Burning my tutus and ballerina stuff seemed like a lifetime ago, even though it was less than a week ago. I had been full of rage. Kina had been right; Franco wouldn't want me to live a life hating the world. He would want me to be happy. Hating my little sister and my mom was exhausting and unnecessary. Franco would want me to unite as a family, to have our bond even stronger. He was the nicest, kindest, gentlest boy around when he was alive. So why would he change when he was dead? I looked at myself in the mirror. Understanding passed through my mind.

Franco was at peace.

He wanted me to be at peace until we could meet again.

He wanted me to be a great big sister to Kina and Angela.

He wanted me to be their best friends now.

"You're wrong." Franco's bloody face appeared in the mirror. A second later, his blood soaked plaid shirt and khakis appeared. His head dangled at an awkward angle on his neck.

"I'm not at peace. I will be tortured in purgatory every day by poltergeists until you do as you promised. That's the only way I'll find peace. I only want you to be a great sister to Angela. Kina must go. She must suffer a horrible death. How could you back out of it? I thought you loved me?"

I winced. "You can read my thoughts?"

"I heard every word, and they gutted me to the core. I'll forever be stuck in purgatory because of you."

"I love you. I always will."

His blue lips snarled. "Then kill Kina."

My heartbeat quickened. "I don't know how."

"You'll find a way." Zipping up to the mirror, he pointed his bone-crushed finger in my direction.

I jumped back.

"Look at you. You flinch at my ugly existence. Kina did this to me, remember that. Kina turned me into the monster you see today. Stop disappointing me and get the job done, Loren." His distorted finger came out of the mirror and put a strand of hair behind my ear. His dangling nail got stuck in my hair. He had to wiggle it free.

Unable to say anything, I nodded to show I agreed with every word he said. I had been wrong. I thought Franco's silence meant he was at peace, that he was okay with Kina and me bonding again. That had been a test, and I had failed miserably.

No more.

If it was between Kina and Franco, I'd always choose Franco.

"Good girl...Say the words, my perfect little dancer."

"I'll kill Kina for you," I whispered.

"Really?" Franco slammed his fist into his palm. Maggots and worms fell out of his sleeve. "You will kill Kina for me. There used to be a time when you relished in the idea of seeing her dead, wanted to kill her for yourself. Maybe now you'll stop stalling."

I straightened my shoulders, standing up taller. With more aggression in my voice, I said, "I'll kill Kina for the both of us. You won't have to wait much longer. I promise."

"Good." He winked.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished.

My gaze averted from the mirror, too afraid to see if Franco would reappear.