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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Oct 15, 2010 22:44:04 GMT -5
A boy lay on his back, on his twin-sized bed, staring up at his ceiling while he listened to the grandfather clock tick from the living room below him. This sharp eyes glided over the speckled surface, staring at patterns that the little dots made. He had been building up on one pattern especially. It had started as a mere face, the face of a beast. And it had grown into an amazing visual.
On his ceiling, the boy now had a mighty wolf, panting and laughing sadistically, clawing over a bed of rocks as it hoisted itself from a rushing river. He had found it slightly frightful at how detailed it was.
Pop! There was an idea. Swinging his legs over to the floor, the boy exited his room and began to drift down the stairs. He placed his feet lightly, making sure that the wooden steps wouldn't creak under him before he put his weight on his foot. He listened intently, silence screaming at him, for any sign of his father being awake. He was usually either passed out by now, or drinking his body weight in beer. Either way, if the boy wasn't careful enough, he would get another smack. He had already taken enough damage for the day, having come home a little later than what was pleasing for the guardian.
Shoving the memory to the back of his mind, the boy cautiously peeked around the corner of the stair-hall - the hallway that was just a left turn to a staircase, hardly a hall at all. He couldn't see enough.
Edging closer to the corner, the boy stretched his neck out. He caught a glimpse of his father, and instantly hid, his heart roaring. Taking another glance, he realized that he was sitting in his chair, a can held loosely in his hand. He was out.
Now, this path had been traveled many times by the boy; he knew how to get around each creaky board from the stairs to the kitchen, which lay on the far side of the house. Checking to be sure the coast was clear, the boy bolted from his safe point, avoiding every creaky board with ease. Rounding the corner to the kitchen, he took a moment to allow his heart to calm, to make it easier to hear.
Sighing softly, he pulled a drawer open painfully slow. It groaned once in protest, and he froze, listening for his father to react.
Nothing.
Yanking the drawer open the rest of the way, it glided silently open and he began to rummage through it. He finally found what he was looking for: Three black markers. He tucked them into his sweatshirt pocket and quickly retreated up the stairs.
Passing his bedroom door, he found a hall-closet, opened it, and pulled out a step-ladder. Closing the door softly, he hurried to his room once more and shut the door behind him, twisting the lock until it clicked into a vertical position. His eyes lifted to the ceiling and to his wolf.
"Okay, Jacob," he breathed, almost silently, "do this silently." And he set up the step-stool just below the wolf's belly. He stepped up onto it and pulled a marker from his pocket. Ripping the cap from the marker with his teeth, Jacob spat it out onto his bed and lifted the tool to the overhanging wall, creating a careful streak for the underbelly.
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Plopping down on his bed once more, the boy stared up at his ceiling, sighing with satisfaction after a three-hour task of drawing. He now had the wolf captured, drawn with its same expression and shape. He had been so careful that it had turned out just right.
Downstairs, Jacob could hear a soft rustle. He glanced at his alarm clock, took note of the time, and stood up. His father would be awake in a minute or so.
Unlocking and opening his door, Jacob flipped the hood of his sweatshirt up over his dirty blond hair. He stepped from his room and shut the door behind him. Pivoting on his heel, he glided down the stairs and silently began to walk through the living room.
"Where are you going?"
The question forced Jacob to an instinctive halt. His father sat in his chair, with his head turned to look over his shoulder at his son.
"Out," Jacob replied without looking over at the other. His voice almost cracked with fear, "I'll be back soon."
His father growled under his breath, but said nothing. Jacob walked seemingly calmly to the door and slipped into his shoes, tying them quickly.
Jacob hurried outside, zipping his jacket all the way up against the bitter wind that teased over his partly exposed chest from the V-cut in his shirt. He glanced in both directions and then slowly began to walk. The outside world was his safe haven, yet everything wanted to kill him here. There were no other breeds to rely on. He was a shape shifter. Shape shifters only made enemies.
