After thanking Beelzebub for a somewhat restorative night, Donn and Emily stepped out of the hotel and into the sunlight of another November day in Brighton. People of the city were rushing about as they usually did. Chatting, running, laughing and texting. Emily looked about the area. She searched for him. Donn looked down at her. “What are you doing?”

  “Huh? Oh… Nothing. It was just… I thought I saw…” Emily trailed off.

  Should I tell him? No. No, there’s no need. Why should I bother him with that? Anyway, maybe I imagined it. It was late. It was dark and I was tired. No. It wasn’t real. He wasn’t here. He can’t have been. I need to get a grip.

  Emily looked back at Donn and lied. “I just thought about my mother. That’s all. I thought I saw her. It was midnight, I was tired. I was just seeing things. That’s all.”

  He gave her a look. “That’s all?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, if you are sure…” Donn pulled out his pocket watch. “We still have a few hours until your little get-together. Let’s get started.”

  While they walked through the city, through the alleyways and side streets, this gave Emily time to question Donn upon Chronos, the greyscale gentleman they had met yesterday.

  “Well…” he began, as they paced quickly through the crowds who seemed to ignore their presence. “Chronos is a being like Death. A great Elemental that has been around since, well, forever. Since the creation of the universe and of reality.”

  Emily ducked under the jutting elbow of an obnoxious man on the phone. “The Elementals. Death said something about that. That there’s seven of them.”

  “Correct, Emily. There is War, Peace, Death, Life, Time, Fate and Knowledge. All the machinations of your existence and everyone else’s.”

  “How so?”

  “You really want me to tell you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “…Okay. When you are born, that is Life’s doing. When you grow up, your choices are planned by Chronos, in accordance with the Schedule. Knowledge and War define your life. Conflict and learning born from ambition, jealously or desire. When you achieve such a goal, you are at Peace. Then when all is done, Fate reveals the ending of your story. And the punctuation to all of that-”

  “Is Death.”

  “Indeed. As you can see, all is planned and executed without error. As per to the Schedule.”

  Emily nodded slowly as they turned another corner and once again found themselves facing the sea. They saw a family pass them by; three children, two parents, a dog and an uncle. All of them smiling. All of them happy.

  Emily cocked her head. “Do you think… if people knew that there is an afterlife after death - like a real afterlife - would they take their lives more seriously? Take better care of their actions?”

  “…Depends on the person, Emily. Is that question directed at you as well?”

  “Yeah. I guess so. I mean, I never did anything worthy or memorable in my whole life. Not if you don’t count the sick graffiti I did once in a while. But that was it. I never gave any thought on what I wanted from my life. Not until now.”

  “Now that you have learned the existence of over a dozen afterlives and all the deities that roam the streets of London?”

  “Yeah. Makes me want to do things better this time round.”

  Donn raised his eyebrow. “Hmm. Then my answer is no. No, I do not think people would live their lives for the better, even if they knew.”

  “How so?”

  “Think of it Emily. Think of what is happening now in the world. All of the madness just a few hundred miles from these shores. All the fires that burn your forests to the ground. The ice that melts under the glare of a sun that cooks your planet. The bombs you create. The lies you weave. The pain and destruction. All of these should be enough to make any person take their lives more seriously. Not to fritter them away on material possessions. But no. Look at them. Look at you. Humans were born ignorant. And most of of them die with the same ignorance. Few do transcend their base intelligence and attempt to change the world for better or worse, but a few is all there is.”

  Emily shook her head. “Man, Donn. When you talk like this, you make me want to die.”

  Donn smiled ghoulishly. “Then I’m doing my job. Apologies, a joke in rather poor taste. But in conclusion to my answer, Emily: Humans, if they were to find out about me and my kind, they would be shocked. Some might even renounce their ways for their selfish desire to gain a ticket to a better afterlife. But humans are humans. They always break their word and return to their ways. I have lived a long life. I have seen the capabilities of human kindness and I found it to be wanting… It is a sad truth, but I have learnt to not expect much from humanity. Our existence will only be a novelty to them and that is all. Now come, let us find the soul and be on our way.”

