82 WELCOME NEIGHBOR?

KAREN'S POV Holding the paper firmly in my hands, I stood up and couldn't take my eyes off it. As I scanned the words, my mind raced with questions. Who could be responsible for this? Who would send such a cryptic message? And the biggest question of all, was this some kind of twisted prank? Percy snatched the paper from my grasp and angrily crumpled it, throwing it to the ground. "This is insane!" he exclaimed, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "Let's try to stay calm," I suggested, crossing my arms in an attempt to appear composed. "I am calm," Percy retorted, his hands still clenched in anger. "But this is not a joke. Remember the last time we received a message like this? Written in blood?" "When Max destroyed our house," I recalled, feeling a shiver run down my spine at the memory. "Exactly," Percy nodded, his eyes fixed on the paper on the floor. "So what are you saying?" I asked, my heart racing with fear. "Are you suggesting that Max is