Chapter XXVIII

Nigreos had seen the nerich appear in the doorway out of the corner of his eye, and while he was curious to know why it was there, he decided it would be an issue he could deal with another time. In fact, just having it there was enough to confirm that he wouldn’t be losing Davens and Wright again. So, when it shrieked his name and lunged toward him, he had been too focused on holding Wright down to react before it collided with his body, sending both of them tumbling out of the barrier and into the rainy forest on the other side. The Master cried out in surprise as the nerich drove its claws straight into his chest and slammed him against the ground, sending mud flying up around them.

“I’ll kill you for what you’ve done!” the nerich screamed in its inhuman voice. “I’ll kill you to protect them!”

Nigreos opened his mouth to issue a command, but before he could utter even a word, the creature turned and hurled him into the trees, sending him smashing into various branches before slamming into the mud once again.

What the hell…? he thought frantically. Why is it attacking me?! It’s connected to my mana so it shouldn't be able to do this! Don’t tell me Brooks overcame it’s control?!

He saw the monster launch itself through the branches, its twisted form lurching down toward where he lay. Despite the severe pain coursing through his system from the wounds in his chest, Nigreos knew that if Brooks truly had taken control of the nerich’s powers then there was nothing stopping its instincts from killing him.

“Coreas,” he managed to utter just before it reached him.

Shadows exploded from all around him, engulfing Brooks and sending him crashing up through the canopies. Nigreos spat blood out onto the ground and managed to roll over, using his right arm to prop himself up.

Why is this happening?! Why is every plan I set in motion going up in flames?! Jay Brooks shouldn’t be able to overcome something as powerful as the nerich! He’s a damn magicless child! He’s too weak to use its power against me!

With mud and blood soaking his now torn suit, Nigreos managed to rise to his feet, scanning the now foggy late afternoon woods. He knew that attack wouldn’t have been enough to defeat the nerich so it would almost certainly be coming after him again. He had no desire to rush back toward the barrier. Even in her weakened state, Album was more than powerful enough to handle erasing Wright and Davens on her own. However, if the nerich attempted to go back and fight her, she would have a harder time against its dark magic.

But its not heading back, he thought with certainty. I can sense it nearby, stalking me.

“Well, Brooks?!” he managed to shout. “Where are you?! I know you’re still out there so why don’t you make good on your promise and kill me!”

He had believed it to be good luck that he and Album managed to arrive while Wright and Davens were in the forest. At the time, he hadn’t been sure how they got past the barrier, but to him, it hadn’t mattered. The barrier only concealed the hideout from those who didn’t know to look for it. Album had already confirmed through her erasure of Mendez that Davens was familiar with the rundown shack. For her to know where to look made sense, but now he realized that wasn’t the case. She hadn’t accidentally stumbled upon anything. Jay Brooks had led her there to save Mendez.

Damn you, Nuvo! he internally cursed, recalling the merchant who had sold him the nerich. What kind of defective creature did you sell me?! If a magicless boy can break through it then it can’t be a true nerich! Nigreos grimaced. It’s a damn good thing I took out the phone lines or else Reiner would probably be on top of me by now and there’s no way I could fight him and Brooks at the same time with blood magic working against me. Which means…I don’t have a choice. I have to get rid of Brooks here and now!

Just as he thought it, the nerich made his move. He burst through the trees to Nigreos’s right, his claws extended to cut him down. However, he’d been ready for such an attack. The moment the creature entered his view, Nigreos shot his shadows directly at him, intending to invade his body and render him immobile. Now that his use was up, it would be time for Album to erase him from that world.

What the—?

Shadows collided with shadows as dark magic erupted from Brooks’s body, preventing Nigreos’s power from landing a blow. Once again taken by surprise, the boy charged him, swinging his claws so close to the Master that he only barely got out of the way of their attacks.

How is he doing this?! I know Nuvo said enough willpower could rupture my control over it, but is Jay Brooks really strong enough to sever that connection?! This pathetic little boy that would have died in a hospital bed had I not gotten involved?!

