The only way to get through with hearts and wrists intact is...

In one of the many massive trees in the hilltop clearing sat a man. He was crouched comfortably on one of the branches, hidden by the leafage and darkness. He had sat silently, unmoving the whole time during the event that happened between Cassie and Aeron and remained after Cassie had departed. Whether either of them were aware of his prescence he didn't know but he decided to stay put and give Aeron some time to recover. During this time he amused himself by watching Cassie as she ran back down the path and into the tiny town. As she walked by the Church several people rushed out to greet her. They clustered around her talking in whispers but Cassie did not talk to any of them. Instead she stood slightly seperate and closed her eyes, shutting out the world around her. After a few minutes the group became restless and cast worried glances at the young girl. The Church door opened again and a man clothed in a black robe stepped out to join them. Immediatly the group hushed themselves and looked expectantly up at this new arrival. He stood in the shadows near to the door, not moving more than a few paces away from the threshold but murmered something towards Cassie. She opened her eyes and said few sullen words to him and then fell back into her silence. He nodded encourigingly, waiting for her to go on. Cassie sighed and made a brief gesture towards the hill. The man asked her something else and she nodded in reply. He took a hesative step back and motioned to the group who remained unmoving. The man in the tree could not see the Churchman's expression but could sense the air of uneasiness and fear. The Churchman bowed to Cassie to let her know that she was free to go and she ran straight into one of the houses slamming the wooden door shut. All was quiet for a moment until one of the group, a woman by the sounds of it, asked a single worded question. Up in the tree the man leant forward slowly and let out a long,low snarl. The sound carried down into the town and everything grew very still and silent. The town's people cast about wild glances and started to speak louder. The man stopped his snarling to listen.

'He is here? Now, in the hill's?'

'Yes,' the Churchman replied.

'Is it time?' One of the men asked and the man in the tree cocked his head to side in confusion.

Time? He thought to himself. Time for what? He did not get an explanation though because the man in black robes hurried down the grand steps of the Church and hushed the speaker. He muttered a couple of fast words and they headed back into the Church. The man remained standing there for a few moments looking about. The last woman into the Church turned around.

'Are you coming, Vicar?' He hastily nodded his head as the man let out another snarl, this time louder. The figure of Aeron below became still and the crying ceased. The Vicar looked straight up into the tree where the man crouched and reached down his collar. He pulled out a crucifix on a chain around his neck and held it up in the tree's direction. Then he rushed back into the Church, never once turning his back on the man.

Below him he heard Aeron call out weakly for him and he slipped down the tree. He landed inaudibly and looked carefully at her as he approached but she was looking around in the darkness for him. She couldn't see him. When he was a short distance away he called out to her.

'I'm here Aeron, stay where you are,' before he reached her, so as not to make her jump when he suddenly appeared by her side. 'I think I should take you to higher ground incase those damned townspeople dare to come out here. Okay?' She nodded her head and reached out to him like a toddler waiting to be picked up by a parent. He picked her up and held her tightly for a few moments before sprinting away into the darkness. Aeron did not know how long he ran for but it was not for a long time. He would just take her a small distance away until they were somewhere safer. He stopped when he found a cliff with a little cave in it a short way up.

'I'm going to have to climb now, Aeron, so you'll have to hold onto me for a little while until we get there, okay? It isn't far, you only need to hold on for a few minutes. I won't drop you, don't worry.' He tilted her head up and looked into her unseeing eyes before he began his climb. 'Is that okay?' He asked. She nodded and he slid her round onto his back. 'You holding on?'

'Yes,' she whispered back and buried her head into the crook of his neck. He began to climb swiftly barely noticing Aeron's weight on his back and they soon arrived at the little cave. It was only a few feet in the air but it was safer than being on the ground. The man slid as far back into the cave as he could go until they were both able to sit comfortably enough in it. There was just enough room in there so that they did not have to dangle their feet over the edge. There was only really enough space for one person in there though so he pulled Aeron's little body onto his lap and cradled her, holding her head against his chest and kissing her head.

'Alex? What does it look like?'

'What does what look like, Aer?'

'The view, what does the view look like?' Alex lifted his head and looked out of the cave.

