.

"Do you really think 'normal-people jail' can contain me?" asked Skulduggery. "And I am not a pedophile and I have no intention of sexually assaulting you. I am too much of a gentleman to do so."

"Tell that to the cops when they get here," said Stephenie.

"But how will they know that I was here in the first place when they are being brainwashed as we speak?" asked Skulduggery.

Stephenie froze.

"Wait, brainwashed?" she asked.

"Indeed. They should be arriving here tomorrow to do the same to you."

Stephenie didn't know what to say. She didn't want to forget all this. She didn't want to forget magic. She didn't want to forget Skulduggery. She didn't want to forget any of that.

Skulduggery cleared his voice bringing her back to reality. "I, as you know or would've guessed, am a very busy man and have important things to do so... would you happen to know where the brooch may be?" asked Skulduggery.

"What's so important about it?" asked Stephenie, bitterly.

"Stephenie, I don't have time for-"

"I am going to be forget everything tomorrow. I'm going to forget magic and the secret war that took place. I am going to forget that there is a whole world out there that has been living side by side the one I've been living in all along. The least you could do is tell me why the brooch is so important to you. Besides, I'm not going to remember anything anyway."

Skulduggery let out what sounded like a sigh before explaining to her about The Void and the key.

"There. Now can you tell me where the key is?" said Skulduggery, irritated.

She looked at him. This was probably the last time she would ever see him, as a skeleton that is.

She didn't want to give it to him. She really didn't but what could she possibly do? She sighed and handed the key over which was hidden under her pillow.

Skulduggery tilted his head, confused. "You're just going to hand it over?".

Stephenie lay back down on her bed and turned so her back was facing him and shrugged. 

"You're not even going to put up a fight?"

"Dude. You is an ancient skeleton who does magic and has a gun.  I am a girl who is a beginner at self-defence, is a great swimmer, fantastic horse rider and the only weapon I have on me is my smart-mouth. Oh! and I'm naked."

Skulduggery stood there for a while before moving towards the window cautiously. "Okay, I'm going now."

"You do that."

"Any traps or tricks should be sprung now as I am leaving," said Skulduggery, unnecessarily loudly.

"Good thing there aren't any."

Skulduggery waited for three seconds to see if she was telling the truth before climbing out the window and closing it behind him.

When Skulduggery was gone, Stephenie rolled onto her back and thought about everything that had happened and that she would probably forget it soon.

She tried to think of ways she could avoid this but she couldn't. She thought of Skulduggery and what he said about the Void and how it was under Gordon's house.

He is probably going there right now  she thought.

She felt a sudden urge to go there. To see what was going to happen and write it down somewhere. If she did that she might be able to still know what happened or how to open the cave!

She got up and dressed hurriedly and tied her hair in a ponytail before grabbing a not-so-big-but-not-the-mini-ones backpack and putting a notepad, a pen, a knife (Self-defense), binoculars, flashlights, water bottle, her phone, her charger, her parents power bank (You know those thingies you can use to charge your phone with when there isn't a charging spot?) and some extra batteries. 

Yup. She was prepared.

She creeped down stairs and was passing the kitchen before deciding to stuff some candy into the bag and fill up her waterbottle.

She reached the door and grabbed the spare key to both Gordon's and her parents house before unlocking the door and stepping outside into the warm night.