Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The curse began.
As the evil spirit's laughter reached a deafening crescendo, the Blackwood family felt themselves being lifted higher and higher into the air. They struggled and kicked, but it was no use. The evil spirit's power was too strong.
The air around them began to distort and ripple, like the surface of a pond on a windy day. The Blackwood family felt themselves being pulled apart, their molecular bonds stretching to the breaking point.
Ava screamed as she felt herself being torn from her family's grasp. She reached out, desperately trying to cling to her loved ones, but it was no use. She was being pulled away, sent flying through space and time.
Malcolm's voice was a distant echo, calling out to his family as they were scattered to the winds. "Ava! Eli! Rachel! Sophia!"
But his cries were lost in the void, drowned out by the sound of rushing wind and the evil spirit's maniacal laughter.
Rachel felt herself being hurtled through a vortex of colors and lights, her stomach lurching with the motion. She closed her eyes, praying for it to be over soon.
Eli, meanwhile, was experiencing a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions. One moment he was terrified, the next he was exhilarated. He felt like he was flying, soaring through the air with no regard for gravity or safety.
Sophia was the last to be scattered, and she felt a sense of desperation wash over her. She was being pulled away from her family, sent to who-knows-where. She reached out, trying to cling to something, anything, but it was no use.
And then, in an instant, it was over. The Blackwood family found themselves scattered across the world, each one landing in a different location.
Ava stumbled to her feet, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. She saw a sign in the distance: "Welcome to Chicago".
Malcolm found himself in a bustling market, surrounded by people speaking a language he didn't understand. He stumbled through the crowd, trying to get his bearings. A sign above a nearby stall read: "Cairo, Egypt".
Rachel emerged from the forest, blinking in the bright sunlight. She saw a sign in the distance: "Welcome to Vancouver".
Eli stood in the middle of a busy street, surrounded by towering skyscrapers. He looked around, awestruck, as people rushed past him. A sign above a nearby hot dog cart read: "New York City, 5th Avenue".
Sophia stood alone in a desolate, barren landscape. She looked around, but there was nothing to see. No signs, no buildings, no people. Just an endless expanse of nothingness.
As the Blackwood family struggled to come to terms with their new surroundings, they realized that they were truly alone. Scattered across the world, with no way to communicate or find each other. The evil spirit's curse had finally been fulfilled.
"YOU WILL WONDER FOREVER ALONE."