CHAPTER NINE.

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"NO TIME TO DIE"

DEATH WAS EVERYONE'S DOOM ONCE THEY WERE BORN. When you were just strangers to the bright world, when you were introduced to the colors for the first time, and when you had no past. You came from nothing and you were bound to go back there.

Amy had an oddity. She was doomed to die more than once. She couldn't decide if it made her fortunate or the other way around. Her little heart stopped as soon as she was met with the world, and she was met with 2 minutes of darkness. She didn't remember if it was warm or cold; merciful or brutal.

To be frank, she wasn't fond of learning the answer soon.

Dying in a school was kind of cool. It could have started a revolution. "School kills people" would be an undeniable fact, and even dead Amy would have accomplished something by saving some academically poor kids.

However, dying in a supermarket was not cool in any way. It would be the lamest death ever. And, not to be biassed or anything, Grab & Bag would be the last place she wanted to die.

Amy put her head to the window as her eyes roamed the area. Her head felt heavy, and her legs were numb. All she wanted to do was to go home, her safe area, hell, even her grandparents as nothing ever bad would happen in there. She wanted to sleep and take a bath. Considering, both were a need, she'd sleep while she poured the bathtub with water. Oh, the warm water and her warm bed.

"Hey," Matthew called out as he approached the brunette. She briefly glanced at him, scared of missing a killer from her sight. "We need to talk."

"What is it?" Amy asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"Crystal and I were thinking," He cleared his throat. "We aren't their friends, Ames. They found a way, we can just leave."

Amy would be lying if she said she was surprised. "Then leave."

"You know I can't do that without you." He scoffed, his hand reached to raise her chin. "Amy, you can die."

"I need to make sure the curse stops." She grasped his arm, lowering his hand. "And that Nightwing goes for good."

"There is no stop!" He ran his hand through his curly black hair.

"Says the guy who didn't even believe it an hour ago." Amy commented, her gaze as sharp as a knife. "If I don't do this, I'd betray my parents. There'll be more like my father, who gets killed by possessed immortal killers. And then, there will be more like me." She bit her lip as she tried to hold back her tears. "Fatherless kids who talk to the stars, hoping their father could hear them."

"Ames," Matthew put his forehead against hers. "What would that stars say if that axe went right into your heart?"

"How can I know?" Her tears danced in her cheeks as a bitter smile formed on her face. "The stars never answered."

"Please, Amy." Matthew pleaded. "I stay and I make sure to send that bitch to hell but please, you go home."

"I can't." A sob left her mouth. "I can't look at my mother if I don't do this."

Matthew Goode felt vulnerable, which was the rarest thing. He was the one that got away with anything and always won. However, at that moment, seeing his best friend, hell, his sister, cry he knew he was not powerful. Because if he was, he could have sent her home, he could have stopped her tears along with her fears.

"Take this." He reached to his pocket, revealing the knife he had never left from his side. He used to say it was his lucky charm. "Go for the head."

"What about you?" The words left her mouth almost immediately. "You need a weapon too."

"Oh, please." He scoffed. "I have these."

As he showed up his muscles in a dramatic -and in a very Matthew- way, he expected to hear her sweet melody that would vibrate his heart. But the sound never came. All Amy could offer was empty eyes that carried too many emotions.

Too many emotions that weren't allowed to leave. Because once one of them was out, Amy couldn't pull herself together for days.

Her hands reached to the knife, it felt cold in her warm palms. Sacrificing her sinister thoughts to the darkness, she crawled towards the light. She couldn't let reality slip from her. Not in that moment.

"Thanks." She mumbled, showing the knife to her own pocket. It felt heavy in there, and wrong.

He merely nodded as he observed her. His black eyes that reminded her of coal wandered in her face. He was trying to mesmerize every single detail as if they would not be seeing each other again.

Amy couldn't do that. No. Perhaps, because she was a coward. She couldn't look at him in the eye and think what'd happen if he laid dead a few hours later.

She knew she would die the moment she saw his dead body. The ice chateau she had built around her heart would turn into a sandcastle.

