✓ 𝐖.𝐈.𝐓.𝐂.𝐇. | ʜᴏᴄᴜꜱ ᴘᴏᴄᴜꜱ

𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻

"SAY WHAT YOU WANT, JUST DON'T BREATHE ON ME."

"Billy!" Winifred snapped, her voice sharp, still trying to coax him into killing me. "I killed you once, I'll do it again, you maggoty malfeasance!"

But instead of obeying, Billy threw his arm out, shoving her aside with a surprising strength, releasing me from her grasp. The fear that had clenched my chest loosened a little, though I still wasn't sure what was coming next.

"Hang on to your heads!" Winifred yelled as we scrambled away.

"Ran" was an understatement.

Billy limped ahead of me, not accustomed to a full-on sprint. I wasn't sure if I was chasing him or if he was leading me somewhere safe. Finally, I spotted the others up ahead and sprinted toward them.

They must have thought Billy was chasing me because they brandished their shovels, swinging them toward him.

"Wait, wait, no!" I shouted, hands raised. "He's a good zombie!"

Max dropped his shovel first, followed by the others. Billy, looking almost bashful, handed me my pocket knife. I slid it into my sleeve without missing a beat.

Theo was next to me in an instant, his hands on my arms, checking for any sign of harm. His eyes were wild, frantic, like he needed to make sure I was still in one piece.

"Theo, I'm fine," | repeated, but he wasn't listening. He tugged at my sleeves, moved my hair out of my face, as if looking for something to prove I wasn't okay.

I grabbed his face, forcing him to look at me. "Theo, l'm fine."

The world seemed to slow for a moment, and I saw the desperation in his eyes, the worry that would never leave him. It was then, in that quiet space between us, that he kissed me.

His fingers tangled in my hair, then moved to my neck, his grip firm enough to feel my pulse but not hurt. The world melted away. I was
so open, so vulnerable. And somehow, he knew how to make it feel safe.

"I'm okay," I whispered against his lips.

"Okay," he breathed, his voice rough.

We were interrupted by Max and Allison, laughing loudly, their voices cutting through the moment. It wasn't that they weren't happy for us, but they weren't used to seeing people like this, actually liking each other.

But that didn't matter now.

Thackery stood on a headstone, his voice cutting through the chaos. "We need to hold them off until dawn!"

Dani let out a laugh, catching the spirit of the moment. "You mean hold them off of each other!"

Thackery waved his arms in frustration. "Focus, people!" he ordered, and Billy quickly helped Dani into a small grave they had prepared, a makeshift hiding spot for her. Salt circles kept the witches at bay, but it wouldn't hold forever.

"Here they come!" Thackery shouted as the sisters soared overhead, broomsticks cutting through the night air. "Billy, guard Dani! Everyone else, spread out!"

We all scattered, taking defensive positions, eyes on the witches as they circled above. Dawn was close. We just had to hold out a little longer.

Winifred's cackle cut through the air like a knife. "Prepare to meet thy doom!"

Max lunged forward, but Winifred easily snatched the bat from his hands, swinging it wildly. He dodged, diving to the ground just in time, but she was quick. Before anyone could react, she used her magic, calling down a branch from a tree to smash right beside Dani's hiding spot.

"Go to hell!" Billy shouted, his voice full of defiance.

Winifred only laughed, a wicked sound. "Oh, l've been there, thank you. It's quite lovely."

With that, she swooped down and kicked Billy's head off with a swift motion. I half-expected it to be like the movies, blood spurting everywhere, but of course, there was none. He had probably lost it centuries ago.

Each time a sister came at us, we ducked, dodging their grabs, trying to stay out of their reach. But Dani wasn't as lucky. While she helped Billy retrieve his head, Winifred grabbed her and flew up, the scream that followed echoing through the clearing.

"Dani!" Max yelled, leaping up to grab her, but she was already too far away.

Winifred cackled, setting Dani on her broomstick. "Bye-bye, big brother!"

We stood, helpless, watching Dani in the air, and for a moment, it felt like everything was slipping away.

We needed a plan, but everything seemed so impossible.

"All right, little trollimog," Winifred taunted, pulling a green vial from her robe. "Time to say goodbye."

Dani screamed, but Winifred covered her mouth. The vile elixir in her hands was the final piece of their plan. But just as Winifred moved to pour it down Dani's throat, Thackery lunged at her, knocking the vial from her hand.

Max rushed forward to catch it, but just as his fingers touched it, Thackery was thrown to the ground, crushed against a stone.

I gasped, rushing to Thackery's side, cradling the cat's lifeless form in my arms. "No, no... this can't be real. You can't be gone," l whispered.

Max turned, holding the vial high.

"Put her down, or I'll smash it!"

Winnifred's gaze hardened. "Smash it, and she dies."

Billy held Allison back, his zombie strength keeping her from interfering. The choice was in Max's hands-smash the vial and risk Dani's life, or hand it over and doom her.

Then, in an act of pure desperation, Max made the ultimate choice.

He drank the elixir.