Now that he was so close, Brooks took attack after attack, swinging his blade-like nails at Nigreos’s throat faster than he was prepared for. Each time, the Master of Darkness only barely pulled his shadows up to defend himself, but the speed of the attacks kept him on the defensive. Each time he thought he had an opening to attack, Brooks closed it and used it against him until finally, shadows exploded from the boy’s hand, blasting Nigreos into the trunk of a nearby tree and thus knocking the wind out of him. He hit the ground hard, gasping for air as Brooks jumped forward, aiming to skewer him with his claws once again. But unlike the boy who was unfamiliar with his powers, Nigreos was trained. He wasn’t going to die so easily. Relying on his reflexes, the Master reached out with his right hand and grabbed Brooks’s wrist just before the nails sank into his body.

“Devare,” he rasped weakly.

This time, the shadows surrounding them lunged into Brooks’s jagged-toothed mouth, flowing inside him to cut off his airflow. Yet, once again, the boy’s own dark magic reacted in his defense, ejecting Nigreos’s shadows from his mouth in an explosion that sent the boy flying backwards and the Master’s head slamming against the tree. Dazed from the impact, he nevertheless took advantage of it by rolling away from the trunk and climbing to his feet again.

Why am I trying so hard?! This should be easy! Getting information out of Mendez should have been easy! Controlling Jay Brooks should have been easy! Yet here they are, still putting up a goddamn fight!

“NIGREOS!” Brooks roared, already back on his feet and charging him.

“Coreas!” he snarled back, frantically sending shadows to entangle around his spider-like limbs. Waving his arms to control the power, he yanked Brooks backwards, putting distance between them so that he could impale him with his darkness. Yet Brooks fought, using his own magic to cut down the darkness binding him.

Damn him! Nigreos glanced around the forest and, while the mist combined with the late afternoon had blocked out much of the light reaching the ground, it still wasn't enough shadow for him to blend into and use maneuver around the boy. If I can just hold him off until nightfall, he’ll be finished!

Brooks swung into the trees, using the branches as bars from which to move until he had a much higher position.

“Do you really think you can beat me?!” Nigreos snarled up at him. “This battle already has a clear victor, boy! You’re using my magic and soon enough, your mana will run out! So stop fighting and surrender! I promise you, I will not kill you or your friends. You will merely go somewhere else!”

Brooks quickly shook his head, his eyes wide with fury. “I don’t believe you! After everything you’ve made me do! After all the pain you’ve caused! If I don’t kill you now, then I’ll lose everything!”

“That’s not true!” the Master retorted sharply. “I can give you everything and more! I told this to Mendez and I’ll tell it to you! I can give your dead friend back to you! I can return those you’ve lost to death!”

“LIES!”

The boy wouldn’t even consider his claims. He was so overcome by the nerich’s anger and hatred that he would no longer see reason. Jay Brooks might have taken over, but the being before him was still far from the boy he once was. Instead, it was a hybrid of magical power and human emotion.

Brooks jumped between the trees, preparing himself to make another strike and Nigreos brought his power to his fingers ready to fight back. When the boy reached him, they went back to trading blows, with Nigreos still struggling to overcome the balance and take control of the battle. Brooks used his claws and shadows as his weapons and Nigreos attacked with his own darkness.

I can’t lose here! I refuse to let this mission fail because of a pathetic child such as this! Jay Brooks will not be the death of me! Instead, his story will end here! I’ll see to that myself!

***

When the shadows released their hold on Evan’s body, he frantically spun around just in time to see Brooks yank Nigreos through the barrier. For a moment, both he and Album stared at the spot the two had been in shock, but the woman in white recovered faster as she turned her cold stare toward him, her previous expression replaced with a rather smug one.

“Well that’s certainly unexpected,” she mused. “But nothing he can’t handle. In fact, it seems Jay Brooks will be joining you in erasure today.”

Evan clenched his teeth as he rose to his feet, sparing a panicked glance over his shoulder. Alice was still sitting against the wall, seemingly to be only half conscious, and he couldn’t see Rina from where he was standing.

Damn it! Please let her be alive! Please don’t say she’s dead! I was supposed to protect her, not the other way around!

He’d been ready. He knew there was no escaping the two sorcerers and so, he had prepared himself to give up his life so that she could escape. He cared about her and he wanted to finally do something that showed that. When Nigreos’s shadows came after him, he desperately wanted Rina to take that chance and run. Yet she didn’t. Instead, she pushed him out of the way and took the attack for him.

And now…she could be dead for all I know. I might have lost her!

He was more afraid of a reality where she was dead than of the supernatural being standing a mere few yards away. Yet, he knew he couldn’t rush back and check on her. If he didn’t face Album, she would simply kill them both, and probably Mendez along with them. He knew the risks when he accompanied Rina into the woods and now, he was facing the consequences of his actions. So, throwing caution to the wind, he screamed as loud as he could.

