((Lily Ashburg continued from They Say Time Heals Everything))
As Lily entered the condominium, devastation greeted her. The peach colored walls were mostly bare, with a few tropical themed paintings in odd places, indicating that there were supposed to be more. As Lily scanned the floor, she saw a bent painting of a sailboat, as well as a torn one depicting a palm tree. To her left, there was a coffee table turned on its side as well as a couple chairs, only one of which was still standing. A tattered brown sofa to her right looked like the only thing in the room that hadn’t been moved. Books were strewn all over the floor, some with bent covers or pages that were nearly torn out poking out from under them. The tattered remains of someone’s bag and clothing lay in a heap near the sofa, along with a ruined supply of food. One end of a metal rod was sticking out from under the couch, flecked with pieces of drywall.
A gust of wind blew over her, and she looked around for the source. It was a sliding glass door at the far side of the room, pushed halfway open. Beyond it was the silhouette of someone slumped in a chair. Lily eyed the figure apprehensively. She waited, and when the person didn’t move to attack her she cautiously stepped forward.
Shards of glass and ceramic crunched under her feet as she walked, along with the occasional squish as she stepped on a stray Skittle. As she passed by the couch, she spotted two crushed wireless headsets next to the separated remains of a sandwich. Her brow furrowed, but she kept moving.
As Lily neared the door, she peered at the chair’s occupant, trying to discern if she was alive. As she got closer, she saw that while the girl was being very still, she was breathing.
After moving forward a few more feet, Lily spoke.
“Jewel?”
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Spindarene
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MurderWeasel
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((Jewel Evans continued from Sharp and Clear and Pure and Gone))
"Yeah," Jewel said.
It was still chilly out, but the wind had subsided and the sun had risen now, its rays lighting her face, illuminating the whole east-facing porch, and so it was not as cold as it had first been when she'd dragged herself outside. Foot by foot she'd crawled, and aside from the agony every movement brought her courtesy of her knee—and those other wounds also, the ones she'd picked up here and there and that had seemed crippling before she was crippled—what had most caught her off guard was just how much energy it took, how she had to every five feet pause and take deep heaving breaths and let her muscles calm for a minute or two. The door had taken her four attempts to open, and each time she'd pushed against it it had felt like the bar crashing into her leg again, not that strange moment before the pain that just felt like breaking but the unspeakable aftermath.
The snow was still falling. The bowling alley occupied most of her immediate view, and visibility was poor besides that, but if she squinted she could almost imagine that she could see that invisible boundary separating the resort from everything else.
The tears on her cheeks had not frozen. Probably their ability to do so was an urban legend, or else her body heat was keeping them fluid. She glanced over at Lily, who she knew in passing but had never really spent too much time with. The girl was alright in art class, but really another victim of Whittree's lacking programs. Jewel was pretty sure, by the questioning tone in which she spoke and the way she stood and the fact that her hands were empty, that Lily was not one of the names she'd forgotten from the announcements. This near-certainty was more a curiosity than useful information.
Jewel was sitting very still, which made the pain if not bearable then at least constant and predictable. The cold was starting to take the edge off. There was no snow here like there had been above; this porch was sufficiently sheltered and received enough sunlight to preclude it. Jewel wiped at her cheeks with her left hand, and her fingers were cooler than she'd been prepared for.
"What do you want?" she said. "I'm sort of busy."
"Yeah," Jewel said.
It was still chilly out, but the wind had subsided and the sun had risen now, its rays lighting her face, illuminating the whole east-facing porch, and so it was not as cold as it had first been when she'd dragged herself outside. Foot by foot she'd crawled, and aside from the agony every movement brought her courtesy of her knee—and those other wounds also, the ones she'd picked up here and there and that had seemed crippling before she was crippled—what had most caught her off guard was just how much energy it took, how she had to every five feet pause and take deep heaving breaths and let her muscles calm for a minute or two. The door had taken her four attempts to open, and each time she'd pushed against it it had felt like the bar crashing into her leg again, not that strange moment before the pain that just felt like breaking but the unspeakable aftermath.
The snow was still falling. The bowling alley occupied most of her immediate view, and visibility was poor besides that, but if she squinted she could almost imagine that she could see that invisible boundary separating the resort from everything else.
