'Hey honey.' Carey said as Cody walked out of the bedroom.

'Hey Mom.' He said, going over to hug her.

She hugged him back. 'Sweetie, I got a letter today. We have to go to court…for Zack.' She whispered her eldest son's name.

Cody tensed and pulled away. 'Oh. Okay.' He'd thought that he wouldn't miss Zack because he still saw him and talked to him, but he missed his touch, his hugs the most.

'I would like to say you don't have to go, but I'm afraid you're needed.' Carey said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

'That's fine, Mom.' Cody said in a monotone, walking into his room.

Carey stared after him, tears coming to her eyes.

Cody's POV

'Tell us in your own words what happened on the afternoon of the 27th.'

I open my mouth but no sound comes out. 'I…'

Zack is off on another meeting with Death. He was all distant today, but I don't know what to think of it. I don't know anything anymore.

'Cody?'

'Zack screamed…when the car hit him.' I say, surprised at the sound of my voice.

'What happened before that?'

My mind flashes back to the 27th.

He walks next to me, bouncing his basketball. He throws it at me unexpectedly and it hits my side, making it sear in pain.

I can feel the pain now; it flows through me, so unbearable that my brain hurts.

'Zack!' I say angrily.

I throw it back to him and he catches it perfectly, and then looks at me with a stupid look on his face.

'Blimey, bro, lighten up! I'll take a swing at your head in a minute if you keep acting like that.' He pulls a funny face at me, eyes crossed, tongue stuck out.

'Just grow up, Zack!' I shout at him.

'Who wants to grow up?!' He yells back, but he's still not angry.

Then he's in the road

And a beep of a horn

A squeal of brakes

A scream

Zack's S C R E A M

silence.

I did that. I drove him to his death. I killed my twin brother.

I can still hear the screaming. I realise that it isn't his scream I'm listening to anymore, it's my own. They start to rush towards me and I step off the podium I'm standing on and run, pushing through all the people. I hear my mother scream after me, and the guilt sets in. But I have to be with him. My brother is my life.

I'm running down the road, and suddenly Zack is running beside me. I don't know if I'm running from him or to him.

I sprint into the road.

Then I'm in the road

And a beep of a horn

A squeal of brakes

A scream

My S C R E A M

And arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me back. I struggle, and turn round to see who it was who took my paradise from me.

It was him. My brother. My twin.

What was he doing saving me from something I wanted to do? Why was he taking me away from him? How was he able to pull me out of the road?

He looks at me. 'What the hell do you think you're doing?!' I shout at him.

'I was about to ask you the same thing!' he yells back.

'I just want to be with you.' I whisper.

Suddenly everything freezes. I look around and shiver. Zack looks confused, but somehow I think this might have happened to him before.

'Don't do this!' he yells to no-one.

I'm about to ask him who he's talking to, when Death appears in front of us. 'Why isn't he frozen?' Zack says through gritted teeth.

'Because…'

I look from one to the other. 'Can someone please tell me what's happening?'

Zack glances at me and then looks at Death again. 'Please don't do this. He doesn't deserve this. He didn't do anything wrong.'

'What? What didn't I do?' After I get no response, I throw my arms up in the air, rolling my eyes and sighing dramatically.

'I'm not here to kill him, Zachary.'

'Then what are you here for?' Zack looks at me, and then tears his eyes away to look back at Death.

'I've realised something. I can't break such a strong bond. But Zachary…someone has to go. It's either you or him. I'm…sorry. But it has to be done.'

Zack looks down at his feet, but I'm confused. 'But Zack's already dead.'

'You'd never be able to see me again, Cody.' Zack says, avoiding my eyes.

'What?!' I can't…I can't do this. I can't lose him again.

'If I go, you won't see me again. And if you go, I won't be able to see you again. The one who goes will be the one who will be able to watch over the one who doesn't.' I see the tears in his eyes but he still continues. 'If you died, I would stay as Death's "assistant" and if I went, you'd just have to stay here.'

'But…there's no way around it? Can't you make me one of your assistants as well?' I ask, frantic. Death shakes his head. 'Oh God…'

'Cody…don't die.' Zack says, staring straight at me.

'What?'

'I'll go. Take me.' He says, still staring at me, but obviously talking to Death.

Death looks at me, confused. I shrug and look at my brother. 'I'm not going to let you.'

'You have to, Cody.' Zack says, swallowing. 'It's not your time.'

I frown. 'But it wasn't yours.'

'Yeah it was.' Zack says, nodding.

Death walks away, leaving us be. 'But…why are you doing this? I didn't save you.'

'Oh, come on, Cody. Do you honestly think it was your fault?' I nod, tears coming to my eyes. 'Well, it's not. I ran into the road. You didn't push me under the car, did you?' I shake my head. 'Well then. Cody, I'm not going to let you go.'

'But…I won't ever see you again.'

'I'll always be with you, Cody. You'll see me again one day.' Zack says, starting to cry as well. He opens his arms.

I walk into them, and at that moment, I forget how he's able to hug me. 'I miss your hugs, Zack.'

'They're never too far away.' Zack says, ruffling my hair. I smile against his chest. As I start to relax, his body fades and I'm left hugging nothing. 'I love you, Cody.' I hear.

'Cody!' My mother shouts, suddenly unfrozen. She hugs me just as Zack had. 'Oh God, Cody, why did you do that?!' she whispers, kissing the top of my head.

'I…I…' I murmur.

My mother takes my face in her hands and stares me straight in the eyes. 'I love you so much, Cody.'

'I love you too, Mom.' I reply, letting her pull me into a hug. 'I love you too.' I repeat, looking up at the sky.

Yep, last chapter. If you want, I can write an epilogue, but I don't mind. Please Review!