A/N: Me again. Scared yet? Well, there are ways to remedy that...Anyways, I have the next chapter in my weirld lil' saga for your viewing pleasure. I do have most of it planned out in my head, but there is some room for leeway. The next three and a half chapters are already written, but need to be typed, and I am a slooooooow typist.
Thanks to Jess, my only reviewer thus far. The cliff-hangerness may continue for a bit, but all will be revealed in due time. By the way, I have two friends named Jess, who are wonderful people.
Mmm...yeah...Here it is.
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Mandy sat on the edge of her bed, holding the scythe. This was actually a more invloved activity than it seemed at first glance. The weapon was operated through touch and sheer force of will. It was like an open book in her hands, instant access to most of the supernatural on demand, but death magic was its specialty. Like a Swiss army knife, it was handy enough in most situations, but had too many uses to be truly effective at all of them. She could only hope that it had enough power to do what was nessacary.
Concentration and a certain knack for tuning in on the supernatural were basically all that were needed to operate the scythe, traits she happened to possess in excess. Focusing her intent, she raised the heavy weapon and aimed it directly at herself.
A kinetic beam of bluish-purple energy shot forth from the blade, surrounding her in a glowing nimbus. The charge did not immediatly dissipate after leaving the weapon, but intensified, actually levitating her several inches. the sensation was similar to humming into a waxed-paper-covered comb. Not exactly painful, but intensly tingly and uncomfortable. Gringing her teeth, she held firm and after about thirty seconds, the charge suddenly dissipated, dropping her, half-drained, to the pink carpet.
ooo
Her mother heard nothing over the sound of the television, but the black-clad figure stalking his way angrily up the front path lifted his head at the sound of the crash and clatter.
ooo
Mandy pushed herself into a sitting position, nusing a splitting headache. Note to self: Keep asprin on hand after using black magic on self. She leaned against the bed, trying to collect her thoughts.
Did it work? The question dominated her mind. She couldn't tell. Not yet, at least. It might just be wishful thinking, but she felt changed. She barely had a minute to collect herself before she heard the tap at her door.
ooo
"Mandy?" Grim questioned the closed door. "Are ya in dere, girl?" The reaper crossed his arms in annoyance. Blasted kids, always getting into his things...No good could come of it. Six years now, and he'd finally thought at least she was starting to get past such foolishness. Obviously not.
The bedroom door swung open and she stood, glaring as usual, in its frame, making no attempt to hide the weapon that still rested in her grip.
"So ya did steal m'scythe!" he accused immediately.
"Yep," she concured dryly, tossing it to him. He caught it easily, a bit taken aback, but covering it with an impatient "Why?"
"I wanted to see if I could animate some of my old dolls and make them attack Billy," she said smoothly. Effective lying was all about maintaning your baseline behavor.
"And da crash?"
"I dropped something." Mentally, she winced. That was lame. But it was almost the truth.
"So did it work?" he asked, referencing Mandy's cover story. Seeing Billy mauled would make an interesting afternoon, at least.
She shrugged noncommitantly and shut the door in his face.
Grim narrowed his eye sockets suspiciously, but said nothing else, merely walking away.
ooo
Mandy leaned against the closed door and sank to the floor, holding her head in her hands as she listened to the familiar creak of the stairs. No, it hadn't worked.
It hadn't worked at all.
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A/N: Another chapter! this took longer than expected, but kept acting funny. I hope I wrote Grim IC for this. It was hard to put the accent into words, R and R and stuff.
Demi
