The school was being evacuated by the time Ember got there; Bianca, Kent and Davina must've used their siren songs to do it so fast.

But Ember had no intention of staying away. Oh no. She was going to beat Crackstone.

It seemed as though the prophecy was being set up for her; Crackstone had already set fire to the quad with his scepter.

But before she could fight him, she needed a weapon. And she knew just where to find it.

The sabre her uncle had used to defend himself against Garrett Gates all those years ago was still on display on the first floor of Nevermore. No class case or anything. So, climbing the stairs urgently, Ember seized the long sword from its holders and held it up, staring at it in wonder.

Then she rushed down the stairs to the burning quad. She had been thinking about when this moment would come from the moment Rowan had shown her this. But not always in the good way.

Anyway, she entered the quad just as Kent and Davina got blasted back into the wall by Crackstone's scepter. The pilgrim was on his own in the middle of the burning quad, Laurel Gates no longer with him.

"Howdy, pilgrim," she said, smirking slighty, raising the sword as Crackstone turned, his big cloak billowing.

"How canst thou heart still beat?" Crackstone asked, his eyes wide and mouth gasping. "What demon sorcery is this-?"

"STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!"

The last time Ember had seen Xavier Thorpe he had been wishing her death, and here he was, saving her life.

Yes, Xavier was standing there, at the edge of the quad, a bow and arrow in hand. He stayed still for a moment, Ember turning with a surprised expression on her face. Then he shot.

And it went straight at Crackstone-

But the pilgrim wasn't out of the race yet.

It was as if Ember was watching in slow motion. She saw Xavier shoot the arrow to try and protect her, and then she saw Crackstone, stopping it in its tracks. He had a palm up, and was holding it steady.

Well, before he turned the arrow around, his fingers following each other round in a circular motion until the arrow, which had been inches from his face, was now turned back towards Xavier.

And in that moment, as Ember looked at A
Xavier and back to Crackstone, who released the arrow, she knew what she had to do.

She stepped in its path.

"Argh!" She shouted, feeling a considerable pain and crying out as it pierced just slightly in from her shoulder. She fell to the ground and rolled in two full circles until she came to a stop on her back, clutching the arrow in her shoulder.

"NO! EMBER!" She heard Xavier shout, and she saw him run to her, kneeling down beside her. She was convulsing on the ground, rolling about as she held the arrow.

"Ember, listen-" Xavier said, as he reached her.

"I'm fine, Xavier!" Ember shouted.

"I'm sorry-"

"You need to-"

"No, listen, I-"

"Xavier!" Ember cried sharply, making the boy stop and look at her. "You need to go, get them out of here!" She added, seeing Kent, Davina and a few others running the perimeter of the quad.

Xavier rested a hand on her shoulder, opening his mouth to speak. Ember, however, shouted. "Now!"

He snapped back together. "Okay!" He shouted, jumping up and running to the others at the edge.

Ember, meanwhile, had the more unpleasant job of pulling the arrow out of her shoulder. She pushed her hips up and writhed about until she got it out, then she got straight back up and took ahold of the sword again, facing Crackstone.

Her plaits blew in the wind that dried the blood on her face as she gripped the hilt tighter. The corners of Crackstone's withered line of a mouth turned upwards into a smirk.

Ember didn't hesitate.

Rushing forward, she slashed her sword at Crackstone's scepter and forcing the pilgrim to lift his weapon off the ground and swing it in a circle above his head. She ducked as it was about to hit her, doing a backflip and knocking Crackstone's hat off in the process, revealing more of his ivory, plastic-looking hair.

This appeared to make Crackstone more angry, as he bared his teeth and struck the ground with his scepter, sending up a shower of sparks. Ember just lashed out again, slashing at the pilgrim again. She twirled about, her sword going about her head as a loud clanging sound echoed through the air when the sword and scepter collided.

But this time was different. This time, when they collided, Crackstone let out a roar, almost doubling the power of his weapon.

The sword split in a second, shattering metal all over the place.

Ember staggered back, gasping; taking in the broken blade of her weapon.

But she only got a second before Crackstone used his scepter again; blasting Ember back onto a tipped-over school bench. The girl winced, trying the struggle against the scepter's power.

Crackstone, meanwhile, was approaching, still pointing the scepter at her and keeping her held against the bench. The tip of it reached her heart, blasting her head back against the bench.