"I need to check up on Crystal." She announced, still not daring to move away from her childhood friend. She only took a step back, before turning towards him and launching herself to his body. His hold was tight as he caressed her hair, she buried her head to his neck. "Promise me, you won't die."

"Not really my Saturday plan." He muttered as his demons vanished with the sweet melody of his best friend. "We are going to be okay."

It took them a few minutes to involuntarily left each other go. Amy checked on the outside once more before heading towards the center. Her eyes wandered in shelves, desperate to find any kind of weapon she could have. After all, the more was the merrier.

Taking a few icepicks, she tried to mesmerize the area. Her mind started playing potential scenarios if someone came from the right, where would she run?

"Hey," Amy barely turned her head as the vanilla flavor let her know Crystal approached. "You should stock these."

"Have you talk to Matt?" Crystal asked, ignoring her remark. "Aren't we leaving?"

Amy cleared her throat. "You should leave. But I'm not."

"I'm sorry," Crystal giggled, facing the brunette. "I think I need hearing aids because I can swear I heard you saying that you are not leaving." Amy stood still, her face blank. "Amy, are you insane?"

"Just a little." Amy shrugged. "But that's not relevant."

"This is not a joke, Ames." Crystal stepped forward, taking her hand. "We can die. And, we stay dead."

"I know." Amy bit her lip, her free hand playing with her necklace. "That's why I need you to go. I need to do this for my dad, but you should leave."

"And leave you in her alone to die?" She raised her brows. "You don't stand a chance without me."

"Oh, don't overstimate yourself, Perez." Amy playfully hit her shoulder. "Promise me, you'll stay safe?"

"As long as you promise, so do I." Their pinky fingers met a childish act that stuck with them for years. "I love you."

"And I love you." Amy responded back and Crystal listened to her words as she took a few icepicks.

"Guys," Josh yelled, taking the attention. "It is time."

The girls shared a look, unspoken words were mirrored in their dark eyes. Once her own caramel eyes melted in Crystal's, fear was too scared to touch her. Her thoughts were poisonous lures, both feeding her and killing her.

Amy Love-Winters wasn't afraid.

She followed Josh in Grab & Bag as the boy led them to the others. Sam sat on the floor with Deena at her side. Kate and Simon had red X on their chests, Sam's blood.

"You guys don't need to do this." Sam spoke, directly looking at Amy. "You can leave."

"And miss the oppurtanity to see you suffer?" Crystal commented. "No thanks."

"You are weird." Sam laughed lightly. "I like you."

Crystal bit the inside of her cheeks. "Don't leave us guilty with not coming back."

"Thank you." Deena said softly as she helped Crystal with getting Sam's blood, marking her jacket with a big X.

"One of us should not have blood." Matthew spoke as he looked at the blood. "Amy is tiny and fast, she can warn us behindhand."

"What? No, no!" Amy argued with furrowed brows. "Then, Crystal should give her jacket to me, she has more chances than I do."

"Sorry," Crystal said, embracing her jacket. "But I like this jacket, I'm keeping it."

Matthew also marked his jacket with Sam's blood, giving the box back to Deena.

"We need to keep them distracted as long as possible." Amy argued again. "Give me the blood!"

"But-"

"We are in this together." Amy said as she stuck her hand to the box. The blood felt sticky and gross in her fingertips. She marked her sweater. Unlike others who wrote X to mark themselves, she wrote A. "Try your best to come back?"

Sam chuckled. "I promise." Her smile slightly faltered. "Do your best not to die?"

"I am awkward, not suicidal." Amy responded as she wiped off the blood on her fingers to her sweater.

"Die well, my friend." Simon patted Sam's shoulder. "Come on!"

The group left the lovers in there, moving to the grocery store. None dared to split for a few minutes.

"I want to give you something." Simon said quietly, grabbing her hand and dragging her to the other hall, away from the group. "I mean it's probably nothing but- it's in fact really stupid-"

"Simon." Amy interjected softly. "What is it?"

Simon glanced at her before glancing at his black painted nails. He let out a huff, playing with one of the rings on his fingers. "I want you to have this. I mean if it's okay."