The tears on her cheeks had not frozen. Probably their ability to do so was an urban legend, or else her body heat was keeping them fluid. She glanced over at Lily, who she knew in passing but had never really spent too much time with. The girl was alright in art class, but really another victim of Whittree's lacking programs. Jewel was pretty sure, by the questioning tone in which she spoke and the way she stood and the fact that her hands were empty, that Lily was not one of the names she'd forgotten from the announcements. This near-certainty was more a curiosity than useful information.
Jewel was sitting very still, which made the pain if not bearable then at least constant and predictable. The cold was starting to take the edge off. There was no snow here like there had been above; this porch was sufficiently sheltered and received enough sunlight to preclude it. Jewel wiped at her cheeks with her left hand, and her fingers were cooler than she'd been prepared for.
"What do you want?" she said. "I'm sort of busy."
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Spindarene
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Lily stepped out onto the balcony, leaving the door open behind her. In contrast to the room she’d just left, the balcony was fairly simple and neat.
She turned towards Jewel, looking at her more closely. The girl was covered in blood, and judging by the bandages visible on her arm and hand, some of it was hers. One of her legs was also at an odd angle. Lily felt slightly nauseous looking at it for more than a few seconds, but thought it might have been broken.
Lily felt a moment of panic. The only person she could think of who could cripple the biggest killer on the resort was Vahka. Her head jerked back towards the condo, as she berated herself for not checking the bathroom or closets when she came in, but then she relaxed slightly. If Vahka was still here, he would have made himself known. The only person with her was Jewel.
Over the past few days, as Jewel’s kill number went up and her atrocities were recited over the announcements, Lily’s mind had warped her into something more than human, something large and deadly and beyond comprehension. However, as Lily scrutinized Jewel—who was covered in blood, with tears streaming down her cheeks—she didn’t see a monster or a god. For a moment, Lily felt something close to sympathy or pity, but it passed as she remembered what Jewel had done.
Lily dropped her eyes to the floor, lightly tracing part of the wooden pattern with her toe. She tried to think of a way to phrase her request that didn’t sound crazy, but came up blank. She felt fear fluttering in her chest, and pushed it down as much as she could. After a moment she spoke, keeping her eyes downcast.
“I need you to help me.”
She turned towards Jewel, looking at her more closely. The girl was covered in blood, and judging by the bandages visible on her arm and hand, some of it was hers. One of her legs was also at an odd angle. Lily felt slightly nauseous looking at it for more than a few seconds, but thought it might have been broken.
Lily felt a moment of panic. The only person she could think of who could cripple the biggest killer on the resort was Vahka. Her head jerked back towards the condo, as she berated herself for not checking the bathroom or closets when she came in, but then she relaxed slightly. If Vahka was still here, he would have made himself known. The only person with her was Jewel.
Over the past few days, as Jewel’s kill number went up and her atrocities were recited over the announcements, Lily’s mind had warped her into something more than human, something large and deadly and beyond comprehension. However, as Lily scrutinized Jewel—who was covered in blood, with tears streaming down her cheeks—she didn’t see a monster or a god. For a moment, Lily felt something close to sympathy or pity, but it passed as she remembered what Jewel had done.
Lily dropped her eyes to the floor, lightly tracing part of the wooden pattern with her toe. She tried to think of a way to phrase her request that didn’t sound crazy, but came up blank. She felt fear fluttering in her chest, and pushed it down as much as she could. After a moment she spoke, keeping her eyes downcast.
“I need you to help me.”
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MurderWeasel
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Jewel breathed out long and slow, and the difference in temperature between the air inside her and the air around her made it emerge as a stream of vapor, which expanded and dissipated as she watched. Her focus was on her core; if she could ignore her limbs that would be for the best. Lily's words were far away, muffled and muted and also not something Jewel could really wrap her head around.
She shrugged. For all she'd been hurt, her shoulders worked just fine.
Her eyes were fixed ahead; aside from glancing at Lily when the girl had first turned up, Jewel hadn't much given focus to the interloper. There was little to say. Lily was not Sarah. She was not someone for whom Jewel had ever held any particular affection or distaste. Jewel would have listened probably if not for the pain and the way everything had collapsed around her. Maybe once Lily would have represented an opportunity, perhaps even exactly the sort Jewel had needed in lieu of Sarah. Now, Lily just was. Jewel could see few outcomes of this interaction, and nothing she could do would affect them beyond maybe making one or the other more probable. She didn't have the energy for that anymore.