"I will send you back to hell," Crackstone vowed, still thinking Ember to be Goody.

And with that, he pushed his weapon harder, the top of it going from green to red.

Ember cried out, a sudden pain bursting through her-

"Argh!" But that wasn't her.

Looking up in surprise, Ember saw a blade, piercing through the middle of Crackstone's chest.

The man turned, revealing Bianca to both him and Ember.

"Urgh!" In an instant, Bianca was thrown across the quad, landing in a heap ten metres away, grunting.

But this gave Ember a chance.

And she took it.

So, springing up, she grabbed a sharp broken bit of the sword and, as Crackstone turned, she slammed it into his chest. His black heart.

Slowly, Ember twisted the blade, starting to hear a sizzling sound coming from Crackstone's skin.

Then, slowly, staring him down, Ember pushed him away, seeing now, two holes in his chest. Both glowing.

Then a black smoke began to emit from them, and they started to grow. Crackstone heaved, his body slowly disappearing into a fiery corpse.

You could still hear his yell, even when he was just a flame in the shape of a body.

BOOM!

Then the explosion; wiping out all the fire in the quad and leaving only the burnt tree and benches. Ember and a newly-standing Bianca just stayed still, looking around in shock.

Then they nodded to each other.

It was over.

But it wasn't.

Click. Ember heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet heading into a chamber as she turned to see Laurel Gates, holding a small shotgun.

"Oh, were you naive enough to think this fight was over, Ember?"

A gun that was pointed towards Ember's head.

She walked out of the doors and onto the grass, her eyes and face hard.

"Deciding to bring a gun to this fight is the first smart decision you've made today," Ember quipped.

Laurel just smirked. "I might not get to kill all the outcasts, but at least I'll get to kill you, Ember."

However, both of them stopped when a sudden buzzing filled the air. Then a bee landed on top of the gun.

Laurel looked at it in confusion, but Ember was just in complete shock.

"Eugh!" Laurel started to shout as ten, twenty, thirty, forty more bees came into the quad; surrounding and landing on her.

Then a whole swarm came in, flying from the hall to the left of Ember. They all surrounded Laurel as she shouted, trying to swat them off. She shot the gun at them, too, but it did no difference to the amount of bees around her.

"ARRRGHH!" She shouted, putting her hands across her face and screaming as she fell on the ground, bees across her whole body.

"Yeah, that's what you get for messing with Nevermore. Bitch."

Ember hadn't noticed Eugene enter the quad, but she had guessed that he would be somewhere nearby. Either way, as he stepped in, smiling like crazy, she knew that she couldn't have done this without him.

"Hummers stick together," Eugene smiled slightly. He had his anorak back on and some clothes on top of his hospital attire. "Right?"

Ember gave a nod, and a slight smile, turning to Laurel, who was on the ground, crying out and whimpering.

She had only five words as she stepped forward.

"I'll take it from here."

"Maybe we should call the sheriff?" Eugene suggested from behind her.

She didn't even look back. "Turn around, Eugene."

Then boot made contact with face.

❣︎❣︎❣︎

Once Laurel was disposed of, Ember, Bianca and Eugene had set their sights on the fact that the school needed to know it was safe. So, the three of them going out to the front doors of the school, they headed to the outskirts of the woods, where the evacuation point was.

She saw the big gathering before they saw her; but they weren't far behind.

Then, suddenly, without warning, Enid, who had frizzy hair and a face covered in blood, rushed at Ember. The blood wasn't all hers, of course; in fact, there was only one cut on her temple; it was Tyler's, or the Hyde's, but it did make the hug more enjoyable.

Yes, that's right, as Enid rushed towards her, Ember already knew what she was going to do. So she stood, rigid as a board, as Enid wrapped her arms around her. Ember's eyes went wide and she froze, but she didn't resist.

In fact, as Enid let go, tears in her eyes, she did something unexpected, and went in for a second.

But this time, Ember was the one to wrap her arms around Enid, twisting about for a few seconds.

It meant a lot.

And Enid wasn't the last.

"I'm sorry," Xavier whispered into her ear, as Enid moved aside with a smile and let him in. "I'm so sorry, Ember."

Ember didn't reply, but as Xavier pulled back and gave her a smile, she did something unexpected. I mean, it was half-hearted, forced, and very uncomfortable.

But she returned it.

