Lilly and Loni ~Demon Hunters~

Before reading the chapter this chapter involves suicide. If you or anyone you know is suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, please reach out to a suicide prevention organization the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-8255.

Narrator: "This world is surrounded by crime, greed, and many other sins. When people gave up hope for peace there are a group of assassins that would cleanse the world. If you're truly tormented by anyone and want vengeance then you must call upon The Sweepers and they will take vengeance for you."

It was nighttime at Rhinestone City, and a man was trying to convince his sister to turn herself in to the police.

Man: "Listen, I'm not gonna cover for you anymore, just admit that you killed your boyfriend."

Woman: "I didn't! I didn't kill him, I swear!"

Man: "Look, if the police keep asking me about it again, then I'm just going to tell them everything."

Woman: "You gotta believe me! I would never kill him!" The man leaves, and the woman looks at her cat with a crazed look in her eyes. "You damn cat! This all started because of you!"

She grabs a knife and tries to kill the cat until it stares at her, and she screams, then stabs and kills herself with the knife.

Stan: "Well, I'd better get back my Lilly, she's probably wondering where I am."

The cat transforms into a soul, finding his way to Lilly.

Lilly: "Oh, where is Loni?"

Loni: "I'm right here, even souls have to sleep."

Lilly: "We don't have to sleep, we're dead, remember. We can't do what the living can do."

Loni: "Sorry, Lilly, I just wanted to do something on my own, that's all."

Lilly: "Okay, then we have to get going. There's a soul to cross over."

They went to the woman's apartment.

Woman: "What the hell?! What's going on here?! Why am I seeing myself on the ground?!"

Lilly: "That's because you're dead."

Woman: "What?!"

Lilly: "Yep, forced suicide, it's a shame, most likely a demon made you kill yourself."

Woman: "What the hell are you talking about?!"

She looks at Loni and recognizes the doll's eyes.

Woman: "Those eyes!!! AAHHH!!! Those eyes!!!"

Lilly is confused about how the women reacted to Loni. Then she snaps her fingers, and the door to heaven appears.

Lilly: "You must move on." The door opens, and the woman walks into heaven. Then the door closes, and Lilly snaps her fingers, and the door disappears. "That's weird. Why would she scream at you like that? That's the 7th soul that did that in the cycle just because of how they died."

Loni: "Who knows? That woman could have been on drugs."

It is the next day, and Christiana is at home taking a bath, when Ray appears wanting her to help him.

Christiana: "You know it's rude to watch a woman bathe, especially when she's married."

Ray: "How was I supposed to know you were taking a bath? I can't see through walls, you know." She gets from the tub dripping wet, and Ray blushes out of embarrassment seeing her naked. "Will you cover yourself up?!"

Christiana: "What? Never seen a woman naked? I never thought the dead could blush well since vampires can blush, then the dead can too."

Ray: "Just cover yourself!"

Christiana grabs a towel and wraps it around herself.

Christiana: "What do you want?"

Ray: "I'm requesting you for this job, it happened last night, the so-called suicide. I believe that the doll Loni has is the cause of it, but I don't have all the facts yet."

Christiana: "What do you mean?"

Ray: "When Loni died, I had a reaper take her to me because I had another suicide victim at the time."

Christiana: "So there's a link to her death and to the deaths that happen once a year in the last seven years?"

Ray: "Pretty much."

Christiana: "What do I get out of this? You can't pay me with money because you're dead."

Ray: "What do you want?"

Christiana: "Cake, but not just any cake, just premium French cake. Two dozen slices of pound cake and a dozen slices of red velvet cake. That's all I'm offering."

Ray: "How am I supposed to get that you know I can't interfere with the living?"

Christiana: "If someone's dying today, just ask that person to get it for you."

Ray: "Fine! You can be a pain in the ass sometimes."

Christiana: "That doesn't hurt my feelings. I'm used to hearing that mainly from Henry."

Ray vanishes; elsewhere, Seven and his friends are at Austin's house hanging out.

Austin: "Well, what should we do since today is our last day of spring break?"

Seven: "I don't know."

River: "Hey, Austin, can I stay the night here for a couple of days?"