Lily wasn't who she'd expected. This, none of this was what she'd seen coming. She leaned her head back a little, closed her eyes, shut out the light that wasn't even that bright. She tried to smile, but just this once couldn't manage even a twitch of her lips.
She shrugged. For all she'd been hurt, her shoulders worked just fine.
Her eyes were fixed ahead; aside from glancing at Lily when the girl had first turned up, Jewel hadn't much given focus to the interloper. There was little to say. Lily was not Sarah. She was not someone for whom Jewel had ever held any particular affection or distaste. Jewel would have listened probably if not for the pain and the way everything had collapsed around her. Maybe once Lily would have represented an opportunity, perhaps even exactly the sort Jewel had needed in lieu of Sarah. Now, Lily just was. Jewel could see few outcomes of this interaction, and nothing she could do would affect them beyond maybe making one or the other more probable. She didn't have the energy for that anymore.
Lily wasn't who she'd expected. This, none of this was what she'd seen coming. She leaned her head back a little, closed her eyes, shut out the light that wasn't even that bright. She tried to smile, but just this once couldn't manage even a twitch of her lips.
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Spindarene
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Lily felt crowded by the silence as she stared at the ground and waited for Jewel to speak. Her hands twitched and gripped her thighs for a few seconds before falling back to her sides. She shifted her weight, scuffed her shoes, and tapped her toe against the floor a few times before finally looking up. Jewel was leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed. She’d probably never had any intention of replying.
Lily turned her face back downward and closed her eyes, the silence feeling heavier, magnifying the sound of her breathing. She tried to tune it out, but the more she attempted to ignore it the louder it felt.
She inhaled deeply, holding her breath until it started to hurt, then exhaled. What normally would have calmed her now made her more afraid.
“I…” she mumbled, her voice sounding weak and pathetic to her. “I, um…”
Inhale, exhale.
“I need you to kill me.”
Lily turned her face back downward and closed her eyes, the silence feeling heavier, magnifying the sound of her breathing. She tried to tune it out, but the more she attempted to ignore it the louder it felt.
She inhaled deeply, holding her breath until it started to hurt, then exhaled. What normally would have calmed her now made her more afraid.
“I…” she mumbled, her voice sounding weak and pathetic to her. “I, um…”
Inhale, exhale.
“I need you to kill me.”
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MurderWeasel
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Jewel opened her eyes. A breeze passed, or maybe the cold was just getting to her more, but she began to shiver and couldn't stop. It was all she could do to try to minimize it, taking breaths that were slow but shallow. Wherever she did involuntarily move, the pain came again. She turned her head, looked at the other girl. There were still a few surprises left after all. The words had still been fuzzy and indistinct and on the edge of her awareness, but she knew she had not misheard. She thought about the chair she sat on and the one fifty feet or more above her that was just like it, and she thought about Dougie and the metal bar beneath the sofa, about dead kids whose names she remembered but would not utter even in her head, and she thought about the cameras for the first time in a while, thought about how she had no idea where they were on this porch or how they'd even get good footage of all the other kids still running around outside and fighting in the snow.
After a few seconds to compose herself and her response, Jewel opened her mouth to speak but coughed instead. The sky seemed to darken for a second—maybe a thicker cloud had passed over the sun. She could barely feel her left foot; she tried to wiggle her toes and had no idea if they actually moved. Her right she was all too aware of.
"Sorry," she finally said, turning away to look out at the bowling alley again. "I don't kill people I ate lunch with."
After a few seconds to compose herself and her response, Jewel opened her mouth to speak but coughed instead. The sky seemed to darken for a second—maybe a thicker cloud had passed over the sun. She could barely feel her left foot; she tried to wiggle her toes and had no idea if they actually moved. Her right she was all too aware of.
"Sorry," she finally said, turning away to look out at the bowling alley again. "I don't kill people I ate lunch with."
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Spindarene
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Lily stared at Jewel in dismay. She had come to Jewel as a failsafe, because she was too cowardly to end her own life. Jewel was the murderer of nine people. It hadn’t even occurred to her that the girl might refuse.
Lily’s breath became shallow as a horrible sensation spread from her stomach to her limbs.
“What?”
Lily’s breath became shallow as a horrible sensation spread from her stomach to her limbs.
“What?”
