I pushed open the glass doors leading to the narrow alley that wound behind the school. Mia, my Mia, was standing there, her long curling hair ruffling a little in the slight wind. She turned in my direction as she heard the doors thud closed behind her. Her expression was pained and a little panicked, but when our eyes locked she forced a smile, turned back the other way and squared her shoulders towards the young man facing her. In an instant a wave of confused and mixed emotions swept over me. I knew there was something wrong with this man, but I couldn't understand why.

There is something wrong with his eyes! A loud voice in my head screamed at me. Don't be silly, you can't see his eyes. Replied a smaller voice, farther back. I Shuddered. It was true, his hood was up, I couldn't see his eyes.

There is something very, very wrong with his eyes. The voice in my mind shouted again. I tried to push this thought away and focus on what was happening. My eyes flicked over to Mia, she had a firm set to her face.

“I will do it.” She said a tremor to her words. “I will do it. Me. You hear? Me, N...not. Him.”

I opened my mouth to speak, and looked again at the man. He had a gun. I hadn't seen it before. I saw the faint curl of a smile, barely visible under his hood.

There was something wrong with his eyes.

“NO!” I heard the scream escape my own lips as the gun went off with a resounding bang. Lunging forwards I caught her, Mia, my Mia, around the waist, only seconds before she hit the ground.

“NO! NO! NO! NO!” I rasped, shocked. Slowly, carefully gently, I lowered her to the ground. The lack of blood didn't bother me, the lack of breathing terrified me. I stared down at the still figure for a moment, felt the weight of what had happened, heard the silence of her breath.

“You Son o...” I started to shout standing up, and wheeling around. The Man was gone. The day rolled on past the spot where he had been standing. I screamed again in frustration, fear and pain, turning back to Mia and throwing myself to my knees next to her. I heard the door open behind me, heard people come running. I ignored them and rolled Mia over so she was looking at the sky. There was no flutter of breath, no throb of a pulse. I felt a sob escape my chest, saw my hand pushing the hair from her face, felt myself freeze.


There was something wrong with her eyes.