Austin: "How come?"

River: "You see, there have been rumors going around my apartment building."

Seven: "Rumors?"

River: "Yeah, there is an apartment next to mine, and it is supposedly cursed."

Seven: "Cursed?"

River: "Yeah, it's been happening once a year for about seven years. The first year, it was an old man who kept seeing a strange-looking cat with a creepy look in its eyes. Afterward, he killed his own grandson, and the next day, he killed himself. The second year, a couple moved into the apartment. The woman saw the same cat, then killed her wife, and the next day she killed herself. In the third year, an old woman moved into the apartment. She saw the cat and killed the mailman, then herself, the next day. In the fourth year, a man moved into the apartment. He saw the cat and killed his own sister, then he killed himself the next day. In the fifth year, a family moved into the apartment. The woman saw the cat and killed her husband, then she killed herself the next day, leaving the kid an orphan. Last year was the sixth year that a man and his son moved into the apartment. The son must've been in middle school, I think he was a second-year student. He saw the cat and killed his dad, then killed himself the next day. Now this year is the seventh year, the woman who was living in the apartment saw the cat, then killed her boyfriend, and last night she killed herself."

Seven: "Holy crap!"

Austin: "Is the curse real?!"

River: "From the looks of it, yeah. There's a pattern: the person living in the apartment sees a strange cat, but anyone else doesn't see it and believes that person is crazy. Honestly, I find it creepy to think curses are for real."

Seven: "Oh, please, curses aren't real."

Austin: "You don't think they're real."

Seven: "Dude, I know curses aren't real."

Austin: "Okay, River, you can stay the night here, but tomorrow night all three of us will go to that cursed apartment and stay the night there to see if it's really cursed."

River: "I guess that'll be fine. It's going to be a while before the landlord has the apartment for rent again."

Seven: "Sure, though it's not like anything will happen."

Austin: "Then it's settled! We're gonna stay the night at a cursed apartment."

Seven left Austin's house and was walking to the train station when he spotted Christiana heading for the library.

Seven: "Christiana's back? I wonder what she is looking for?"

He astral projects himself to the library and sees what Christiana is doing.

Librarian: "Here you go, young lady a Lake City newspaper article from 1843."

Christiana: "It's rude to stalk a woman, little boy."

Seven: "What the-" His astral projection vanished, and he woke up. "Hell?" She walks out of the library. "How did you know I was there?"

Christiana: "I don't have to explain to you. Here, touch this new paper about this article of this girl."

She hands him the newspaper, and Seven has a premonition of Lilly at school crying. A classmate of hers is looking for her.

Student 1: "Lilly Ann? Lilly Ann! Don't do it!"

Lilly jumps off the staircase and falls to her death, committing suicide. The other students came around to see what had happened and see her dead body.

Student 2: "Oh My God!!!"

Student 3: "Somebody get a teacher!"

Staff Member: "Somebody call an ambulance!"

He let go of the newspaper.

Seven: "Oh My God... I didn't think a twelve-year-old would commit suicide."

Christiana: "I'm looking into it."

Seven: "Why?"

Christiana: "A little birdie told me that the so-called suicides at a certain apartment are tied to that girl's suicide."

Seven: "That's so."

Christiana: "By the way, if you're going to that apartment, make sure you bring a weapon."

She walks away.

Seven: "What did she mean by that?"

He went home and found a note from his uncle.

Carter: "Hey, kido a friend of mine wants me to take pictures of her wedding so I should be back sometime next week ~ Carter."

Seven: Oh, please, like he really is going to a wedding, he's probably chasing something in a skirt again. That's all he did when I was back home; he practically got slapped in the face so many times, I had to bring ice bags for his face, and I even had to pretend I didn't know him. It's too bad I didn't have a chance to see any of my old friends. After what was happening, I didn't get the chance." He grabbed his dad's journal and sat on the couch reading it. "When I was fifteen, I discovered a strange aura in my hand. It turns out that aura is psychic energy, and I can use it on any object I touch. That energy can paralyze a demon for about a couple of hours. Huh, I wonder." Seven turns to see if he had the ability, but he doesn't have it. "No energy, I guess I didn't inherit from him, let's see." While he is reading, Ray suddenly appears. "What the hell, Ray?! Don't sneak up like that!"

