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Slowly, I loweredAnd then suddenly I could hear his heartbeat It was like nothing I had heard before: its rhythht of stairs

"Whatever life I have left, it’s yours"

Later that night I snuck into h the fireplace and slipped beneath the sheets Eleanor was curled up in bed, and even though I knew she wasn’t sleeping, I still tiptoed so as not to disturb her I then fell into a peaceful slu rass was prickly beneathhimself up on one elbow And then he leaned forward, his lips thin and red, so red as they inched closer and closer to mine

With a start, I opened lets grazing my pillow

"Eleanor?" I asked With a start, she ju?"

"Renée," she said, surprised "I was just checking to see if you were awake"

I sat up and backed against the wall, giving her a frightened look "Are you sure?"

Eleanor nodded "Yes"

I kicked off the covers and rubbed my eyes

"Renée, are you scared of death?" She was looking intently at me, but seemed as if her h"

"What do you think it’s like?"

"I don’t know," I said slowly "I always i up"

She paused "Renée, there’s so I need to tell you"

"Okay," I said

"I’hed "I don’t kno to explain it Professor Bliss did such a better job in class"

I straightened out my pajamas "You don’t have to explain I know"

Eleanor paused, her forehead wrinkling with surprise "You do?"

"The Undead"

Upon hearing the word, Eleanor’s shoulders slumped "Yeah How did you find out?"