❣︎❣︎❣︎

A few days later, after the school had been completely fixed up and redone, it was the end of the semester.

Naturally, right now, Ember was sitting in her room alone, finishing her novel on her typewriter. Lurch had arrived and was now taking her violin out to the car. She was to be riding home alone with Wednesday.

But, for now, she was completely focused on her novel.

Until she wasn't.

Until she was typing those two little words onto the bottom of the paper.

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙽𝙳

But was it?

Laurel was dead. That she was sure of. But Tyler...

Enid had taken care of him, that was for sure. But Ember knew for sure that Enid could never kill. And she hadn't been there to finish off the job.

So Tyler was off to a mental asylum, the last she had heard. He had been caught by the sheriff and apprehended.

So now, Ember thought for a second before adding something to the end of her novel. It now read:

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙽𝙳?

There. Now she was satisfied.

She then took out the last page, and added it to her box of them; both her and Wednesday's work finished.

Now I just have to get it published.

❣︎❣︎❣︎

Next stop on her list was Weems' office. Well, Weems' old office. Ember had just gone in there to look at the empty desk and chair, and think about the old principal.

Yes, Weems had been a pompous, arrogant woman, who did bad things to cover up her reputation, but she was also brave, and clever, and she deserved to be recognised.

"I hate to admit, but I am going to miss Principal Weems," Enid said, sighing as she came to stand next to Ember.

"She could be a real pain," Ember said bluntly. She then added. "But she was tough. And she died for the only thing she really loved; this school. For that, I have immense respect."

Enid shrugged, pursing her lips. "She was one of us," she turned to Ember, the cut on her temple prominent; Tyler had left a mark.

Then she was as gone as quick as she came, but this time, Ember followed her.

"Now that we're all leaving for break, you have to come visit me in San Francisco," Enid said as they arrived downstairs. "I can pretty much guarantee fog and drizzle everyday."

"Sounds like an offer you can't refuse," Ember said, eyeing a certain siren as she passed.

"Bianca!" Ember called, sterling herself. She knew she had to do this, and when the girl turned round, she knew it would have to be now.

"I owe you a thank you," Ember told her.

Bianca smiled. "We're getting that fencing title next year. So don't let killing one supernatural pilgrim get to your head."

But a smile was on her face as she turned, heading off to talk to Kent at the other side of the hall.

Ember gave her a nod as she looked up, seeing another score she had to settle.

Conveniently, Enid mysteriously disappeared as soon as she saw Xavier, standing at the top of the first floor stairs, smiling down at her.

Ember hadn't spoken to him since he had hugged her on the night she killed Crackstone, but by the way he was looking at her as she walked by, she knew she had to do something.

She climbed upstairs immediately, Xavier coming to meet her as she arrived at the top.

They stood a metre apart from each other, Ember staring up at him and him down at her.

They stood in silence for a few seconds.

"I hear you're a free man now," it wasn't one of Ember's most tactful remarks.

Xavier nodded. "Yup. All charges dropped."

He then held up a small black box tied with a red ribbon. "Listen, when I was in the cell I said a lot of- things," he looked at her. "But I didn't mean it. I did mean it when I said I was sorry the other night."

Ember raised her eyebrows.

"Look, being your friend should come with a warning label," Xavier shrugged. "But... I don't know a lot of people who would take an arrow for me."

"I don't know a lot of people that would try to save my life," Ember said fairly. "Most would be glad."

Xavier shook his head. "Then- they don't know the real you, Ember. But there's maybe just one thing I can change..." he smiled, holding out the box to her. "Welcome to the twenty-first century, Addams."

Ember took it and opened it. Inside, nestled on a bunch of black tissue paper, was a mobile phone.

It had a nice, smooth screen, and a red back to it. It seemed brand new.

"My number's in there already," Xavier smiled watching her reaction to the gift.

"How do I delete it?" Ember asked him, looking up so he could see that she had no intention of doing so. "But if we're speaking seriously, I hope you're not expecting me to call."

"No, not at all," Xavier grinned, shaking his head in a sarcastic manner. "But I'd settle for a text though.

"You know what a text is, right?" He added to a death-staring Ember, who was looking up at him disgustedly.

Ember thought about it, then remembered something completely different that she had to ask him.

"The other day, when I had taken your arrow, you started to ramble, like you had overindulged on my Uncle Fester's special electroshock therapy. I used to do that for fun," she added, thinking. She stayed silent for a moment.