Ray: "Look, I wasn't planning on coming here. I had no choice."

Seven: "Why?"

Ray: "I need you to get this."

He gave him a paper that has the cakes Christiana wants.

Seven: "What the hell? These cakes are expensive, they cost about my allowance for three months!"

Ray: "Can you get them for me?"

Seven: "Why can't you get them? You're dead, no one can see you."

Ray: "I can't interfere with the living, so can you get them for me?"

Seven: "Yeah, and because of you, I'll be broke."

Ray: "Someone has to make a sacrifice."

Seven pulls out his middle finger.

Seven: "F***k you, Ray!"

Ray: "Trust me, you're not the first person to say that to me."

Seven left his house to go to the bakery and got the cakes.

Manager: "Okay, young man the total comes out to be two hundred currencies even."

Seven: "Here."

He hands the manager the money.

Manager: "Thank you, have a nice day."

He left the bakery and went back home.

Seven: "And I'm officially broke because of you."

Ray: "They were that expensive?"

Seven: "Yes twelve slices of pound cake are sixty currencies and getting the red velvet slices were eighty!"

Ray grabs the bag.

Ray: "Thanks."

Ray vanishes.

Seven: "Thanks?! That's all I get since you're the reason why I'm broke!" He turned around and saw that Ray had already left. "Damn it! I hate it when he does that."

Lilly appears right next to him.

Lilly: "So you're spiritually aware too?"

Seven: "What the hell?!"

Lilly: "Didn't mean to scare you. I've heard about you from Ray."

Seven: "You're one of the reapers, right?"

Lilly: "Of course."

Seven: "It's hard to believe a kid is a reaper."

Lilly: "Listen, you may look like a kid, but I'm much older than you. If I were still alive, I would be eighteen by now. So, don't call me a kid."

Seven: "What do you want from me?"

Lilly: "I just wanted to meet you in person."

Seven notices Loni and gets a bad vibe from the doll.

Seven: (Thinking: "What the hell? That doll something about it is giving me bad vibes. Wait a minute, I can see the aura, and it's black too. I remember from when I was reading dad's journal is that psychic users can see spiritual aura from people and objects.") "Hey, where did you get that doll?"

Lilly: "Loni was with me the day after I died. Ever since then, we've always been together."

Seven touched the doll and got a vision of him seeing Lilly's brother with a crazed look on his face, holding a knife dripping with blood.

Lilly's Brother: "For now on it's just the two of us, Lilly, I won't lose you."

Lilly screams and passes out. She's in so much shock that she didn't remember what happened.

Lilly: "Brother, where's mom and dad?"

Lilly's Brother: "They abandon us."

Lilly: "Why? Why did they leave us?"

Lilly's Brother: "I don't know, but it'll just be the two of us. Forever..."

Lilly tries to snap Seven back.

Lilly: "Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Seven: "What?! Oh, it's nothing. Say, when you were alive, did you have a brother?"

Lilly: "I did."

Seven: "Was he overprotective of you and controlling you?"

Lilly: "Yes.."

Seven: "I think he did all that because he had monophobia."

Lilly: "What?"

Seven: "You know, fear of being alone; he knows that one day you were going to leave him, I think that's why he-"

Loni: "You don't know what you're talking about!"

They vanished, and elsewhere, Ray went back to the mansion and found Christiana in her room with Meadow asleep in her arms.

Ray: "I take it he didn't get much sleep."

Christiana: "No, he was up all last night."

Ray: "Here's your payment." Ray hands her the cakes."

Christiana: "See, I told you it wasn't so hard to get them."

Ray: "Did you find out anything?"

Christiana: "The year Lilly committed suicide was the same year a boy committed suicide at his house."

Ray: "I do remember that, unfortunately, he wasn't punished; he was sent to hell because he sold his soul to him."

Christiana: "Him, huh?"

Ray: "But that doesn't explain the so-called suicides."