  But find the soul, they did not.

  Frustratingly, they were unsuccessful throughout the entire morning and afternoon.

  This vexed Donn. He was hopeful that this would be a quick and tidy affair. Then he’d be rid of the responsibility of caring for Emily.

  Granted, he did not hate Emily. He liked her. She was precocious, brave, intelligent and cocky. But he liked his job a lot more and he missed it.

  Furthermore, he did not like Hel muscling in on his record. He’d rather not be extinguished like the others. Every soul Hel took was another soul against him. And this was unacceptable.

  Donn felt a chill in the air that was not of this world. He looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds was flying against the wind. They curled like writhing serpents. The smell of the air did not hold the scent of salt, but the scent of rot. There was a change in the world. Donn could feel it. This was the imbalance he had be warned of by Death. Beforehand, Donn heard of the tornadoes that ripped through southern Ireland.

  Humans had called it a freak weather phenomenon, but Donn knew better. If that was the start of the imbalance, what was going to following next? Hurricanes in Dover? A volcano in London? They were running out of time.

  This mission had to be completed as soon as possible. But the soul was nowhere to be found. Even with the combined power of two Memento Mori coins, it was not enough.

  Donn glanced at his watch and cursed. It was nearly time for the picnic. So with that, he turned the search party around and proceeded to make their way towards the beach.

  Hmm, Emily thought as she greedily bit into her doughy bap, right amount of ketchup. The sausages were still warm despite bring wrapped in kitchen foil and packed in a tupperware box. The burger bap was soft and mild sweet. To Emily, it was a joyous taste.

  Around her was Jessie, Theodore, Charlotte and the Shoals’ parents, Arthur and Jane. All were busy chatting amongst themselves and busy enjoying their food. The sun was starting to wane towards the horizon and people were slowly packing up.

  But the group showed no interest to pack up just yet. Secured in that Emily relaxed into the blanket she rested upon as she applied more the joyous red condiment onto her food. Taking another generous bite, she thought back to her conversation with Donn last night and the strange events that followed her until the picnic.

  What a turn of events for her to end up here. On a beach in Brighton, eating with strangers, whilst being watched by Donn who stood far enough to not be seen by the Shoals but close for Emily to be within her eyesight.

  Emily thought of what Donn had said about the Elementals. About how so many human beings go through life insignificantly and are ignored just as quickly. Emily nodded to herself as Charlotte went on about some new fashion trend she had read online.

  I will make a difference, Emily promised herself. Somehow, someway, I will leave a mark on the world and people will remember my name for it. It’ll be something badass. Something cool and good, like world-changing. But what? And how am I going to do that if I really want to go through with this Reaper thing?

  Emily caught herself. Did she really want to go through with it? Be a Reaper’s helper or something?

  It was a sudden decision on her part last night to do so.

  Travelling the world, adhering to her own choices… It seemed so appealing to her. But after Donn’s rebuke and warning, Emily was starting to second-guess herself. How would she affect change if she was not going to be a part of the world to do so? What did she want to do if she was?

  As she began unwrapping the ice lolly that Jessie gave to her, Emily glanced at Charlotte as she continued with her monologue about her happy, successful and fulfilling life.

  Emily did not like Charlotte. She really didn’t.

  Emily deduced that it was due to Charlotte just being far too pretty and just too perfect. She was taller and curvier than her. Armed with better hair and a better upbringing. The pinnacle girlfriend. A real bring-home-to-meet-your-mother type.

  Emily shuddered within herself. Her envy rattled her body like a penny in a bottle.

  Did she honestly want to be like that? God no.

  But Charlotte did get attention by being what she was. From listening to her, Emily learned that Charlotte had a starting career as a dancer, singer and a painter. All so damned artistic and fluent. She had an actual life planned out.