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MurderWeasel
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Jewel shrugged again and again exhaled. She was feeling something aside from the cold again, something quick and mean and familiar. She held her breath and tried not to shake and looked out into the snow. She let silence hang while she counted in her head and let her gaze move over only things she could find without turning to the side: one—snow everywhere, snow like she hadn't paid attention to in a long time, like she'd once been excited to go and see and play in; two—the deck, under her left foot which lay flat against it and her right which lay against it just as it had landed, nice wood or fake wood but she hadn't been paying enough attention to tell which when crawling over it; three—the overhang above her head, the underside of the balcony above, surprisingly clean, free of grime and even cobwebs.
When she spoke, it was very slow, with each syllable as clearly enunciated as she could manage through the cold.
"Sorry," she again. "I don't kill people I ate lunch with."
When she spoke, it was very slow, with each syllable as clearly enunciated as she could manage through the cold.
"Sorry," she again. "I don't kill people I ate lunch with."
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Spindarene
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Lily’s frustration mounted. Her eyes remained fixed on Jewel. She should have known better than to expect reason from a psychopath, but Jewel’s logic completely escaped her.
“So…” Lily began slowly, “what, you’re deciding to take the moral high ground now? Or the people from the other school don’t count because you say so?”
“So…” Lily began slowly, “what, you’re deciding to take the moral high ground now? Or the people from the other school don’t count because you say so?”
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MurderWeasel
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"Something like that," Jewel said. She laughed and it didn't hurt more than anything else. Maybe a day ago she'd have told Lily to guess, to make up her own explanation and pick whatever made her angry or self-righteous or accepting, but Colin had taught her that that sort of thing took patience and time and Jewel was a little short on both. The conversation wasn't bad—wasn't awful, at least, had its benefits. Talking made her think and that chased the cold and pain away just a bit, gave her something else to embody for a few minutes more, but at the same time she thought it was probably best for both of them if it drew to a close before too long.
Talking also stirred other things, and the cold receding just that small amount brought focus and clarity and that was only a good thing for a few moments and then she forced a shiver and tried to bury it all again.
Her right index finger contracted, and she wondered how Sarah was doing and whether her old weapon had been used yet and why she hadn't struggled a little harder to maintain their partnership. All her friends back at school had probably been completely caught off guard by it, because the two of them just hadn't talked that much in class. Jewel couldn't remember if in the last few days she'd said anything she'd never told Coleen. Probably. Probably she'd said a lot of things that would never have come up in any other context, and probably she'd even meant some of them.
She shrugged again and said, "It doesn't matter."
Talking also stirred other things, and the cold receding just that small amount brought focus and clarity and that was only a good thing for a few moments and then she forced a shiver and tried to bury it all again.
Her right index finger contracted, and she wondered how Sarah was doing and whether her old weapon had been used yet and why she hadn't struggled a little harder to maintain their partnership. All her friends back at school had probably been completely caught off guard by it, because the two of them just hadn't talked that much in class. Jewel couldn't remember if in the last few days she'd said anything she'd never told Coleen. Probably. Probably she'd said a lot of things that would never have come up in any other context, and probably she'd even meant some of them.
She shrugged again and said, "It doesn't matter."
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Spindarene
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Jewel actually laughed. A day ago, this would have scared and angered Lily. Now, however, it just made her feel vaguely sick.
She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, taking a deep breath. The cold air tickled her nose and made her want to sneeze. Releasing her nose, she looked back at Jewel. The girl was clearly insane. Lily should have expected that, but it still caught her off guard. As Lily stared at her, something that had been bothering her came into focus.
While she couldn’t remember exactly how Jewel had killed her victims, their deaths hadn’t sounded particularly quick or clean. Jewel didn’t seem to be as sadistic as Vahka, but Lily wondered if she liked to play with her food a little. If Jewel hadn’t been injured, things would be different. Now, though, how she had done things in the past was irrelevant. What mattered more was that she was still holding to her bizarre double standard.
Lily studied Jewel for a moment more before speaking.
“You’ve killed nine people. Whether they mattered to you or not...” she paused, the corners of her mouth turning down slightly, “I’m assuming you did it because you want to go home.”
She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, taking a deep breath. The cold air tickled her nose and made her want to sneeze. Releasing her nose, she looked back at Jewel. The girl was clearly insane. Lily should have expected that, but it still caught her off guard. As Lily stared at her, something that had been bothering her came into focus.
