Kiss Of Death

09

Fred stood up from the picnic blanket, turning to Xandra with a playful smirk. "I'll be right back," he said, gesturing towards the forest near the park. "Just stay here and wait for me, okay?"

Xandra nodded, smiling back at him. "Take your time," she said, settling back down on the blanket and taking another bite of her ice cream. She enjoyed the peaceful moment, listening to the rustling of the leaves in the wind and the chirping of the birds in the trees.

However, as the sun began to set and the sky turned a deep orange, Xandra began to grow increasingly worried. Fred still hadn't returned, and she started to feel sick to her stomach.

"Fred! Fred!" she called out, standing up and scanning the path he had taken. But there was no sign of him.

Fear began to well up inside her as she desperately searched for him, calling out his name over and over again. She decided to follow the path he had taken into the forest, her heart beating fast with worry.

Suddenly, she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she felt like she needed to turn back. As she wandered deeper into the forest, Xandra nearly stumbled off a cliff. Luckily, Fred's arm pulled her back just in time. She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly, almost as if she couldn't bear to let go.

"What were you doing?" Fred's voice was filled with concern as she looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You could have fallen!" he yelled worriedly.

"Alfred," she said, finally releasing him as she stepped back.

"I think I saw something down there." Her voice was trembling as she gestured towards the edge of the cliff. They both peered down into the darkness, trying to discern what lay below.

She pointed down the cliff, her voice shaking. There indeed seemed to be a body lying at the bottom of the cliff, Fred gazed down, his eyes widening in shock, "You, found me..." Xandra couldn't make out the face, and didn't even want to consider that it could be Fred.

Her heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach. the thought of it being Fred filled her with a sense of dread.

"Fred?" she called out, her voice shaking, "Alfred, this is not a good joke." But there was no answering response. In the silence, she felt the weight of his absence sinking in. The reality hit her like a physical blow, and she lost consciousness, the ground rushing up to meet her.

"Xandra?! Xandra where are you?" she heard her friend's familiar voice from a distance before darkness completely took over.

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