Chapter Fifty: Once More with Feeling:

Anna placed her fingers to Kiko’s neck. She breathed with relief.

“Call an ambulance!” she shouted. Tsuzuki got on the phone. It was too late for the others on the ground.

Yoshimi made it to the hospital by morning.

 Anna made the call as soon as she woke up.

“Kate-san?” Anna asked on the other line. “Did I wake you?”

“Yes,” the woman said. “What is it?”

“We found Kiko,” Anna said. “She’s going to be okay. She’s at the hospital right now. I’ll send you the address.”

“I will be right there,” Yoshimi said. An hour later, she made it to the hospital. Kiko awoke just in time to see her mother standing over her bed.

“Baby?” Yoshimi asked.

“Mama?” her daughter asked. Yoshimi took Kiko’s hand and kissed it. Anna and Tsuzuki watched from the doorway as she broke down weeping. He put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. Anna stroked his hand.

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Halloween would be in two weeks. Tsuzuki and Anna stood outside the hospital. He grasped her hand.

“I’m glad I stopped you when I did,” the shinigami whispered.

“But why?” Anna asked. Tsuzuki squeezed her hand.

“I don’t want your hands stained in blood,” he said. “You are not them.” His wife had a stern look on her face.

“Will you be able to stop me when I kill her?” she asked.

“I am going to try,” Tsuzuki said.

“I wish you luck,” she muttered. Anna snorted with a cold fire in her eyes. “Because I will not hold back.”

“I know,” Tsuzuki said. The whole time he wouldn’t let go of her hand.