“If you’re alive, Rina, then run! Take Mendez and get the hell out of here! Brooks has Nigreos so I’ll deal with Album! You hear me?! Forget about me and prioritize your friend! No matter what, Mendez is our priority!”

Album watched him with an amused expression and shook her head. “You really are a confident one. Or maybe you’re just stupid. Either way, you’re not walking out of here alive. However, I feel like perhaps we can strike some sort of a deal.”

“Oh really?” he sneered. “Fuck off. As if I could ever work with somebody like you!”

She smirked. “Is that so? Then tell me, why not reveal where we can find Reiner and his friends? You said just a moment ago that he forced the magic onto you so clearly you have some issues with him. Is he not an enemy?”

An enemy, huh?

Evan glanced once more at the house behind him, the place where he had once been attacked, tied up, and his body stolen. For months, he had been cursing the Magic Club for what they did to him and now, after finding out the hell they brought upon him, he hated them even more. He didn’t want to be associated with them ever again. He wanted to put them behind him and pretend they didn’t exist. He’d even pondered revenge numerous times. His relationship with them was far from friendly.

“Yeah, I’d call Reiner an enemy,” Evan growled as he looked back at the woman. “In fact, I fucking hate him. I hate all of them! It really would be satisfying to tell you where he lives and watch as he loses everything he loves.”

Album nodded. “Then we have a common desire. Mr. Wright, if you give us the information we seek, I can make your time in the next world far more pleasurable. I can give you a paradise, too. I can give you a place where you’ll have everything you ever wanted. I could even make Davens fall for you with the right tweaks.”

“Oh yeah? You could do all that for just one stinking address?” he muttered.

She smiled warmly, but there was an icy touch that revealed its lack of genuineness. “I could do that and more. To you, I can be a god. I can make the world exactly as you want it to be.”

“And that…sounds too good to be true,” he replied. “But I’ve realized that anything can be possible. Your very existence makes that clear to me. I don’t have a fucking clue what secrets this world has. Maybe you can give me a paradise.”

“I can,” Album calmly assured. “I can do that for you.”

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“And yet, that doesn’t change anything,” he spat. “Yeah, I fucking hate Eric Reiner! But I hate you magical shits far more! Reiner only attacked me because I antagonized him first! He had every reason to come after me! But you? I’ve never done a damn thing to you! I’ve just minded my own fucking business and you don’t care! You’re gonna wipe me from existence anyway! And not only me, but you’re gonna kill Rina, too!”

Album’s pleased expression morphed into one of disgust as she regarded him. “So you’re not going to help?”

“Like hell I will!” he roared. “Because Reiner’s the only one who can stop you! If I give him up, I might as well shove the knife into Rina’s throat myself! So no! You can kiss my ass, bitch! Go ahead and kill me, why don’t you?!”

She sighed with unrestrained annoyance. “So be it. I shouldn’t have expected anything more from a simple-minded fool like you.”

With that, she uttered a word so softly that Evan couldn’t hear it, then his entire vision was overcome by a flash of bright light. At nearly the same time, he felt an impact against his chest, as if something had gone through it, and he exhaled sharply in agony. When his vision cleared, he found Album standing right in front of him, her left hand shoved through his chest. For a moment, he stared down at the wound in shock before she yanked her hand free, blood spurting from his body. Evan stumbled backward, his hands rising to the spot she stabbed him in. However, he refused to fall to the ground. He would face that woman right until his consciousness faded.

“You had your chance, Evan Wright,” Album whispered. “And now—”

“Wait! Please wait!”

Evan’s eyes went wide at the familiar voice as Album’s gaze shifted from him to somebody behind him. When he turned his head to look as well, he saw Rina standing in the doorway, blood dripping from her head and her balance unsteady.

“Stop,” she uttered in a weaker tone. “Don’t kill him.”

Album cocked an eyebrow. “Oh? So are you going to be more cooperative with us, Davens? Perhaps you can tell us where to find Reiner and the others.”

“Can you not look at the school?” she grunted. “You clearly know we’re students so why don’t you go there? Too many people?”

The woman shook her head. “It’s a complicated matter, but we are not able to apprehend him at school. In fact, even approaching the school is a hassle. But if we were to go to him at his home, it would make our job much easier.”