  And what did Emily have planned out? What were her talents?

  Emily pictured a moth flying out of her mind wallet like a destitute cartoon severely down on their luck and therefore questioning the choices made in life.

  Nothing. No skills, redeeming qualities or assets. Nada… Well, let’s not be too dour.

  To be honest, it’s not like she she had nothing going for her. She had her sharp tongue. She had her brain. Her wit and a charm that was oddly infectious. With that in mind, Emily started theorising.

  Maybe she could be a business worker. A maker of big deals. Convincing and conning people to part with their wares. Now wouldn't that be a sight? Charlotte wouldn't be so proud and chatty then. Emily would be the top dog. She smiled. That would be a sight.

  Emily wandered her eyes to those of Arthur and Jane Shoals.

  They were a nice enough couple. When they met Emily, they were apprehensive at first, but they warmed to Emily, not only to her classic charm, but because of their welcoming nature. Arthur was portly and greying at the edges of her hairline. Jane, though wrinkled in areas not too noticeable in her face, had a semblance of strong beauty. But regardless of their ages, they had a spark for life that youthful people would be expected to possess. The couple spoke of their rock-climbing exploits in Scotland in their youth, hiking trips to Snowdonia with their families and a sailing trip around the Canary Islands on their honeymoon. They lusted for life and they had the means - via a pair of wealthy jobs in architectural development - to achieve their needs.

  The Shoals were a genuinely happy family. Emily liked seeing that and she so desperately wished that she could experience it.

  Honestly. The experience of love. Safety. Comfort. Happiness. Contentment. Emily had none of that and she craved for it like a sponge craved water.

  Jane made a joke and the whole family laughed. Emily laughed with them and she cherished that moment. Where was this in her life? Why did she miss out on this? How did she, when she had a mother who loved her as much as she loved her back? As Emily watched the Shoals, she was seeing the future that she could have had.

  Had her mother lived… maybe she could have had a baby sister. A father who didn't drink. A partner to love.

  But no. No, that just wasn't in the cards for her… She was a bystander to love and she began to understand that her fate was to always remain a bystander, her feelings be damned.

  God… Emily wanted that feeling for so much that it actually started to form a warmth in her chest. Her heart began beating faster than before and she began spacing out from the conversation.

  Suddenly, a headache struck Emily.

  It was a stinging pain, dead centre between her eyes. It was hot. Searing, even. Emily pinched her nose in an attempt to rub the pain away. But to no avail. The pain continued. She looked around herself, only to find her vision to be cloudy.

  The Shoals family and Charlotte were nearly blurry to her eyes. The area had darkened, though it was still a late afternoon. Donn was nowhere to be seen. Emily turned her head around to look behind her. The beach was blurry and dimmed like the family. Beachgoers moved at a slowed pace. The world before her had changed. But she did not. She remained just as bright as before and her movements were her own.

  And she wasn't the only one unaffected by this sudden change. There, in the distance behind Theo, Emily saw someone.

  It was a short woman. Old, but wily.

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  She wore a yellow summer dress with white hair hanging down past her shoulders and a bright grin upon her face. This woman emanated a bright glowing light as she walked upon the beach, heading in the direction of the old and derelict Brighton Pier that was a sibling to the functioning pier.

  Emily, later unsure of why she did what she did, stood to her feet and wordlessly started to follow the woman. She was drawn by her. Like a moth to a candle. She walked after the woman, who started to lead Emily along the beach.

  Charlotte, who was nearing the end of her self-adulating monologue, noticed Emily’s strange behaviour. She did not like Emily when she first met her and she did not like how quickly Theo had taken to her. But, as Charlotte theorised to herself the day before, she had nothing to worry about. She knew that she was far prettier than Emily. Taller. Slimmer. More eloquent.

