"Are you out of your mind?!" was all that I could say. I did not know what else to say after he pushed Gus into the lake. Adalee and I could not believe it.

We watched with our mouths open as Gus was pushed in the deep lake. I thought at first that Gabriel knocked him in by accident. We did set Gus at the edge. But you cannot accidentally push someone. You can bump into them by accident. When you push someone, you mean it. You meant to push for whatever reason. So as much as I did not want to believe it...he wanted Gus in there.

Did he want him to drown?

"Are you out of your flippin' mind?" I spoke again. "He is still alive. He cannot drown. You cannot kill him."

Gus remained unconscious, and both his arms and legs were up. He was floating slowly. Floating all the way to the bottom of the lake. I needed to do something - and fast. I could not let him join the other body.

I shoved Gabriel out of the way and got on my knees.

"Allison," Gabriel said. "Allison, what are you doing?"

I ignored him and put my hands in the water. With my thumbs and fingers spread out, I reached down...down until I could grab him. I wrapped my hands around his wrists and tried pulling him out. Alas, I was too weak. I could not pull him no matter how much I wanted. I felt like a loser. He would drown in front of my eyes if I did not pull him out. But it was not his fault. It was not his fault that he was in this situation.

It was Gabriel's.

Gabriel balled his fists. "Allison. Talk to me. Now. Step away from the lake before you tumble in. I could never live with myself if something bad happened to you."

I grunted and looked up at him. "But you could not live with yourself if Gus drowns?"

"He is a lost cause, Allison. He choose the path, and he has to live with - or in this case, die by - consequences. His consequences."

"You purposely pushed him in! He was not hurting you or us! He was unconscious!"

He slid his hands in the pockets of his pants and had a serious expression on that pale face of his. He was not displaying any remorse. He was not worried about the situation at hand. Of course he was not. He hoped that Gus would die. He wanted him to drown in the lake.

I did not know what the bully's intentions were, but he did not deserve to pass like this. Gus did not deserve to drown. His body would never be recovered.

Gabriel's eyelids lowered. "Do not force my hands. You would not like to see what happens when I am ticked."

Adalee's legs were shaking. "G-Gabriel. You are scaring me. I-I thought that we were friends."

"We are friends, Adalee..." He paused and held out his arms to his sides. "...but we will not be friends forever. I will be going away for a while."

"A-are you and your parents going on a vacation?"

He strolled to her. "You could say that. But my parents will not be tagging along for the ride, so your sister will have to do."

"What?!" I exclaimed with anger. "Ah!"

I felt a tight grip on my wrist. I thought that it was Gus and shifted my attention back to him. Not him. He was still out. His eyes and mouth were shut. I looked at my wrist - and could not help but scream.

A hand with long nails was grasping my wrist. The skin was peeling off, and the nails were scratching my flesh. I cried for help, but when I did, I was pulled. The hand pulled me into the lake. The last thing that I heard was my sister shouting my name.

"Allison!"

I do not know how long I was out, but I soon forced my eyes to open. I had a splitting headache and attempted to sit up, but it was difficult. Was I hurt? Was that why I could not sit up or get up?

"I feel fine," I said as I checked myself. "I feel no pain."

It was not until I was finished examining my body that I realized that I was not breathing normally - and I was not the only body in here. I was breathing just fine, but I had to force myself to breathe. It felt as if something - or someone - was covering my mouth and nose. Maybe a pillow. I know that psychos enjoy killing the innocent by covering their faces with pillows until they are dead. Until they stop breathing and moving.

I pray that never happens to me.

I touched my face and realized that nothing was on my nose or mouth. Not even a pillow. That was good news, but it still did not explain why I was breathing weirdly.

Then I remembered and covered my eyes. I climbed to my feet and waited to cry. But I never cried. Guess that it was because I was too stressed and too scared.

"I am dead," I choked out. "I am finally dead. I reached the bottom of the lake and am waiting for the angels to whisk me away."

I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder and a voice.

"You would be dead if we did not protect you."

I was startled by the voice and turned to where it came from. I did not recognize it, but it belonged to a boy. A young boy. I uttered a gasp when I saw him. He waved to me and was smiling with glee. The boy was a couple inches shorter than me, but he looked to be around my age.

"Hello, Allison," he greeted. "I am ecstatic to meet you at last."