Dancing On The Razor's Edge, Together

V. Her Tears Match the Red on her Shirt

9:30pm, the following night. Under incredibly cryptic instruction from Ruby, and the faintest sign that the girl she loves may still be alive, Shay has made her way to a place that always brought her so any happy memories. But yet, arriving here now, the air was filled with nothing short of dread, and utmost fear.

The physical landscape itself hadn't changed, but there were subtle things she noticed; some parts of the playground had rusted away, some plant life had decayed, and the sky was an overcast pitch black. Arriving with bandaged wounds, she didn't know if she could handle another altercation. Taking her place on the swing she usually sat on, she waited. And were it not for that soft, sweet sinister lullaby that Shay knew too well, starting up in the distance, she'd have left by now.

Shay closed her eyes, as she couldn't bring herself to look behind her; if Ruby was really here, then it was pretty much her own way of surrendering to her, as she could easily slit her throat, or get the jump on her if need be. Hearing that bittersweet voice getting closer and closer, she felt a cold hand on her shoulder, before the cold metal of a razor blade danced across her throat. Opening her eyes, she looked upward, to see the cold, dark eyes of Ruby staring back into her own. Leaning down to Shay's ear, she whispered.

"I don't think the witch understands our phones... But I couldn't risk it. I really didn't want to hurt you... you were right." This drew a shiver from Shay, as she sat motionless, before Ruby took something from her pocket; it was the notepad that kick started their friendship. Holding it down for Shay, she took it with shaking hands. Opening it carefully, she found page upon page of tally marks; it really was her. Noticing an odd bit of writing on the last page, she turned it over:

To my strange Sunnyvaler, Shay...

I'm sorry. For all of this. For cutting you, for hurting you, for everything. For attacking your friends. If you find this, I'll most likely be dead, in the hospital, or, even more unlikely, I could be alive and well.

The truth is, hanging out with you for the past 8-9 months has been the best time of my life. I've felt like I've had someone genuinely precious to me... someone I love. You mean everything to me, and, hoping that we both see this through to the end... I want us to have our first date. We can listen to the Nine Inch Nails, drink smoothies, drive around, even go on a picnic... Our first prom, that kind of stuff, I want to do all of it.

Regardless of how this ends, I want you to know that you are the light of my life, in a world of complete darkness.

Love, your weird little Shadysider,

Ruby

xxx

After having closed the book, she placed the notepad in her own pocket; if worse came to worst, she'd have a permanent reminder of Ruby's last moments. Looking at her now, Ruby's face looked more solemn than anything else. She no longer sang her siren song, nor did she say anything at all. Motioning to the swing next to her, Ruby slowly sat down, her razor blade on the ground underneath her.

"Heh... I never imagined this is how we'd meet next... But to be able to see you again, I couldn't give a shit. Although, you do have a lot to explain." Shay chuckled slightly at her, wiping at her eyes. Ruby nodded, taking in a deep breath.

"I don't have too much time... there's only so much time I have before that side of me comes back. Until she comes back. The short story is, what you most likely saw in the news? That was true... I did technically die 30 years ago. But Fier... she gave me a choice. She promised me youth... not necessarily eternal life, for by all means, it is technically possible for me to die. But I took the offer. I made a deal that in many ways, I shouldn't have. Your friend Deena, that... what was her name? Sam? Well, she unknowingly bled on Sarah's grave. That'd be enough to piss anyone off, let alone her. The other killers come back from beyond the grave, myself included. We hunt down those responsible, and that's usually the end of it. But with me... she offered to keep me alive. But in return, I would actively hunt anyone who disturbed her grave. A ghostly bodyguard, if you will. So, I'm dead. But I'm technically also alive." She shakily explained, before holding up her wrists.