Chapter 10

So tear me open, make you gone

No longer will you hurt anyone…

She knew it was behind her, its odor mingling with the fragrant plants. She saw the shadow that it trailed from her peripheral vision. The woods turned eerily quiet and the sky permanently dark. The pale soldiers were at the ready, hissing frantically. But the attack never came, only a meek voice sounded.

"Kat?"

It was Stinkie! Turning around, she saw that he was head of the vast army, but his head hanging in shame. Glancing anxiously at the group, Kat responded boldly.

"Come to rip me apart?"

But he just shook his head at the comment.

"No, No! I'm not wit that crazy thing anymore, I got out."

Kat arched an eyebrow and said nothing. But the ghost went on vehemently.

"I'm through wit it! I just had tah warn ya that you's in-"

He was cut off as his older brother suddenly spilled out of the bushes, looking worn.

"Jack!"

She rushed over and wrapped her arms around him. Taken by her sudden show of affection, he hugged her back.

"I'm ok Kitty." He gently kissed her on the cheek, trying not to get blood on her.

As she went to help him up, she hesitated. Something doesn't feel right. She glanced over to Jack, then Stinkie. One of them was lying, but which one?

"Kat? Is that you?" Casper sounded a mile away.

"Yes! I'm here, I'm here!" She was instantly relived; once he was here they could sort all this mess out. As his footsteps got closer, Stinkie did something strange. He turned toward his nephew calling, "Over here! The Reaper is Jack!"

"What?" Both Jack and Kat exclaimed. The footsteps were hurried now.

"I'm coming! I know a way to get rid of him."

Kat stared at Stinkie hard. Her hand flew to her mouth in realization. She turned to the eldest brother.

"Jack, Stinkie is the Reaper!"

He nodded solemnly and pushed her behind him. "I'll take care of this."

But Stinkie just grinned and yelled out, "Hurry! Now he has Kat! He's going to kill her!"

Kat opened her mouth to say differently, but was cut off by a noise. It was the sound of a blade, thin, razor sharp, and coldly calculated to hit its mark. It materialized out of the darkness, headed straight for Jack. But Kat was faster. She shoved her protector out of the way to safety, but not before the cold blade hit a target. A gasp fluttered out of her throat. She went down. The dark sky swam in front of her eyes; something sticky flowed beneath her fingers on her chest.

"Oh god…" Casper appeared out of the direction of where the blade had come. It slipped silently out of his fingers and thudded to the ground.

There was no noise, save for the hysterical laughter that bubbled out of Stinkie's throat. He picked up the discarded staff and transformed to his true shape.

"I was planning for you to get the uncle, but she'll just fine." It babbled to Casper, who was kneeling next to her.

"Don't look so sad, you can still save her."

Casper pressed his face to her neck, "Tell me." He said between sobs.

"Take up my offer from before. Become the Grim Reaper."

It pointed the now tainted blade to Kat. The jagged wound began to slowly heal, the skin melting together. Casper's tear-stained face came a bit clearer to Kat.

"You see? You'll have the power to save her. I'm offering it to you…"

The gruesome sickle lay in skeletal hands that were outstretched to him. Casper lightly gripped her hand and stood. No, don't do it! Kat wanted to scream out, but her jaw worked uselessly up and down. Casper glanced back at her mouthing, "I love you." He walked slowly to the staff. The second he touched, he will no longer be the Casper she knew. He would become hated and feared, just for her, so that she would live. A shiver went down her spine. She was dying, it struck her full force. But why be alive when he would be…? No, this had to be stopped right now. She looked weakly at Jack, who was stunned into silence, until now.

"Wait!"

Both the Reaper and Casper turned to look at him, Casper's hand hovered above the staff.

"I'll go with you. I'll take Kat's place."

"Don't Uncle Jack, I've made up my mind." Casper replied firmly.

"No, you don't have to do this." He stumbled to his feet.

"If there is any dying today, let it be me. Not them." He pleaded to the phantom.

"Well isn't this touching?" The Reaper withdrew his offer and floated over.

"You're life for the kids? Who knew that Jack was such a hero?"

Kat could swear that the thing was smiling wickedly under its hood. She swiveled to look at the uncle, but winced as it caused the wound to open slightly. These are the

closing minutes, the time when one seems to drift from one world to the other. Sensing this, Casper was at her side in an instant, whispering fervently for her to hold on.

"I can see that he's serious. Let's fulfill his last wishes."

The mass of specters swarmed on him as before. He had just enough time to glance at them both before the demons shielded him from their sight. Then he was no more.