— Hannah, dear, am I that drunk to see your stupid sister? — Joseph scratches his head, looking at his wife with confused eyes. — Confirm if I'm delusional.
The woman measures her twin with her eyes, not believing her eyes. When she left that day with Jin, she vowed never to return to this place and this is their final farewell, and now she suddenly appears on New Year's Day, surprising everyone with her presence.
— Danielle, what are you doing here? Has something happened?
The woman crosses her arms on her chest and glances at her niece out of the corner of her eye. Veronica has a bad feeling that her aunt will reveal the truth, but fortunately, she doesn't intend to involve her parents.
— My relationship with Jin is very turbulent. All these years we have been living with each other like a dog and a cat. He claims I'm possessive, but what can I do if I'm jealous of every woman he works with? — Danielle shrugs her shoulders.
— And that's why you showed up here at night and moreover on New Year's Eve? — Hannah is confused.
Joseph sits down in an armchair, misty-eyed, looking at his sister-in-law. That night he had quite excessive fun with alcohol, but it was Jimmy's fault, who constantly poured it for him.
— At times like this, one needs a sister, doesn't one? I have to complain to you because I still love him and want to be with him, but he's fucked up, and I can't come to an agreement with him.
— Certainly less than you — mutters Joseph under his breath. — You're the reason he broke off contact with us.
— Don't swear in front of the kids — Hannah points out to her.
— I don't think you know today's youth, Mother Teresa. They curse every other word — Danielle snorts under her breath, out of the corner of her eye glancing at her nephews and Lucas, who still accompanies them.
— My children are raised differently.
Drunk Eric gets the hiccups, which makes his father laugh.
— My blood — claims Joseph, nailing a turtle with him. — Then tell me.... how much have you drunk?
— I can't count it, Dad, but the alcohol was pouring in streams.
— Tomorrow, your urine will be pouring in streams when you get a belt up your ass from me. You and your sister.
Unaware of his father's words, Eric nods.
— Danielle, let's get some sleep and talk about it at lunchtime. My children, as well as Joseph, can barely look at their eyes. I am also tired, and it is already morning. Rest in the spare room that the housekeeper will assign to you, okay?
Veronica glances at her aunt with gratitude in her eyes. The last thing she would want is to stir up her parents into a curse. They've been through enough with the demon in their lives.
— Let it be. You're all drunk as brass anyway.
*
Lucas opens his eyes and the first sight he sees is Eric's hunched face. He lies next to his friend, batting his eyelids.
— Is my Aunt Danielle really in this house? I wasn't dreaming, was I? — The brunet's face is as pale as a corpse. No doubt he has a terrible headache.
— You weren't dreaming. You were drunk as a pig and barely in touch with the world. I had to escort you to your room, and since I didn't want to go home in the morning, I stayed with you. While you sleep, you are not aggressive like your sister, so I have to admit that I even got some sleep.
The 16-year-old becomes restless when he remembers that at night he and Veronica kissed for the first time. Eventually, he learned the truth. She also has feelings for him that are stronger than friendship, but she is afraid to be with him because the curse does not allow her to live a normal life. She is nailed down and falls into depression. Anxieties overpower her body, and she gives up, unable to fight it anymore.
— I need to talk to Veronica — Lucas says unexpectedly, getting off the bed and walking toward the door.
— Now? All of a sudden? What's got into you?
— Why, do you want me to sleep with you a while longer? — Lucas moves his eyebrows unequivocally, making Eric vomit. He's not sure if it's because of the hangover, or if it's Lucas' proposal that has made him feel worse?
— Go ahead and give me a holy break.
As his friend leaves the room, Eric takes the phone in his hand and blinks his eyelids as he sees dozens of messages from Miranda.
He's drunk to the point where he can't remember most of the night. Certain images roll through his head like a fog, and a terrible headache doesn't help him sharpen them.
"I kill you," "Don't drink anymore, idiot" "I'm really going to kill you."
All the contents sound similar, and Eric scratches his head, wondering what he did to her since she hates him so much.
"You will suffer the consequences," 'How did you seduce me?', 'Was it because of the alcohol, you stupid idiot?'.
It seems to him that in a moment his head will burst. What has he done that she is experiencing so much?
"Miranda, can you explain to me like a human being what happened that night? I don't remember anything. I have a blank in my head."
"You've had a blank in your head all your life. What fired in me to succumb to you?"
"What?"
