It couldn't be. ​

​     Neither Katy nor Gramps could believe what they then saw...

     because what they saw was a hand and an arm. 

​     It was the Coal-Maiden's hand and the Coal Maiden's arm, an arm that looked like it dissolved into the grayness that was the 'clone, but Katy just naturally assumed that the arm was still somehow connected to the rest of the body because it moved, this arm. The hand reached out in a searching manner until... 

     Oh my God.  

     This seemingly disembodied, black scaly hand grabbed the reality shredder itself. 

​     Katy froze. 

​     She really wasn't any kind of "warrior". She was just who she was. She was just Katy.

​     "Gramps!"

​     Gramps reached for the hand, but it was too late. 

     The Coal-Maiden's disembodied hand grabbed and gripped the shredder until it shattered to pieces on Katy's shoulder.  

​     "No!"

     The gray cloud dissipated out of existence. 

     Reality repaired itself immediately. 

​     Although half the safe house was now gone. 

     The rest of Tindriss rematerialized as well.

​     She smiled, Tindriss did. The crimson glow once again burned in her eyes. 

     Katy felt about ready to faint. 

     She did not want to die.

​     She loved life. She loved every breath, really. 

     Tindriss grabbed Katy's shoulder with one hand, grabbed Katy's skull with the other, then tore Katy's head away from the rest of her body. 

CONTINUE