• My heart was pounding in my ears so loud I was surprised that she couldn't hear it. "I'm serious Selina." my friend said, holding the blade tightly in her hand. She was gripping it so tightly her tanned knuckles were white. My sapphire eyes glanced to her face. She was serious too. Her face was stern, and seemed as though it was chiseled from stone. I couldn't say anything; pure disbelieve radiated throughout my body. I didn't want to believe her. Not only that I didn't want to, I just couldn't.
    "But . . . Ashlen, why?" I managed to whisper. Tears were stinging in my eyes, but they wouldn't shed. A slight breeze blew. It picked up her honey blond hair, making it tickle her nose. She huffed at it, her green eyes boring into me. "Because, I know I'm not wanted here. I'm not good for anything I-" she tried to go on, but her voice broke, her face crumpling. I could feel her pain. Wasn't that how friends were anyway? I always felt how she felt. "But . . ." I pressed, I wouldn't let Ashlen do this. Not to herself, and not to me. What did I have to do to convince her. She was loved . . . .
    "But what, it's true and you know it!" She yelled, on the brink of tears. I grit my teeth, becoming angry. "No! It isn't!" I yelled, stepping towards her. Another breeze blew, jostling my red hair.
    "I swear Ashlen. I'll tell, and I won't regret it ether. At least that way you'll stay alive." I said gritting my teeth, "That's not a hollow threat ether!" I added. Ashlen smirked halfheartedly. "Tell the authorities?" She asked, closing her eyes. "Yes, tell them . . . what you did." I muttered, my heart was pounding even harder now. It rang in my ears and pounded in my temples. I flexed my hands into fists at my side. "So you would tell them that I was the one who snuck into the palace that night and stole a jewel. It was for the good of the kingdom. So that wouldn't be a death sentence. They would keep me in the slammer, but very much alive." She explained exactly what I was thinking. I nodded, "Not if I beat you to the punch line." She whispered, her voice shaking. She opened her eyes, and faster than I could react she shoved the dagger straight into her stomach.
    "ASHLEN!" I bellowed in agony. My best friend stood in confusion as I crumpled to the cold ground. Pain radiated throughout my body, starting from my stomach. "I said I wouldn't let you, I wasn't joking." I gasped, clutching my stomach. I felt something wet and warm gush from the focal point of my pain. "No! No no no Selina why? Why did you do that? Why did you put the spell on?!" She reached. The pain in her voice is exactly how I felt when she said she was going to commit suicide. I put on the pain-receiver spell between us. Any pain that was inflicted on Ashlen I receive. "Now you know there are people who love you." I whispered as black started to fuzz the edge of my vision. "No Selina I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I love you, I'm sorry-" Ashlen sobbed over and over. Her tears fell on top my face. She tried to stop the bleeding, but it didn't help. She had hit something vital and we were too far from the kingdom for me to have any kind of help. "I know. I love you too. I don't blame you." I rasped, then the blackness washed over me. Pulling me away from the pain and into the cold depths of death . . . .