Christiana: "Here's the hint: what is the one word I don't like to be called?"

Ray: "The one word you don't like called... Oh shit..."

Later on, in the evening, Lilly appears next to a young man.

Man: "Hi there."

Lilly: "Hello..."

Man: "It's a nice evening, isn't it?"

Lilly: "I guess so."

Man: "How come you're here?"

Lilly: "I just need somewhere to sit."

Man: "Oh well, I'm waiting for my big sister and my baby sister, it's been so long since I saw them both. My big sister was in an accident years ago. I had to send my sister money so she could finish paying off her hospital bill."

Lilly: "Really now?"

Man: "Do you have any siblings?"

Lilly: "I had an older brother, he was so controlling and overprotective."

Man: "I think that's an older brother's job; he is supposed to be protective of his siblings, even if he goes overboard. Say that's a nice-looking doll."

Lilly: "Thanks."

Man: "Where did you get it? I have to get one for my baby sister."

Man's Baby Sister: "Big brother!"

Man: "There they are."

He got up and went to his sister and gave her a hug.

Man's Baby Sister: "Rocky, are you gonna come back for good?"

Man: "Sorry, Minnie, but I have to finish getting my degree, so where's my other sister?"

Man's Big Sister: "Over here, geez, Minnie, you could've waited for me to get there." Lilly is shocked to see his older sister in a wheelchair. "You know how hard it is for me to catch up with you."

Man: "It's good to see you, Lisa."

Lily: "I can't...I can't take his soul."

Lilly vanishes just as the man turns around.

Man: "Where did that girl go?"

Man's Big Sister: "What girl?"

Man: "There was a girl sitting there, she was about Minnie's age, maybe a bit older."

Man's Baby Sister: "I didn't see any girl. I think she left when you had your back turned."

Lilly is in the sky with a scared, worried look on her face.

Loni: "Why did you leave? You know and well that man is going to die tomorrow!"

Lilly: "I can't do it! That man doesn't deserve to die! His sisters need him! I can't just..."

Loni: "You have to you a grim reaper! You don't want to disappoint me, do you?!"

Lilly: "What? Loni, you're acting strange now."

Loni: "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. Let's just go."

Elsewhere, Seven is at home and is looking for his overnight bag, and discovers a case that belongs to his dad.

Seven: "That's weird, this wasn't in my closet before. I guess Uncle Carter must've put it in there. Hm? Nicholas Montague, this must be dad's, but what is it?" He opened the case and saw a dagger, and hunting bow, and arrows. "My dad must have been a hunter like Christiana, so I'm a next-generation demon hunter? That's cool! If I remember correctly from dad's journal, the dagger is a normal weapon and he uses his psychic energy into the dagger to paralyze the demon, and the bow and arrow are hunting weapons, arrows can't harm humans. I guess that's what Christiana meant by bringing a weapon."

He closes the case and but it back where he had it. Meanwhile, Christiana and Meadow went to Lake City; they went to see someone who knew Lilly when she was alive.

Meadow: "What can you tell us about Lilly?"

Woman: "Lilly?"

Christiana: "Do you have a middle school yearbook?"

Woman: "I do."

She got up and got it out of the bookshelf.

Meadow: "This girl." He points to the photograph of Lilly. "Can you tell us what happened?"

Woman: "Oh, Lilly Ann Masters, yeah, I knew her, we were best friends in elementary until..."

Christiana: "Until what?"

Woman: "Until her parents abandoned her and her brother, after that she was distant to me and to everyone."

Meadow: "What about her brother?"

Woman: "I think he was the reason why she was like that... One day, a middle school boy robbed her. She was hurt pretty bad, and he was furious; he almost killed the boy."

Christiana: "Well, I'll be damned."

Woman: "They thought it would be best for him to go to a mental clinic, but before the day they were going to take to the clinic, they just vanished. No one knew what happened or if they were even alive."

Meadow: "What really happened?"

Christiana: "You're just saying that, aren't you? You know what really happened?"

Woman: "I didn't find out the truth when we started middle school. I found out that they were murdered... One day, I was at her house, I overheard her brother saying that he was going to meet someone to pay them for killing his parents. I was so scared I didn't have the courage to tell her what really happened."