While she couldn’t remember exactly how Jewel had killed her victims, their deaths hadn’t sounded particularly quick or clean. Jewel didn’t seem to be as sadistic as Vahka, but Lily wondered if she liked to play with her food a little. If Jewel hadn’t been injured, things would be different. Now, though, how she had done things in the past was irrelevant. What mattered more was that she was still holding to her bizarre double standard.
Lily studied Jewel for a moment more before speaking.
“You’ve killed nine people. Whether they mattered to you or not...” she paused, the corners of her mouth turning down slightly, “I’m assuming you did it because you want to go home.”
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MurderWeasel
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"Good for you," said Jewel. The flash of anger this time was sharper and if she'd been able maybe she'd have shot to her feet and spun and seen just how prepared to push her Lily really was. As it stood, her tone finally slipped, just a little, towards a growl. She did now look up at the other girl, biting back the other words that sprang to mind, the truths and lies and threats. This pushing was getting old, and Jewel should have snapped at her to get out. She should have brought the whole conversation slamming to a halt, should have leaned back and closed her eyes and let her attention go enough for her damaged hearing to take care of the rest. She should have treated Lily like she'd treated Chloe when they were both in elementary school, vented her frustration by just flat out pretending she didn't exist until she went crying to their mother. She should have maybe tried to stand up even knowing it wouldn't succeed, to let the pain become more direct and wash over her and drop her sobbing back into incoherence.
She didn't. She took a breath and meant it to be deep and slow and instead it was a quick little inhale and exhale and the pain was all still there but it felt now like its purpose was to egg her on.
Jewel raised her left hand to her head and pushed at her hair. She'd thought to brush it aside, but instead the motion ended up aimless, her curls falling right back into place. She turned back and looked out into the snow and couldn't focus on it at all, and her sour temper threatened to pull in every other grievance that had crossed her mind, and she took more breaths—slow didn't matter now, just keeping breathing and keeping her face from showing through too much what she was feeling.
She didn't. She took a breath and meant it to be deep and slow and instead it was a quick little inhale and exhale and the pain was all still there but it felt now like its purpose was to egg her on.
Jewel raised her left hand to her head and pushed at her hair. She'd thought to brush it aside, but instead the motion ended up aimless, her curls falling right back into place. She turned back and looked out into the snow and couldn't focus on it at all, and her sour temper threatened to pull in every other grievance that had crossed her mind, and she took more breaths—slow didn't matter now, just keeping breathing and keeping her face from showing through too much what she was feeling.
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Spindarene
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Lily was taken aback by Jewel’s sudden anger. She hadn’t expected her words to hit as hard as they seemed to have.
She felt a pang of jealousy. Whether she killed Lily or not, Jewel had a real chance to go home. She would see her friends and family and do all the things that Lily couldn’t.
As Jewel huffed and looked away from her, Lily felt scared again. Jewel still wasn’t going to kill her. She considered leaving, trying to find someone like Lucia instead, but that wasn’t an option anymore. Aside from running the risk of seeing Vahka—or, worse, Dougie—she couldn’t go through this again with another killer. It was taking every ounce of resolve that she had to stay here, to try to convince Jewel to end her life. Lily had no idea why Jewel was being so stubborn.
Maybe it would be best not to push. If Jewel wasn’t going to kill her, maybe she should take the opportunity to survive. Lily closed her eyes and clung to that thought for a moment, trying her best to believe it, before letting it go.
The cold suddenly felt sharper, and each breath she took was almost painful.
She opened her eyes and fixed them on Jewel.
“Jewel, please. I can’t do this. I’m not a killer, I’m not even a fighter, and I can’t—I can’t do anything anymore. I’m useless and I’m tired, and I just… I need this to be over.”
She felt a pang of jealousy. Whether she killed Lily or not, Jewel had a real chance to go home. She would see her friends and family and do all the things that Lily couldn’t.
As Jewel huffed and looked away from her, Lily felt scared again. Jewel still wasn’t going to kill her. She considered leaving, trying to find someone like Lucia instead, but that wasn’t an option anymore. Aside from running the risk of seeing Vahka—or, worse, Dougie—she couldn’t go through this again with another killer. It was taking every ounce of resolve that she had to stay here, to try to convince Jewel to end her life. Lily had no idea why Jewel was being so stubborn.
Maybe it would be best not to push. If Jewel wasn’t going to kill her, maybe she should take the opportunity to survive. Lily closed her eyes and clung to that thought for a moment, trying her best to believe it, before letting it go.
