Mutagen

Day 129 - 11:36 - Haddon Lake, Audubon, Camden County, New Jersey, United States of America

Elise brightly smiled as she saw the man appear before her.

Ellse, it had been long she met this man. It should be about a few years ago before the outbreak started. Right after Felicia had gone missing and their family was too focused on looking for her older sister.

Yes, she knew this man even before the end of the world commenced.

He was an irreplaceable existence to Elise.

Since Elise was young, she was considered a child with psychiatric problems. When she was a baby, she could be seen glancing around her for no particular reason. It was as if she was looking at something, but her family never saw anything.

When she started to walk and talk, the first words she uttered were not Mom or Dad, but a name none in the family recognized. She was also pointing at somewhere while calling the name, but there was no one there.

The only time she stopped calling that name was when she fell unconcious with a very high fever when she was five. But things have gotten worse as her mood swings started. 

It was triggered, especially when Elise started to get angry, saying someone or something was laughing at her.

And that continued until she met Ellse. She did not know where he came from. The first time they met was at this very same location. One thing was for sure, though...

Every time that Ellse was around, the voices would go away. 

Because of that, she started to frequent the lake at almost any free time she could get.

It was even more so when she had problems. Ellse was always there to listen. She knew that he might not be human. At least, he was there, any time she needed someone to listen to her troubles.

Like now, she was troubled about the return of her sister. Yes, Elise hated Felicia because of what happened in the past. But even with that, there was also happiness within since they were still siblings. That should have been able to make her retrain herself.

But for some reason, she could not.

And Elise ended up slapping her sister at a burst of anger, she could not understand where it stemmed from.

At the appearance of Ellse, Elise narrated what happened before she fled from the school.

"Is that so?" Ellse said, sitting on the bench beside Elise. "Maybe, that is your real feelings. You should just let it out, or you will feel more miserable."

"But..."

Elise hesitated.

At that point, Elise did not notice, but there was a sharp glare on Ellse's eyes as he realized something.

"My manipulation is broken. Who did it?"

Ellse muttered in anger.

"Did you say something?"

Elise asked as she heard his muttering voice but did not manage to catch what he was saying.

"No, nothing," Ellse replied. "Did your sister bring other people with her?"

"?" Elise tilted her head. "Yes? Why?"

"Did any of them feel strange?"

Ellse asked once more.

"I don't know..." Elise replied. "I only glanced at them. But I think... the man wearing black clothes felt weird for some reason."

"Is it that guy?"

Ellse muttered while touching his chin.

"Do you know them?"

Elise asked.

"No, I don't. But in case, stay away from those people."

Elise could not understand why Ellse said that. However, she could not also think of a reason why she should not follow what he said to her.

But then, Ellse suddenly turned his head towards the direction of the school.

"Tch!"

Elise heard him click his tongue for the first time.

There, Ellse waved his hand, as the two of them were enveloped by a thick cloud of mist.

***

After leaving the Audubon High School, Mark and Mei immediately flew towards the direction that Elise fled to. She was already out of his detection when they finished talking with Felicia's parents making the two hurry.

Finally, Mark found Elise in the vicinity of Haddon Lake. However...

She was not alone.

Sensing that, Mark urged Mei to fly faster.

But then, Mark frowned.

Elise and whoever ever the person with her was, suddenly vanished from his detection.

Reaching the place, where the two vanished, Mark and Mei landed.

"Gege, there's no one here."

Mei said, looking around.

Of course, Mark knew that. But there were people here just a few seconds ago.

"Just wait a bit."

Mark said as he closed his eyes.

Concentrating his mind, he tried to feel the surroundings.

Then, on the bench where Mark last felt Elise, he could sense traces of Magical Energy being used.

Furthermore, it was not something peaceful but was utterly evil in nature.

"Another Evil Spirit."

Mark muttered as he opened his eyes. He was frowning deeply.

"Is she in danger?"

Mei asked, sensing Mark's mood.

"I don't think she is," Mark replied. "That Elise is not just a regular person either. For Evil Spirits, it is better to keep her alive than dead."

Mei was quite confused. Well, anyone that would hear Mark say those words would since they did not know what he knew.

Without explaining anything, Mark took out his phone. He then looked at the lake.

"Lake, lake..."

He muttered as he searched the map on his phone. There was a lake in front of them, but Mark did not know what lake it was as they never asked anyone.

A lake near Audubon High School, there was nothing else but Haddon Lake.

Seeing the name, Mark sinisterly smiled as he remembered something.

"Let's go."

Mark grabbed Mei's hand and led her to fly off.

"Gege, where are we going?"

Mei asked, letting Mark lead her without resistance.

"A place of a curse," Mark said.

Mei could not help but tilt her head.