“Then…” Rina clenched her fists. “Well, I don’t know where he lives, but maybe we could help you look. I mean, we know this town better than you guys. Or we could even lead him into a trap. He trusts us now.”

Album seemed as if she were considering it, but there was obvious suspicion in her eyes. Evan, however, knew Rina was lying. After all, Reiner had given her his address barely an hour ago.

“Please, don’t kill us,” Rina begged. “I know Evan can be a little rude, but he’ll work with you if I ask him to. Isn’t that right, Evan?”

He stared at her for a moment, seeing the pleading look in her dazed eyes. She wanted to find some way to escape the situation and he knew she must be feeling guilty. He had told her how dangerous it was to go into the forest, but she went anyway. She wanted to find Alice more than anything and he understood that. That’s why he hadn’t fought her any more than he did. Instead, he chose to be by her side so he could protect her regardless of how stupid her plan had been. Therefore, that was his intention. He would protect the girl he loved.

“Rina…” he began. “Run.”

Then, throwing all caution to the wind, Evan spun on his heel and drove a right hook into the side of Album’s face. He wasn’t sure what he had expected, but he was utterly shocked when the woman’s head snapped back and she stumbled away from him.

Holy shit! It actually landed! So these fuckers can be touched!

Not wanting to allow this opportunity to go to waste, Evan lunged forward, aiming another strike toward her head, but unfortunately, he wasn’t going to get lucky a second time. Her head suddenly burst into a ball of light and his hand went right through it. He instinctively lurched backwards, terrified that it disintegrated right off, but when he removed his fist, he found it still attached and undamaged.

Album took advantage of that momentary panic and grabbed his face with her non-limp hand, her grip stronger than he had expected. When he looked back at her through her fingers, he could see blood dripping down her cheek from where he struck.

“You really are bold,” she growled. “And stupid.”

But Evan merely laughed. “Guess you fuckers can bleed, huh? Then that means Reiner can kill you.”

Album smiled coldly. “No, he can’t. There’s not a single person in this realm that can kill me. Especially not you.”

The moment that last word left her mouth, there was a sudden screech from behind her. Evan couldn’t see what had happened, but right before his eyes, a clawed black hand grabbed the woman by the head and wrenched her backwards, releasing him from her grip and sending her flying into the mud a few yards away. Evan gasped for breath and looked around frantically, only to see Jay Brooks before him, crouched on all fours as he stared up at him. That was only for a second before the boy darted across the clearing, in the direction of where Album was already scrambling to her feet.

“Truly, you are more of a problem than you’re worth, Brooks!” Album snarled, a ball of light forming in her free fist. “Luminetta!”

The ball exploded in a flash, bursting toward the charging boy. Evan almost screamed out in horror, believing Brooks to be as good as dead, but the boy managed to jump out of the way, the beam of light instead blasting into a tree behind him. Brooks then swung toward her, only this time, she resorted to the same spell she used against Evan’s punch. Her entire body turned into light as Brooks passed right through her, and in a flash that almost blinded him, she reappeared on the side opposite the house, her arm raised and her features tensed in irritation.

“I doubt Nigreos is dead,” she called out to him. “So I assume you left him somewhere. Don’t tell me he lost a fight to his own pet.”

“DIE!” Brooks snarled, once again hurling himself across the open space to take another shot at her.

Evan stood there stunned as he bore witness to the huge amounts of power before him. He had never seen something so insane and it truly set in how little he knew about the world. Reiner’s stone had simply been the tip of the iceberg when it came to the supernatural. Album kept in one spot, launching beams of light as Brooks attempted to get past her. He even took a few of them to the chest, yet somehow he kept fighting. Evan then had to force himself to take his eyes off the battle and to check on Rina, only for him to smile in satisfaction.

There was no sign of either her or Alice.

Thank god, he thought in relief. Get her out of here, Rina.

Evan then stumbled forward, reaching down to grab a relatively large stick from the mud. Blood was dripping from the wound in his chest where Album had pierced him and he was still hurting from Nigreos’s earlier shadow attack.

Doesn’t look like I’m gonna make it out of this, he realized. But I’m oddly calm. I thought I would have been more scared in the face of my own death. But oh well. What’s done is done, I guess. Not like my life had much purpose anyway. Might as well die for something greater than me.

