*If you think this is close to over because of what happens in the chapter, I'm afriad you're incredibly wrong. This book is JUST starting! LOL! I have so many ideas and plans for Ellie. Hang in there, please. I'll try to post (at least) one chapter a week. Maybe two if there's not other stuff I want to share. SO...feedback please, would be appreciated! ;D

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Everything he said over the next month would be a lie. His pledge of love for me would be broken, his hopes and dreams for us a trick, his sweet kiss on my cheek an attempt to make a fool out of me. The wedding was to be in a week when it happened.

            “Nana would have liked to see us together.”

            I was sitting by Phillip’s side, our hands intertwined, lounged by the riverbank. It had become our spot, somehow, and it was magic in my eyes. I was with the love of my life. He was going to save me from my own despair and take me away to be happy forever after. It was just what I wanted.

            Phillip suddenly chuckled. “I’m glad Marion isn’t here to interfere.”

            “Me too,” I agreed, my black thoughts of her coming back to mind. “She would surely want to ruin us. After all, she lied and said you stole the necklace. You would never. She doesn’t understand love.”

            “But she does understand the truth. I did steal the necklace.”

            My mouth opened, yet the words were formed. After a considerable silence, I swallowed. “What are you saying?”

            “She not a liar, Ellie. But she is nosy. I had to get rid of her so I could go ahead with my plans for you…for us. Surely you understand.”

            I stood up, overtaken by the sudden rage inside me. Before I could stop myself a fist connected with his nose, straight on. It was mine.

            I was on my back in a second, crying out. He slapped my cheek, standing up. Blood trickled down his lip. I touched my face timidly, wincing. I was at his mercy, and I had infuriated him.

            “Go ahead,” I said, sitting up and glaring. “Hit me. Hurt me. Kill me. They’ll know who did it, Phillip.”

            “I guess they’ll also know who killed Brandon.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “You marry me, or else he will be direly harmed. Do you understand?”

            The words sunk in. “You wouldn’t!”

            “Of course I would. Don’t you see?”

            “He has nothing to do with this!” I screamed, getting to my feet shakily.

            “Oh, there’s where you’re wrong. He has so much to do with this, it isn’t even funny! Now, shall I explain or take care of you and him?”

            I quieted, sinking against a tree.

            “I met Brandon’s father several months ago, at a convention. Griffin was gambling off his house to a good buyer. Said he had two kids. I placed an offer, and he accepted. That evening, when I went to sign the papers, the bank had no offer of the exchange. I hunted down Griffin who, frankly, had been lying to get money. I told him I’d spare his kid’s lives if he’d give me the home and my money. Didn’t say I’d spare his.” Phillip stopped to chuckled darkly.

            “You killed him?” I said with disbelief.

            “What else was there to do?” Phillip said lamely. “He was onto me, if you will.”

            “So was Nana,” I breathed, bending over. I was sick.

            Phillip waited until I finished before shoving me aside, roughly, against another tree. My hands trembled.

            “She was very easy. I told her who I was, what I’d done, and she had a heart attack. I just didn’t bother to call for help. I conveniently forgot where the phone was located. Very tragic, if you asked me.”

            “I’ll never marry you,” I whispered, slapping him across the face. He stepped up to me, drawing a pocketknife from his jacket and holding the blade to my throat in an instant. I swallowed.

            “Fine, have it that way.”

            He began to cut, to my utter horror. I shoved him away, holding my hand to my chin. A little trickle of blood came off. I swallowed, found that I was whole, and turned on my heel. He was father than me. I had learned that before.

            I took off running, panting heavily. His footsteps matched three of mine. I bent down, grabbing a rock as I went. I chucked it behind me, having the satisfaction of a grunt as it hit him square in the fact. I gathered more while he was delayed, throwing them with all of my might.

            Suddenly another person came into view. I let out a bloodcurdling scream. Brandon clamped a hand over my mouth, pulling me off in a different direction. We began to run again, heading toward the train station. I looked behind me, where Phillip was about a hundred yards away. The night was black, making it hard to see in front of us. I hoped he would trip.

            We dashed into the train terminal, blending in with the large crowd. I saw a group getting on up ahead. Pulling on Brandon’s arm, we managed to squeeze in with the large crowd of people, getting through the train doors along with them.

            “Let’s head for the back,” Brandon whispered, “keep low.”

            We jumped through the train cars, eventually coming to a storage room without windows. Brandon managed to fit both of us in a large box, covering our heads with a huge stack of pamphlets. He wrapped his arms around me, doing his best to comfort in the enclosed space, and I leaned against him.

            “Do you think he’ll find us?”

            I felt Brandon shake his head. “No, I don’t. We’re safe.”

            “I hope so.”

            There was a long silence.

            “Ellie…you’re bleeding,” Brandon said at last.

            “I know. He started to cut my throat. It was gross.”

            Brandon laughed quietly, pulling me closer. I was comforted by the proximity between us. Nothing could disturb this moment between friends.

            A sudden voice echoed outside the door.

            “I could have sworn I saw my friends getting on.”

            My heat froze.

            “Sir,” a man replied to Phillip, “I assure you, not one soul was admitted on without a ticket. It seems you lack one as well. I must request that you leave this train immediately. Good day.”

            There was a shuffling of feet, and something (or someone) dropped to the ground with a low moan. The door creaked open, and footsteps sounded close to our save haven.

            “I know you two are in here,” Phillip announced. The room was unnervingly silent. “I’ll just sit here until you reveal yourself.”

            Before I could stop him, Brandon burst up out of the box. I screamed as he charged at Phillip, knocking him to the ground. They rolled on the floor, hands wild as they searched for a fatal purchase.

            I followed close behind, throwing punches at Phillip’s face when given opportunity. I kicked, too. There wasn’t much else to do. I kept screaming, hoping we might be heard, but luck was not on our side.

            Something glinted as Phillip pulled it from his pocket. It was a knife.

            “Run, Brandon!” I screamed.

            The startled boy rolled off Phillip, across to me. The knife, missing Brandon, was plunged deep into the wooden floorboards. It would have killed my best friend surely. I stood there, not sure what to do, while Phillip glared at both of us.

            “I will have you, Ellie!” Phillip cried.

            “I never loved you,” I said tensely, tears rolling off my cheeks. “Each time you kissed me was a lie and I’ll always hate you for that. The deception, the killings. You’re a soulless, selfish man.”

            Phillip smiled like he knew something I didn’t. That made me sick. “You see, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m not completely soulless. I have a problem sympathizing. If I didn’t have some sort of remorse, well, you’d be dead.”

            The words sent a chill to my stomach.

            “Will you let us go?” Brandon pleaded. “We won’t tell.”

            “I’m afraid you will,” Phillip said. He walked forward, towards me. I automatically stepped back a pace.

            A hand was suddenly on mine. Brandon nodded at me, his eyes saying to trust him. I’d never had a choice, I suppose.

            We darted past Phillip, out the caboose. There was a railing, a ladder, a track, and we were moving at an unbelievably fast pace. Phillip cornered us, smiling.

            “What are you thinking?” I gasped.

            Brandon turned toward me, pulling me toward him. He kissed me quickly, much to my surprise. The tears formed in my eyes.

            “Goodbye, Ellie, I love you.”

            I prepared myself to die. I felt a whooshing as we jumped and suddenly I stumbled forward. My eyes darted open.

            I was alone. Brandon had jumped….and pushed me back on the platform to safety. I turned around, shocked.

            He had pulled Phillip with him. I noticed the two heaps lying on the track behind us. One must be Phillip’s.

            The other, of course, was Brandon’s.

            Dead.