• Emotions, Death, and Darkness

    This book is for Holly, because without her this book would be nothing and she is the best friend a person could ask for, Jessica R, because everyone needs some sarcasm in their lives and she promised to check my spelling, Jessica C, because she has been my best friend since we where 4 ½, My Emma, because she is always there for me, whether she knows it or not, and JJ, because she agreed to be my cat and makes me laugh when I am sad.


    Chapter 1
    I am Alice and this is a story told by me and my friends. I am 5 ½ feet tall, I have waist length jet black hair and normally I have a purple bow in my hair, I have bright blue eyes, I also have square, black framed glasses, and I happened to have my favorite purple and black plaid dress on that day.
    And there is also Jenny. Jenny is by best friend, Jenny 5 feet tall, she has shoulder length dirt brown hair, she has chocolate brown eyes, and she had a blood red tee shirt and black jeans on that day. And we lived together in the Village of Hope until one day…
    “Hurry Alice we have to get on the ship” said Jenny
    “I still think we should stay here and help fight Esmeralda,” I said
    “No, we are getting on the ship and that’s final,” said Jenny
    “Fine but where is the Sword of Emotions I will not leave without it,” I said
    “Alright let’s look for it,” said Jenny.
    “No need, watch what I can do!” I said At first I did nothing but close my eyes, then I started to spin I spun faster and faster then I started to rise into the air and glow bright blue and I when I stop my sword was at my side. “Cool huh!” I said
    “WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A PACKED STREET?” Yelled Jenny.
    “First you know I have problems and if I name them all we’ll miss the boat, on second thought I will name them.”
    “NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO JOKE WHY DID YOU DO SUCH A THING!”
    “Fine I’ll stop having fun,” I said sticking my tong out at Jenny “Second I did it because mortals can’t see when I do magic no one saw but you.” I said.
    “Let’s go,” said Jenny. But when they got back the ship was gone “what the…they should have counted the kids. Some people make me so mad.” Her eyes went red her body started to vibrate and then she burst into flame.
    “Hay, hay cool it!” I said. The flam went out, and her eyes went back to their original color.
    “Sorry about that,” said Jenny
    “It’s okay I know you didn’t mean to,” I said.
    “Now we should go tell an elder that we missed the ship,” said Jenny.
    “Why would we do that now we can stay and fight!?” I said.
    “No we really should…” said Jenny but I cut in
    “Go to the next village, I agree let’s go!” and then there was a puff of purple smoke and I was gone.
    “I can’t believe her.” Said Jenny. Then there was a puff of blood red smoke and Jenny was gone. When they arrived at the village two girls came over to us.



    Chapter 2
    “Hay you guys are new right?” said a blond girl in a green shirt and dark blue jeans.
    “Wait to go captain obvious,” said a girl with a snow white dress and curly, chocolate brown, hair
    “Hello I am Celes and this is Lilly, who is also known as captain obvious.” Said Celes
    “Am not, your just jealous.” Said Lilly
    “Jealous of what the fact that you sleep with a…” said Celes, Lilly cut in
    “Say one more word and I will kill you in your sleep”
    “I’ll sleep with my eyes open,” said Celes
    “Hi I’m Alice and this is jenny, and yes we did just arrived.”
    “And now we’re leaving,” said Jenny
    “But I like Celes can’t we take her with us?” asked I.
    “Hay what about me?” asked Lilly
    Well I could use some entertainment and now she will have someone else to bug. Thought Jenny
    “Fine” said jenny Said Celes.
    “Well we better go be…” I started to say but Lilly cut in
    “Um is it just me or does it look like that dude wants to kill us,” said Lilly.
    “All in favor of living teleport,” said Jenny then there was five puffs of smoke Mine was purple, Jenny’s was red, Celes’s was white, and Lilly’s was green but when the smoke cleared the only thing that changed was the fact that they couldn’t move or use any magic and according to Lilly’s retell I had passed out.
    “Not so fast” Said a big bald man in a black robe “You are coming with me”
    “Crap” Said Jenny a few minutes later they were all in a jail cell.

    Celes

    “Well this is just wonderful we are stuck here with no way out,”
    “Shut it,” I said as I tried to heal Alice, but she still lay limp and lifeless like a rag doll. “Hay Lilly do you think you could get some help here…and soon,” I Said.
    “Um I don’t know it will be hard with that stupid guard” Said Lilly pointing to a guard that was walking the hallway “but I think I can manage” Said Lilly. Lilly shut her eyes, and soon two figures stared running down the hall. One was tall, he had neat blond hair, bright green eyes, he had dirty black pants on with a forest green long sleeve shirt, the other was taller than the first, he had messy jet black hair, bright, light blue eyes, he had a snow white tee shirt and jet black jeans on. “Hi James” said Lilly to the blond one.
    “Hay guys,” said James to Lilly and Celes as he unlocked the cell door.
    “Um …what happened to her?” asked the black haired one as he pointed to me.
    “I don’t know Jake, but no matter what I do I can’t heal her,” I said
    “Let me try,” Said James but he to failed to bring life back to her lifeless body.
    “I can heal,” Said Jake.
    “No, are kidding there is no way you are going to do that to her, I refuse to let you,” I said stepping in between Jake and me.
    “You won’t let him do what,” said Jenny and Lilly together.
    “The only way to save her is to turn her into a vampire, like me,”
    “What, no way there is no way that I will let you do that,” said Jenny
    “If I don’t then she will die. She has the Black Death curse. It is a fast acting curse that can kill in less than one hour,”
    “But why do you have to turn her into a vampire to save her?” asked Lilly
    “Because vampire venom will kill the curse.”
    “There is still no…” I stared but Jenny cut in
    “Let him” Said Jenny. “Alice is like a sister to me and I know that she would not want to die like this.”
    “Let's get this over with,” I said a few minutes later I could move and speak but I felt weird, and I looked a lot paler and fragile like a porcelain doll.
    “What happened?” I asked starring at James and Jake.