He continuously glanced nervously over his shoulder, brushing his bangs away from his face once or twice, looking for anyone that would pursue him. This was something he had learned rather quickly in this world beyond Midnight's Door; you couldn't trust to take a peaceful walk down the streets of By City.
Even faint breezes would catch his attention, and Jacob would nearly spin around with each tease of wind. Once he had sworn to have seen something watching him from the corner of his eyes, and he quickly shot his head up to look.
Nothing that he could see.
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Post by Rose~Thorn on Oct 29, 2010 7:06:11 GMT -5
Nexilia Carmen stepped out of her house, her steel gray eyes scanning the street. All she saw was a young man at the end of the block. He wouldn't bother her as long as she kept quiet and to her own business. Which, of course, Nex couldn't do.
Her high-heeled boots clicking on the pavement, she began to follow him. She couldn't care less if he heard her. If he happened to have a dislike for Necromancers, Nex could take him easily. Her cold eyes watched his movements carefully, he seemed relieved, as though he'd just escaped Satan's hands and landed on His foot. A Shapeshifter. She could tell by the way he walked, as though he had the agility and grace of some form of a cat, and the wariness of a bird. Nexilia was intrigued.
She stopped and looked around until she spotted the familiar gray haze rising from the ground. A corpse. This one had been dead for awhile, its gray cloud dull and hard to see. But it'd do. Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes, using her sixth to watch the corpse under the cloud. A man. He looked like he was from the Salem Witch Trials, and was tried as a witch. Burnt and bloody, he opened his eyes, his body slowly began to rise. With a ragged hiss, he began to claw at the dirt.
Nex exhaled slowly, her gray eyes blinking open, her sixth staying open to control her corpse. It clambered out of the hole, slowly raising to its feet. It was like a newborn, unsteady on its long legs, it lurched as it walked, mouth gaping open, vacant stare focused on his mistress.
A small smile crawling across her lips, Nex raised a hand, curling her index finger toward her palm, beckoning her creation toward her. It stumbled a little and Nex shook her head, holding her palm flat, stopping him. He waited, head cocked, for his next instruction. Which was, like before, come. He was unsteady, but his one leg managed to bring him toward her without a fall. She smiled at him, the only praise he'd receive. But he smiled back, a gaping hole in his mouth curving at the edges.
"Come," she spoke quietly, watching the retreating boy. Her sixth eye closed slowly and the fourth eye opened. She planted a map in his head, and he took off down the street, waiting to meet the young man.
"Now, I just wait." Nex said with a smile, continuing her way down the street after him. She made her steps heavy, her heels clicking loudly against the concrete. Then she picked up her pace slightly, until it was clear she had begun the chase. "You better run, boy!" she cried after him, adrenaline pumping, mouth salivating as she imagined the blood coursing quickly through his veins just a bite under the skin.
Nex, she scolded herself. Stop that, you're just after his fear, not his blood. And you just want to know what he thinks he's doing on your block.
Correct you are, Nexilia. she stopped her silly thoughts of blood and continued her chase.
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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Oct 31, 2010 10:49:35 GMT -5
Jacob had heard her. He would have been deaf not to. Those heels were almost like a bell by his eardrums. Without looking, he could tell it was a woman, young by her scent, and she held herself proudly. Taking in deep breathes, he forced himself to stay calm. He hadn't learned how to differentiate breeds by scent yet. He had no idea if she was a vampire or not, and the last thing on his to-do list was to get bitten by a thirsty vampire.
Sparing a glance over his shoulder, Jacob felt his body stiffen, his pace quicken at the sight of a man fumbling with his limbs. He was dead. Jacob could smell the scent of death on him, one he had long since smelled. It had been maybe months since he had breathed in that foul smell, the first time having been from his mother. But this man-- he was different. That awful odor clung to him like a young child to their parents' legs.
He watched them for another second, watching her seductive-like motions to manipulate him. Turning his eyes back to the path before him, Jacob fought to keep his heart under control as his pace quickened to a swift walk. He flicked his hair into his sharp eyes and pulled his hood further up on his head.
"You better run, boy!"