"So..." Xavier urged her on.

"Right. So, what I wanted to ask you was, what were you going to say to me?" Ember asked.

Xavier's face suddenly went red. Ember had no idea why (was he being choked or something?) but she just stared up at him.

"Erm- er-" he stuttered. Then he took a deep breath. "Okay... erm... well, Ember- it's completely fine if you don't, but-"

"What?" Ember asked. "Why are you tripping over your words? And why do you look like someone's got you in a choke hold?"

Xavier grinned in spite of himself. "Oh, Ember..." he grinned even wider, it that was possible. "Right," he said determinedly. "What I've been trying to say for a- really long time, actually, is that- er-

"I like you, Ember."

Ember felt her heart skip several beats.

"I really like you," Xavier seemed happy now the hard bit was done. "I- er- I like that you're snarky, and such a badass, and I like that you don't care what anyone thinks of you. I like that you're better than me at fencing, even if you kick my ass every time we fight. I- I just-" he sighed. "I just wanted you to know.

"But it's completely fine if you don't feel the same way," he backtracked, at the look of complete shock on Ember's face. "I- I- er- I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean- shit- I've rushed you, I-"

"Xavier," Ember finally found her tongue, looking up at the boy. Xavier stopped talking and looked at the girl.

"Yes?"

Ember steeled herself. "I... I don't think I'm ready..."

"It's fine," Xavier said immediately. "It's okay if you don't-"

"But that doesn't mean I'll never be."

Xavier and Ember were both in shock now; Xavier at the fact that she hadn't rejected him yet, and Ember at the fact that she had just said that. What was I thinking?!

Xavier, meanwhile, was smiling again; laughing. He took her hand. "I'll wait for you, Ember. However long it takes."

Ember studied him, dropping their interlinked hands. "You might be waiting a long time."

"I don't care," Xavier shook his head meaningfully. "But when you're ready, you can tell me. Or send me a text," he flashed a flirty smile at her.

Ember looked him up and down. "Thank you, Xavier. And goodbye."

And with that, she was off, back down the stairs again.

"You gonna be back next semester?" Xavier asked after her. Silence greeted his question. "Yes? No? Maybe?"

She didn't answer.

But deep down, she knew the truth.

How could she stay away?

❣︎❣︎❣︎

As the big black car with the red seat covers inside pulled away from Nevermore, both Ember and Wednesday were seated inside.

Once they were far enough away, Ember pulled out the black box with the red ribbon on it again.

"What is that, cousin?" Wednesday asked her.

"A phone," Ember answered. "Xavier gifted it to me. I thought it would be good to accept it, then refuse it later."

Wednesday smirked.

That's when Ember's new phone pinged. A thing Ember thought Enid called a 'notification' popped up on it:

Unknown Contact
New Message

Ember stared at it in confusion. Xavier said it was only his number in it.

Curiousity killed the cat, so they say. And Ember was definitely up for some killing. So, trying to work out how to open the message, she swiped the screen up, due to the Swipe up to unlock at the bottom of the screen.

So, swiping, she saw something that made her heart chill.

The first message was a picture of her, Wednesday and Tyler in the Weathervane.

The second was of her and Xavier, taken just a short half an hour ago, when he was holding her hand.

But it was the the third message that disconcerted her:

𝖨'𝗆 𝗐𝖺𝗍𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎 👀

Then, suddenly, another message came up. This one was what Ember believed to be called a 'GIF'.

It was of her, blinking, as a knife got thrown into her head, her blood splattered to the ground and her eyes went to X's.

Ember looked at the four messages in all of horror, confusion and admiration.

My very first stalker.

Maybe this forced vacation will be more interesting than I imagined.

She slid her phone into her bag and Thing, who was already inside, slid it further in and closed the flap.

Unlike my novel, not every thread has been tied up; nor every question answered. Secrets are still lurking in the dark corners of Jericho.

Ember's eyes went up to the window as a big white van with sirens on it and flashing lights went past her, Wednesday and Lurch on the road. She had her suspicions about what was inside.

Were Laurel Gates and Tyler just pawns in a bigger game? Will today's stalker become tomorrow's nemesis?

But most importantly, will I be able to survive to find out the truth?

Ember closed her eyes and saw Tyler transforming; his eyes growing wide, his teeth into fangs, his hands into claws-

I know the suspense is killing you.