  In fact, she was better than Emily in all regards. As far as she was aware, this Emily girl did not show off any achievements, nor showed any promising activities to lead her to a better life. Charlotte had all of her preoccupations nailed down, arranged and resolved with ease. Her fate was hers to control and hers alone. She knew for a fact then that Emily was lesser than her. She knew that. She believed it.

  So why? Why did she feel threatened by her? Why did her hackles rise when they first met? Why did Jessie and Theo, of all people, develop an interest in her?

  Charlotte knew that there was something off with Emily. Something dangerous. And her suspicions were raised higher when they were introduced to her uncle, Donn. This Donn person also had that vibe of unease. Jesus, even that damn weird cat…

  Charlotte always trusted her first impressions of people. Her gut feeling never lied to her about a new acquaintance and her gut instantly told her that Emily and this Donn fellow were bad news.

  But Theo did not realise that. Of course he didn’t. He was not as bad as Jessie or their parents, but the fatal flaw was there.

  The Shoals were far too trusting of strangers.

  They wouldn’t hesitate to stop and help a person cross the road. Stop in the street to give a tourist directions. There was even a quite worrying time when she and the Shoals were in a car driving through the country and they decided to give an old hitchhiker a lift after he flagged them down. Charlotte had shook her head at this madness.

  I mean, honestly… Had they not seen a horror film before? Haven't they heard of the hundreds of murder cases concerning hitchhikers? Are they that naive?

  But seeing as she loved Theo and wanted to ingratiate herself with the family, Charlotte wisely kept her opinions to herself. But she held a poor judgement of them since then.

  And they went and did it again. Having a picnic on the beach with a total stranger just… because.

  Charlotte got to where she did because she was doubtful of people’s intentions. She called herself wise for not taking a person’s word at face value. She had been burned before. By lying mothers, absent fathers, backstabbing BFFs and deadbeat boyfriends. There was enough there in her past to adopt a cautionary attitude to her life.

  She watched Emily rise to her feet and walk away, heading towards the old pier. Charlotte glanced at the family. Arthur and Jane did not notice her leave. Only Theo did and all he did was watch her go with a sad smile that suggested… what? Longing?

  It was ten minutes after Emily left that Charlotte shook her head as she patted off the crumbs from her trousers. No more could she stay silent.

  She had to make a stand. She had to make this family see what she was seeing in this Emily. She had to do something. She stood up and gave Theo a kiss on the cheek and politely excused herself from the group. And with that done, she stalked after Emily, determined to expose whatever worries her gut was warning her about.

  Emily and Charlotte were so wrapped up in their issues that neither of them noticed Jessie. She was happily enjoying her sandwich and listening to the conversations between the picnickers. She was loving every second. But her attention was divided. She was almost watching the old woman who had been watching them, in particularly Emily, for a while. The old woman smiled at Jessie and pressed a finger to her wrinkled lips. The ghost moved on and soon Emily stood up and walked after her. Jessie shrugged with a nod and a wide smile then resumed eating.

  Jessie wasn't concerned for Emily’s safety. She knew that the ghost was harmless. After all, she thought as she returned to her delicious sandwich, when you are wearing a yellow summer dress like that, you could never be evil.

  Emily kept up her pace as she followed the woman- no, the ghost. She could see a translucent and wispy shimmer on, in and around the woman’s form. The ghost started ascending a flight of stone steps that led up towards a part of the promenade that directly faced the old pier.

  Donn silently joined Emily’s side without so much as an announcement of his presence as she walked on.

  “Well done.” he commented. “You found it. Are you feeling okay?”

  Emily rubbed her nose. The stinging sensation remained. “It’s like a migraine’s moved in here.”

  Donn nodded. “That’s the power of the Memento coin. Its power is not for humans to use consistently. I am impressed that you are able to keep it going so far.”

  “Impressed? Should I be turning it off or something?”

