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“Matt, Matt, look at what I made!”Little Rossana ran up the steep hill, almost tripping over herself as she stumbles through the dandelions. Matthew Patrick, her best friend, smiles at her teasingly and points at her red skirt which is now spotted with dirt and grass.“Your mum’s gonna be upset when she sees that, “ he says, shuffling across the red and white checkered picnic blanket, leaving enough room for Rossana to sit on.Rossana sits down beside him, picking the grass off her skirt. “Well, today’s my birthday and I’m turning eleven, so she’ll have to live with it.”Matthew laughs. “You’re gonna be the death of her one day.”“Oh, she’ll be fine.”Rossana digs into her basket that’s almost as big as her and pulls out small little cakes and sandwiches. She closely examines each cake before gently picking up a strawberry cake, carefully peeling off its white wrapper. She took a huge bit, getting a bit of pink icing on her nose. Matthew laughed at her, and she hastily wiped the icing off her nose embarrassed. Nonetheless, the taste was amazing. She had baked these cakes herself, with the aid of her mother of course.While she chipperly munched away on her cake, she looked over and saw that Matthew hadn’t touched anything. She frowns. “Why aren’t you eating anything? Do you not like it? B-Because I can make something different next time-”“No, it’s fine! I’m just not that hungry…” Matthew smiles kindly, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.Rosanna sighs and gazes towards the setting sun. She knows Matthew well, after all, they are best friends - siblings, even if they aren’t related by blood. But lately, he’s been acting weird. Every time he laughs, it sounds hollow, like he was a walking corpse. He never really sounded… Alive. Not after the fire.Rosanna turns her head, catches a glimpse of Matthew’s stitches then winces. She feels a pang of guilt blossom in her chest. It was her fault, wasn’t it? If she was just fast enough and not a total ditz, then maybe Matthew wouldn’t have gotten hurt. He wouldn’t have had to run back into the blazing fire for her. Sure, she might not be here if it wasn’t for her unofficial brother’s bravery, but at least he would be smiling - really smiling - and not be in constant pain. He couldn’t go anywhere without someone helping him walk. His legs had been damaged the worst, and now he gets chronic pains. He feels them all over his body, from his head down to his toes, but it’s the worst in his legs, hence making it almost impossible for him to walk by himself.Oh, and the stitches. The stitches are the worst. He had to get them or his cuts would get infected. They surrounded his wrists, his ankles and even his neck. Rosanna was sure he would get them out soon since it has been a week when the fire happened, but this was his first day out of the medical centre (they let him out early he told her, so he could celebrate her birthday) so he hasn't recovered fully yet. Miraculously though, he hadn’t gotten any burn scars. It was a miracle, because what else could it have been? There was no way burns could heal that fast, much less leave behind no scarring.Matthew was truly blessed.Rosanna picks up a chocolate cupcake and chomps down on it hungrily. By now she’s on her fifth cake, and for a second she fears she’s going to get fat, but then she remembers that she’s a small, petite girl so just a little more won't hurt.She later finishes her sixth cupcake. Okay, she should really stop.She bites into her seventh.“Ro, you're going to get as fat as that gingerbread women, “ Matthew says.Rosanna pouts. “I have a major sweet tooth, I can't help it.”Matthew chuckles lightly - a chuckle holding minimal emotion - and gazes off into the sunset. His cold oak eyes contain no life, and it scares Rosanna.He's just hurting, she tells herself. But the hurting will stop. One day.She hopes it will stop. It has too.Rosanna starts brushing the crumbs off her chest and white apron, lost in thought. The fire… Not only did it take her best friend's smile, but also the life of another boy. His name was also Matthew, which Rosanna finds odd. My Matthew was spared at the price of another Matthew… she thinks. She then frowns. But it’s like he never really survived that fire either.While Rosanna was carefully picking off the last bit of crumbs, Matthew suddenly grasped her wrist.“Hey, “ he smiles, though the smile is empty. “Wanna go on an adventure?”Rosanna’s eyes widen. “An… An adventure? But Matt, what about our parents?”