She shivered in the cold shower, Dan was nursing a drink at the counter.  The numb look in his eyes scared me, her numb look matching his.  Clutching  her knees to her chest, a constant stream of tears flooded from her eyes.  This was a new low for her emotions, her plan utter insanity.  Dan ran upstairs to his bedroom, a photo fluttering in his hands.  Locking the door behind me, I began to draw a bath. The steaming water poured from the spout, the bath bomb dissolving into a sea of bubbles.  She didn’t even protest as I placed her in the warm bath, her hair like a curtain around her face.

“Can I do anything?” I asked cautiously, trying to touch her arm. “I want to make you b-”  Her head snapped up at me, a death glare meeting mine.  Slapping my arm away, her fangs bite her lips. 

“Can you bring Lily back!” She growled through gritted teeth, black vines forming a cage around her. “I was going to save her, and now I can’t.  You can’t save a dead person, now can you!”  Her body was trembling with rage and sadness, the water dripping onto the floor as she stepped out. Grabbing a towel, she rushed upstairs.  Pulling on a pair of black shorts and a black tank top, she leapt out of the bedroom window.  Chasing after her, she ran into the forest behind our house.  Her bare feet pounded on the ground, her feet skidding to a stop at a cliff.  Collapsing into a pile, a cry of anguish exploded from her lips.  Perking up, she ran back towards the house.  Branches scratched her face, her foot kicking Dan’s door down.  Panic widened her eyes, Dan was swinging from a beam.  His life force was gone, a dagger from her boot cutting him down. His skin was blue, her fingers trembling.  Pulling him onto her lap, she felt his pulse.  Calling nine one one, she tried to revive him over and over again.  It took several police officers to get her off of him, only for him to be pronounced dead.  As soon as they left with him, she screamed so loud the window in the room shattered.  Rocking back and forth, a look of determination burned in her eyes. The whole scene was utter chaos, her old life completely gone. All I wanted to do was to take all of her pain away, and throw it away. No one deserved this many issues in their life, her tears ripping me apart on the inside.

“No more will they torture children to this point!” She yelled bitterly, her voice cracking. “I will not lose another soul to them.  They all deserve to die for what they did to my friends.”  Her hair turned black, her eyes going red.  Black claws grew from her fingers, tears mixing with blood.  Black vines curled around her body, vines wrapping around the structure of the house.  Slamming into her body, her claws dug into my back.  Snarls thundered from her throat, her composure slipping. 

“It wasn’t your fault!” I attempted to calm her down, her claws digging deeper. “You did what you had to do.”  Shaking her head, she bit into my shoulder.  Teardrops crashed onto my shoulder, her claws retracting.  Her arms swung limply at her side, her eyes back to normal.  Collapsing into my arms, she sobbed violently into my shoulders.  

“I wish I didn’t have to kill Lily so that Dan would still be alive!” She blurted out, her body trembling. “I would much rather have them hating me for the rest of my life, then being dead.  How can I protect them if they are dead!  For years they protected me, and I couldn’t even protect them.  I am a piece of shit.”  Clutching her to my chest, she cried until she passed out in my arms.  

The morning sun broke, my father talking to her.  She was still sad, her emotions being handled as best as they could.  Walking closer to them, her next words shocked me.  Bowing her head in shame, her hands were crossed. 

“Can I move Dan and Lily’s souls up to Heaven?” She begged, pressing her hands together. “I want them to have a peaceful afterlife.  Please.” Sobs wracked her body, her trembling fingers grasping his jacket.  My father passed her two white stones, confusion twisting her face.  Stepping back, he opened a red swirling portal.  Her red summer dress fluttered in the air conditioner’s breeze, her ring shimmering in the morning light.    

“This is a direct portal to the suicides, and where Lily would be also.” He explained coldly, pressing his hand on her shoulder. “You must go alone because Dean will die if he enters here.  I will give him a mirror to watch you, but he can do nothing besides watch.  You are very brave, and many lost souls will attack you.  Get in and get out.  Once they both have their stones, then you will be blasted back to Earth.  Do you understand that if you get hurt in this section then you can’t heal?  Don’t die.” Nodding, she stepped through the portal.  My father held me back as she kept walking forward, the television flickering on.  Her white hair flew around her face, thousands of souls creeping towards her.  Slamming her boot on the ground, her voice was raised. 