Christiana: "How come you never told her?"

Woman: "I had a crush on her brother. I thought if I told her, then he wouldn't like me, but afterward, I got over it. I figured that she found out because she was being so distinct."

Later on, it is nighttime, and Seven is the first one who make it to the apartment building.

Seven: "I guess the guys are late." Then he turned around and saw Christiana and Meadow. "What the hell?! Oh, it's just you guys, how come you two are here?"

Meadow: "It's none of your business, kid."

Seven sees a ball in Christiana's arms and realizes it was an animal.

Seven: "What the f***k is that thing?!"

Christiana: "My pet a fox demon beast."

Harmony: "Mi?"

Seven: "I thought that was a furry ball or something."

Harmony: "*Hisses*"

Christiana: "She doesn't like men that much."

Then his friends showed up.

Austin: "There you are, Seven!"

River: "Sorry we took so long. I told this knucklehead that I know the way to this place, but he didn't listen."

They noticed Christiana and Meadow.

Austin: "Hey, Seven, do you know these two?"

Seven: "Uh... Well... It's funny you see..."

Christiana: "You can say we are good friends with Seven."

Seven: (Thinking) "Okay, that was freaky, she never called me by my name."

Meadow: "We heard about this cursed apartment and we wanted to check it out."

Austin: "Cool, the more the merrier."

River notices Harmony.

Harmony: "*Hisses* *Growls*"

Christiana: "That's strange, she usually just hisses at boys, and men never growl."

River: "I guess some animals just don't like me."

Christiana: (Thinking) "That must be a demon. Harmony only growls at demons, but he isn't the reason for this, though."

River: (Thinking) "Shit! I never thought a human could ever tame a fox demon beast! Luckily, Seven and Austin didn't suspect or notice anything."

River uses the key and unlocks the door; everyone goes inside. Elsewhere, Lilly is confused about her situation and hasn't noticed that Loni is gone. Then Ray appears, looking for her.

Ray: "So that's where you were?"

Lilly: "Ray, I'm confused. I can't take that man's soul; he shouldn't die."

Ray: "It's not up to me, things happen for a reason. Besides, you know and well that the book will show who will or who might die."

Lilly: "That man has two sisters who need him. I can't take that away from them."

Ray: "That's the job of a reaper, you'll have to do things you don't want to. More importantly, you should be worried about something else."

Lilly: "What do you mean?"

Ray: "Haven't you noticed something missing?"

Lilly: "Loni? Where did you go?"

Ray: "That doll of yours is going to kill again."

Lilly: "Why would she?"

Ray: "She's not a she, she is a he, that soul is a guy who is really a demon, a shapeshifter, he must've disguised himself to blend in, but I'm not sure why."

Lilly: "Where?"

Ray: "Where do you think?

Meanwhile, Seven and his friends, along with Christiana and Meadow, went into the apartment to see if the curse was real.

River: "We can look around here to see the cat."

Seven: "If the cat even exists."

Each of them went to different parts of the apartment.

Austin: "I can't believe Seven thinks that there is no such thing as curses."

River: "Some people just don't want to believe in strange and unusual."

Austin: "Though I thought that you would be on Seven's side."

River: "What do you mean?"

Austin: "I thought you didn't believe in it."

River: "Hey, I'm an open-minded person when it comes to things that bump in the night."

Austin: "True. Huh? What was that? Did you hear that?"

They heard something.

River: "I did."

Then the cat appeared out of nowhere.

Austin: "You weren't kidding, River."

River: "You see it too?"

Austin: "Yeah.."

The cat shapeshifts into a man and plans to attack.

River: "Watch out!"

River pushes Austin out of the way, knocking him out in the process.

Stan: "Well then, kid, looks like I have to kill you instead!" River dodges the demon's attack, but hits his head hard on the wall. He is knocked out. "Damn, I was hoping that I would make them kill each other. Oh well, I have to take care of it myself."

Seven: "Hold it! Don't even think about it!"

The demon escapes the room, and Seven goes after him.

