The Wattpad Block Party

New and Improved Third Chapter of 27 Days - By Ally (@HonorInTheRain)

The Deal –

When I was four years old, I had the not-so-bright idea to jump into my Aunt Theresa's pool when I had absolutely no clue how to swim. The shock of the cold water biting at my skin had frozen me to the core. When I'd finally been pulled out, I couldn't hold back the shivers that racked through me, and I'd spent several minutes gasping for air.

The same unpleasant, frightening sensation washed over me as I stood on the sidewalk outside St. Patrick's, staring up into the depthless black eyes of the man who claimed to be "Death."

"Er..." I snapped my mouth shut to keep my teeth from chattering. "Uhm...I think... I-I..."

Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to just move, to start running and to not look back, but I couldn't force my legs into motion.

An almost amused expression crossed Death's face. "You must be made of much stronger stuff than I thought, Hadley Jamison. I was expecting you to have already taken off running and screaming by now."

"Give me another second and I will be," I managed to say, unable to keep back another shiver.

"Oh, I don't think you really mean that," Death mused with a shake of his head. He dropped his cigarette on the ground and snubbed it out with the toe of his boot. "I think you're interested in what I have to say."

"I really don't, I – "

"Let's take a little walk, shall we?"

Death had a sudden vice-like grip on my arm and was dragging me right out into the middle of oncoming traffic.

"What, are you crazy?" I shrieked, trying to yank my arm from his grasp. "You're going to get us killed!"

Death let out an annoyed sigh, digging his nails into my arm. "Oh, do be quiet, won't you? I know when you're going to die, and I can assure you, it's not tonight."

Oh. Well, that was reassuring.

Death stepped up onto the sidewalk and set off walking at a brisk pace, all but dragging me along behind him.

I tried digging my heels into the ground, relentlessly tugging at his grip on my arm, but I was afraid that if I struggled any further I'd end up breaking a bone.

I thought about screaming at the top of my lungs, maybe making a grab at someone walking by, but not one person on the sidewalk would even meet my eye. It was as if they were completely oblivious to the teenage girl being dragged down the street by some man who looked like he belonged in an Anne Rice novel.

We had made it down two blocks before Death came to an abrupt stop and bent down to mutter in my ear, "You and I both know I'll just catch you and drag you back by your hair if you try to make a run for it again. So I suggest you play along for now, hm?"

I swallowed hard, fighting back the bile rising in my throat.

I did not consider myself a wimp. I was a New Yorker; I could look after myself.

But right at that moment?

I wasn't sure if I had ever been so frightened in my entire life.

"Fine," I said, my voice more of a squeak.

"Good girl."

So I stopped trying to bold, even though the urge was stronger now more than ever.

By the time Death finally stopped walking, my feet were aching in my heels.

"Here we are," he said, pulling open the door to a Starbucks with a little flourish.

I tripped my way over the threshold into the coffee shop, holding my arms tightly around myself.