I braced myself for a, hopefully, painless death as bolts of black lightning started arcing across the shadows around me. Although the ominous aura that was quickly becoming too heavy to bear was starting to make that hope seem like nothing more than an idle fantasy.

Nothing that malicious could ever be painless.

The area surrounding me grew awash with light as every piece of shade was gathered into a single pillar so dark I felt myself falling into it. Before I could complete my descent into the void the pillar came crashing toward me, sending sparks flying in all directions and tearing up the ground underneath.

A fitting end for someone like me. Don’t misunderstand though, I’m not trying to set myself up as some sort of tragic heroine looking for death. If anything, the fact that I’ve been clinging to life for this long is proof enough that electrocution wasn’t on the top of my to do list.

I’m just capable of admitting that managing to reach the age of seventeen was enough of an accomplishment. Anyone in my position couldn’t reasonably hope for too much more than that.

The only issue was the police officer that tried protecting me was going to be turned to ash as well, but, you know, he earned it. Deciding to get involved after seeing my face was his mistake.

Considering that I didn’t even have the time to watch my life flash before my eyes I wasn’t going to waste my last few seconds worrying about his suicidal decision making.

At the last possible moment, the police officer turned around and made a request.

“When it hits me, we’ll run. Don’t think about the details, just run.”

A pointless suggestion. I didn’t know the girl who turned shadows into lightning, but I could tell there was no escaping her power. When you spend your entire life running it’s easy to recognize a threat you can’t escape. We were on completely different levels. Even if I could somehow lose her, I’m sure one of the other two would finish the job.

The column of black lighting made contact with the police officer, filling the air with dust, earth, and cement. A sudden change in air pressure caused the cloud of debris to expand rapidly while generating enough force to make me stagger backwards.

Death was. . . Surprisingly anticlimactic.

“Come on, run!”

While I was still trying to figure out if I was dead a voice came from within the cloud and a hand grabbed my wrist, pulling me forward. Letting instinct take over I started running with my supposed savior.

“Thanks, but,” A series of violent coughs escaped my throat, “You shouldn’t help me. I’m the one they want, they won’t look for you.”

Contrary to my words, I continued running along with the police officer.

I suppose that was the first of my many defeats that make up this story, as once I accepted my death I became the kind of person who can’t even die successfully. Instead, I was letting myself get rescued by someone I knew I should distance myself from. Fully aware that my involvement would break him as well.

Apparently there was still more I needed to ruin.