Had Grayson wished that because he no longer wanted to be classified by society as a freak? He wanted his life to be simple. He wanted to do things that normals take for granted. Grabbing and holding items. Getting those irritating itches that ruin your mood every ten seconds. When you scratch one away, another is already tickling your warm skin. Hugging and cuddling. Or did he wish to hold my hands because he was starting to fall in love with me? However, he planted the idea of Gus possibly having feelings for me. Maybe because he knew that we could not be together. He was trapped in the deep lake. He was dead. If I could not be his girlfriend, he wanted to be sure that I was with another common-sensed boy willing to stand up for me and the truth.

Was I selfish about being happy to not having to decide between Grayson and Gus? I would have certainly gone through the hard decision-making process if only there was some way for Grayson to return to life. Get another chance at experiencing a blessed life even without arms or hands.

I snuck my arm around the spirit and nuzzled my head against his. Suddenly, I felt sleepy. A long yawn floated out of my mouth dry like a used laundry sheet - despite that we were surrounded by water. I was breathing it. I tried staying awake. "How should I get Gabriel's corpse out of the lake? Drag it back up - hoping that the bones will not detach and sink back to the bottom?"

"Leave it to me and my friends. Your friends now. Your only tasks are taking Gabriel's skeleton to the cemetery and giving him a proper burial. He will stop pushing or drowning disabled children and feel peace at long last."

"You and all his other victims will also feel peace."

"And you, your family, and the rest of the residents will have one less killer to watch out for."

My expression turned stern. "Is...Gabriel even aware of his actions? Does he think right before killing someone about the impact on the person and his or her family? I am positive that everyone down here never begged him to drown them."

"Right on your assumption. As for your question...to be honest, it never crossed my mind. He knows what he is doing. I...believe that he does not think things through. Probably in the beginning, but not anymore. He is used to killing with his bare hands. And other locals have yet to connect the missing children and murders with him. No one has explained to him why his doings are wrong. We would have. His first victim would have right when he or she realized that he or she was dead. But he never swims down here to rest. Who knows where he resides. Does not matter."

I no longer possessed the strength to fight my tiredness and closed my eyes. "What if...Gabriel sees me with his skeleton? What might he do if he figures out what I am doing?"

"I am not sure. He never has..." Sleep grabbed ahold of me before I heard him finish his statement.

"Allison!" a squeaky voice shouted. "Allison! Wake up!" Probably this person was roughly shaking me. I did not need to recognize that voice. Only one person in my life has a voice that squeaks when she is really frightened.

"Adalee?"

"She is alive!"

Adalee could help bury the wet skeleton. She may have nightmares regarding the process for a while, however, I needed as much help as I could receive. Gus could too pitch in. He could distract Gabriel. No, no. Gabriel may have murdered him. If Gus did have feelings for me, he would have been murdered probably the same way that Anthony was. How could I keep Gabriel distracted long enough?

"Gabriel! Allison is alive! Should we still take her to the hospital?"

Once she mentioned Gabriel, my eyes opened wide. He was still here. Still with us in our backyard.

"Allison, are you..." Adalee started.

Ignoring the stabbing pain in my chest, I put my hands on the green grass and pushed myself to my knees, and then my feet. The very first thing that my eyes glued on was Gabriel...strolling towards us, a smirk that I would have thought before being plunged in the lake was cute clearly shown on his menacing face. Did he know that I knew? Did he know that I planned on burying his body in the cemetery not far from here?

He stopped right in front of me and raised his arms out to his sides.

"I-I must make a trip to the bathroom," I stammered. I was about to turn around. "Ack!"

The soul wrapped both arms - cold to me now - around me and hugged me, squeezing the life out of me. "What a miracle from the great God Himself."

How dare he speak God's Name when he is killing folks in his wake - especially shoving or drowning those with physical or mental disabilities.

I wriggled my hand out - and slapped his face hard. My hand did not go through despite that he was just a soul. He retracted his arms and backed away. He put a hand on his cheek and showed me a shocked expression. My sister's gasp traveled through the neighborhood.

I was scowling at him. "I really must use the bathroom. So does Adalee."

"I do not—"

"Yes, you do." I grabbed her hand and dragged her into the house and upstairs. "We will not use the bathroom, Adalee."

"Then why did you tell Gabriel that we were? Why lie?"

"He has been lying to us. He is not who he claims to be. He is dangerous and messed-up."

"How can a boy around your age be dangerous?"

"I will explain when we are in my room."

"Uh...Allison? Is that a bone?"