Chapter Twenty-Six: They Come to Get Me:

He lowered his knife.

“Why should I?” he asked. He turned to see Tsuzuki and Hisoka behind him. He snickered to himself.

“Oh, you’re here,” he said. His victim lifted her head.

“Let her go,” Tsuzuki said.

“Why?” the soul asked. “She’s going to die anyway.” His victim’s eyes widened. She quickly shook her head. Hisoka shivered, but stepped forward.

“You have to go back,” he said. “You’ve killed enough people.” The soul all, but laughed.

“Wrong!” he said. “I haven’t killed enough!” He twirled about with his arms out.

“I have to see my art through!” he said. “The process is not yet over!” He looked down at his victim.

“She will be the perfect addition,” he added. His victim shook her head, crying.

“Yes,” he said. “Just accept it. This won’t take long.” He raised his knife above his head. His victim tightly shut her eyes. The knife sinking downwards. But then, a hand grabbed his wrist. He turned behind him. Tsuzuki glared at him, holding his wrist.

“Let me go,” the soul said.

“No!” the shinigami barked. He tried to take the knife out of his hand. The soul’s eyes flashed red.

“Get off,” he said. He tried to push the shinigami off. Tsuzuki wouldn’t let go. He tried to pry the knife away.

“Hisoka!” the shinigami yelled. The younger partner ran over to the bound woman.

“No!” the soul yelled. He pushed Tsuzuki off and crawled over to his victim. The older shinigami grabbed him again.

“Let me go!” the soul barked.

“No!” Tsuzuki yelled. “Enough of this!” He reached into his coat. The shinigami froze.

“Oh no,” he said. “Oh no. Oh no! Oh no! Oh crap!” The soul smirked.

“Aw, what’s wrong?” he asked. “Lost your book?” Tsuzuki’s eyes widened. The soul smirked with book in his hand. He stuck out his tongue.

“No!” Tsuzuki shouted. Hisoka looked up. The soul pushed the older shinigami off.

“I will not stop!” he said. He jumped to his feet.

“You something?” he asked. “What would happen if I did this?” He reached down and opened the book.

“No!” Tsuzuki shouted. But when the soul tried to open the book, he started glowing all over.

“What the--?!” he asked. Tsuzuki sat up, stunned.

“Hisoka…” he said. The other shinigami stared as the soul became brighter. Meanwhile, the soul himself looked around.

“What is this?!” he asked. “What the?! No! This can’t be?! I don’t want to go! Damn it! Shit! Fuck! No! No!” The soul burned up and sailed into the book. Said book landed on the floor. The shinigami and woman sat stunned. Tsuzuki turned to his partner.

“Hisoka…” he said.

“He must have fallen for his own trap,” the younger shinigami said. He quickly untied the startled woman. She sat up with big eyes.

“W-W-Who are you?” she asked, looking back and forth.

“Shhh,” Hisoka whispered. “It’s okay. You’re fine now.” The woman sat, panting.

“Are you hurt?” Tsuzuki asked. She shook her head. Hisoka pulled out his phone and dialed 119. Tsuzuki picked up the book and put it in his coat.

“Could you do us a favor?” he asked. The woman nodded.

“Can you not tell the police that we were here?” he asked. “Or much about the guy who abducted you.”

“What do I say?” the woman asked. Tsuzuki gave her a quick story to feed the police and EMT’s.

“They’re on the way,” Hisoka said.

“Good,” his partner said.

“Ready to go?”

“Yes,” the younger shinigami said. He and Tsuzuki both vanished into thin air. The woman sat and waited in the abandoned building until help arrived.

One soul left.