Page 79 of The Reaper's Vice

“What the heck?” Maggie steps to my side and inspects the key. “Oh, how exciting! I wonder what it unlocks?”

“Yeah… I’m wondering that myself.” I turn the key over in my palm. Shrugging, I shove it into my pocket, then make my way into the kitchen to wash my hands. I watch unblinking as the bright red swirls down the sink, wondering just how much of Vee I’m losing with this simple task.

When I’m done, I head back into the living room, frowning when I realize Maggie is gone. I look in bedroom but find that that’s empty too. My pulse spikes as I run to my room, checking my closet, my bathroom—anywhere I can think—but Maggie isn’t there.

“Magoo?” I call. “Maggo, where did you go?”

I run around the apartment, my pulse screaming in my ears, but no matter where I look, she’s not there.

“Margaret!” I scream, hoping her full name will bring her back. “Margaret L’Amore, you come out right this instant!”If this is some game she’s playing, it’s not fucking funny.

Tears stream down my face as I run around, pulling up rugs, flipping over couches. I even check the contents of the fridge, but still, no Maggie.

Heaving, I step into her bedroom one more time, breathing in the scent of cherry blossoms that continually assaults me when I’m in here.Although… there’s nothing.Frowning, I move back to the kitchen, deciding to check it one very last time before I really start to freak out.

But as soon as I do, I wish I hadn’t.

My heart drops to my stomach as I take in the sight of Maggie, slumped and pale on the kitchen floor. Just like Vee was…

No. No, not again. Please, no.

I run to her, not noticing the pool of blood until it’s too late.

The rubber soles of my shoes slip out from under me, and I fall to the tile like a stone, a heavy crack ringing out as the back of my head slams into the floor. Stars spark in my vision as I fight to sit up, but every time I place my hand on the tile to push up, I slip back down into the growing puddle of blood.

Giving up, I roll onto my stomach and claw the rest of the way to Maggie, desperate to stop the bleeding so I can save her. My vision tilts as I reach out to her, finding her skin far too cold. Too lifeless.

What the fuck is going on?

Blinking against the fog crowding my vision, I desperately check Maggie’s body, trying to find the source of the bleeding. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t find a single wound, nick, scratch, nothing. But the blood flows, and flows, and flows, and I know I’m running out of time.

“Magoo!” I slap at her pale cheeks, not even caring that I’m getting blood all over her face. “Magoo, you have to wake up! You have to tell me where it hurts! I can’t help you unless I know?—”

My attention is drawn to the sound of a heavy gasp, and my stomach twists as I catch the eyes of my elderly neighbor standing in the doorway.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. I never closed the door.

“I-It’s not what it looks like,” I sputter, clutching Maggie’s limp body to my chest. I have to stop the bleeding. Where blood flows, life goes. I have to dam the river to stop the stream. To stop the life from leaving my sweet Magoo.

“What’snot what it looks like?” she asks, raising a weathered hand to her chest as her frown deepens. “Are you okay, sweetie?”

I blink, looking down at Maggie’s pale face clutched in my arms. “What are you talking about? Is thisfunnyto you?” Something inside my chest breaks as I take in the expression on the woman’s face—like she’s looking at a crazy person. “Fucking call the ambulance! She’sdying!!” My voice is not my own, something deep-rooted and sinister pushing forth, stealing my tongue, my mind. Forcing me to see. Toremember.

“Okay, okay. Just calm down…” She takes a step forward, approaching me like you would a snarling animal. “Does someone live with you, sweetie? Is there anyone I can call who can help you through this… episode?”

I shake my head, tears streaming down my face. “Wh—what are you talking about? Please, you need to call someone—my best friend isdying!”

The woman raises a shaking hand, pointing at the frail girl in my arms. “Do you… do you think that’s a person?”

A jolt runs through my body, causing my vision to splinter. I blink, desperately trying to right the world as blinding, brilliant color sparks in front of my eyes. I look down at Maggie, a frown forming between my brows as her face melts away, revealing a navy-blue couch cushion.

What?

I blink again, and it turns back into Maggie. More confused than ever, I look toward my neighbor, only to have my heart fall from my chest at the sympathetic look in her eyes.

“Can’t you see her?” I whisper.

She just shakes her head, but I can’t look at that right now. I gaze back down at Maggie, a tear tracking down my cheek as I brush her bright red curls out of her face. “She always hated when her hair got in her face.” A choked sound accompanies the statement. I look up at the woman, surprised to find tears welling in her warm chocolate eyes. “One time she got so mad at it that she threatened to cut it all off.” I laugh, the sound hollow against my chest wall. “I told her she didn’t have the head shape for it. I should have… should have told her to do whatever made her happiest. Ifailed her.”I gaze down at the sweeping brush of her orange eyelashes. “I failedyou. I’m so… so sorry.”

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