Sarah pressed the end of her gun where the bullet could escape from against Ava's upper back. Her gun was exactly like Ava's. Ava snorted, and her eyes returned to normal.

"Well, well, well. What a surprise," Ava said soothingly. "I had a sneaky suspicion that you would show up."

"Shut up and stand still," Sarah ordered her. "If you try anything or attempt to harm my friends, then I will harm you." She whispered in her ear. "Choose wisely."

"You do not scare me. Nobody does."

"I have my finger on the trigger and ready to shoot you if I need to. And I will not be sorry." She paused for a moment, and then continued. "Put the gun down, and I will let you walk away freely. I promise that I will not stop you."

"...okay." She bent down and set her gun on the ground. She stood back up. "Let me ask you a question. 'Cause I am curious."

"That will be the day. That you would be curious about anything."

She giggled. "You were always so funny."

"It seems that these two know each other," I said to the others just above a whisper.

"Yeah," Margie agreed with me. "But how?"

"What is your stupid question, Ava?" Sarah said with an angry tone.

"Please. Do not be mad. All that I want to know is how you escaped from my clutches. I tied you up and even gagged you."

"A sweet and kind boy around my age found me and got me out."

"Oh, really? What is his name?"

"Shade. He told me that he and the others were looking for me."

"Ah. So there are people who actually care for you. How lucky you are."

"They love me, and I love them. Especially Shade."

Oh, no. Here we go. Sarah had a crush on Shade.

"Ha! They obviously know that you are an O'Connor," Ava reminded her. You are the granddaughter to Dr. O'Connor."

"I am an Oscar! Not an O'Connor! I will never be one ever again. You will not trick me like you did beforehand!"

"I am not tricking you. I am telling you the truth. Biologically, you are an O'Connor. It is in your blood."

"Stop it. Stop it!" A tear streamed down her cheek. "You are doing it again! Manipulating me!"

"How can I when I am only speaking the truth?"

She pulled the gun away and wiped away more tears that were running down both of her cheeks now. "You are a liar. You always have been. I know who I am. I am nothing like you or them!"

"Leave her alone!" Margie yelled as she held her stomach and tried to get back on her feet. "You are hurting her emotionally!" She suddenly fell back down and moaned loudly. "Oh..."

Ava spun around to look at Sarah. "You know that it is true. No matter how hard that you deny it, you are only making it worse. You are denying your destiny. The truth about you!"

Sarah put her hands on the sides of her head. Her gun slipped out of her grasp. "No! Quiet! Y-you will not get in my head!"

"Too late."

Ava quickly grabbed her gun and Sarah's gun and shoved her own gun in her pocket. Then she got ahold of Sarah and aimed Sarah's gun at her. She had an arm wrapped around her neck.

"I will end your suffering, Sarah. Right...now."

"Nooooooooooo!" Margie, Nigel, Gretel, and I protested.

"Take me!" Gretel insisted. "If you need to shoot someone, shoot me! I have cancer!"

"No! Take me!" I cut in. "I am a boy and also have cancer!"

"No! Me!" Nigel shouted. "I will sacrifice myself for everybody else who is here!"

"It needs to be me who gets shot! Again!" Margie screamed. "I suggested that we should go and assist Ava! I only wanted to help her because I am the Monster Protector! The Monster Protector helps people in need!"

Ava gave us a sickening glare. I had a feeling that we were annoying her.

"You cannot change my mind," she said. "I plan on shooting and killing you all. All of you are useless to me now."

"No...we are not!" Sarah shouted.

As she said that, she bit - yes, bit - Ava's arm. Ava let out a cry and pushed her away.

"You twerp!"

"You will kill no one!" Sarah attempted to attack her, but Ava immediately grabbed her wrists.

Ava laughed. "Do you really dare to fight me? You know that I am stronger than you."

"I will fight you...until my last breath. Then...I will be worth something!"

"You know, you should thank me. The doctors and nurses think that your grandfather shot and tried to murder Caleb. He will be going to jail in the next town very soon."

"You always get away with things! Well...not this time!"

Sarah pounced on her, and the two girls began to fight.

"Oh my gosh! Guys!"

We overheard that and slowly turned our bodies, now weak and helpless, and saw Stanley and Maxine hurrying over to us.

"The heck is going on?!" Maxine wondered.

"You have no idea," I muttered.

Stanley picked Margie up and cradled her in his arms. "What happened?" he asked.

The Monster Protector did not answer his question and took off her backpack. She took out her crossbow with the arrow in it and aimed it at Ava.

Stanley gasped. "What are you doing?!"

"Doing what I did to Mrs. M."

"But you are injured!"

"She will kill us!"

"...who?"

"Ava..." Nigel said weakly. "She..."

Maxine helped him up and held him close to her. "You can tell us later," she ordered.

"But—"

"No time!" Margie shot the arrow from her crossbow...

...and the arrow pierced through Ava's chest. Where her heart was.

But guess what?

She did not die.

She...melted.