I suddenly felt calm and at peace with everything. A sudden familiar feeling of warmth flooded through my body, like the one that first forced me onto the piano stool that got me into all this mess. And then, I felt myself moving forward, without me meaning to. Like my legs moving without the instruction of my brain. I still didn’t open my eyes, and soon I was falling, fast. My stomach dropped, and I could feel myself shaking, but I still didn’t open my eyes. Not until it all stopped. And Marylyn and I were next to each other in a dark room with nothing but a spotlight on our faces. I prayed for the first time in a long time. Then, a light in the distance turned on, and a clock was shown. In the light, the ugliest person I had ever seen was shown. Their evil heart seemed to pierce mine, and the black scales on their body made my eyes freeze and stare. Luckily their face was covered by a mask with white holes so I wouldn’t die for real. Their presence seemed to make me want to faint.

The scruffiest voice I had ever heard talked to Marylyn and me, “If you don’t defeat me within 5 hours you will be trapped in this place forever, dead in real life, but if you kill me, I and my world will be destroyed, and you will get your Grandpa back.” He reached out to me, and as he did, I felt a grabbing at my throat. The clock was set behind this evil thing for 5 hours, and it started. I heard the creator cackling. For he knew he was about to kill innocent children.

I looked over at Marylyn. She suddenly looked different, her eyes turned to stone. Her white, clean, blond hair was fading. Her back hunched over like it was the first time I saw her, but the first time she was looking into her lap, now she was thinking, dark thoughts. Her bright outfit seemed to dull in the dark light.

Scared to speak, “Are you ok?”

She took a breath, “Did you really just ask me that question?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Do you actually think I am ok after a man named Death who is worse than the devil just said he would kill us if we don’t kill him in the next 5 hours. Do you not understand Rose? The only reason I got into this whole mess was that I knew you sincerely liked me as a friend. But now, you have taken advantage of me. What do you think my parents are going to think after we disappear and never return because we were killed by Death?!”

I thought of my parents, sitting on their computers selling junk at home.

“And what do you think the school is going to think? I am going home, Rose.” And with that she walked away, disappearing into the darkness.

“Marylyn,” I called, “we have to kill him to get home, don’t you realize that?”

No answer. I felt a tear stroll down my cheek, then a swoosh of wind blow past me. I kept my head down.

“Not much luck, huh.”

I looked up, “GRANDPA!” I screamed. I ran up and hugged him, in his ghost form. I hugged him in comfort. His love poured into me, and I felt as if I had fallen into the big fuzzy blanket of his arms. I closed my eyes I felt him get taller, bigger, and colder. I felt cold metal press against my neck, and the scent of blood flow into my nose. A fear so shrill went up my spine to shake me free from the dark winter that had just come from the summer I thought was my grandpa. Pictures of Death played over and over again in my head. I shook my head from them, finally having the courage to look up. As I suspected Death was pretending to be grandpa. He could change his form. Not only this was terrifying, but he had a knife up to my neck. I was still so close to death at the minute, but I thought the only way we could really die was from staying here forever, and that would be determined in the next 5 hours. Also, could he torture us within the 5 hours?

“If you kill me right now,” I asked, “will I die in real life?” I shook with fear, but I could only get useful information out of him. It was worth the risk. I could see through the holes in the white mask he had beady little eyes, all over his face. He could see everything.

One eye looked down on me, I struggled as I stared back, then flinched.

“Good question,” he said, not in grandpa's voice, but his ugly one, “yes. If I kill you here, you will be stuck here forever, and therefore you will die in real life.”

“And also,” I said, clutching my shirt like I would lose it with my life, “aren’t you only allowed to kill us after 5 hours, wasn't that the deal?” How was I so brave? I didn’t know, but I kinda liked it.

His evil laugh started again, “Yes, but who said I couldn’t bend the rules. You are a brave one,” Death cackled,” but, too much bravery could be too much.” His crusty hand was still holding the knife against my neck. I screamed in my head, of murder, and terrors that would haunt me in my nightmares forever if I got out of this mess alive. I ducked and raced into the darkness, around a corner, and hid under the black pit above me that looked to be the always night sky. I looked around as I heard a murmur. Marylyn was by my side. We didn’t say a word as we hugged. That was enough to communicate with each other, I love you, I am sorry, NOW LET'S GET OUT OF THIS PLACE!