The cold suddenly felt sharper, and each breath she took was almost painful.
She opened her eyes and fixed them on Jewel.
“Jewel, please. I can’t do this. I’m not a killer, I’m not even a fighter, and I can’t—I can’t do anything anymore. I’m useless and I’m tired, and I just… I need this to be over.”
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MurderWeasel
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Jewel closed her eyes for real now and tried not to think and it was too late. Her stomach felt tight and hot and she could remember that imaginary end she'd concocted way back when she was staring down Eri—that first boy with the once-beautiful gun, from up on the stage with Dougie, that brief moment where she thought he'd maybe pull the trigger and tear her in two but in the end it hadn't been loaded. She thought about the gut shots she'd seen over her years on the other side of all this, of the blood and sometimes worse spilling out, of kids crying and rolling on the ground, clutching at holes in their bodies. She thought of Zach, first of how he'd been buried on the beach and then everything that had led to that point, and she thought of Sean Davidson no matter how much she'd been trying not to ever since she'd comprehended Lily's words.
Reaching her good hand all the way across her body, Jewel scratched at her right leg, the upper thigh just a few inches above the stab wound that was concealed by the loose track pants. She looked at the other girl and just wanted to laugh and scream at the same time, but she didn't do those things. She wanted to maybe say something pithy that spoke to the truth of their situation and just how little opportunity any of them had to get what they sought. She wanted this to be just like when after weeks of debate she'd talked her dad into letting her watch SOTF in the first place, or when she'd gotten him to buy her black lipstick even though she was thirteen and he didn't think the look was very flattering or appropriate. She wanted to be able to just sob and not have it mean anything or be seen.
She stayed totally still and tried to focus on the pain and then became aware of how bad a mistake that was, as her knee slowly pushed against the other ideas she tried to hold onto and left her only able to focus on what had happened and how wrong it had all gone.
Jewel opened her eyes and blinked to clear the blurriness and she listened for something, some screaming or pounding or thumping or crashing somewhere inside or maybe all around her, but there was nothing except a light sound of wind along the buildings. It was cold and her ears really hurt. She'd never liked wearing hats, so sometimes in winter she'd come home with her ears red and aching, and she'd have to work her jaw to pop them and relieve the pressure, and each pop hurt so much, only now that was such a petty thing, but she was still afraid of how it would feel.
She scratched at her leg again, a little further up, and the memories wouldn't go away, and she shook her head hard, only once, a movement more convulsion than anything else.
Reaching her good hand all the way across her body, Jewel scratched at her right leg, the upper thigh just a few inches above the stab wound that was concealed by the loose track pants. She looked at the other girl and just wanted to laugh and scream at the same time, but she didn't do those things. She wanted to maybe say something pithy that spoke to the truth of their situation and just how little opportunity any of them had to get what they sought. She wanted this to be just like when after weeks of debate she'd talked her dad into letting her watch SOTF in the first place, or when she'd gotten him to buy her black lipstick even though she was thirteen and he didn't think the look was very flattering or appropriate. She wanted to be able to just sob and not have it mean anything or be seen.
She stayed totally still and tried to focus on the pain and then became aware of how bad a mistake that was, as her knee slowly pushed against the other ideas she tried to hold onto and left her only able to focus on what had happened and how wrong it had all gone.
Jewel opened her eyes and blinked to clear the blurriness and she listened for something, some screaming or pounding or thumping or crashing somewhere inside or maybe all around her, but there was nothing except a light sound of wind along the buildings. It was cold and her ears really hurt. She'd never liked wearing hats, so sometimes in winter she'd come home with her ears red and aching, and she'd have to work her jaw to pop them and relieve the pressure, and each pop hurt so much, only now that was such a petty thing, but she was still afraid of how it would feel.
She scratched at her leg again, a little further up, and the memories wouldn't go away, and she shook her head hard, only once, a movement more convulsion than anything else.
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Spindarene
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Jewel remained silent. Lily moved forward and started to speak, her voice harsh.
“Jewel—”
In one quick movement Jewel lunged towards her, and Lily barely had time to realize what was happening before she felt the knife sink into her neck.
“Jewel—”
In one quick movement Jewel lunged towards her, and Lily barely had time to realize what was happening before she felt the knife sink into her neck.
VW5, Lily Ashburg: DECEASED