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"Too late," Garrick says, landing just in front of us His voice is huure; sharp cheek bones, e We alin this every tiht onas I inch us back toward the forest "Because you ive up"

He matches round behind him "Because evil is the one that plays dirty--we are the ones who break the rules" His ar the knife "Therefore, evil always triumphs"

"Go into the trees," I whisper in Raven’s ear, nudging her forward "Now"

She blinks atyou… They want to kill you"

"No, they want to make me one of them," I say "They can’t kill me"

Reluctantly, she slips out from the support of my arm and hobbles into the shadows of the trees, free from the Reaper’s power

Emptiness chokes up my throat as I march for Garrick with my hands out to the side "Go ahead, kill rins and the fire crackles wildly behind him "You know I can’t do that But I can hurt you" Without zero hesitation from either one of us, he stabs the knife into les out and I clafrom the dirt instantly connect with me and stitches up my skin

Garrick lets out a slohistle as he wipes the blood of the blade with his cloak "That was faster than it should be… No, you couldn’t be… could you…"

While he’s ranting to hiut, and then I whirl around and slam my elbow into his face The contact of bone to bone deadensht tactic and it works Garrick goes down like a sack of potatoes

Whirling away from him, I race for the forest, but he scurries forward on his belly and his fingers wrap aroundme down on my face I shs

"You can’t kill death eternally" His voice is sharp and blood strea you try to sift through hs harder "You know, you have a lot more power than you think, you just have no idea how to use it"

I claw at the ground as his hands ht rope, while a raven lands in front of rabsushes down it

"Help me, please," I whisper to the bird "Please…"

It hops fro

"Please, bird I have a feeling you can hearto keep ive up when Garrick’s hands suddenly leavefor the woods Without hesitation, I sprint into the dark forest

"Raven," I hiss, searching behind trees and near bushes as I hike deeper into the forest The stars flicker between the cracks of the branches over my head and I can hear shouts and screams in the distance

"Raven," I dare call out as twigs crunch beneath my shoes "Where are you? It’swhere I’, but worried Raven doesn’t "Please answerto hurt you anymore"

By the tiht be lost in the trees I need a phone and soates As usual, the cemetery is quiet with death The trees cast shadows all over the ground and the fence blocks out s are ripped and my skin is soaked with blood and I have a lih the headstones, careful not to step on theate squeak

I’ate when I hear a whisper and turn in a quick circle, ski the trees "Hello… Raven, is that you?"

When someone steps out from behind a tree at the back of the cemetery, a wall cruht, but his hair is as white as a ghost His long legs stretch out in front of hirass toward me

"Well, if it isn’t my number one fan," Caainst my oer, I halt next to the statue of the Grim Reaper, like he controlshere?" I ask

There’s a swoosh and suddenly he’s standing right in front of ly poetic "Don’t pretend you don’t like rin pulls at his lips "You may pretend like you’re not interested in me, but I know you are"

I shutas I atteet it toto e of life, but not quite dead as he circles rown up So full of life, yet always so full of death"