"Sober up properly, moron, and then we'll talk."
Miranda is a hard case. This is something Eric has managed to find out several times. He won't explain to the man right away what the problem is because he has to challenge him first.
— I'll take a shower and then get rid of the hangover. I'll deal with Miranda at the end.
*
Lucas is horrified when, after banging on the door of Veronica's room for a while, he walks in thinking she's still asleep, but the sight he sees makes his heart stop.
His best friend is lying in bed on her back, wide-eyed staring at the ceiling. The worst part, however, is that she doesn't even blink her eyelids. She is as pale as a corpse and doesn't react to the words the boy says to her.
As if in an amok, he walks closer to her bed and squats on the edge, lightly poking her shoulder.
— Vera, are you all right?
It's a frightening sight, especially since her eyes seem to go blank. Chills run through his body, and he can't say any more words as he becomes speechless. Panic completely incapacitates him, so he can't move from the bed, can't do anything.
She looks as if internally she is fighting some kind of war, in which she is suffering cruelly.
The boy regains his sanity when dozens of voices come out of Veronica's mouth, speaking so hurriedly that he can understand nothing of it.
— Vera, I beg you, wake up — he says to her in a terrified voice.
Danielle rushes into the room. She locks the door and puts her finger to her lips, telling Lucas to stay calm.
— Don't panic, kid. Everything will be fine.
— What's going on with her? How can I be calm! — he says too loudly, to which she shushes him.
— As long as her parents are asleep, we have to get her out of the house.
— Get her out of the house? What for? Can't you see the state she is in!
— Stop shouting, stupid kid! — she warns him, and her stern gaze immediately brings him down to earth. — I came here a raggedy distance for a reason. I'm going to protect my niece, since after she burned the protective mascot, all three of us are now connected to each other. If we do nothing, she will die. Do you want to kill your friend?
The boy shakes his head, and tears appear in his eyes.
— How can we protect her? Do you know anything?
— If I didn't know, I probably wouldn't be here. It's a waste of time to talk. Be someone, pick her up and let's go.
— Where to?
— To Honolulu! Jesus! You are as stupid and annoying as your father! Get moving! — She rushes him, rolling her eyes. — Anyway... your mother was even worse.
Lucas clenches his teeth, not wanting to start an argument at this point, although it hits him when he hears the insulting words this woman directs toward his parents.
The most important thing now is Veronica.
*
The 16-year-old crouches in the graveyard, holding a scary-looking friend in his arms. He strokes her pale face with his hand, watching the woman who stands in the middle of the tombstones, looking around.
— Steven, get out! — she yells, and her words echo through the forest. — I had a dream! In it, I saw this cemetery, I saw the dead consuming Veronica's soul. I know that you called me. You wanted me to appear before you! — Danielle crosses her arms on her chest and snorts furiously. — You had Veronica burn the mascot so that she would be connected to me. You wanted to see me again, so here I am. So why are you hiding now?
A frosty wind that unexpectedly breaks causes Lucas to panic. He has a bad feeling.
— Is it true that you have been protected by a demon all your life? So why did he want you to return now? — asks Lucas quietly.
— Shut up! — shouts Danielle at him. — Sit there quietly and don't interrupt me, dammit!
Everything suddenly quiets down, the wind calms down, and Lucas feels that they are in the very eye of the cyclone.
— Why is this woman so aggressive? — mutters the boy under his breath. — I think it's because she has been protected by a demon all her life.
— Today our contract ends, that's why you wanted me to return, isn't it? The contract that, as a kid, I signed with you with my blood.
The teenager is shocked by the woman's words. She signed a contract with a demon and with her blood? Something like a pact with the devil?
Steven emerges from between the trees and saunters toward Danielle. She watches him intently, not feeling even a hint of fear. She's the only person in this family who doesn't treat the demon as a curse.
— Danielle, my favorite.
— Are you ready to end our agreement? — Steven circles around her, out of the corner of his eye, glancing at the frighteningly pale Veronica. More and more life is escaping from her every minute. Souls are feeding on her, driving her to death.
Lucas squeezes his friend's icy hand, not controlling his tears.
— I beg you to let her live. She is not guilty of anything. She is a descendant of the family you cursed, but after all, she did you no harm. Why should she die? Why should she suffer the consequences of her great-grandmother's cruelty?
— Do you remember, Steven? When you signed the contract to protect me, you said that on the day of the breakup you would fulfill my last request before taking me with you to hell?
