Chapter One: Birthday

"Caleb?" I called coming in to the study, "Where's a copy of our family tree?"

"I don't know." He said without looking up from his laptop, "Why do you want it?"

"Project for school." I said sitting down in the big chair across from him, pulling my knees under my chin.

"Ask Mom." He said furrowing his brow, as he looked something up in his book.

"I did." I said not moving.

"And…" He said finally looking at me.

"She said to ask you." I shrugged.

"Well, I don't know where it is." He sighed returning to his paper.

"Aren't you even gonna help me look?" I said sticking out my lower lip in a pout.

"Catie," He groaned, "This paper's due tomorrow."

"Please, it is my birthday." I reminded him.

"Fine, but I can only look for 15 minutes then I have to get back to work." He pushed back from the desk.

"Thank you for taking time from your precious life to help your poor, annoying, little sister." I said placing a hand over my heart for dramatic effect.

"Not so little any more finally turning 17. How's it feel?" He smiled as he pulled a book off one of the numerous bookshelves lining the walls.

"Not much different," I admitted, "I do have a headache though." I said looking at the numerous titles lining the shelf in front of me.

"Take some Tylenol." He said placing the book he had back on the shelf.

"I did like an hour ago, I've had it for like a week, it won't go away." I said pulling down a book with no title.

"Are you okay?" He said looking over at me. I could see the worry in his eyes. Ever since his birthday he'd been so stressed. I hated seeing him so troubled.

"I'm fine." I lied. We went back to looking through the books.

"Hey," he called a few minutes later, "I think I found it." I walked over. He had a small book open to a page the name 'Danvers' written in elegant script across the top of the page followed by names, dates, causes of deaths, and short biographies.

"Thanks. This will defiantly help with my paper." I said grabbing the book.

"Why don't you read some of it to me?" He said heading back towards the desk.

"And distract you from your paper?" I made a face of mock horror.

"Oh, come on, that's probably way more interesting than advanced bio-chem." He said sitting down.

"Alright, you get to work and I'll let you know if I find any thing cool." I said taking my place across from him. He nodded and I started reading.

"Hey," I said about an hour later, "get this." I nodded towards the small book I'd finished. "Out of all the children ever born in the Danvers family only 20 of over 200 have been girls. How weird is that."

"That's impossible, Catie." Caleb said not looking up from his screen, he'd stopped typing.

"That's what the book says, and no girl born into the Danvers family has ever lived past 16."

"What about Great Aunt-" I cut him off.

"She married into the family." I handed him the book, "See for yourself."

"This is just weird." He said skimming through the book.

"Tell me about it." I smiled.

"What?" He asked taking in my grin.

"I think it's cool." I giggled.

"What?" He laughed.

"I'm the girl born in to our family to live past 16." I looked at all the names.

"I guess." He said looking at the book again.

"It is kinda sad though." I said looking up.

"Yeah." He said looking back up, over my head, "Hey, happy birthday in about 10 seconds." I looked back right as the minute hand drifted towards 6. It was almost 9:30. The exact time I was born. It all happened at once. The hand struck 6, Caleb smiled, and my piercing scream filled the air.

"Catie!" Caleb was instantly by my side, "What's wrong?"

"My head! Oh, my god, Caleb, my head!" His hands felt like ice as he pressed them to my face. I pulled back, it felt like someone was smashing my skull with a hammer. I could tell I was shaking but I couldn't stop. I heard him dialing his phone. I figured he was calling an ambulance.

"Catie! Look at me!" I tried to open my eyes but it hurt to bad, "Catie!" He shouted, then muttered to himself, "Come on, pick-up!"

"Catie, come on look at me." I forced my eyes open and he fell back, he'd been crouching beside my chair.

"Caleb?!" My eyes were closed again.

"It's okay, I'm right here." He picked me up and started running. I felt a strange sensation, like an electric current, then I heard the door swing open, we were outside. I felt the current again and then Caleb was leaning over putting me in his car. I heard the door slam and cringed at the sound. Then we were speeding to…well I didn't know but Caleb did, so I didn't care as long as the pain would stop. I heard him dialing his phone again.

"Pick up, Pogue!" He cursed when the machine picked up and dialed again. Pouge picked up.

"Pogue! Get Tyler and Reid and meet me at the farm house! Yeah, that was me, it was an emergency! Just hurry up!" And his phone slammed shut.

"Don't worry Catie it's gonna be okay." I just moaned.