*part 12B is a letter found folded within this page*
A man came to the house this morning. He brought 3 letters from Derek. 1 for me, 1 for Alex, & 1 for Mom. Alex took hers to her room & she hasn't come out. I've heard her crying. She put a CD on. It's something piano & Classical. Maybe Rachmaninoff. I remember Derek used to play it really late at night sometimes. I think she put it on so that we couldn't hear her cry.
Mom wanted us to read our letters together. But I said no. I told her that I didn't want to read it yet. I lied. I just wanted to read it by myself. She's sad & wants to comfort me, but I don't need it. I'm fine, but she's not & I don't know what to do for her. Maybe comforting me would help her, but she wants to treat me like I don't understand what's happened. I sometimes think I understand better than she does. I wish Nick would come over. I worry because he hasn't. Philip hasn't called back either. I know Mom called him several times, but I'm sure he hasn't called back. I wonder why?
Anyway, I tried to "see" what Derek wrote before I opened the letter, but I couldn't. I think he could somehow block that. I can use that trick with other people, but never with him. Sometimes when I practice piano, I "feel" in Mom's mind what I should play, or I sit near Kelly in math class during a test. She's the smartest in math. I know what the answers are because she knows. But with Derek it never worked. Once when he was showing me a song on the piano, I tried my trick, but I know he felt me. He looked down at me & aid, "You need the practice, Katherine, not I," but he wasn't mad at me.
When I opened the envelope, there was a little, tiny gold cross inside along with the letter. On the tiniest gold chain I've ever seen. Derek said it was his talisman. I'll never take it off. I feel him through it.
I don't know what I felt when I read the letter. I think I felt sad, but I felt proud, too. He wrote that letter to ME - to Miss Katherine Corrigan. He said I was his friend & that we were alike. He didn't use baby words. He didn't try to explain things like Mom does, or even Alex, like I'm still 8 yrs. old. He wrote that letter just the same as if he had sent it to Mom. He warned me about my "powers" & he told me a secret about himself. I swear that I will never, ever tell - not even you, dear Diary. I will be careful & I will use my powers to help people. I won't ever use them for bad again. He told me too that I had to be strong for Mom, Alex, & even Nick. I promise, Derek. I'll be strong & I'll be good &, when I hear those wicked voices, I'll touch your cross & I'll listen to my heart. I promise.
Next
CONTENTS
E-mail: Dubricus 
