Overview of Book II: Harmony

Chapter One: Magic in the Air - The compass spins when the gang arrives in Harmony, Georgia.   Chapter Two: The Cotton Blossom Inn - The gang stops for the night.   Chapter Three: Rose's Diner - The gang meets the residents of Harmony, who are very, very nice.   Chapter Four: Paranoia - Maybe too nice? Ritchie has a bad feeling.   Chapter Five: Southern Barbecue - The gang goes to a cookout and Dan gets a sour taste in her mouth.   Chapter Six: The Fallout - Jesse and Ritchie get in a fight and Ritchie takes off.   Chapter Seven: The Woods - Danica and Jesse wander around in the woods.   Chapter Eight: Poison Girl - Danica and Jesse find a girl named Selene, who has been poisoned.   Chapter Nine: Little Shack of Horror - Danica, Jesse, and Selene are held captive at gunpoint by murderous hillbillies.   Chapter Ten: Fox Hunt - Danica is forced to run through the woods, pursued by gunfire.   Chapter Eleven: Dirty Little Secrets - Danica runs to a bonfire surrounded by townspeople and learns about the curse of Harmony.   Chapter Twelve: Death Run - Danica is chased through the woods by a monster made of shadows.   Chapter Thirteen: Light in the Darkness - Danica takes a spill into a swamp and sees a unicorn.   Chapter Fourteen: Spiders - After getting the wind knocked out of her, Danica is eaten by spiders.   Chapter Fifteen: Strange World - Danica wakes from a coma in the hospital a year in the future. Willa is dead and Jesse is engaged to Selene.   Chapter Sixteen: Intrusion - Danica resents Selene for taking Willa's place in her family.   Chapter Seventeen: Bridal Shopping Blues - Selene takes Danica and her mom wedding dress shopping.   Chapter Eighteen: Rock Bottom - Danica visits a cracked out Ritchie in his cracked out trailer park home.   Chapter Nineteen: Something Wicked - Danica realizes that Selene and the world around her are not what they appear to be.   Chapter Twenty: Big Bad Wolf - Danica wakes up back in Harmony and is confronted by Elliot.   Chapter Twenty-One: The Howling - Danica is chased by shadow wolves.   Chapter Twenty-Two: Call For Help - Danica makes it to a payphone and calls Ritchie but only reaches his voicemail.   Chapter Twenty-Three: Rescue - Ritchie finds Danica and they go back to rescue Jesse.   Chapter Twenty-Four: Hide and Seek - Danica and Ritchie hide from the hillbillies and find the monster.   Chapter Twenty-Five: Beautiful Monster - Selene reveals her true self to Danica and Ritchie but has Jesse under her spell.   Chapter Twenty-Six: Darkness Devours - Selene's spirit attacks the gang, back together now, and they hold onto each other for dear life.   Chapter Twenty-Seven: Out of the Woods - Saved by the light and now it's dawn. The gang is confronted by Karamae.   Chapter Twenty-Eight: Eulogy - The gang learns that Tom has sacrificed his life to save them. They give him a funeral before leaving town.

Strength in Unity & The Power of Three   Light in the Darkness   Rainbows are a Symbol of Hope   Survival   Self-Sacrifice

Willa Elizabeth Childs is dying and Danica Leanne Childs feels personally responsible. So she set out on a quest with her brother Jesse James Childs and their cousin Ritchie Knox to find a cure for Willa. In Florida, Danica obtained the book, Secrets of the Spirit Realm and its author, Thomas Crowley, who exists in the form of a psychic hydrangea, as well as a compass that points to magic. She also encountered a shape-shifting incubus named Elliot who offered her immortality in exchange for her soul. He retaliated when she turned him down but with Ritchie's help she was able to poison Elliot with iron and separate his spirit from his corporeal body.   While reading Secrets of the Spirit Realm, Danica found a passage about magic dealers: human magic users who sell magical goods or services. Danica hopes to use the compass to find such a person so she can buy a miracle cure for Willa. Her plan is to follow the compass to wherever it leads.

