Heart of Stone

~chapter 6~

"You're kidding me, right?" my brother says with an askance look on his face. We stand close together in one of the girls' bathroom stalls.

"I'm being serious, Edmond. Don't you remember what we learned from the Torah? The devil does anything and everything to keep you from going to heaven." I say desperately. I'm trying every trick in the book to get him to believe me. If I can get at least one ally, that might help me beat the little demon at his own game.

"Of course I remember. But....this has never happened to anyone before, Mave. Are you sure you weren't just hallucinating? Or had a bad nightmare?" he says skeptically. I can feel my patience begin to thin as he continues to look at me as if I'm mentally ill.

Well -- I am, but that's beside the point.

"Ed, look at me," I demand earnestly. His doubtful expression turns into one of sincerity as he leans in closer to hear me.

"You know me, Ed. You know I don't have the same energy as you do. The energy to prank people. The energy to laugh. The energy to waste time. I wouldn't be telling you this if it wasn't the absolute truth." I say genuinely.

I can feel a tear mischievously creep out of my eye without my consent. For the past year, Edmond's been there to listen to me. I can't imagine how much it's going to hurt me if he stops now.

Edmond's eyes narrow as he grabs my hands and pulls them to his chest. He looks at me dead in the eyes as he utters the most relieving words I've ever heard in my afterlife.

"I know how we can save you." he says.