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A quick note: We are almost done people! It's so sad isn't it? (sniffles then breaks in wailing sobs) I don't want this story to end!


Chapter 7: Death

Tucker groaned and opened his eyes. Lilac eyes greeted him and a sad, smiling face. "Sam?"

"Hi, Tucker." She dabbed his forehead with a damp cloth. "I appreciate the rescue attempt, but next time, try not to kill yourself on the way."

"H-how did you escape?" He weakly raised himself up on one elbow. "How did you escape that ghost?"

"Daniel let me go."

"Daniel?"

"He may have been cruel at first," she glanced away thoughtfully, "but he's different now."


Daniel stood at a window in an unused study. He raised his hand to the glass, sorrowfully gazing out at the gathering storm. He looked to the floating rose now sitting on the desk. A single petal remained; he was doomed to die anyway.


Sam answered the door and was surprised to find the director of the Amity Park Asylum standing on the porch. "Can I help you?"

"I'm here to collect Tucker Foley."

"What?" Sam gripped the door.

"Don't worry. We'll take good care of him." The director stepped aside revealing a cart with Amity Park Asylum painted on the side.

Dash, and many other members of the town were gathered, some holding torches. "Tucker's not crazy!" Sam stepped out of the house, followed closely by the still recovering Tucker.

"He was just in the bar raving about a ghost, and he hadn't even had one drink yet!" Lafou said.

Sam ran to Dash. "You know he's not crazy, Dash."

"I might be able to convince them if…"

She almost feared to ask. "If what?"

He grasped her wrist. "If you will marry me."

She slapped him. "Never!" She ran back into the house then returned with the mirror. "Tucker's not crazy, and I can prove it!" She turned to the mirror. "Show me Daniel." She held up the mirror for all to see as it flashed then revealed the young ghost's ghostly features.

The people gasped. "Is he dangerous?" Paulina cried, moving toward Dash.

Sam joined the crowd standing before the house, setting a hand on Paulina's shoulder. "No, he's not dangerous at all." She turned to the mirror, smiling sadly. "He is actually very sweet and kind."

Dash tore the mirror from her grasp. "He's a ghost, and he probably has an army of them!"

"No!" Sam cried, reaching for the mirror.

"He'll try to take over our town in the night."

Many of the young women looked frightened and some screamed. Mothers clutched their children to them, and the men, young and old alike, bore determined looks, prepared to protect their families at any cost. Sam grasped Dash's arm, attempting to retrieve the mirror. Kwan and another young man pulled her off and dragged she and Tucker to the cellar. They threw the two young people inside then slipped a two-by-four over the door so they couldn't escape.

"Let us out!" Sam cried, pounding on the doors. She dropped down on the steps, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Oh, it's no use. They're going to kill him, and it's all my fault."

Tucker didn't know what to say to comfort the young woman that had always been so strong.


"Daniel?"

"Leave me alone," he muttered, never turning from the window.

"But there are people attacking the castle!" Madison replied, attempting to keep calm.

He shook his head. "Let them come."


Sam leapt up as the two-by-four was removed and the doors opened. "Jazmine!"

"I followed you after you left," Jazmine said. "I'm glad I was able to help."

Tucker stared as Sam embraced the ghost girl. "Even though we're free, how are we going to warn the ghost?"

"Phillipe can get us there," Sam said, determination glinting in her lilac eyes.


Daniel turned as the door to his study was opened. A young man stood in the doorway, a young man that he didn't know holding a loaded bow at him. He sighed and returned his gaze to the window, his will to fight diminishing. He didn't have the heart to fight for his worthless life now that Sam was gone.

He heard the whistle of the arrow shooting through the air then cried out as the wood grazed across his side, making him crash through the glass of the window and rolling onto the side of the roof. He didn't move, one hand grasping the now bleeding wound. The young man had followed him out, and Daniel grunted as he kicked him.

"Fight back, ghost!" the young man demanded.

Daniel looked up at the young man, his eyes a deep forest green. Fight for what, he wondered? What did he have to live for? This was how he would die… alone and unmissed.

"No!"

The voice reached his ears like a beam of sunlight in the storm. He looked down into the courtyard, making out the slender figure of the woman he loved upon her horse. "Sam," he breathed, his eyes lighting to lime-green.

He heard the young man move behind him then lashed out, blasting the young man's bow to pieces. His eyes glowed a deep emerald, hatred for the man that had dared attack him sparking in him at Sam's return.


Sam urged the horse forward, leaving Tucker and Jazmine behind in the courtyard. Phillipe reared up and kicked open the doors before galloping on. She dismounted, leaving the horse in the front hall as she ran up the stairs. She only hoped she would reach them in time.


Daniel used his invisibility powers, disappearing into the shadow of a gargoyle on the roof. It had begun to rain, the storm finally released, and thunder alerted of coming lightning. Dash held a make-shift club in his hands, smashing a gargoyle's head.

"Come on out and fight, ghost!" Dash shouted, slowly walking forward. "Were you in love with her, ghost?" He shoved wet hair out of his eyes. "Do you honestly think she'd choose you when she could have someone like me?"

Daniel leapt forward, visible and shot the club out of his attacker's hands. He did a sweeping kick, knocking Dash's feet out from under him. Dash tried to scramble to his feet, but Daniel pulled him up by the collar of his shirt, holding him out over the edge of the roof. The fall would kill him slowly and painfully. His eyes gleamed with a slightly red tint as the fighter struggled in his grasp.

"Put me down!" Dash begged. "Please, I'll do anything!"

"Daniel!"

The ghost turned, eyes lighting to lime-green once more as the voice of an angel reached him. Sam stood on a balcony nearby, reaching out her hand toward him. He turned back to the young man in his grasp, tossing him aside onto the safety of the roof.

"Get out," he growled at the young man.

He turned and began climbing toward Sam who smiled and held her hand out farther to him. Their fingertips had just touched when Daniel cried out in pain and pulled back. Dash stood, precariously balanced, behind the ghost with his dagger wedged between Daniel's ribs, a malicious grin on his face. His grin soon disappeared as Daniel managed one last punch, sending him to his death.

Daniel would have been soon to follow if Sam hadn't wrapped her arms around him and pulled him up over the railing. She removed the knife as gently as she could as she laid him down, tears springing to her eyes as he groaned in pain. The ghostly, glowing green blood flowed freely even past his gloved hand that gripped his side tightly. His eyes were closed as she removed her cloak and gently lifted his head to set it beneath him. He opened his eyes, slivers of lime green gazing up at her. She gripped his free hand in her own as he raised it up toward her, pushing his wet hair back from his eyes.

"You came back," he breathed.

"Of course I did," she whispered. "Everything is going to be all right now. Just stay with me."

He grimaced, breathing sharply. "I suppose… it's better this way."

"Don't say things like that. You'll be all right." She could feel tears on her already wet cheeks.

He laughed weakly, chest heaving at the effort. "I was doomed to die anyway." He reached up and touched her cheek. "I… I love you," he whispered. Then he closed his eyes, one final gasp escaping his lips.

Sam choked on a sob as his hand fell from her cheek. "No…" She began to cry, burying her face into his chest and gripping tightly to his jumpsuit. "No! Please… I love you too."

Jazmine, Jack, and Madison watched from the doorway leading to the balcony, tears in their own eyes. Jazmine looked toward the rose, watching as the last petal fell.