Graveyard Carols (Finished)

Ch. 12- Sacrifice

"Wake up, Love Birds. Time to catch a murderer," Kyle says, shaking Ezra and I awake.

"This early?" I groan.

Kyle lets out a short laugh. "Yes, this early at almost 11am."

I sit up and sigh. "I've been sleeping in a lot later since my accident. I think that my medicine makes me more tired."

My brother nods. "Understandable. Ok, I have a plan guys," he proclaims, excitedly.

Ezra sits up. "Ok, what's up?"

"So, the reapers wouldn't tell me your killer's name, but they did tell me where he hangs out most of the time. It's a spot that Katie goes to a lot. That's how he caught onto her. He has been laying low because when he killed you, they almost caught him. He has been itching to kill again, though, and he is planning an attack on Katie."

Listening to my brother's words helps the reality of the situation sink in. "Ok," I reply. "So what is your plan?"

"My plan is to take you to that place. He can't see Ezra or me, so we can stick around. The guy will think that you are alone. It needs to be closer to night time, so he thinks he has an advantage over you as you walk home seemingly alone."

I nod. "Ok, this is a good plan."

"Wait," Ezra says, standing to pull his shirt on. "No it's not. That's using Katie as bait. What if something goes wrong? What if he grabs her and we can't save her?"

Shrugging, I simply say, "Then I'll be dead. I'll be with you guys."

They both snap their gazes to me and look at me as if I have grown another head- which wouldn't be much weirder than the situation I am in right now.

"Are you insane?" My brother begins to shout. "You still have your whole life. You have a long life ahead of you."

I sigh. "Frankly, I have no one and nothing to live for. The only two people that I love are dead, and I am just doing this to help Ezra cross over."

"She is insane, Kyle. We have driven her insane. Great."

"Oh, hush. Both of you. You don't know what this is like," I snap. I'm miserable. I don't have the money for college. I'll never have a career. I have too much baggage for a normal relationship, and to be honest, the past few days have made me realize that I couldn't really see myself with anyone but Ezra. No one could feel as perfect and or right as he does.

"See?" Kyle says, turning to Ezra. "This is why she needs to pick you. She can go on without me. She can't without you."

Ezra shakes his head. "No, that's not it. She just doesn't want to be alone anymore."

Kyle groans. "Don't you see? If I come back then I will eventually get my own life. If you come back, you will be sharing your life with her. You will be the solution to why she wants to die!"

Ezra opens his mouth to speak again, but I cut him off, hopping out of bed. "What. What? Come back?"

Kyle's mouth falls open, and Ezra smiles at him. "You told me not to tell her, so you can do the honors."

I am furious when Kyle tells me what is going on. "That should have been one of the first things you told me!" I yell. "You big jerk!" I punch Kyle in the arm. My face is burning. "How could you not tell me that?"

"I didn't want you to have to stress over making the decision until you had to," Kyle replies, rubbing his arm where I hit him. "You're so tiny, but you still hit like a grown ass man, ya know."

"I don't have to choose," I reply, smiling. "I'm going to save both of you."

"What? How?" Ezra asks, confused.

"After we take down the murderer, I am going to sacrifice my self so that both of you can live."