“Don’t worry about them, “ he says, still holding her hands. “My parents are busy visiting the other Matthew at the cemetery, and your parents have their hands full with the bakery.”Rosanna looks down at the ground. “I don't know… My parents will worry.”“Just forget them, okay? We’ll be fine.”This is a bad idea.“O-okay.”His smile broadens. “We have to leave by tonight though, otherwise they will take me away again. I can't go on an adventure locked up in a small room can I?”Rosanna nods her head.“Bring whatever you can with you, okay?” Matthew pauses for a second. “And bring matches and oil. They're super important.”She nods her head again, more slowly this time.“Good.” His eyes shimmer with an emotion Rosanna can't quite place. “Meet me here at midnight.”“And why do you need matches and oil?” Rosanna asks curiously. She trusts him, but lately, he's been acting a little strange.Matthew snickers at Rosanna’s obliviousness. “For the lantern of course!” He then pauses. “You have a lantern, right?”“Oh, right of course!”Silly Rosanna. Rosanna tiptoes around the corner of her house, doing her best not to wake her parents. She hadn't told them about this little ‘adventure’ she and Matthew were going on, because she knew they would reject the idea of it. She enters the kitchen, gingerly opening the cabinets and starts rummaging around in there to find what she needed. She created a mental checklist, and most of the items on that list she has already collected. Rope? Check. Food? Check. Coins? Check. Oil? Check. Lantern? Check.All that was left was - now where are they… Ah-ha!Matches!...Why did Matthew need matches?Rosanna closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pushed all of her dark thoughts into the back of her head. He probably needs them if they ever need to start a campfire, and there was always the possibility of being attacked, so having some kind of defence was a good idea. She had to trust him like she always did as he was the smart one. She just needed to have more faith in him.She grabbed them and stuffed the faded, red box into her basket. It was heavier than usual, but then again, she was carrying a tone of supplies that weren't baked goods. She then creeped out towards the front door of her house, opening it gradually so it didn't creek and disturb her parents. She peeked out to view the streets to see if there was anybody still awake, and was delighted to see that nobody was in sight. Not even Alison, an older girl that Rosanna suspects is a vampire, or any of her family were awake partying as usual. It was actually very disturbing. Still, she trotted onto the cobbled streets and moved her way down to the hilly meadow she and Matthew had her birthday picnic at.As she reached the top of the hill, she could see Matthew sitting down, staring off into space wearing the exact same clothes as he was wearing at the picnic. He was sporting his white, tattered shirt, brown overalls, leather boots and a pair of glasses that was now a size too small for him. In fact, it looked like he barely moved a muscle. At least Rosanna put in the effort to change! She wore a plaid red skirt, a white apron, a black corset, some knee-high white socks and black shoes. A lot of people told her she looked like a girl named 'little red riding hood', though she had no idea who that was and just shrugged it off."Are you ready?" Matthew suddenly says, startling Rosanna. He was still watching the stars flicker in the night sky, so how did he know that it was her and not some random stranger? Maybe she was just overthinking it.Rosanna hums in response, which apparently is all the confirmation he needs. "Alright then, help me up."She shuffles over to him and clasps him tightly by the arms, hoisting him up onto his feet. He gestures to the dirt path ahead of them, explaining that that was where they needed to go. She's never been down that road or has even left the village, but she follows Matthew's orders because she trusts him. He's her best friend; her soul sibling. He wouldn't put her in any danger.Before any of them continue, Rosanna pulls out her box of matches. Matthew grins at the sight of them which confuses her since he literally almost died in a huge fire, so wouldn't he be bothered by the sight of flames? She ignores his strange behaviour and lights the single candle in the bronze lantern she owned ablaze. It's not the brightest light, but it's something.The two children begin their adventure, skipping down the rocky path. The freezing autumn air whips Rosanna in the face, sending a chill down her spine. The cold seeps through her clothes, clinging onto her like a leech. She looks a Matthew who is walking beside her while shivering. He doesn't seem to be bothered by the cold