Amy raised her brows as he took out a silver ring, slowly extending it to her. Biting her lip, she hesitantly raised her hand and letting him help her wear the ring.

"Hey," Simon spoke softly as he walked next to Amy. "Pull that sweater as soon as you saw someone, okay?"

"What a scandalous wish!" Amy mocked, gasping playfully. "Aren't you straightforward?"

Simon scoffed, a small resting on his lip. "I mean it, Amy. Just take it off and run. Don't try anything else."

"I know, okay." She nodded slowly. "You will do the same, right?"

He glanced at his bare chest, where the x mark was seen. "Oh god, Simon! What is this?"

"Blood." He answered as if it wasn't obvious, shrugging. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"That thing won't come off unless you wash it." Amy reasoned, her furrows burrowed. "Why didn't you mark your clothes?"

"If they come before Sam's death, someone needs to keep them distracted."

"And that someone has to be you?" Amy raised her brows. "If you die-"

"I won't." He interjected, stopping on his steps. "We will be fine. We survived so far."

"That doesn't mean we are immortal." Amy interlocked their hands. "I won't forgive you if something happens to you."

"I don't plan on dying before I make sure my girl is safe." He winked, resting his forehead on hers. "Stay away from the fast dude."

"I'll try my best." She whispered as she closed her eyes.

His lips were soft on hers, and Amy felt safe with the touch. It felt warm and right. His one hand caressed her jaw, while the other one traveled on her back. There was a pull that didn't allow both to drawback. The pull was so strong. Stronger than the dead possessed killers chasing them. Stronger than an agelong curse. Stronger than a witch. Her hands dug into his hair, softly pulling. 

"You need to go now." He mumbled as he rested his forehead on hers. Amy found that moment affectionate because it reminded her of her mother, who would do the exact same thing every night when she came for a goodnight kiss. "Or else, I won't be able to let you go."

"What if I don't want you to let me go?" She questioned, his dark blue orbs on her caramel ones. They looked like a hurricane from the close.

"As soon as we get away from this," He spoke softly. "We're going to a fancy shitty cliché date."

Amy's laughter echoed. "I would really like that."

He raised her hand, kissing the ring he had given. Amy needed a few seconds to land back to reality as she watched him approach Kate and Josh.

"Ew, gross." Simon commented as Kate kissed Josh. Kate sent an annoyed look to her best friend.

"You literally did the same thing a minute ago." Kate complained.

"Yeah but we looked pretty doing it." He earned a slap from Kate. "Jeez, okay, sorry, woman!"

Kate turned back to Amy. "Please, don't die and leave this idiot to me."

Amy struggled to hold back her laughter. "I wouldn't do that to my worst enemy."

"Hey!" Simon interjected, still had a smile on his face as he looked at the most important two people in his life.

"Be careful, all of you." Amy repeated, looking at the group. "See you in 10 minutes."

Kate smiled encouragingly as she walked with Josh and Simon to the back. Matthew kissed Amy's head before looking at Crystal hesitantly.

"I will be just in there." Amy pointed out to the drink section. "While you two, not kiss." She widened her eyes as she spoke as if trying to give them a hint.

"Go away." Crystal mumbled, her gaze in everywhere but Matthew.

Amy grinned slightly, walking to the left. She grabbed a water bottle, drinking it, and making a mental note to pay for it after it is all over. Her eyes wandered into the alcohol section as she tried to find vodka, considering it was heavy, she poured some into the now-empty plastic water bottle.

"Priorities, right?" Crystal chuckled lowly as she watched her friend.

"You have your lighter with you, right?" Amy ignored her remark.

"Yeah," Crystal nodded, understanding the plan. "Try not to make a habit of burning people?"

"Might be a little late for that." Amy smirked slyly. "Will we split?"

"Hell no." Crystal deadpanned. "We are not idiots, others can suck it."

Amy nodded thoughtfully as relief washed over her. She was more confident with her friend on her side. Crystal grabbed a shopping basket as Amy dropped the bottle inside.