'Take a look for yourself,' he whispered. Aeron looked up ready to answer back that she couldn't see in the dark like him, but she stopped short. The full moon was out now, shining brightly in the sky. It cast a slightly eerie silver light on the forest below, but you could clearly see trees for miles around standing tall and proud. A white mist hung about the treetops making them look like mountaintops peeking up though the clouds. All was silent except for Aeron's steady heart beat.

'Wow...' She managed to breathe. 'It's beautiful.'

'Yes,' Alex whispered back. 'It is.' Aeron looked up at him from his lap and found that she was able to see him now. He was smiling down at her affectionatly and she blushed when she realized that he was complimenting her. 'I love it when you do that,' he said laughing at her.

'And I love it when you do that.'

'Do what?' He asked her suddenly serious and puzzled. She stuck her toungue out at him and when he laughed she reached out her hand and traced his face.

'That,' she repeated stroking his still smiling face. 'You don't do it much, but I love it when you laugh. When you smile. You get dimples in your cheeks, your eyes crease slightly and they shine.' He looked down at her thoughtful face. 'You are without a doubt the most beautiful man I ever did see.'

'Well, that's because you haven't seen most men.' She pouted at him teasing her. 'Aww, okay, okay. I'm sorry. I'll take your absurd compliment and return you one. You, Aeron, are the most beautiful and most stunning and most amazing woman I ever saw or met. And I am someone who knows what they are talking about.' She smiled softly to herself and rested her head back against his chest.

They sat like this for some time. In silence, admiring the beauty of the forest bathed in moonlight. Aeron just sat in silent thought, occasionally taking deep inhalations of Alex. Just to make sure that he was really there. The only thought that she had was that she wished they could stay like forever. Never having to leave or have contact with the crazy outside world, just sitting there pulled against him, forever.

Alex's mind however was very occupied with thoughts and he almost didn't notice when Aeron's breathing started to slow. He held onto her tighter but did not utter a single word or make any sound. He didn't know if she knew what was going to happen and he didn't want to bring the subject up. He had spent so much time and thought on the matter but had come no closer to finding a solution. And that couldn't do. If he didn't come to a decision soon she would slip away from him. The problem was that he didn't know if that would be the better alternative. The lesser of two evils. Of course he did not want to lose Aeron, he did not think he would even make it without her in his life. He had been attached to her for too long now, in short Aeron was his whole world. Having her gone would be like being suffocated, except that he would never be able to escape the pain by death. He would have to go on living with no air. The only other possibilty was unimaginable though. Alex didn't think that he would be able to bring himself to do something so cruel, so evil, so monstrous. Aeron had lived a life of pain, doing it would only bring so much more. Could he live with being the cause of that? That was only if he managed to control himself. He just didn't know what to do. But now, it was only a matter of time before the inevitable arrived. It was a long time before anything happened again. Aeron began moving slightly in his arms, trying to raise some energy to speak. When she did her voice was croaky and barely audible.

'Alex? Alex, I don't want to die. I don't want to die Alex.' Her eyes welled up and tears began to roll down her face. All Alex could do was hush her and hold her close. He kissed the top of her head. 'I love you Alex. I love you, please you have to do it. You can't let me die. I want to be with you. I can't die...' She trailed off for a moment. 'I'm afraid.'

'I know.' Was all he said. Looking down at her he had never seen her so frightened. Her eyes were so wide, so pale, so lifeless. It broke his heart to see her like this and know that he could stop it, but at a steep price.

'Will you...we never..we haven't ever kissed yet. I need it.' She looked up at him, her big blue eyes shining in the moonlight. He looked down into them and saw everything he had ever dared to dream for. In them he saw them together, he saw marriage, he saw kids. He saw the future that he had wanted for them. But somewhere, just past that lurked an approaching darkness. He gave a slight nod of his head and bent down to meet her soft lips. He kissed her once and then pulled away. He looked down at her beautiful face, but she had already fallen still in his arms. Holding her tightly to his body Alex closed his eyes tightly and did not open them for a long time. When he finally did they were full of tears.

A couple of hours later Alex was far away sitting in a pitch black room. He was completly still and if anyone came across him they would assume him to be a statue. He was just sitting on the floor, his hands where tangled up in his wild hair and his eyes fixated on a body in the middle of the room.

'What have I done?' He spoke to the darkness. His voice betraying his torment, sadness and horrification.

'You did what you thought was the right thing to do.'