in the slightest. Even so, she wraps her arms around her waist, trying to warm up. Did they really have to do this at night? Couldn't she just sneak Matthew out of the medical centre?She suppresses the urge to bombard him with questions, and instead focuses her attention on the flickering lights in the distance. As she nears the source of all that light, her eyes manage to make out the shape of a small tavern in the dark. Excited, she cocks her head sideways to face Matthew."Oh, Matt, do you see that!" She squeals, bouncing up and down with enthusiasm."Yeah, it looks like a tavern, " Matthew observes. "You wanna have a look inside?"She nods her head up and down rapidly. "Yeah!" She then blows out the light in her lantern and stores it away in her basket for later.They both run up to the tavern, bursting through the wooden doors almost tripping over. Rosanna feels warmth wash over her, a sensation she had been missing ever since she stepped outside. The music fills her with a fuzzy feeling as she hears the clicking of peoples heels, presumably dancing to the music. The whole tavern is bustling with activity, with people swaying with the music and waiters running left and right collecting people's orders. A bunch of drunk men were singing along with the music, but most of the words that left their mouths were slurred, nothing but gibberish or a combination of both. Soon enough, her eyes landed on a woman who was elegantly dancing along with the band up on stage, enjoying the attention she brought herself. She was decked out in garments and jewellery, the gems glittering in the light. Her jet-black hair fell over her shoulders, her brown eyes glistening like the jewels she wore.First, Rosanna approached the singing drunk men. "U-uh, excuse me!" She shouted, trying to yell over the blaring music and screaming of the tavern.One of the men noticed her and gave her a weird look, sort of like a glare. He wore a face full of makeup and a fancy green suit. He looked no older than eighteen, but Rosanna suspects that he may be a bit younger than that. Still, he acknowledges her. "Are you lost or somethin'?"Rosanna fiddles with her skirt as she responds. "Um, kinda.""Well, I'm Manny, " he states with confidence placing his hand on his chest, even though she never asked for his name. "And, like, what the hell are you doing here? Aren't you a little young to be drinking?""Well..." Rosanna looks down at her feet. "I just want directions, that's all""Where are you going then?"Rosanna raises her head, unsure of what to say. "Uh..." She leans over to Matthew who whispers something in her ear, which earns an eyebrow raise from Manny. "Everlock. Matthew and I need to go to Everlock."Manny smiles pleasantly at her. "Well guess what sweetie."Rosanna tilts her head to the side. "What?""I suck at giving directions, ask someone else.""Oh."Suddenly, one of Manny's friends slides over next to him, obviously intoxicated. This man has hair so blonde it almost looks white and azure eyes. He gives her a lopsided grin. "Oh my God, you are so cute!"Manny rolls his eyes. "Omigod, Joey, not right now-""Isn't she just the sweetest thing you've ever seen!" The man, Joey, turns to his flamboyant looking friend. "Can we keep her?"Rosanna holds her breath."Hell no!"She exhales in relief.Joey pouts like a child but directs his attention back at Rosanna. "So, what are you doing here anyway?""Matthew and I need to get to Everlock, " she explains.Joey nods and points a finger towards the dancer that's still grooving it to the music. "I know that lady up on stage. Her name is Colleen. If there's anyone who knows how to get to Everlock, it's her."Rosanna smiles gratefully at him. "Thank you so much!"He chuckles. "Anything for an adorable lil kid like you!"She curtsies politely at him, before grabbing Matthew's hand, whipping around already making a start towards the stage. Joey grins and waves his hand sloppily, while Manny just shoots Rosanna a look and takes a sip of his drink."Isn't she just lovely?" Joey sighs, watching Rosanna disappear into the crowd with Matthew.Manny crosses his arms. "Hmm... I don't know, she's a freakin' weirdo."The two men both glance at the small girl one last time before returning to their drinks.Rosanna pushes past between all the grown-ups before reaching the stage. The dancer, whose name was Colleen, seems to be taking a break from all the dancing, sitting a bench with a glass of water. She takes a sip of it, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead as she does so. Even in her exhausted state, she still appeared as beautiful as ever.Rosanna advanced towards her cautiously. "Um, excuse me miss, can you tell me how we can get to Everlock?"Colleen stops drinking her water and examines Rosanna. "Of course sweetie. All you have to do is follow the trail to Everlock.""The trail to Everlock?" Rosanna questions. "What's that?""It's the road that goes through the woods nearby." Colleen beams at the two. "But it's quite the journey. How about I treat you to a small meal?"Rosanna is about to decline the offer before a long growl emerges from her stomach. Embarrassed, she covers her belly and Colleen laughs. "I think I'll take that as a yes."The older woman takes Rosanna by the hand and leads her to an empty table. She leaves for a short moment, before returning with a single plate of eggs and bacon. Before Rosanna could complain about there not being a plate for Matthew, she was already being called back on stage again. As she was leaving, she smiled warmly at her waving, before disappearing behind red curtains."She only gave us one plate!" Rosanna exclaims, slumping back into the wooden chair."Hey, it's okay, you can have it, " Matthew says, pushing the plate towards her. "I ate something before I left, so I'm not hungry anyway."She looked deep into Matthew's eyes. There was something wrong about him, but she didn't know what. Ever since she saw him after the fire occurred, he hasn't been acting like his normal self. She still remembered yesterday night where she spent all afternoon crying alone in the creek behind her house, overwhelmed by guilt. It was my fault, she told herself, tears staining her flushed face. I was the cause of that fire. She stayed like that, curled into a ball of shame and sadness until she felt a hand grasp her shoulder. She spun around, only to see her unofficial sibling smiling down on her. He looked different with the stitches, but it was still Matthew, and that was all she needed at that moment. She embraced him, holding him tight like if she let go, he would disappear. She spent the whole night with him like that, just holding each other close.But he was cold, she remembers. He hadn't always been that cold before.She stabs her eggs with her fork and shoves a handful of food in her mouth. Wow, she really is hungry, starving even, because she then continues to gorge on bacon.“Ro, you’re gonna choke!” Matthew exclaims, pulling the almost empty plate away from her.She scoffs. “Matt, I’ll have you know I’m a professional bacon and eggs eater.” She catches the strange glances that she's receiving from some of the adults around her. Let them glare at me, she thinks. They’re just jealous I have the best little brother in the whole world.“Uh huh, “ Matthew smirks. “I’m pretty sure no such thing exists.”“Well, it does now!”He suppresses a snicker. “Just don’t eat your way to an early grave, okay?”Rosanna devours her last bit of midnight brunch, humming in response. She suddenly becomes guilt-ridden, not letting Matthew have even a single piece of bacon. A wistful kind of sadness washes over her. She regrets not spending more time with Matthew before the fire. Even though she did everything for him it still wasn’t enough. It was never enough, at least not for her anyway. She always felt like she should be doing more. ‘You should have done this’, ‘you should have done that’, it was slowly driving her insane. More was just never enough. And now, that spark - the spark that made Matthew special - was gone. Was there any way to relight the flame that had been extinguished in his soul? She wished it was as easy as lighting a candle, but it wasn’t. Of course, it wasn’t.Nothing she did was good enough. Rosanna and Matthew both exited the tavern, lighting the lantern again to illuminate the path. ‘The road that goes through the woods’... Rosanna has seen that road!She grabs Matthew by his hand and tries to ignore how cold it feels. “Matt, come on. I think I’ve seen that road before!” She then proceeds to drag him around into the wilderness before stumbling upon a wide dirt pathway. It’s wide enough for a carriage to pass through, evident by the wheel and horse tracks that’s been punched into the earth. They both continue down the road, Rosanna trying to shake off the cold until suddenly a familiar scent catches her attention.“Smoke?” She chirps, sniffing the air to try and grasp a better idea of where the odour is coming from.Matthew points to the thick forest on their left. “It’s coming from over there.”Rosanna glowered at him. “You don’t think that’s a forest fire, do you?”“Nah, “ he smirks. “I remember the smell of burning wood and oil very clearly thank you, so I think I’d know a forest fire when I smell one.”She raises and eyebrow. “So what is it then?”“A chimney.”Oh.Matthew squeezes Rosanna’s hand. “Come on, let's go find out where it's coming from.”“But aren't we going to Everlock?” Rosanna asks.“Everlock can wait, “ Matthew says, mischief dancing in his lifeless eyes. “We’re on an adventure, remember? What’s a good adventure without a little suspense?”Rosanna huffs in response. “I guess you're right…”They both saunter off the dirt road, travelling through the thick forest that somehow made the night time even darker. Rosanna makes a mental note on where they came from, making sure they could find their way back, and takes the lead, helping Matthew walk across the bumpy ground. The scent of smoke becomes stronger as they draw near its source. But the peculiar thing about it though was that the closer Rosanna got, the more she could smell something sugary, something… Sweet, like candy. It made her stomach growl all over again. It was no secret that she had an affinity for baked goods and sweets. Her parents are bakers after all.Finally, they stumble upon a clearing in the forest. There stands a two-story house, but this wasn't just any regular house. No, it was literally made of candy! The pathway that leads to the door was made of rock candy, the walls were gingerbread, the windows looked like regular windows at first glance, but was actually made of sugar glass. Candy canes framed the windows and door, white frosting twisted and turned into intricate patterns, while the roof was made of a combination of milk and dark chocolate tiles. It was basically one ginormous dessert just waiting to be devoured by little Rosanna.Matthew noticed Rosanna’s longing stares and smiled. “Well, go on, eat it.”She shoots him a quizzical look. “W-What?”“Am I speaking French to you? I said eat it!” He commands.“But…” Rosanna looks down at the licorice ground timidly. “Someone lives here.”He holds her hands reassuringly. “Ro, if you want something, then you deserve to have it. If you want to eat some of that gingerbread house then, by all means, do it. I bet whoever lives here won't care if you eat a gummy or two. And besides, you're the cutest, most pure girl in the world! They won't ever hurt you. Not in one million years.”She looks into her brother's eyes. They are (lifeless) full of kindness and (apathy) sincerity. She trusts him. She always has.She runs up the edge of the gingerbread house and carefully breaks a piece of gummy candy off. She takes a small bite of it, chewing it cautiously, unsure of whether it was safe to eat or not. The flavour exploded in her mouth like a bomb that was apparently made of watermelon. She groans in satisfaction, taking another bite of the pink gummy. She then picked a blue one and bit into it. Blueberry, how delicious! She then gorges into a red one, and it's cherry flavour, what a pleasant surprise. Slowly, her stomach took over her brain, forgetting all about the poor person who probably lived there. She tore off a piece of the wall and guzzled it greedily. She was having the time of her life.While gnawing on a chunk of candy cane, she hears a loud gasp from inside. She looks up to see a tall woman, dressed in all black. She had makeup on, though most of the shades she wore were nudes. It looked like she just came home from some kind of midnight celebration, clad in black robes and garments. Rosanna had to admit, this woman was absolutely stunning, even though she looked like a vampire.The tall woman glances to her right and calls out to someone. “Um, Tyler, I think we have a little problem here.”This Tyler guy yells back at her. “Yeah, what is it Saf?”“Just come and see for yourself, “ ‘Saf’ says, not taking her eyes off Rosanna.When Tyler comes into view, who is also decked out in fancy clothing, Saf points to Rosanna.Tyler’s eyes go wide with bewilderment. “Oh my God- Safiya- What the hell?” He keeps stumbling on his words, too shocked to say anything that made sense.Matthew grabs Rosanna’s wrist and leans into her ear whispering from behind. “They’re evil…”Rosanna snaps her head around to face him. “What?”“I said they're evil, “ he says, something dark and twisted swirling around in his eyes.She bites her inner cheek. “How are you sure? They don’t look evil.”“That's what they want you to think.” He points at Safiya, who's still has her eyes trained on them unsure of what to do. “She’s a witch.” He then points to Tyler. “And he’s the devil. I didn't realise this was their lair at first, but now that I think about it, it really is them. They lure kids with sweets and candy. Then, they capture and bake them into pies.”Rosanna gasps. “That's horrible!”“Right?” Matthew agrees. “Which is why we need to get rid of them.”She shoots her brother a look. “How are going to do that?”He gestures to her basket. “You still have oil and matches left, right?”She nods.“Burn them.”Rosanna freezes. Did he just say what she thinks he said? Burn them. That's what he said. Burn them. But she's only eleven years old. She can't do that - she's not strong enough. She’ll probably get cursed and sacrificed or something. Plus, if she started a fire here, she’ll probably burn down the whole forest. All of the plants and animals… They would die. She couldn't live with that guilt. With all of the blood that will be on her hands she'll end up killing herself-Burn them. But she can't do it.Stoke the fire. But she can’t-Stoke the fire. But-Stoke the fire.Stoke the fire.… She grasped the can of oil in her basket.Safiya opened the door, slowly approaching her. She held her hands up in the air and smiled half-heartedly. She was trying to give the impression that she wasn't going to hurt Rosanna, like she wasn't an evil witch. But Rosanna knew better thanks to Matthew, her younger brother who knew everything.“Um, excuse me miss, are you lost?” Safiya said, bending down to reach Rosanna’s height.Rosanna puffs out her chest acting braver and more confident then she really is. “Me and Matthew were just on our way to Everlock.”Safiya raises a brow. “You and… who?”“Matthew.”She gives the little girl a perplexed look. “You mean that doll-”“Ro, quick! She’s going to cast a spell on you!” Rosanna hears Matthew shout.Right. She's a witch.And witches are liars.She screws off the lid of the oil can that she hid behind her back, staring directly into the witch’s soul.“You’re hungry, right? I mean, you were scraping off the sawdust on my windowsills and eating it-”She drenches the witch in oil.“Hey! What the-”She strikes a match.And with one flick of her fingers, a blood-curdling scream rips out from Safiya’s throat. The flames shoot up into the night sky, the embers graciously dancing around the burning witch in harmonized chaos. She desperately tries to extinguish the fire, furiously whipping and patting herself while tearing her clothes off. It's too late though. She soon collapses into a smoking heap, her skin charred and black.“That isn't enough, “ Matthew says. “She will be able to heal herself, and when she does she’ll be mad. She will come back to kill you.”Rosanna stares at Safiya’s burning corpse. She decides to put out the fire, fetching a nearby bucket and filling it with sparkling water from the pond that was laid in front of the house. She poured it all over, the fire hissing as if it was in pain. When all of the flames were smothered, she bends down the witches remains and pokes her with her finger. It was still warm. She almost laughs at this. A dead body is warmer than her brother; a living, breathing being.She decides to kneel down next to the body and takes its arm, examining it. She puts it up near her nose and smells it. It smells like barbecue chicken, so it wasn't that bad. She feels its skin, dragging her finger up and down it. It's crispy and dry, reminding her of beef jerky. She sighs. She has to do this. She might as well get this over and done with, even if it looks like a burnt piece of toast. She looks up at Matthew, who simply responds by nodding his head reassuringly.She takes a bite.Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise.So delicious! Somehow, Rosanna finds herself inside Safiya’s ‘gingerbread’ house. She pats her belly. Man, she's full! She sure has eaten a lot today. It makes her feel drowsy, but she can't afford to back out now. She's too invested in this adventure to stop. No, she must defeat the devil, but where is he? That coward! The last she saw of him was when he and the witch were mumbling something under their breaths, most likely discussing sick ways to torture both her and Matthew, and ran up the stairs.She stumbles into the kitchen and pulls open the drawers. She peers inside, finding utensils like forks, spoons and… Yes! Knives! She takes a handful, stuffs them in her basket, and runs upstairs. She scans the hallway she's in and begins to peek through the door locks. The first door she peeks through, she sees nothing but darkness. Not there… The second door she peeks through the only thing she can see is a spare bed, most likely a guest room. Not there either! She huffs. Where could the devil be?She then hears the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. It sounds like it came from the room at the very end of the hallway. She smiles.There he is.She skips down the hallway innocently and knocks on the door. She immediately gets a response