Inner Conflict:   1. Ritchie has a Very Bad feeling the moment he enters Harmony. The tiny backwater town gives him the creeps, as do its overly nice residents. He wants to get out before something Very Bad happens to them. The heat and humidity, close quarters, and the dark spiritual energy all around them set Ritchie's nerves on edge and he starts feeling resentment towards Jesse for the popularity and privilege he's had his whole life while Ritchie's own life has been so difficult. He suspects Jesse might feel superior to him. He is enraged when Jesse disregards his intuition and desires by insisting they stay in Harmony. When Dan takes Jesse's side over his, Ritchie takes off and leaves them both stranded.   2. Jesse is enchanted by the quaint little town of Harmony and by how friendly and welcoming its residents are. He feels like they are Very Close to finding something truly magical, maybe even a cure for Willa. He wants to stay until they find it. But the heat and humidity, close quarters, and the dark spiritual energy all around them set Jesse's nerves on edge and Ritchie's constant negativity is annoying the hell out of him. He doesn't know why Ritchie is acting so moody and rude all of a sudden but he's over it. He starts to suspect he and Dan might be better off continuing their journey without him. When Ritchie abandons them in Harmony, his suspicion is confirmed.   3. Danica is unsure and a little unnerved after arriving in Harmony. The townspeople seem nice enough but they act strangely and the magic in the air is palpable— invisible and everywhere. But she is determined to continue her quest to saving Willa and Harmony might hold the answer. The heat and humidity, close quarters, and the dark spiritual energy all around them set Dan's nerves on edge and she feels caught in the middle of Jesse's and Ritchie's constant bickering. She wants to get away from both of them, but more than that, she wants to get whatever it is she needs to find and then get back to Willa, who's dying at home. She fears they might not be able to save her in time, especially if they don't focus on the goal. When Ritchie kicks her and Jesse out of his car and drives away, she is devastated because they've lost Tom, the book, most of their belongings, their transportation, but most of all, Ritchie.   Outer Conflict:   1. Elliot is PISSED after Danica rejects and discorporates him. His spirit stays close to Danica and the boys while they slingshot his orb into the Atlantic Ocean. He follows them as they follow the compass out of Florida into Georgia and realizes where they are headed. So he goes to the spiritual realm and reunites with his old paramour, Selene. He tells her about the treacherous teenagers who are headed to her hometown and suggests she should greet them with some of that classic Harmony hospitality.   2. The townspeople of Harmony are cursed. The signs are clear that the monster will soon return to feed. They must find sacrifices or it will come for them. And that's why they just LOVE having visitors.   3. Selene is disappointed after she learns she won't be able to have any carnal fun with Elliot now that he's lost his body. She decides punish the ones responsible by feeding them to her monster. And to her delight, they split up. She goes after Ritchie first, which doesn't go too well for her. But then she finds (or rather, is found by) Danica and Jesse. She leaches Jesse's spiritual energy and messes with Danica's head before unleashing all of her darkness on them

After Ritchie leaves Jesse and Dan stranded in Harmony, they decide to walk through the forest to see if they can find anything magical. But of course the compass is still spinning like crazy, indicating the magic is all around them. Dan and Jesse wander until they are lost and bug eaten. They stumble upon the very old ruins of what was once a house, now covered in overgrowth. They go to check it out but they both get a very uncomfortable feeling and decide to move on. They are able to find their way back to the highway by following the sound of a car door slamming and an engine speeding away. A beautiful young woman lies unconscious in the ditch. They run to her and discover she's alive. She manages to tell them her name is Selene and she's been poisoned. They are determined to help her but Jesse's phone has no reception. They consider waiting for a car or highway patrol to come by, but the road is mostly empty and the cars that do pass are driving way too fast to stop for them. Dan remembers the payphone at the gas station but they don't know how to get there and they need to find a phone fast. Selene whispers there is a cabin close by. Jesse asks who lives there and she says she doesn't know. Jesse carries Selene through the woods as Dan tries to keep track of the way. And then they find the cabin.   Dan knocks on the door and Judd answers. She asks if she can use his phone and he says there isn't a phone around for miles. Feeling uncomfortable, she tries to leave but Red and Gunner appear behind Judd with shotguns. They force Dan, Jesse, and Selene into the cabin, then lock Dan and Selene in a cage and beat up Jesse. Karamae is there as well and Jeb arrives quickly. Judd forces Jesse to choose which girl to send out running first. Selene is at death's door and Dan is a former track and cross country runner. Jesse makes his decision. Dan is then chased through the woods by Judd, Red, and Gunner who are firing their weapons at her. She runs toward a large bonfire with every resident of the town surrounding it. They reveal they are cursed and to spare themselves from death and spiritual oblivion, they are going to sacrifice her to a shadow monster. They summon the monster through a chant and it manifests from the remnants of the missing house.   The shadow monster chases Dan through the forest. She gets broke and bloody as she fights with all of her strength to get away. She takes a big fall and ends up in a swamp. Filthy, aching, itching, stinging, and utterly exhausted, Dan tries to make her way through the swamp. She breaks down, feeling hopeless. But then she sees a bright light and follows it out of the swamp. From far away she sees a glimpse of a unicorn but then it disappears and she hears the shrieks of the shadow monster. She runs and runs and then clotheslines herself on a vine, which knocks the wind out of her. Hundreds of spiders descend from the trees above and bite her. Dan passes out.   She wakes in a hospital bed a year in the future. Willa is dead and Jesse is engaged to Selene, who is now part of the family. Dan is devastated by the loss of her sister and her own failure to save her, but everyone else seems to have moved on just fine. Dan resents them for not sharing her grief, and she especially resents Selene, whom she sees as an intruder. Her mom encourages her to get along with Selene and Dan agrees to be part of the wedding. Dan goes to visit Ritchie in his run down trailer park home to talk about what happened and finds out he is a drug addict. And he doesn't seem like Ritchie at all. In fact, a lot of things haven't been adding up. She goes to confront Selene and stabs her with a kitchen knife. Then the world shatters around her and goes away. When she opens her eyes, she is back in the woods... with Elliot.   Elliot reveals Selene is one of his succubi and that she created the shadow monster. Then he calls on the monster and Dan is forced to run again, this time as a pack of shadow wolves hunt her down. She runs to the highway and finds the gas station. She tries to call Ritchie on the payphone but the call goes straight to voicemail. She leaves him a message. The the streetlamp above her blows out and the line goes dead. The shadow wolves morph into a colossal wolf that chases her until a set of headlights ward it off. Ritchie has come back. Dan tells him about what happened and Ritchie tells her about meeting Selene in a bar and poisoning her with iron. He also shares what he's read about spiritual energy and tells her they need to stay close together in order to survive. They agree to go back to rescue Jesse.