The call send chills down his spine. Muttering a soft curse under his breath, Jacob felt panic swell in his chest as he jumped to a sprint. He threw a glance over his shoulder at her, noticing that her companion was gone.
Where did he go? he thought in a hurry. His eyes flew every direction to find him. Nothing. He must have slipped away when Jacob was watching the path before him. He would just have to be aware and watch for him. Right now, his concern was the strange girl following him. Taking a note that he was panicking, Jacob took in a deep gulp of air, slowing his heart race. If she wanted him to give her a thrilling chase, she would have to try harder.
Reaching an alley, Jacob pivoted on his heel and skidded to halt himself. Putting one hand on the ground for a second to keep his balance, he scrambled into the alley and raced into its black depths. He could imagine his father commenting on how ungraceful the turn was, but that didn't matter. He just needed to run.
Mountains! his thoughts screamed. Your den in the mountains! Go! Breaking out of the alleyway, Jacob took a hard left and raced further down the streets, clinging to the shadows.
"Stick to shadows," his father had once told him. "You'll be less noticeable that way. That hoodie of yours has its own little magic of never falling of your damn head." He had smirked warmly then, patting Jacob's hooded head.
That was a long time ago, though. That was back when Jacob could go home from school and say hello to his mother.
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Post by Rose~Thorn on Oct 31, 2010 11:11:52 GMT -5
Nex glared at the boy's back, slowing to a stop. She saw his path, toward the mountains. "Damn high heels." she cursed, lifting a leg and ripping the heel off on one boot. She tossed it to the side and tore off the other one, tossing the other one away. Straightening, she flexed her toes and watched the boy for a moment. Then she began to walk. Her fifth eye told her the corpse was behind him a few yards, just walking. She cursed again, using her fourth eye to speed him up. She closed both eyes as she saw a street she could take to meet up with both corpse and kid.
After an abrupt right turn, she could smell the path her companion had taken. Burnt flesh and singed hair led a great trail to him. Finally running, she tossed her auburn hair to the side. Silently cursing the kid, she finally caught up to her corpse, who had started walking again. Glaring at him, she lifted her middle finger and kept running, wishing she had a hair tie. She picked up her pace. Trying to closing the gap between them. Soon she was only two yards from him and began to walk.
"Why the frick did you have to run?" Nex called after him, opening her fourth eye. She made the burnt body sprint towards them, then turn and circle around, stopping a few yards in front of the boy. He stood motionless and vacant, mouth hanging open, waiting for his next instruction. Nex rolled her eyes and closed the fourth.
She watched as the kid continued to run, smiling to herself. She had plenty of questions to ask him. With an annoyed sigh, she tossed her head back, combing the long strands out of her face. She needed a stupid tie. Or string.
"Hey!" she called to him, fed up with the chase. "Do you have a string?"
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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Oct 31, 2010 11:34:04 GMT -5
Jacob had no intentions of stopping. First, she's screaming at him to run, and now this? "Go away!" he shouted, speaking for one of the first times. At least now she knew he could speak.
But just as he was about to ask his own question, that corpse stepped out in front of him. Forcing both feet to halt, Jacob leaned back to help stop himself.
Falling flat on his back, Jacob was only about a foot from the dead thing. Nearly gagging at his foul scent, he quickly sat up and scooted back, snarling defensively, holding up one arm as a block between them.
Then she was talking again, asking him for a string as she combed through her bright tangled hair. "A what?" String? Really?
Lucky you, he thought bitterly, pulling up his sleeve to reveal three hair-ties on his wrist. He carried them for when his sister would visit, and she would never have her own hair-tie. So Jacob would carry around three. Three was just a number he liked. Yanking one from his wrist, he flicked it at her feet.
"There," he said softly. "You have your string. That better not be the reason you chased me half-way to my goddamn den." His eyes lifted to hers through his dirty blond hair. Surprisingly, he wasn't panting at all. He had run for miles before. He could last here. Lifting his lip for part of a second, he pulled himself to his feet and took a few good steps away from the both of them, mainly that disgruntled man. His ears were on him, while his eyes rested on her. The man was noisy when he moved, so all Jacob needed was his ears on him. She, on the other hand, could be silent now that her heels had been ripped from her shoes.