At that moment, Jay Brooks suddenly went flying in a swarm of oncoming shadows, his twisted form crashing into the mud right beside Evan. Evan smiled bitterly as Nigreos Noctis stumbled through the barrier, his suit torn and muddied and a clear limp in his right leg.

“Took you long enough,” Album snapped. “It really should be your responsibility to put your own pet down.”

Nigreos grit his teeth. “Shut up.”

Yeah, now that he’s here, we’re truly fucked.

“Get up, Brooks,” Evan whispered. “Rina and Alice got away. You did it. You bought them enough time.”

The boy slowly pushed himself to his feet, standing right beside Evan with a worn out look on his face. “Why haven’t you run?” he uttered. “Why not save yourself, Wright?”

Evan shrugged, brandishing the stick in the sorcerer’s direction despite knowing it wouldn’t do him any good. “Cause if I’m gonna die anyway, I might as well die fighting. So let’s go. You and me, Brooks. Let’s die like men.”

As both shadows and light began to build around the forms of their opponents, Evan forced a smile to his face as he faced them. Beside him, he heard the boy laugh softly.

“Alright, then. Sure. Let’s kill these bastards.”

Taking that as his cue, Evan let out a scream and charged toward what he knew would most certainly be his death.

***

Everything felt like it was hazy.

Her head was pounding and her body felt weak, yet she forced herself to keep pressing forward. The rain made the forest floor slippery and muddy, so she was afraid of falling, but she made sure that every step she took was careful and calculated. She was carrying Alice in her arms, her old friend’s head resting up against her chest. She was sleeping now and Rina was okay with that. She didn’t want her seeing the horrible state she was in. She didn’t want her to panic. All she wanted was for her to be happy and safe.

Rina’s arms were shaking, but she refused to allow her strength to fail. She was not going to drop Alice under any circumstances. Her goal was to reach Eric Reiner’s house and deliver her there. She had to hope that he knew some form of healing magic that could save Alice and nurse her back to health. She didn’t know what she would say to his parents, but she didn’t have the luxury of trying to accommodate that. With any luck, he would already be home and could deal with explaining himself.

As she reached the exit into Doris Street, she glanced back into the trees, praying that she would see Evan running up behind her, but she knew instinctively that she would probably never see him again. Evan Wright had made his decision clear—he was going to stay behind and buy her enough time to escape. He didn’t intend to walk away alive.

I’m sorry, Evan! I’m sorry for bringing you out there! But thank you! Thank you for helping me! I’ll never forget you! I promise!

Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall, Rina turned and walked out into the misty neighborhood road. She didn’t know what she would do if she ran into anybody so she simply hoped that that rain would keep people in their houses. That was her only chance at success.

I have to keep going! I have to power through the pain and get Alice to safety! I’m going to save her! I’m going to make everything up to her!

She didn’t have her hands free, but she could feel Audrey’s medallion wedge up against her chest and it gave her comfort. Yet, at the same time, in that moment, it also served to remind her of what she lost. The day Audrey Moore died was still seared into her mind. She still dreamt about it all those years later. It just hadn’t been fair to her. She didn’t understand why she had to lose a friend so early in her life. After her mother and brother died in the accident, losing Audrey just made her believe that she was destined to suffer. She wasn’t allowed to be happy. She wasn’t allowed to be close to anybody.

Because of that, she kept people at arm's length. She cared about Charlotte and Steven and all the friends she made in high school, but her relationship with them was never as genuine as it could have been. She never became attached to them like she did with Audrey, Jay, and Alice. She went through high school pretending to be happy when she was really just depressed. Not only had she lost Audrey, but she pushed Jay and Alice away, and she justified it by saying that her death was their fault. She wanted to find a reason to hate them so that she could tell herself it was right to push them away.

But I was wrong. I never wanted to lose them, and because of my stupidity, I lost the only true friends I had left. And then, during Christmas, I did something horrible. In my anger, I went and bullied the girl that was supposed to be my best friend. I almost got Jay beat up…and in a way, whether he admits it or not, my treatment of him must have influenced his decision to kill himself. Rina scoffed. And I don’t even remember why I thought it was a good idea. Why would I do that to them? Did somebody convince me? I feel like there was someone who spurred me on, but…I can’t remember…

She no longer knew. She couldn’t remember what drove her to take such actions after so much time avoiding them.

Rina slowly looked down at Alice’s sleeping features.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m sorry for everything I did to you. I was a horrible friend. I was a terrible person. I’m sorry, Alice.”