The silence was unsettling as the girls slowly walked into the store. Amy's heart was pounding in her chest with adrenaline. A loud crash sound echoed in the store, both girls' necks almost snapped when they turned their heads. Neither was stupid enough to approach the source of the sound, therefore, they kept moving. -hopingly to the opposite way-

Screaming sounds followed, Amy halted in movements. Her blood turned cold, panic flowed in her body like acid. They tried to get back to where Sam was, but the echoes made it impossible to find them.

The screams stopped, silence once more settled. Amy held her breath, her hand reaching to the pocket knife. Crystal held one of the icepicks in her hand so harshly that her knuckles turned white.

"Do you hear anything?" Crystal whispered as she leaned on a shelf. Amy shook her head slightly.

More screams came, this time they were clearer. A female voice, too soft and high-pitched to belong to Sam was screaming. "NO! NO!"

"Kate." Amy breathed out, turning the corner swiftly. They started running, checking every corner to find the raven-haired girl but nobody was in their sight.

"Amy." Crystal said, between her shaky breaths. "Do you hear that?"

The banging voices were echoing, but they were close. Too close. "Is that the axe guy?"

Crystal parted her lips to answer but the only sound left her pink lip was her agonizing scream. Amy panicked as she ran to the girl. Crystal's curly dark hair was pulled from behind the shelf, raising her body a little. Amy took out the pocket knife, stabbing the hand over and over until it let go of her friend.

Crystal fell to the floor. Amy raised her just in time as one of the killers pushed the shelf towards them. They started running, Amy was surprised by how swift she was. (almost rival to the speed guy)

The killer was right behind them, slowly walking. He had a mask on his face, a baseball bat on his hands, and he was shorter compared to them.

Billy Barker.

"Shit, this kid is scary." Crystal breathed out, turning a few corners to be off the grid, Amy following her close by. Kate's screamings were continuing and all she could do was to hope she was okay.

"What kind of person would choose a child to possess?" Amy questioned as she turned the corner. They were faced with the emergency room. "Sarah Fier is a real bitch."

More clacking and banging sounds echoed, a singing sound accompanying them. "They are all here."

Amy ran forward, her body almost collapsing with someone. She tried to retreat but she was too late. "Simon!" She gasped, putting a hand on her heart.

"Go, go! She's right behind me!" Simon yelled as he grasped her hand, dragging her.

"Crystal!" Amy turned her head to her friend, who was continuing to go forward.

"Matthew is there! We'll be right behind you!" Crystal shouted, getting out of the sight.

Josh followed their movements from another hall. Amy squeezed Simon's hand as she checked their back constantly. "Where is Kate?" Amy asked as they ran. Simon stopped abruptly, her chest meeting with his back. "What-"

Amy found the answer to her ignored the question.

Kate's body laid on a metal table, in front of a bread slicer. She couldn't recognize her if it weren't for the clothes as her face was completely destroyed. The blood was dripping to the floor, creating a blood pool. Blood, there was so much blood.

Kate Schmidt was never going back home.

She was dead, rotten, gone. The shadow of death covered her tiny body.

Amy's eyes burned with tears, she wanted to look away. But she was frozen as her eyes never left her friend's body. She remembered Kate's smile, she remembered how she wanted to help her when Amy had a panic attack.

Amy was never going to see her bright smile again. Nobody was. 

She was gone.

The words echoed in her mind but other voices prevented it from being heard, even though that words were carved into her brain with a sharp knife, making her soul bleed. Amy wanted to call her friend's name, maybe Kate would get out from another corridor, and she would smile again. Maybe- maybe she was not gone?

Would Kate grow cold when she was six feet under? Would she be scared of the eternal darkness?

"Simon- " Amy breathed out, her voice came out as if she had been choking. Collecting her courage, or what was left, she turned her head to Simon.

His blue orbs were on her already, his eyes watered at the sight of his best friend. A part of him was dead, it was written on his eyes that carried a wrathful fire. She wanted to comfort him, but the words were as coward as her when they abandoned her.

His eyes lost their focus as he stared at her.

💀 🩸 🦴 😈 🔪

𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆:

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thanks for reading!!

i want to attack myself just like this too after this ending.

also a real pic of me after writing Kate's death: