I narrowed my eyes at her, laughing nervously. “What do you mean you’ve killed someone?”

“I’m serious, babe. We need to get moving. Pack your bags.” She moved to enter our bedroom, but I blocked her. “Move.” She demanded.

“Love, who did you kill?”

“She kept critiquing me and I felt insulted.” She mumbled, slowly leaning closer to me until her arms were around my waist.

“Please, just tell me who you killed.” I whispered against her hair. She lifted her head. A slow smile spread over her face. She leaned up to my ear.

“Your mother” She whispered with a little giggle. I pulled back, shock overwhelming my senses.

“My mother? Zi, why?” My voice trembled and I fought to hold back my tears.

“She annoyed me.” A thought crossed my mind. I thought I didn’t want to think about, but it was there.

“Zianna, have you…have you done this before?” She looked up at me with her big brown eyes.

“Yes. Now, pack. We leave in ten minutes.” She pushed me aside and started dragging things out of the closet. I stood still, unable to move my body. Zi sighed deeply. I heard her footsteps and then I felt her hands. “You said you’d love me forever. You still love me, don’t you?”

I forced my lips to part, forced my vocal chords to function enough to let one small word out. “No” I whispered. I slowly turned around to face her.

“Well, either you leave with me or you die too.” She spoke so calmly that it shook every bone in my body with rage.

“No.”

“What do you mean no?” She asks, arching a brow at me.

“No, I’m not leaving. And neither are you.” I lunged at her and we toppled to the ground. She screamed and thrashed underneath me. I wrapped my hands around her throat, closing over her airway. Panic flooded those beautiful brown eyes I’ve memorized as she continues to flail for escape. As the life starts to leave her body and she became motionless, I shouted at her, “She was my kill!” I lifted her body up by the neck and slammed it back into the floor. Standing up, I started to pack. She may not have gotten to run away, but I will.