Page 33 (1/2)

It took Eive her best friends a horrified look Her brain wasslowly, but the pieces fit The cops An Ali shrine A death plan When the cops found them--if the cops found them--it would look like they’d killed themselves because of--or in honor of--Ali Because they were haunted and enchanted by her

E "What did you do?" she asked Nick "You pu poisonous that will kill us"

"Maybe, maybe not," Nick teased

"I can’t breathe," Spencer sputtered "Make it stop"

Nick shook his head, then reached behind hias mask He handed a second one to Ali, and she put it on, too Their bodies relaxed as they took deep breaths of clean air Mist appeared against the plastic He breathed again and again,them

All the while, every breath E, giving up Her friends writhed, too, equally suffering Tears filled Emily’s eyes This was it She could feel it But I need more time, her brain screamed She couldn’t die now She couldn’t let Ali win

But this was the end Spencer let out a helpless whimper Aria dropped to the floor, half-conscious, her eyes rolling to the back of her head Nick and Ali clasped hands and bounced on the balls of their feet like children They were loving this

Ees Inhuy fro for Nick, her arms outstretched He screamed as he landed on his back She ripped off his un and flung it away, too When she looked at hiain, his neck isted, his eyes closed, his lips parted He took even, steady breaths She’d knocked hilinted across the rooed for it and grabbed it with both hands It was heavier than she expected, the metal cold to the touch

"Well, well, well Look who’s tough"

Emily looked up Ali peered down at her, the mask still over her face

"Get away" Eed and aiun at Emily "No, Em," she said kindly, her voicethat horrible gap in her teeth She dropped to her knees next to Eain, can’t we?"

Her breath was hot and sour-s Ali to touch her She glanced at Nick on the floor He was out cold Then she peeked at her friends across the roo at her fearfully but also dazedly, too weak to move

"I’ll hurt you," Emily warned Ali

Ali placed the mask back on her face, then rolled her eyes "No, you won’t, Em I kno you feel about me I know I’m not as pretty as I used to be, but I’ aboutabout you, too Especially the last timeeach other When you let me out of that house just before it exploded I’ve never properly thanked you for it"

There was a knot in Eun hard and brushed Ali off of her "Stay away fro amused "Does poor widdle Emily not love me anymore?" she said in a pouty, babyish voice, partly muffled by the mask over her mouth

Emily looked her in the eye "I never loved you," she hissed

Ali drew back her hand and slammed Emily across the cheek Red streaked across Emily’s vision, her face screaun flew from her hands and skidded across the floor once ht her and pulled her back with surprising strength

"Say you never stopped thinking about un at Eled around her neck She held it against her"Say you would have betrayed even your best friends if itShe couldn’t eke out a response She glanced again at Spencer, Aria, and Hanna They were barely conscious, their skin gray, their breath ragged Each had a look of desperation on her face--it was clear they wanted to help Eun rested in the corner, out of their reach

"Say it," Ali demanded "Tell your friends just how much you wanted me to live Tell them you betrayed them We’ll see how much they love you then"

"She already told us, Alison," Aria said weakly "We don’t care Eun into Emily’s flesh "Say it, anyway"

"Leave h she knew this was the end, even though she’d probably be dead in a few ain, she didn’t want this to be the last thing she ever said She didn’t love Ali No frickin’ way

There was a click as Ali lifted the safety latch "Say it," she growled "Say how excited you hen you guys were looking for ain"

"Stop it!" E into a ball

Ali ood-bye"

Emily started to sob Every muscle in her body trembled She looked around the room, first at her friends, then at Nick’s limp body, and then at all of those awful Ali photos on the walls, and then, finally, at Ali herself "I hate you," she whispered

"What was that?" Ali growled, looking alien in her gas ain, but suddenly, there was a faint sound fro Erew louder It sounded likea police siren

Ali gasped She glared at Emily "Did you call the cops?"

E for them? Did they know? Would they be here in time?

But the sirens were still so far away Even if the police did reach the house, they’d never find the basement Tears ran down Emily’s cheeks Help was so closeyet so far away Ali was going to win this timefor real