The cold brick wall of a building pressed to his back, halting him as he waited for her response.
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Post by Rose~Thorn on Oct 31, 2010 11:54:47 GMT -5
"Thanks!" Nex said cheerfully, picking it up off the ground. She pulled her hair back, tying it into a ponytail. Then she cocked her hip, placing her hand on her right side. She cocked her head at him and then remembered her corpse.
"Oh yeah. I think you're scared." she muttered, more to herself, already closing her eyes. She opened her sixth and the corpse tumbled to the ground.
She stepped closer, then remembered her heels. "Look what you made me do!" she cried, putting a foot next to his head on the wall. "You made me break my goddamn heels! These things cost a fortune!"
Then Nex began to laugh. Her heels cost nothing, she stole them. Struggling to gain her composure, she cocked her head again. He'd said something about a den. His den. Then she remembered, he was a level two, and could transform into some form of big cat.
"What shapes can you take?" she asked, sliding her foot down the wall and kicking off the ruined stiletto boots. She placed a hand next to his head, where her shoe had been, and leaned on the wall, crossing her feet at the ankles. Which is when she remembered her ankle bracelets. Including her own hair-tie.
"Shit!" she yelled, lifting her foot and pulling off the bright purple scrunchy on her left foot. She ripped the one she borrowed out of her hair and replaced it with her own. With a sheepish smile, she tossed the other back at him.
Then she stood back in front of him, crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't talk much, do you?" she asked, raising one perfectly arched eyebrow at him
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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Oct 31, 2010 12:15:11 GMT -5
Jacob nearly jumped as the corpse fell, feeling something twinge at his heart. That had once been a real soul, now nothing more than a play-thing for this girl. But, he figured that didn't really cross her mind in the slightest.
He was still looking at the fallen body when her foot nearly clubbed him. Jumping to the side in fright, his eyes shot up to hers. "S-sorry," he stammered. He knew he had done nothing, but he had learned that it was best not to argue with someone like her. She was like his father, just one angry person when someone disagrees with them.
If he had met anyone who could talk like it was their job, it was this girl. She just kept running her mouth. Laughing, moving onto another question, he leaned away from her as her hand replaced her boot. "My forms?" he asked in wonder. "Why do you--"
He figured he wasn't talking fast or loud enough. She hurried onto another topic. "I just don't like to talk much," he said a little louder, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. Being crammed against a wall with a girl trapping him was something he could usually avoid.
"Why are you so nosey?" he shouted before she could start blabbering again. "Who are you, anyways?" His cheeks instantly got hot as blood rushed to them, and he looked away. He hated snapping at females, of any race or breed. It was 'ungentlemanly,' as his mother would say.
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Post by Rose~Thorn on Oct 31, 2010 12:29:57 GMT -5
Nex's face went perfectly straight and she leered at him. "I am your worst nightmare." she said, then smirked. "Nah, I'm Nexilia Carmen, seventh daughter of the seventh daughter Lucinda Carmnen and the seventh son Joshua Carmen. I'm a Necromancer." she added with a laugh. "And you are?'
Nex then noticed he wasn't looking at her. She stuck out her hand, grabbing his chin and pulling his face back to look at her. "Look at me when I'm trying to have a decent conversation with you." she said, then her face broke into a smile. "Aw! You're blushing. Too bad that won't get you far here." she said, then removed her hand and leaned against the wall, her open-back tank top letting the cold brick cool her skin. She -- like always -- was barely an inch away from him.
"So you don't like to talk, huh?" she asked, closing her eyes and resting her head against the wall. She then remembered that, according to her old friends, she looked bored with the conversation when she did that. "Don't worry," she murmured. "I'm listening.
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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Oct 31, 2010 12:43:40 GMT -5
Jacob listened silently to her introduction. Nexilia, huh? Works for him.
