Forever (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 5)

The air around the Reaper blurred until the omen stood only feet away from her mother. It snarled and growled and let out a one last long howl.

And then it lunged and disappeared.

“Nooooo!” A young, high-pitched voice wailed.

Mina turned. That wail was her brother’s very first word. “Charlie!”

Brody released her. She wrapped her arms around her brother as he sobbed and cried out in pain.

“No, M-M-Mom.” His eyes were red and filled with tears.

When Mina glanced out the door, the yard was empty.

Chapter 3

“Mom!” Mina shouted. She fled the protection of the salt-circle. Brody reached for her again, but she shoved his hands to the side. He’d held her back! He kept her from saving her mom.

Mina raced outside, ignoring the fresh blood on the back porch. It had to be from the omen. There wasn’t a lot. It couldn’t have been from her mom.

There was no other visible sign. She ran into the grass where the Reaper had stood only moments ago and turned full circle, scanning the woods. Nothing. Only a bit of scorched black grass.

Mina wanted to lash out and scream her pain and her loss to high heavens, but she couldn’t do that. Charlie’s wailing drew her gaze back toward the house. Brody held her brother as he continued to cry loudly.

What a terrible miracle. He was talking. He’d never spoken a word…until now. Until their mother died.

Everything pressed down on her, and she couldn’t breathe. The world grew smaller, colder, darker. Hope was blinking out like a dying star and being swallowed into a black hole of nothingness. She couldn’t survive this. Not when the war was costing the lives of her family.

Her knees collapsed beneath her, and she wanted to give in, give up. The darkness seemed to be her only peace, so she let it claim her. The cold grass pressed against her cheek, and her eyes closed.

>Mina hurried to the front of the house but saw nothing. Something invisible was ramming against the door.

“Why can’t I see it anymore?”

“You won’t, honey. You only see a death omen once, unless he wants you to see him. But you see where he’s been in hindsight.”

The beast stopped its attack on the front door, so Mina jogged back to the kitchen. Brody handed her mother the rest of the salt. Charlie ran in with a small black cosmetic mirror and handed it to his mother.

Her mom picked the largest chef’s knife out of the cutting block and tested the sharpness against the edge of her thumb. She looked pleased with the results.

“How do you know this?” Mina asked accusingly. “You’ve met him before. Haven’t you?”

Her mother stilled. Her hand wiped a loose strand of hair out of her face, and she turned to face her daughter. “You’re right. This is not the first time Death has come to my door. But this is the first time I can fight back. This isn’t just any Grimm Reaper. He’s not just hunting Grimms. This is Death himself, and he won’t leave until he’s collected.”

“What do you mean?”

Sara looked out the kitchen window and across the yard. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you better. I did the best I could, but without your father, I just wasn’t strong enough. I gave up so much to be with him. I could have done something back then, but I didn’t. I promised him. I had to stay for you… and for Charlie. Mina, listen to me. Find my parents. They’ll help you.” She paused and looked at Charlie and then Mina. “I love you both…very much.”

This was the first she had ever in her life heard her mother mention her own parents. She had grown up thinking they were dead.

Mina watched in alarm as her mother’s deft hands poured the salt into her right hand, picked up the knife, and cast a furtive look over her shoulder. She added a little salt to the knife-hand too.

“Whatever happens, don’t let her follow me out that door. Do you hear me?” The command was directed to Brody, who nodded solemnly. “For any reason.” She stepped out onto the back porch and turned to face them through the window.

“Mom!” Mina yelled and rushed for the door, but

soft hands pulled at her. Mina looked down to see her brother’s head against her midsection as he held onto her in a bear hug. “Charlie, let me go.”

His small head shook back and forth violently, and his shoulders shook with fear. His emotions affected Mina as if they were her own.