CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Ben,” I cried, helpless. “Ben, help me.”
His eyebrows crossed together as he looked at me, puzzled. “What needs helping? The girl is fine, just a little bit rude, is all. I was rude as a child, which can be easily fixed...”
Ignoring his attempt at a joke, I gripped his hand. “Ben, she’s been... okay, I don’t really know how to put this without sounding completely off the wall but she’s been replaced by Death. Look, I know that Jayden and you don’t get along but I really need him for this.”
“Is he some Death expert then?”
I shrugged, impatient with all the questions he asked. “I don’t know. He just... knows a lot about it I guess. No, Ben, before you ask, I don’t know how. Just, please, get him. He’ll be at school.”
Ben sighed heavily. By the stressed look on his face, I gathered that he wanted to smoke. However, there were more important things in the present time than him having a cigarette.
“Okay, I’ll go,” Ben said. “Just stay safe while I’m gone. Don’t freak out or anything, okay?”
“I won’t,” I said, not sure if I was telling the truth or not.
I clutched onto Hollie, hoping she would make me stay calm. When I was in a crucial situation, I didn’t want to panic. For Hollie’s sake, I just hoped that I could stay calm and keep myself under control. Hollie hissed in my arms, eyes still flashing black.
“I hate you,” she said.
Gulping, I looked away from the empty holes that were her eyes. I could only wish that Jayden came soon. Otherwise, I was sure I would have run away. The idea of Death being in Hollie terrified me. There was no limit to the amount of damage he could have been doing in here body. My mind kept flashing back to Alissa Poma. I couldn’t let Hollie end up like that—I wouldn’t allow it. Hollie was only young, she couldn’t have her whole life taken away like that, especially when it would be my fault. I wouldn’t be able to live with that guilt of knowing my existence took away hers.
Quicker than I had expected, Ben returned, Jayden running in front of him. With an urgent look on his face, Jayden grasped Hollie from my arms. He looked her in the eyes. After one quick look, he turned to face me. By the worried look on his face, it wasn’t good.
“He tried to use Hollie to get to go.” I didn’t need a second guess to know who he was. “Using a child is a pretty desperate measure, especially as she isn’t meant to die. Even Death has morals—this is low for him. He must be in love with you. I have to say, he is obsessed with having you dead.”
Hearing these words from Jayden’s mouth made me wince, thinking of how close he had come before. Now, it wasn’t just a theory that Death was after me, it was a fact. He was going to do anything to get me—through anyone. I was a danger to everyone now. There was no doubt that he would go for Ever and Kate if he tried my little sister. Ben, too, was in danger. Most of all, Jayden was a prime target. After all, he had helped me so much, especially in saving me. It was probable that Death wanted Jayden almost as much as he wanted me. For him, Jayden had got in his way.
“I’ll have to get my mother to get him out of her,” Jayden explained. “Can I take her?”
“Of course if that’s what you have to do,” I replied. “Should I come?”
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Cheating Death
Teen Fiction“To die would be an awfully big adventure.” – Peter Pan Death holds a grudge on Anastasia Elwood. The reason being that she cheats him. The first time she cheated Death, she had just been born. As a newborn, she had cancer. Somehow, she survived. Th...