Stan: "Damn kid!" The demon stops. "Go on, kid, kill yourself."

The demon manipulates Seven into using the dagger on himself.

Seven: "What the hell?!"

The dagger is pointed at his neck, and Seven tries to break free.

Stan: "Come on, kid, go ahead and do it."

Just before he almost stabs himself, Christiana arrives in time and uses her sword on his wrist.

Seven: "What the hell?! How is my wrist not bleeding?! How do I still have a hand?!"

Christiana: "That's because this sword doesn't harm humans."

Seven: "Well, I'll be damned."

Stan: "So all three of you are hunters?"

Meadow: "Two of us are one is a beginner."

Stan: "Well then, I'll just kill the kid first!"

He attacks Seven, and he manages to dodge the demon. Then he stopped when he heard Lilly."

Lilly: "B-Brother?! I-Is that you?!"

Stan: "Lilly, I can finally show myself to you. When you died, I was hurt so hurt."

Lilly: "When did you die?"

Stan: "Last year it was an accident."

Seven: "He's lying, he died the day after you killed yourself! I saw it myself that doll of yours was really your brother shapeshifted into someone he knew you could trust, an innocent soul!"

Lilly: "What?!"

Stan: "Don't listen to him! Now, Lilly, kill that boy for me."

Lilly is shaken and scared of her brother. She tries to do what he says, then Ray stops her.

Ray: "Don't even think about it! You know what happens if you interfere with the living! Purgatory."

Seven: "Purgatory?"

Meadow: "It's where grim reapers get sentenced to as punishment if they interfere with the living when they are not dying."

Lilly: "I won't let you control me! Not ever again! Not even as a dead person!"

Stan becomes furious and tries to attack Lilly.

Meadow: "Kid, use your weapon."

Seven: "What? I don't know how to archery!"

Christiana: "Quit whining and use it if you want to be a hunter, don't you?"

Seven picks up his dad's bow and arrow.

Seven: "Now go back to hell!"

He uses the bow and arrow; the arrow hits the demon and banishes the demon back to hell.

Stan: "NO! NNNOOO!!!"

Seven: "Oh my god...I had no idea that I could do that..."

Ray: "Looks like you're a natural archer just like Nicholas."

Seven: "You know about my dad."

Ray: "Not a lot. I only met him a few times."

Lilly and Ray vanished as Seven went to see about his friends as they were waking up.

Austin: "Ow... what happened?"

River: "I don't know."

Seven: "Hey, are you guys okay?"

River: "I think so. Did you see who it was that attacked us?"

Seven: "It was some guy who broke in, I guess he thought no one was here."

Austin: "Did you find the cat?"

Seven: "Nope, I told you guys that the curse isn't real."

River: "I think Seven is telling the truth. I didn't see any cat."

Austin: "Neither did I, but I did dream about the cat, though."

Seven: (Thinking: "I got a bad feeling about that reaper.") Listen, guys, I'll be right back I just remember that I forgot something at home."

Seven went to find Lilly, meanwhile Lilly sees the man about to get into his car.

Lilly: "Wait!"

Man: "Oh, it's you, what are you doing here?"

Lilly: "I was wondering if you can take me to the train station."

Man: "Of course, don't worry, I'm in no rush to leave the city."

She gets in the car, and he drives to the train station, then a car swerves nearby.

Lilly: "Watch out!!"

Then the car is about to hit the man's car until Lilly turns the wheel towards the right, manages to save him.

Seven: "Reaper!"

He grabbed his phone and called the emergency line. Nearby Seven's teacher noticed what happened.

Evan: "I have to admit that kid has perfect timing."

He left just as the ambulance and the police came. The police questioned Seven while the paramedics went to see about the man.

Police Officer: "Can you tell me what happened?"

Seven: "I honestly don't know. I was going for a walk, and then I saw a car swerving, and the next thing I knew, there was another car almost crashing to the side of the road."

Paramedic 1: "You were lucky, sir. If you hadn't veered to the right, then you wouldn't have survived. Luckily, you have a few scratches and bruises."

Man: "My sister's friend! You have to help her, she's still in the car!"

Seven walks up to the man.

