The Key Chased the Blade

Something yanked me out of the way.

The wailing of the banshee was loud and shrieking in my ears now, and Rhode's knife plunged into the spot where I once stood. At first I thought Alex had grabbed me. But when I felt those skinny arms around me I realized that it was Simon.

"Go!" he screamed. "Run and call the police!"

Simon literally pushed me. Instinctually, I felt two things. One to run away, and the other to fight, but none of my senses were working right and in the momentum I tripped over myself and my hands and knees hit the gravel. I heard a shriek of rage. And I scrambled to my feet just as Rhode swiped her knife into Simon's side.

It cut right through the fabric and blood stained the whiteness faster than I thought possible. Now I felt only one thing. I was going to kill Rhode.

I let out a screech and lunged at her. I socked her right in the gut and drove my shoulder into the tackle, but this girl was stronger than I had ever imagined. She threw me. She grabbed me one-armed and hurled me to the ground. The breath whooshed out of my lungs. The next thing I saw was Simon. Simon flinging himself at the arm the held the knife, elbowing her in the face while doing so, but Rhode holding fast. He lost his grip, though. Rhode twisted and the knife slit straight down his wrist to his elbow in one motion.

The next thing was a blur. Me, racing to my feet, ready to die to help Simon, Simon, his face twisted in horror as bright red blood spurted out of his arm, and Rhode taking that moment to sink her knife into Simon's chest.

And as this happened, I saw Alex bolt from behind and slam his body into Rhode's.

Simon fell. Alex flung Rhode away. Rhode slammed into both the swing-set chains and in the twist of motion, let out a strangled scream as one of them caught her in the throat. I threw myself at Simon. The knife's handle was stuck in his chest and Simon's eyes were wide and mortified. Rhode choked. She'd twisted and a chain wrapped around her neck. Alex dashed over there, fist raised, but just then, the rusty chain, with a mighty shriek, snapped and Rhode's head smacked against the gravel. And there, with the chain around her throat, she lay unconscious.

I screamed. It was a wordless scream. But Alex raced beside me. Blood pooled out of Simon's chest and side. His arm sputtered blood.

"I am going to die after all," he said.

Alex ripped off his shirt. He tore it off, buttons flew from their snapped strings, and pressed it hard onto Simon's arm. "Noah, hold this," he said.

I did so and I could feel every pulse of Simon's heart with the blood flow.

Alex pulled out his phone and dialed 911. "We've got a teenager bleeding to death here. We're at Fourteen Pines Park," he told them. "Get the police here too. We have the assailant unconscious here as well."

Simon stared into my eyes and at that moment I could hear nothing but wailing. The banshee was screaming. She was screaming in agony. But for some reason, Simon smiled.

I love you, he signed with his other hand.

I love you too, I signed back, and I saw his smile shift to his stupid dorky smile before he sighed, closed his eyes, and let himself bleed out.