Rina pressed on, grateful to the fog that was now settling over the streets as the rain lightened up. Trying to recall the direction to where she knew Reiner’s street was, she made another turn and pressed onward.

I wish I could turn back time. I know Audrey would have despised me for what I did. I wish I could undo everything, but I can’t. My life is now set in stone and the only thing I can do is show Alice and Jay that I was sorry. I loved them and I always have. So, I’ll save her. I’ll get Alice to Reiner and stop her from dying. I’ll give whatever it takes. I’ll sacrifice what I have to.

Another shot of pain went through her skull and she cried out in agony, but she clenched her teeth and took another step, seeing the sign for Reiner’s street.

“We’re gonna make it, Alice,” she whispered. “I promise.”

I’m not gonna lose anybody else. No… This time, if anybody’s gonna die, it’s me. I’ll die in her place. I won’t allow another friend of mine to go!

For a moment, she thought about her father, a man who had never been the same since his wife and son passed. She regretted how her death might affect him, but there was no longer anything she could do. All she could hope for was that he would have a good life despite all his loss.

Recalling Reiner’s address number from her dazed memory, Rina stalked up the driveway of the house and finally came to stand on his doorstep.

Please be home, Reiner!

With both hands full, Rina leaned her shoulder up against the doorbell a few times, wanting whoever was inside to know that it was an emergency. When nearly a minute had passed without an answer, she rang it a few more times, praying that somebody was home. To her relief, the door swung open moments later.

“What the fuck do you need? Uh—?”

It wasn’t Eric Reiner who stood before her when the door opened, but an older man with greasy gray hair and a round belly poking out from the slightly too small tank top he was wearing. At first, his expression was angry, but upon seeing her, he just stared in shock.

“Mr. Reiner,” she began weakly. “Please, don’t ask questions. Just take her inside and wait for your son to get home. He’ll explain everything, I promise.”

“B-but…who are you?” he sputtered. “The fuck is going on?”

She frantically shook her head. “Please! Just take her and…tell your son that Nigreos and Album are at my old hideout in the forest. He’ll know what that means.”

At that, the older man’s features shifted instantly from his confusion to sudden anger. “You said Nigreos? That’s what you said, kid? Did he…do this to you?”

Does he… Does he know about them? Please let that be the case!

“Yes, he did,” she managed to say. “Nigreos Noctis. Tell Eric…he’s at my hideout. And please, take Alice. Don’t call anybody. Just rely on Eric.”

She expected the man to protest further, but he surprised her by reaching forward and scooping Alice up from her arms. Releasing the weight gave Rina a sense of relief, but the pain coursing through her body quickly returned with a vengeance.

“Come inside. I’ll see what I can do for you,” he murmured before turning and carrying Alice into the house.

However, once he was out of sight, Rina turned and stumbled back out into the street. Her thoughts were getting more and more dazed by the second and she knew she didn’t have much time left, so she needed to put as much distance between herself and the Reiners’ house as she could. She didn’t want them getting associated with what happened.

She managed to walk out of the neighborhood and into the next one over before her legs finally gave out and she collapsed with her back up against a wooden fence, her breathing ragged. Wanting to feel some comfort, Rina closed her eyes and reached up to grip Audrey's third of the medallion then smiled.

I guess…I'll be seeing you sooner than I thought, Audrey. Sorry. I never thought it’d be this early.

“That’s okay, Ri’!”

She weakly opened her eyes again at the voice only to find Audrey Moore herself standing right before her, looking exactly as she remembered her. The young girl was smiling, her hand extended to help Rina up.

“You did good,” she said sweetly. “You saved Alice. You made sure she was safe. You should be proud of that cause I’m proud of you! And now, you’ve earned some rest. So come with me and we can play together like we used to! It can be like old times!”

Rina smiled softly. “Yeah, that sounds like fun. I’ve missed hanging out with you. Yeah…let’s do that.”

Suddenly not feeling as tired as before, Rina took Audrey’s hand and got up, and when she did, she found herself at the girl’s height. It was as if she were eleven again as well. She felt happy. She felt energetic. She felt excited.

Holding Rina’s hand in hers, Audrey beamed. “Come on! Let’s go play! Trust me, Rina! There’s some cool stuff around here! It’ll be fun!”

Rina laughed. “I can’t wait! Let’s go!”

Then, hand in hand, Rina Davens skipped off with Audrey at her side, feeling at peace for the first time in many, many years.