Becoming Death Read Online Free PDF Page B

emptying the keepsakes inside before tossing it onto the floor.
    No key.
    As I started to cross the room to rip apart my mother’s bedding, I tripped over the waste bin she kept next to her dresser. Righting the bin, something inside clinked.
    Something metallic.
    Frozen in place, I lifted the bin to my ear and shook it again just to be sure. When I am rewarded with the familiar sound, I know the smile spreading across my face is too wide to be considered normal, but who cared? I had it!
    My breath quickened as I lifted the empty bag from inside the waste bin. There, resting neatly at the bottom of the bin, sat a golden key—my key. I picked it up and dropped the bin onto the floor. This had to be it. Cradling the key in my palm, I examine the letters G.R. engraved into its bow.
    My curiosity reared its ugly head, littering my focus with thoughts of who G.R. was or used to be… and what the letters could stand for if, on the odd chance, they didn’t actually refer to a person. Gripping the key tighter, I silenced the rambling thoughts and forced my thoughts back to the task at hand.
    Screw G.R.—I had what I needed.
    I ran down the stairs with excitement. I had it. I would be able to open the trunk and find out what my mom was hiding. I reassured myself that I needed to do this, but I couldn’t help but pause in front of the trunk wondering if this would change our relationship. Anything could be in there: proof that I was adopted, information about a secret second family or, knowing my mother, stolen recipes. If only my mom had given me some sort of explanation, perhaps I wouldn’t have had to ransack her house, bloodied my hands or feel like she was the enemy.
    It was her own fault.
    I pushed the key into the rusty lock with both hands.
    The gold key fit snugly and made a tiny click as I turned it. I didn’t fight my widening grin. Taking a deep breath, I gripped the lid—and the sound of the door unlocking broke the silence around me.
    My eyes darted between the door and trunk. Ignoring my last second reservations, I threw open the lid.
    The heat of the blast was almost unbearable.
    I was thrown backwards onto the floor; my skin scorched pink and blistered. Flames and smoke surrounded me. I could hear my family’s muffled cries. I wheezed, trying to keep my head below the smoke that was blinding me to anything outside the fiery spectacle. I knew I could hear my family’s voices, but I couldn’t see them. Wheezing, I tried to keep my head below the smoke and, clutching my throat, I tried to call for help, but no sound came out.
    What had I done?
    My body shook as I attempted to move towards my family’s stifled sounds. I squinted through the fog to try to find them, but my eyes locked on to two tiny red flames hovering above the trunk. I fanned the smoke away from my face and saw a dark robe floating through the flames, billowing like a sail in the wind. I crawled backwards, stupidly tripping over my own feet.
    What was that?
    “Stay back! Don’t look at it!” a familiar voice called out, but I didn’t bother to try to put together who was shouting the commands at me; I couldn’t take my eyes off this… monster.
    The creature bowed towards me and I felt myself sliding forwards along the floor. I dug my nails into the wood, creating tiny splinters, as the gap between us closed. I felt like I was being hunted. The creature's fire eyes locked on me and my arms fell useless at my sides as paralysis took over. I tried to clamber up off the floor to run, but my feet felt weighted down—I could barely sit, let alone stand.
    The cloak circled me as though I were prey. As it flew around me, its weightless body somehow gained bulk. It knocked me onto my side. At its touch, my flesh sizzled, causing tears to run down my cheeks and my breathing to become ragged. It was playing with me. It wanted something, I could tell that much by the flicker of its eyes and the hint of a sinister grin in the folds of the