Seven: "Why did you lie to them? She's not really a friend of your sister's."

Man: "I know, but I told the truth, then they would have assumed that I'm a pedophile or that I kidnapped her."

Seven: "True."

Man: "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be alive."

The paramedics went to get Lilly out of the car Seven is in shock that he turned pale seeing that everyone can see her; the paramedics put her on the gurney.

Seven: (Thinking) "How is the possible?! They can all see her! But she's dead!"

Man: "Hey, are you okay? You're looking pale like you saw a ghost or something."

Seven: "I'm... I'm fine..."

Lilly wakes up and finds herself in the hospital.

Lilly: "Ouch... Huh?! I feel pain, but how? I don't understand..." She uses her two fingers to see if she has a pulse. She feels a pulse on her wrist and is in complete shock. "I'm dead! I'm supposed to be dead, but how am I alive! I shouldn't be alive!!"

Seven: "That's what I want to know."

Lilly: "Kid? What are you doing here?"

Seven: "You shouldn't be calling me a kid, I'm older than you remember."

Ray appears.

Ray: "That's true."

Seven: "Will you stop trying to give me a heart attack?!"

Ray: "There is a reason why she is alive."

Seven: "Well, are you going to tell me?"

Lilly: "Are you talking to Ray?"

Seven: "Huh? You can't see him?"

Ray: "That's because she is no longer dead; that means she can't see me or any other reapers anymore."

Seven: "Why is she alive anyway? I thought once you die, you die and nothing can change that."

Ray: "True, but reapers are a different story. When a reaper commits a selfless act, then I grant them a second chance in life. She's not the first reaper who did that."

Seven: "Like save someone's life."

Ray: "It's practically the only selfless act you can do."

Seven: "So saving that man's life has given Reaper a second chance at life."

Ray: "Pretty much."

Ray vanishes, and the man walks into the room.

Man: "I see you're awake. Oh, I didn't know you had company. Are you a friend of hers?"

Seven: "Not really, I was a witness to the crash, I came to see if she is okay."

Man: "I wanted to thank you, um, I don't think I ever got your name."

Lilly: "It's Li- er I mean Annie. Annie Lee Masters."

Man: "Annie, huh? That fits you perfectly, you look like a Annie. I really am thankful that you saved my life. If you weren't there, then my sisters wouldn't have anyone to help them, especially my big sister."

The man left the room.

Seven: "That's not your real name, is it?"

Lilly: "It's really Lilly Ann, but she died five years ago. Besides, when I was still alive, everyone always told me that I looked like a Annie."

Seven: "That is clever to use a different name."

Lilly: "Why?"

Seven: "Because you can have a fresh start. You don't have to be afraid anymore, like you said, Lilly died years ago. I bet everyone back at your hometown would believe that you're her long-lost relative."

Lilly: "It wouldn't hurt to go home. I have no reason to be here, even after being in this city for three years, I still don't know the place that well."

Seven leaves the hospital, and Ray appears to him once again.

Seven: "What did you mean by Annie not being the only reaper who did that?"

Ray: "There was this boy who took his own life when he was seventeen. He was a reaper for about eight years until he saw in his book that a girl was going to die in a hit-and-run. He soon developed feelings for her, even though he knew it wouldn't happen. When it was her time to die, he pulled her out of the way, preventing her death."

Seven: "That's why you decided to give him a second chance in life."

Ray: "I only did it because it was a selfless act."

Seven: "Before you go, tell me something about my dad, you must know something."

Ray: "All I can say is that the last time I saw him was before he died. He told me that he had a vision, and he saw you in your mother's arms as a child. He was hurt knowing he would never get to see you. I felt bad, I wanted to do something but..."

Seven: "You can't interfere with the living."

Ray: "The way you used that archery equipment, that means you're definitely Nicholas' son. No one can make a perfect bullseye to the target without practice."

Ray vanishes.

Seven: "I wonder if mom knew about dad's trade..." He looks up to the sky. "I'm guessing you're watching me, huh? You're probably proud that I'm inheriting your trade, Dad."

Seven walks back to the apartment building.

To Be Continued...