from the devil. “Saf, is that you? Cause I just finished writing the letter. Hopefully, it will reach her parents- ” the doorknob turns, “ -because she is hella weird.” the door opens. “And-”He stops dead in his tracks, staring at Rosanna. Then finally, “What did you do to her?”Rosanna takes a step forward. “You can't trick me, I know who you are.”The devil ignores her. “Where is Safiya? What happened to her!” He shoves her aside and storms down the stairs. He trips over a maroon rug and curses but scrambles back to his feet anyway. He runs outside only to see-He falls to his knees. Rosanna is baffled by his crying and shrieks of horror. No, he's acting. He's a liar. They're all liars. Everyone except Matthew. Matthew is the only one she can trust. Yes, the only one. No one else. No one. Everyone else can go to hell. They're all just monsters, savages, killing everything that breathes. She only needs Matthew. Only Matthew.Rosanna looms over the devil while he's sobbing. She equips one of the knives she took the kitchen. It's a chef’s knife. She raises it over her head, hyperventilating. He doesn't even notice her, the idiot. She readjusts her grip on the knife and exhales heavily. She and Matthew are the judgement children, serving justice and retribution upon those who deserved it. This is the earth’s atonement.She swings the knife down.A knife is embedded into his back for every curse. Every sin. She ends up plunging ten knives into him, his blood soaking the soil below.She's done it. She defeated the Witch of Everlock and the devil.God, what has she done?Rosanna looks up at the sky. Huh, it's raining. It mixes with the pool of blood she’s in, the red liquid running down her face and hands. She searches for a certain emotion to feel, any emotion, really. But it's completely empty in her heart. There's nothing left.She sees her reflection in the puddle. It's not her anymore though. She can't see herself anymore, she's just, gone. But how? Where did she go? She's right here. That must mean…Oh, look. She lifts the knife to her throat. A vampire.She cuts into her oesophagus. It's dawn. The sun is rising.Mrs Patrick stands in front of the cemetery gates, waiting for her husband. Depression had been clinging to her, constricting her like how a python kills its prey. And you know what? It's killing her too. Slowly, but surely. It's not like she has the energy to fix that though. What's the point anyway? This life has taken so many things from her, why not just let it take her as well.She hears a familiar voice call out to her. “Are you ready?” It's her husband.“No, “ she laughs. “But this is something I have to do.”Mr Patrick nods understanding.They both link arms and walk into the cemetery together. It’s cosy and small, away from the village hidden behind a mountain. It's quite and it’s nice. They had never liked the quiet before. Their son was also so loud and talkative. When he was quiet, something was wrong.Something is wrong, then.They pass many headstones. Each of them had something carved into it, a kind thing said about them. But was it actually accurate? No, they were just to make their loved ones feel better. They never did though. It's impossible to move on, no matter how many times someone says you can. That loss is permanent.Mr and Mrs Patrick come at a halt in front of a grave. The ground around it is still growing, reminding them that it had only been a week. God, it has only been a week? It feels so much longer yet shorter than that.Mrs Patrick blinks back tears. The grief that she endures feels ancient like she has had it all her life, yet she remembers it like it was yesterday. The flames, the screaming, the crying… It's all still present in her mind. And the cruellest part of it was that it wasn't fair! Why him? He was an innocent ten-year-old boy. What did he do to deserve this? Perhaps it was mercy, she thinks grimly. Now, he doesn't have to face the horrors of growing up.She gazes at the headstone. His headstone.Matthews headstone.Tears begin rolling down her cheeks. He died a hero. He died saving his best friend who was like his older sister. Ten-years-old, and already so humble and wise, yet somehow optimistic and bright. It could have been anyone, anyone who was in that bakery that day. In fact, it could have even been the other Matthew, the Matthew who lived. What was his name again? Matthew… Haag? Ugh, just stop. Thinking hurts. It doesn't matter anyway.There's a ruffle from behind them, the sound of mice scurrying across the floor. They both turn around to find the source of the noise.Their eyes fall on a doll.Huh, that's weird…It reminds her of Matthew.