Dan and Ritchie find Judd's murder shack and hide behind a woodshed from the armed hillbillies. They end up in a confrontation with Jeb, Judd, Red, and Gunner which leads to a standoff. The shadow monster returns and devours Judd, then chases the others into woods. Ritchie and Dan encounter Selene, who has Jesse under her spell. Dan and Selene form a mental link and Dan sees how Selene became immortal. Selene turns Jesse against Dan and Ritchie, then sics her monster on them. Dan and Ritchie cling to one another while begging for Jesse to snap about of it and stand with them. Jesse kisses Selene... then stabs her in the heart with an iron knife.   Selene's spirit leaves her body and joins forces with the shadow monster to attack Jesse, Ritchie, and Dan. The gang, back together again, cling to one another to combine their spiritual energy and withstand the raging beast trying to devour their life-forces. When hope seems lost, a blinding bright light surrounds them and defeats the monster.

The sun has risen and the gang has survived the night. They unanimously agree to get the hell out of Harmony. As they are walking through the forest, Karamae approaches them with a shot gun and threatens to "shoot them dead". Jesse tells her the town's free of the curse and she can leave, but she blames them for the deaths of her father and uncle. Dan warns Karamae that she's a powerful magic user. Karamae tries to shoot but her gun jams. Dan says, "Our turn" and Karamae takes off running.   They find their way back to Bonnie and discover a dead, shriveled up Tom in the backseat.

They realize that Tom released his life force to save them from the shadow monster, which explains the bright light they saw. They find a place to bury him and hold a funeral for him. Dan gives the eulogy.   Then they get back in the car and leave Harmony forever.

1. Find magic   2. Save Willa   3. Help Selene   4. Escape   5. Survive   6. Move on

1. The compass spins wildly in Harmony.   2. Dan reads about trauma spirits.   4. During a thunderstorm, Dan thinks she hears screaming but dismisses it as the wind.   5. The townspeople are thrilled at their arrival and jokingly warn they "might never leave." They also try to split up the group by pitting Jesse and Ritchie against each other.   6. Tom warns, "A cord of three strands is not easily broken."   7. Karamae tells Dan there is magic in the forest. Tina also suggests they walk through the forest to admire the nature.   8. Selene tells Jesse and Dan she's been poisoned. She also tells them there's a cabin in the woods close by.   9. Dan sees a unicorn in the swamp and its light gives her a temporary respite from being hunted.   10. Several clues (e.g. her mother's dislike of dogs, Jesse's dislike of fruit, and Ritchie's complete change in personality) tip Dan off that she's in a dream world.   11. Selene hints that Dan is someone special.   12. Only an act of loving sacrifice can defeat the darkness.

1. Willa's life   2. The relationship between Jesse, Ritchie, and Dan   3. Pain, physical death, and dismemberment   4. Death of soul and spirit

In the dream world, Dan feels guilty for hating Selene so much, believing that Selene has done nothing to deserve her ire. She tries to make nice but can't help her feelings of resentment.

1. Ritchie leaves Danica and Jesse in Harmony because they don't believe him about his premonition of doom... which turns out to be 100% correct.   2. The nice people of Harmony are plotting to sacrifice Danica, Jesse, and Ritchie to a shadow monster... after chasing them through the woods with guns.   3. The beautiful ill girl that Jesse and Danica tried to help is a succubus who wants to feed on their life forces. And she was only lying on the side of the road because Ritchie poisoned her with iron and dropped her out of his car.   4. Danica wakes in a living dream of a false future in which Willa is dead and her family has moved on. Jesse is marrying Selene and Ritchie is a drug addict.   5. Dan finds a lucky quarter to use the only payphone around but Ritchie doesn't answer.   6. Danica re-injures her ACL.   7. Selene puts Jesse under a spell to turn him against Danica and Ritchie.   8. Tom is gone now.

Danica Leanne Childs   Jesse James Childs   Ritchie Knox

Tom Crowley   The unicorn

Gas station attendant   Old couple outside gas station

Elliot   Selene   The Shadow Monster   Constance Aldean   Jeb Caldwell   Judd Caldwell   Karamae Caldwell   Red   Gunner   Rose Atkins   Bill Higgins   Tina Bowen   Rev. Wilbur Sikes

1. Backwoods somewhere in Georgia   2. Old Gas Station   3. Harmony, Georgia   4. The Cotton Blossom Inn   5. Rose's Diner   6. Town Square   7. The Woods   8. Judd's Murder Shack   9. The Swamp   10. The Highway

1. Rough terrain   2. Bloodthirsty insects   3. Rednecks with guns   4. Shadow monsters   5. Selene