Gasping loudly as he was yanked by the jaw, Jacob let out a small grunt of pain. Her fingernails! Ouch! Ever heard of clippers?
"I can't help it when I blush, okay?" he said hotly. "I get it from my mom." But she was already switching the subject. He took a small step away from her. Personal space, honestly.
"My name's Jacob Traklin, lever two shape shifter." Under his breath he added that she didn't need to know his parents' names. His father would kill him for doing that.
Thinking of his father, Jacob instantly found himself uncomfortable. He had promised to be home soon. So called 'soon' was a few minutes ago.
"I have to go," he said in a hurry, and before she could say anything, he pivoted on his heel and began to walk away. He yanked his hood further up on his head, slouching as he walked.
I'll tell him I lost track of time, Jacob began running excuses through his head. He can't know that I was with a Necromancer. He'll get too suspicious and I'll be in trouble.
Hopefully, his hurried departure had left Nexilia quiet for awhile.
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Post by Rose~Thorn on Oct 31, 2010 12:58:18 GMT -5
"Hey!" Nex called after him, running to catch up. Her bare feet slapped with sharp pains as she ran, but she caught up within the minute. "You never answered all of my questions." she told him, glaring at him.
Then she untied her gray and purple hoodie from around her waist, slipping into it. Laughing to herself, she pulled up her hood, hands in her pocket, hunched over. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, waiting for a reaction.
"So, what forms can you take?" she asked. "And why do you have to go so soon? It's barely late!" Nexilia rolled her eyes as she thought the answer to herself. Parents. She was perfectly content with living on her own. Scratch that, with living with no parents. Her two story house was a little lonely, maybe she should start renting out the top story. Oh God, no! she thought, aghast by her own thoughts. You never know what creeper would want to live with me. I am, after all, hot...maybe a bar... No!
Nex furrowed her brow in concentration, then a very simple answer came to her. "I'll buy a smaller house." she muttered aloud, without meaning to. "Now I just need to sell mine."
She turned her head to look at Jacob. "Hey, Jake, you know anyone who needs a house?"
Guh! Nex thought angrily. There I go again, nicknaming strangers!
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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Oct 31, 2010 13:14:01 GMT -5
Jacob sighed softly. "A puma and a hawk," he said quickly, managing to keep up with her this time. But he hesitated before answering her question about getting home, and she hurled another question at him before he could respond.
"Don't call me Jake," he said coldly. "And no. I don't know anyone here other than you, I guess."
Jacob looked over his shoulder instinctively to see if they were followed. Stupid paranoia, he cursed himself. He could still see the corpse laying on the sidewalk, all signs of life completely gone. Jacob couldn't help but ponder the reaction of whoever stumbled upon it. Maybe they would know who the body belonged to. Maybe they would just take it as a free meal. In this world, no one could tell.
Turning into the alley he had fled through, Jacob was still refusing to answer her question. But he managed to work out, "I'll just get in trouble with my dad if I'm not home." That was all he would tell her. She didn't need to nose into his personal life. Nobody did. That was his life.
Suddenly, Jacob halted. "Okay, look, you can't follow me. My dad won't like it, so go away." And he began to walk again.
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Post by Rose~Thorn on Oct 31, 2010 18:08:37 GMT -5
Nex glared at Jacob's back and trotted along after him. "Really? You're letting your parents control you? This is the exact reason why I ditched mine." She shot a sideways glance at the kid, looking for something in his face. He seemed to avoid the subject of his parents a lot. She wanted to see if she could find that one flicker of the eyes or curve of the mouth. Anything to simply confirm her suspicions.
Nexilia couldn't just look for small movements or shadows in the boy. She ran in front of him, standing still, forcing him to stop. She narrowed her eyes a little, looking once more. "Jacob, are you having issues at home?" she asked, a hand on her hip, waiting. She knew how to tell if a person lied, a very handy skill a vampire once taught her. And he better not lie to her.