  Donn shrugged as they pressed on. “Not if you want to help me. If you are determined to be an assistant to me, then you better get used to all the factors concerning the lifestyle.” He extended his hand out, palm upward and open. “I wouldn't recommend using it all the time though, it will be taxing for you.”

  Emily looked at his hand and shook her head. “No. I’m here now because I wanted to be. I’ll handle it.”

  Donn drew back his hand. “Well. Alright then. Don’t complain if you faint on me.”

  As they continued walking, Donn couldn’t help but feel a small hint of pride for Emily’s continued tenacity. She’s strong. Good for her.

  Together they ascended the steps and they found the ghostly woman. She was leaning on the concrete wall, looking towards the destroyed pier. Her face was a clear expression of longing and sadness.

  Donn and Emily stood there and watched the woman. She was clearly aged, in her mid sixties or early seventies. Her hair was full and white, waving wistfully with the sea air. Her eyes were opaque, milky white even.

  Pedestrians - though there were very few of them due to the time of day - passed by and through the ghost without a hint of realisation of doing so. Only Emily and Donn were aware of her existence.

  Emily looked towards Donn. “So. What do we do?”

  Donn did not take his eyes off the ghost. “She is a soul that longs to stay here. It would be easy to wrench her from this world. But I’d rather not damage the souls this way. It is far better that they return to the fold willingly. Go. Talk to her. She’s your family. Find out how to give her a reason to return.”

  Emily looked back at the ghost, swallowed her initial apprehension and stepped towards the entity. She rubbed her head. Donn was not joking, The headache was growing in volume. It was starting to sting her eyes. Noticing that there was no bin nearby, she was forced to drop her ice lolly on the ground. It made a gentle splat as it landed on the ground.

  Emily coughed, making an ‘Ahem’. The ghost registered the sound and turned to her slightly. Seeing that she was being heard, Emily coughed again and the ghost fully turned towards her. Her eyes honed in on Emily’s, seeing the girl for the first time.

  “Who…?” the ghost uttered, whispered, muttered. Her voice was soft like falling sand. “Who are you?”

  “I, uh…” Emily struggled to find the words. This was as surreal as any of the other events. Having a conversation with a ghost. What the hell is she supposed to say? “I’m Emily. Emily Davidson.” Good enough.

  The ghost perked up at the mention of the surname. “That name… I have heard of it… When… I…” Her eyes trailed off Emily and looked out over the horizon then towards the pier. “Yes… That was it.”

  She turned back to Emily. “Davidson… That was his surname. That young man. He married my baby girl. They were so in love. It burned my heart so purely to see them so.”

  Emily blinked. “Wait. What were their names?” Before her, the ghost’s face started to become familiar to her. Yes. She looked very familiar.

  “Their names… They were… Fredrick and Amy.”

  No doubt about it. Emily nodded with a slow smile.

  The dragging feeling in her heart was no mistake. The instinct to belong pushed Emily forward. Drove her mind to come to the conclusion that she hoped was true…

  The ghost was a part of her family. Her immediate family. Emily was about to burst with tears threatening to break through her hard-edged exterior. Emily struggled to hold back her joy and swallowed her clutching throat.

  Her maternal grandmother. Marianna Davis.

  When she was still alive, her mother had spoken of her to Emily. She had shown Emily pictures of a happy and cheery woman in her prime. Black hair in frizzy curls, wearing a petticoat dress that sported bright floral patterns. Her skin, as dark as her mother’s, reflecting against the sunlight like a polished mirror. Arms that were sinewy but graceful. A woman who owned the era that she resided in. But life and time had taken their toll upon the woman before her. She was only a shadow of the woman that had lived before.

  Emily took another step forward and spoke the single word that allowed years of longing and happiness to hit her soul like a hurricane. “Grandma?”

  Marianna furrowed her brow. “Grandma? Why would you-? No. It cannot be. You are- You are-” Her face broke through with a growing happiness. “You are Amy’s daughter? My granddaughter? Oh… Oh my God…” A life-like energy seemed to flow back into the woman, filling out her form into a more visually filled figure. She seemed to be solid to the eye and no longer the insubstantial being a few minutes before. Was it the recognition in her granddaughter that restored her? Or was it the familial connection to Life?