"There might be a lot of evil spirits around the world, but not all of them can manifest in a way that they could directly and physically affect people. If an evil spirit is capable of transporting a person, it should be a strong one. For that to happen, that spirit should be attached to a place with high concentrations of negative energy. Cursed and haunted places are the most suitable ones for stronger evil spirits to be born from."

Mark then turned his head in a precise direction.

"There just happened to be a place nearby that fit the criteria."

***

Elise was startled when Ellse covered the two of them with that cloud of mist. 

When the mist vanished, however...

"Where?"

That was what escaped from her mouth.

The two of them were not at their initial location back in Haddon Lake. It was a totally different place but not that unfamiliar either.

"Remember this place?"

Ellse asked as he leaned his back on a tree.

When Elise saw the tree, however, her eyes turned wide.

For those that did not know, it might just be another tree near a body of water. However, it was different for those living in this area and those interested in the supernatural. This tree was not just any other tree.

It was an old tree in a small peninsula at the side of Newton Lake.

"The Oaklyn Suicide Nazi Tree..."

Elise muttered.

Of course, she would remember. She came here before, wanting to end her life like how the others did on this tree. To hang themselves on its thick branches.

In fact, to warn people to stay away, some of the ropes used by other suicide victims were left hanging on the tree. The party spot in the past turned into a sinister place with beautiful lakeside scenery.

Many mysteries had circulated around the area that had been linked to this cursed tree. Some were bodies being dumped in the lakes around here, some were mysterious homicide cases, and of course, the suicides that happened on this tree before the outbreak.

Because of that, most people who knew would stay away from this location. Even though it might just be some hearsay, no one would want to become the next victim of the curse.

"Why did you bring me here?"

Elise asked. She was not worried, but just curious.

"It seems like the people that brought your sister back is looking for you."

Elise sighed. There was no doubt that her parents and sister must have sent those people to look for her. It was not like she did not want to go back, but she was not ready to face them after what happened.

But then, Ellse stiffened in shock. He was about to cover himself and Elise with another cloud of mist.

However, it was already late this time.

"Found you two."

A voice entered their ears.

"TCH!"

Ellse clicked his tongue and tried to hastily transport himself away, leaving Elise behind.

SHOOM!

Ellse was not able to as a surge of black smoke dispersed the mist.

In shock, Ellse and Elise looked up. Above, Mark and Mei flapped their wings.

"My guess is right."

Mark said, looking at the tree behind Ellse.

"Demons..."

Ellse muttered, seeing the wings and sensing aura from Mark and Mei. He was shivering. Ellse might be a strong evil spirit, but compared to demons, he was just a lower existence.

"Are you the evil spirit born from this tree? Or are you the evil spirit of this tree born because of her?"

Mark asked, pointing at the tree and Elise.

The questions brought deep shock to Elise as she turned to Ellse.

Come to think of it, when Elise tried to commit suicide, her rope suddenly broke off without reason. That time, she went home with bruises from the fall and just brushed it off as she slipped while on the road.

After that incident, that was also the first time she met Ellse.

But then... as Mark probed further, he realized something even more peculiar. Even Mei seemed to have noticed it.

"Gege, don't this guy and Elise look a bit similar?"

That was right, Ellse and Elise seemed to be the same age and had a bit of resemblance to each other.

As for Mark, what he noticed was something that could not be refuted.

Thus, his words gave more shock to Elise, who had yet to reorganize her thoughts.

"You're her twin brother, aren't you?"

Mark's words made Ellse open his mouth in shock. This was the secret of his that Elise should never know.

Elise was even more muddled. She had no knowledge that she had a twin brother. But to think of it, she always felt comfortable when he was with Ellse. He was closer to Elise compared to her other siblings, even though they had known each other for a shorter time.

Ellse stared at Mark with a grave expression. His secrets were being dug up one by one by this demon. 

"Just what kind of demon are you?! How are you able to know those things?!"

Elise stared at Ellse with wide eyes. He did not deny any of the accusations, meaning, all of it was true.

"Why should I answer the questions of an enemy?" Mark replied. "You are here to gather information from her and give it to those that attacked this morning, am I right?"

"You..."

Ellse could not say anything anymore. He was stripped naked of his secrets.

"You really thought that I won't notice you earlier? When I arrived this morning, you hurriedly retreated from my field of detection. When those brothers retreated, you also did. This time, you did the same. It might work once, but not twice."

"Ellse, is that true?"

Elise suddenly asked, forcing her tears not to fall.

Ellse turned his head away from her. It seemed that he could not look at her straight on her eyes anymore.

"WHY?!"

Elise shouted.

"WHY?" Ellse shouted back, a surge of black energy enveloped around the surroundings coming from the tree behind them.

"It's all because of you!"

Strong winds blew in the surroundings, pushing Elise back with a strong force. She flew back, almost falling into Newton Lake.

Mark and Mei appeared behind Elise and caught her. They stared in front as the surroundings were enveloped in a dark, sinister, aura.