“These aren’t for you.” She barked bitterly, kicking them back down. “They are meant for people not meant to be down here.”  Anxiety chewed at me, her scythe appearing in her hands.  The weapon transformed into a whip, her lip trembling.  Sprinting down the hall, she skidded to a halt in front of  our three headed guard dog.  Turning to my father, I never wanted to punch him so bad.  

“I ought to p-” I began, his icy tone pissing me off more.  Passing me Dan’s suicide note, my face softened.  Well I say suicide note, but it wasn’t one.  The words flashed in front of me, everything coming to light.  

Dear friends,

I am off to find Lily, and I will need your help.  So see you then.

Signed, Dan.

Confusion twisted my face, his hand resting on my shoulder.  A permanent grimace was planted on his face, our eyes falling on the television.  Cocking my brow, she was climbing on top of our guard dog.  Smiling to myself, my father caught me doing so. Scarlet burned my cheeks, her emotions fluctuating like a goddamn roller coaster. Biting my lips, I just wanted to be there next to her side.

“She is more than capable in completing most of her mission.” He exclaimed calmly, watching the two of them run down the hall. “The whole God part will be a tough thing for her to argue through.”  Tilting my head, he was chewing on a piece of beef jerky. Something was eating at my old man, a slight tremble in his hand.

“What part is that?” I queried nervously, hoping that his answer wasn’t going to be what I knew that it was. “You mean your boss.  Won’t he punish you?”  Shrugging his shoulders, he turned my head back towards the television.  She was hopping off of the dog, her whip dragging on the floor as she walked down a sea of black doors.  Humming a song, she opened the door with Dan’s name.  Dan spun her around, jealousy flaring in my heart.  The two of them wandered until they came across Lily's door, passing them the two of them a stone.  The screen flickered off, my fists clenched tightly. How dare I not be able to see my lily? Why weren't any of the souls attacking her? Why did they not attack her for the get out jail stones in her hands?

“I believe God is currently having a meeting with the three of them right now. I wonder if the souls acknowledged that she was their next queen.” He mumbled under his breath, resting his head on his hands. “Just like my father to behave this way.   Just give it ten minutes, she will be here regardless.  He gets bored quickly.”  The whole house shook, Ary crashing into my lap. Smoke curled off of her, her lip twitching.

“That guy is a dick, but he let my friends and any survivors of the Hunter’s Society into Heaven.” She chirped cheerfully, heading towards the bathroom. “I have to wash the holy lightning off of me.  Don’t you worry about me, okay?”  The shower started to run, my head turning towards my father. Something was wrong with her, two of her friends just died and she was chipper like before. Another breakdown was waiting in the shadows with the next thing. She was simply pushing through the pain like normal, a rather unhealthy habit if you ask me personally.

“How was that so easy?” I stammered oddly, the water shutting off. “I don’t und-” She came out with a towel around her body, a soft blush rising to her cheeks.  Smiling warmly at us, she stepped onto the stairs.  

“I don’t get why everyone thought that dog was so scary.” She mused playfully, her old self back. “I feel better since I got closure, and I felt your jealousy when Dan hugged me.  How shameful.  Anyway, I want to get to work on shutting down the damn Hunter’s Society so no one else gets harmed.  Yes I know a new one will pop up.  I guess I will have to deal with things as they come.  On the weekends I plan on putting my plan into action, and I fully expect a new pair of hunter teenagers to show up at school.  I shall convert them to my side, and we can create a safe space for them until everyone can have freedom back in their life. Your old man said hi, and that you should call every now and then.  Are you coming, devil?  I need your body to warm me up.”  Rushing after her, a death glare passed between my father and us.  

“Don’t make any grandchildren under my roof.” He growled darkly, pain flashing in his eyes. “I am not ready for that.”  Shooting him a sweet smile, she gave him a thumbs up.  Once the door was shut, she pulled out a map of the area.

“I am going to charm the new hunters into liking me if I have to, but I generally want to make new friends.” She chirped cheerfully, her face falling. “I miss Dan and Lily, but I made them a promise to fix everything down here.  Lily told me to smile through the pain, and boy it is going to be hard for me.  At least I have you by my side.  Get through this mission, and then grieve.”  Putting her head down, she pulled out several blank notebooks.  Scribbling names down, she made me sit down. Sitting on my lap, she placed her arms around her waist.  Nuzzling into her neck, she smelled so amazing.