  No matter the reason, Emily did not care. She nodded assertively, unable to hold back the joy in her. “Yes. It’s me.”

  Marianna sobbed and leapt towards Emily, outstretching her arms to embrace her. And Emily was surprised to feel substance, though faint and light like feathers wrapped in clingfilm, under her hands and arms. They parted and looked into eachother’s eyes.

  Emily opened her mouth to speak again to ask about so many things, so many things, but Donn stepped in. “We do not have any more time. We must be going.”

  Emily glared at Donn for ruining the family moment that she was finally experiencing, but Marianna did not protest. Instead, she looked at Donn with recognition. “You… It’s you again… You have come to take me back?”

  Donn nodded sagely. “Yes. It is high time you returned to the light where you belong.”

  “Very well.” Marianna said and she slowly faded into the air. “I have no worries, now that I see the result of my daughter’s love and steadfastness.” She looked at Emily. “Let us talk more when you are able, Emily.”

  Marianna faded from view. All that remained was a floating, wispy strand of white hair. It floated towards Donn, who opened up his silver case and clapped the lips shut around it.

  As Donn snapped the case shut, the world also returned to its normality. The headache in Emily’s mind ceased and she could find that her eyes didn't sting so much as before. That was a power that she did not expect and was quite intrigued by. But the intrigued and excitement and joy she had were replaced by anger.

  “Well. That is that.” Donn nodded. “Now we can get out of this place and move on.”

  “I was having a moment with her, Donn.” Emily rounded on him. “Now I won’t be able to talk to her! Why did you ruin that for me??”

  Donn looked at Emily incredulously. “What are you talking about? You can easily talk with her later-”

  “What the hell is wrong with you people?!” came Charlotte’s voice.

  Donn and Emily whipped their heads around to see Charlotte standing at the top of the stairs and staring at them. Both of them were surprised to see her. Were they truly so focused on Marianna, that they had not even noticed Charlotte standing there? How long had she been standing there?

  Charlotte pointed an accusatory finger at Emily. “I knew you were weird. I knew it the second I saw you. But you’re straight up crazy! Both of you! Talking to thin air like that! And then there was this cold wind all around us! And I saw you, Emily! You were hugging air, Emily! What the hell?!”

  Emily panicked. This was bad. She took a step forward to Charlotte. “Wait a second there, Charlotte. Let me explain.”

  Charlotte jabbed a shaking finger at Emily. “You stay right there, psycho! I’m going to tell them what I saw! I’m serious right now! Stay back.”

  Emily gritted her teeth. Charlotte, for all of her intelligence and learning, was acting like a stupid cow. Emily was getting angry. Why? Why is she being difficult??

  “Charlotte! Listen to me! Please!” Emily’s mind began to sting.

  Why wouldn't she just listen to me?

  “No! Stay away from me, you freak!”

  Stupid fucking idiot-

  And just then, the pain in Emily’s head returned with a vengeance. It came to such a point that Emily thought that she would faint like Donn had warned. It was a searing iron poker pressed up against the inside of her skull. It was more than painful.

  It was excruciating.

  Emily screwed her eyes shut in pain, hissed through her teeth and opened her eyes again. And once again, her view of the world had changed.

  Her view of the world had become fully monochrome. Black and white and all the greys in-between. The beach, the houses, the sky and the sea. All of it was in this greyscale. As monotonous as Chronos.

  And Emily could see many numbers, the death dates, hanging all over all the people in her sight, near and far. Some were blurred beyond distinction and some were as crystal as diamonds.

  She quickly assumed that this was the true power of the Memento Mori coin.

  She was using it properly now.