One thing Nex couldn't stand was abuse. It pissed her off. She hated it. In animals and people. Especially abusive parents. That, she hated the most. She was lucky. The worst punishment she got was a quick smack to the face, and compared to what some parents would do, she got off easy. Just another thing to add to her list of 'Why I Hate Parents'.
Nexilia stared at Jacob, almost positive he was being abused. Her gray eyes warmed a little, and she frowned. Let me be wrong. she prayed, closing her eyes briefly. He doesn't deserve it.
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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Nov 1, 2010 18:51:08 GMT -5
Jacob shrugged and kept walking, hoping that if he ignored her, she would just leave. But she stepped out in front of him. Hating physical contact, the boy halted, staring at her through his amazingly straight hair.
The question he had hoped no one would ever ask him was about problems at home. "No!" he shouted. "I'm perfectly fine at home!"
How dare she! How dare she stick her thumb in his personal life! That was... was... so rude! Flushing up for the second time that day, Jacob brushed past her and began to continue home.
"Now, if you don't mind," he said bitterly, "I have to get home before my dad comes looking for me." Yanking on his hood again and jamming his hands into his pockets, Jacob didn't bother looking over his shoulder at her. She would probably just end up following him, like every time before.
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Post by Rose~Thorn on Nov 1, 2010 21:25:27 GMT -5
Nex sighed. She was right. Sprinting, the young necromancer caught up to Jacob. She grabbed his shoulders, spinning him around. Looking into his eyes, she glared at him.
"I do mind. Sorry if this bugs you, but I sort of thought of you as a friend. I care about what happens to you. Don't feed me a bunch of shit. I'm not stupid. You're lying, it's pretty obvious." Nex paused for a moment, letting it sink in. Then she continued her rant. "And I don't like being lied to, Jacob."
Holding him steady and still, Nex cast her gaze over his shoulder and behind her. Nothing. Yet. She grabbed his wrist; dragging him to an alley and holding him against the wall, waiting.
Why am I doing this? Nexilia asked herself. She didn't really have an answer. She should just go home. She was just wasting her breath, he'd never tell her the truth. She was just some strange girl that was sticking her nose where it didn't belong.
Nex, dear, you're doing this because you aren't a total bitch. You do have a heart, and you can feel compassion. Nex answered herself. She just rolled her eyes inwardly, she hated the part of her that thought like that. Stupid empathy.
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Post by {Kraftmektig-Hauk} on Nov 4, 2010 21:31:42 GMT -5
Jacob yelped in surprise as his shoulders were grabbed. Nearly falling over as he was spun, he stared in shock at Nexilia. Her hands - even though they were latched onto him viciously - seemed gentle.
"N-Nex..." he murmured, but she was already draggin him down the street.
An old memory hit Jacob. He had thought he had forgotten it, but it ripped itself open like a wound.
"Come on, Jacob, just run!" his father snapped hotly. He was holding Jacob by the wrist, hauling him down the street.
"Wait!" Jacob screamed. "What about Mom?" He tried looking over his shoulder, but his father yanked him forward.
"Your mother is dead, Jacob. We have to run."
Jacob felt his legs become weak. His mouth opened, but no words would come out. Tears welled in his eyes. His father growled softly, and he pushed Jacob into an alley. Footsteps were racing down the street.
Pushing Jacob to the wall, his father pressed his body to his son. "Be silent," he ordered. Jacob bit his lip, pressing his face to his father's broad chest. Small shudders passed through his body. Tears fell from his eyes, soaking into the man's shirt. She was dead.
Jacob felt Nex push him to the wall. Instantly, losing his composure, the boy felt his legs give out, and he slithered down the wall. Tears streaked his cheeks.
"I'm not supposed to tell anyone," he choked out. "He says that he'll do worse than usual." Jacob clutched the sides of his head, pulling his hair. He sobbed once, and lost himself. He pressed his knees to his body and bit his lip to hold down a scream. He wanted to. He just wanted to scream everything out to this girl. He wanted the burden gone.
"He'll kill me," he whispered.
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