"And the fourth story?" Lizzie asked. The monster sighed, branches creaking.
"The fourth story has not yet come to pass" it said.
"But you know what will happen" she persisted, "Tell me…Please?" The monster sighed again.
"It is about a boy who knows the truth but refuses to acknowledge it and a young mother dying of an incurable disease" it said finally.
"And...?" Lizzie asked, "Does the mother get better?" The monster frowned at her, then it's eyes softened, and it looked away.
"That story is for a day a long time in the future" it replied. She huffed, laying back against its branches. After a while the monster spoke again. "Your son won't want you to go" it said softly, almost as if it were talking to itself, "He will fight the truth for as long as he can" Lizzie looked up at it, then back at the setting sun finally she broke the silence.
"Will you be there?" she asked, her voice small. The monster frowned down at her.
"Where?" it asked.
"When I die" she explained. A soft expression came over its normally hard face.
"Of course I will be" it replied. Lizzie smiled, curling tighter against it. Her eyes flickered shut, a peaceful expression coming over her face.
"Sleepy" she murmured. The monster smiled softly.
"Then sleep" it rumbled, "There is still time"
"Still…time…"