  And furthermore, the world seemed to have slowed down further than before. Time was crawling onwards, one slow second at a time. A second was an hour. A minute was a day. It was down right psychotropic as hell to Emily. She had never done drugs, but she assumed that this would be a typical experience for some addicts.

  Charlotte was still pointing at Emily and her mouth was open and moving slowly. But no words came through. And Emily again saw the number 5 above Charlotte’s head. And it was not alone.

  It was a full line of numbers: 3-11-2019 = 17:25:05

  It was Charlotte’s death date in full. Right there, before her as plain as day.

  Emily noticed the date. And in her growing horror, she understood it to be today. Emily looked down at her watch. The second hand ticked with such a slow force. It was wearing invisible anchors, practically dragging itself along the route of time. Tick………..Tick………..Tick………

  Her eyes widened.

  The time on the watch was: 17:24:35.

  Emily's stomach dropped through her body. Charlotte was going to die in the next thirty seconds.

  Emily turned her head to look at Donn for some advice. And she was shocked to see his reaction.

  Donn was staring at her. His eye were wide with astonishment. “How?” he uttered, free of the coin’s power. “How did you do this?”

  But before Emily could answer, the world returned to colour and to a natural flow of time.

  Colour rushed back, filling up the world.

  Sounds returned with a large whooshing sound of wind that drowned out all noise. And there they stood. The three of them.

  Emily whirled back to Charlotte.

  Panic spread through her. Charlotte was going to die. She had to save her. Somehow.

  Emily took a step towards Charlotte. She locked her eyes onto Charlotte’s.

  “Charlotte! Charlotte! Listen to me. You have to do exactly as I say!” Her voice strained with nerves. The dread clutched at her stomach and threatened to tear out her lining.

  “The hell I am!” she shot back.

  Donn latched a hand on Emily’s shoulder. “What are you doing?”

  She looked back at him. The astonishment on his face was replaced with great concern.

  “Saving her!” Emily shrugged him away and took a step towards Charlotte.

  “Emily! Don’t!” Donn barked. “You have no idea what you’re doing!”

  Charlotte took a step back. “Stay away from me!”

  Emil made two more steps. “Charlotte! You’re going to die if you don’t-” Emily’s eyes widened as she realised. Oh no.

  Her eyes had switched down to Charlotte’s feet. And the ice lolly that she had mindlessly dropped. Her mind played out the horrendous scenario that was going to play out before her very eyes.

  “Emily!” Donn snapped with a warning tone in his voice.

  Emily opened her mouth to stop Charlotte. “WAIT!” But she was too late.

  Charlotte’s left heel stepped on the ice and - added with the smooth concrete of the steps - Charlotte flipped backwards, with her leg and foot swept up before her.

  Her face was a freeze-frame of shock and fear.

  Her mouth was opened to a hole of noise that was a shriek and a howl.

  Emily lunged for her. Her hand outstretched to grab Charlotte’s. “NO!” she shouted.

  If she was a centimetre closer to Charlotte, she could have grabbed her.

  If she had not allowed herself to be followed by Charlotte, she wouldn’t have been there.

  If she had not thrown away her goddamn ice lolly…

  Those hindsights jagged viciously into her mind as she helplessly watched Charlotte fall away from her.

  Charlotte flailed her arms as her back collided with the steps.

  Emily watched on as Charlotte’s body bounced once, then twice down the steps until her head and neck slapped hard against the edge of the last step.

  There was a crack of things snapping and breaking. And Charlotte finally lay still.

  And Emily watched on in growing horror as she next saw Theo and Jessie - having seemingly followed Charlotte and Emily - standing at the bottom of the steps before Charlotte’s body.

  Jessie was staring at Charlotte in stupefied shock.

  Theo was staring at Emily in incomprehensible confusion.

  A pool of red sticky blood started to form under Charlotte’s head.

  And the time on Emily’s watch ticked on: 17:25:01. 17:25:02. 17:25:03. 17:25:04. 17:25:05…