The demon smiles cynically.
— I always keep my promises, my favorite, but I didn't think your last request would be to rescue a family member. That's not like you.
— As usual, you read my mind. Impressive.
— Do you want me to break your family's curse and let your niece live?
— That's precisely what I want, Steven. This is my last request.
Lucas watches the woman with weeping eyes, not believing that she can really do this for Veronica.
— How is life for Jin? Did you properly say goodbye to the love of your life?
— Goodbyes are the hardest, so I left home after a fierce argument with him.
Steven bursts into a loud laugh.
— You've always been specific, Danielle, that's why I like you so much.
— What about my request? — She interjects sharply, piercing him with her eyes. — Before I join you, will you break the curse and restore my niece to a happy life?
They look intensely into each other's eyes for a long moment.
— I have always fulfilled your requests, so I will fulfill the last one as well.
The woman closes her eyelids as the demon unwillingly waves his hand over Veronica's body, releasing souls from her, who return to their tombstones.
The teenager begins to regain consciousness, though she is still frighteningly pale and cold. Lucas hugs her tightly, promising that everything will be okay.
— What's going on? Where am I? — She asks in a hoarse voice.
— It's okay, Vera. You're not in any danger.
— Danielle, I'll see you at midnight. You have time to argue with everyone you care about — says the demon mockingly.
— Your humor has always been bad, Steven. — The woman turns to face Lucas and the semi-conscious niece. — Stop fussing, kid. Take Veronica in your arms and let's go back to the car.
Lucas pulls his nose, then grabs the 17-year-old and matches the woman's stride. He wants to ask her a question, but is afraid she will attack him. Eventually, he gathers his courage and speaks to her:
— Does the fact that your contract with the demon ends today mean that you will die at midnight?
Danielle lifts the corners of her mouth in a smile.
— If it weren't for this demon and its protection, I would have died as a kid. So. I've lived more than forty years, and it's time for me to go. You guys are still young and have your whole lives ahead of you. Make good use of them. You have wonderful parents, so now you will only be able to be happy. I suffered from birth, I was loved by only one person, and it was not my mother, but the boy thanks to whom I experienced some joy at the age of fourteen. And despite this ... I will not count how many times I caused him pain. People like me deserve nothing but hell.
This is the first and last smile Lucas can see on this woman's face.
*
— Mother of God, what happened to you, Veronica? What do you look like? — The mother catches up with her daughter at the door, looking concerned about her condition. She threatens with her eyes Danielle standing behind her, who only shrugs her shoulders. — You took my daughter to the hospital without mentioning anything to me!
— Stop lamenting, sister. The girl had alcohol poisoning, Lucas was panicking, so I didn't have an opportunity to wake you up.
Hannah looks with offended eyes at the sixteen-year-old.
— And you? Couldn't you have notified us?
— Mom, stop it. I'm better now. It's my fault. I overdid it with alcohol, and apparently I took it badly. You should thank your aunt and Lucas — Veronica interjects.
The woman lets the air out of her mouth, looking over her shoulder at her husband, who is leaning against the wall.
— At least he has a lesson to never drink alcohol again. Such a punishment would also be useful for Eric. — He punishes his son with his eyes, who curls up like a puppy under his gaze.
— Sorry, dad. It was thoughtless behavior on our part.
— We should eat something — claims Hannah.
The youth shakes his head.
— I'm going to go to bed. Lucas and Eric are coming with me — announces Veronica, grabbing their hands.
— Squeezed children, beautifully. Just now your father, Lucas, called, asking if you are still alive. — Joseph turns to his friend's son.
— I did not drink alcohol. I was keeping an eye on the company — the 16-year-old defends himself. — And now I'm going to go see to the sick.
— But don't forget to go home tonight.
The youth heads to Veronica's room, and Hannah looks at her sister's wasted face.
— Should we eat and talk now?
The woman nods in response. She follows Hannah and they both look over their shoulders when the front door is opened.
— Tom, stop coming in as if you were ... — begins Joseph, but does not finish the sentence, as he is surprised by the visit of an unexpected guest.
— Forgive me for entering you as myself after so many years of absence, but it is not me we should be talking about, but Danielle.
The couple stares at Jin as if they have seen a ghost or worse, a resurrected friend.
— Why are you here, Jin? — Danielle asks him, surprised that he came after her despite their brawl.
— To protect you from the demon.