    Jake

    “Hey James do you hear something?” I said. “Sounds like Lilly is in trouble again,” said James, James is tall, but not as tall as me, he has neat blond hair, bright green eyes; he has dirty black pants on with a forest green long sleeve shirt.
    “Well we better go help,” I said, soon they were running down the hall.
    “Hi James” said Lilly to James.
    “Hay guys,” said James to Lilly and Celes as he unlocked the cell door.
    “Um …what happened to her?” I asked as he pointed to me.
    “I don’t know Jake, but no matter what I do I can’t heal her,” Celes said
    “Let me try,” Said James but he to failed to bring life back to her lifeless body.
    “I can heal,” I Said.
    “No, are kidding there is no way you are going to do that to her, I refuse to let you,” said Celes stepping in between Alice and I.
    “You won’t let him do what,” said Jenny and Lilly together.
    “The only way to save her is to turn her into a vampire, like me,”
    “What, no way there is no way that I will let you do that,” said Jenny
    “If I don’t then she will die. She has the Black Death curse. It is a fast acting curse that can kill in less than one hour,”
    “But why do you have to turn her into a vampire to save her?” asked Lilly
    “Because vampire venom will kill the curse.”
    “There is still no…” I stared but Jenny cut in
    “Let him” Said Jenny. “Alice is like a sister to me and I know that she would not want to die like this.”
    “Let's get this over with,” I said a few minutes later I could move and speak but I felt weird, and I looked a lot paler and fragile like a porcelain doll.

    Kunai.
    Alice
    “What happened?” I asked starring at James and Jake. James looked like his clothes needed to be washed. The other was kind of cute, he had messy jet black hair, bright, light blue eyes, he had a snow white tee shirt and jet black jeans on. Lilly’s voice brought me away from my thoughts.
    “To put it delicately… you got cursed, you fainted, you almost died, now you are a vampire like Jake” Said Lilly pointing to Jake
    “Way to put it delicately,” Said Celes sarcastically.
    “Um…ok…all in favor of leaving” I Said there was six puffs of smoke one white for Celes, one green for Lilly, one purple for me, one red for Jenny, one black for Jake, and one green for James.



    Chapter 3
    When the smoke cleared we were in front of an old hut. I knocked on the old door. “Emerald are you home?” I yelled peering into a window
    “I’m coming hold on,” when the door opened a short little old man with white hair, a white wispy beard, green brown eyes, and an emerald green robe came out. “Hello Alice, how are you?” said Emerald
    “I’m very confused at the moment,” I said
    “You don’t look to good,” he said “here drink this,” he said handing me a glass of clear liquid. It was very sweet and I didn’t really like it but I drank it all.
    “We need to find all of the swords of doom.” I Said
    “Well you have one; the sword of emotions, the second, the sword of Darkness is in the village of Death on top of Doom Mountain guarded by a giant spider,”
    “Giant spider?” asked Lilly with a scared look (Lilly doesn’t like spiders very much
    “Yes a spider, and the last, the sword of death, is in the position of lord Volamarue,”
    “I know where Doom Mountain is,” said Jake.
    “That’s a shocker,” said Celes sarcastically.
    “How much?” said Jenny pulling out a bunch of cash,”
    “What did you do rob a bank,” said Lilly staring at the cash.
    “That will be 50 dollars,” said Emerald.
    “Well we better be off,” said Jake

    Chapter 4
    After leaving the village and getting lost a few times, they made it to the village of death.
    “This place is creepy,” said Lilly
    “Really?” said Celes sarcastically “I thought it was pretty, pink, and full of rainbows, unicorns, and cotton candy!”
    “Well better get stared if we want to get to the top of the mountain” Said Jake looking at Celes and Lilly nervously.
    “Hey Jake how do you know so much about where Esmeralda hid the sword?” I asked
    “Well…well I didn’t want to tell you but…I used to work for him, I know that is a horrible thing but…I was forced to…he had powers that could control your feelings. But one day a man came and stole one of his swords and then helped me escape then we went back to the village of Peace.” Said Jake with a pained look on his face.
    “Jake what happened to the man who saved you?” I asked tears forming in my eyes. I already knew what was coming
    “Did you know him?”
    “You could say that, he was my dad.”
    “I am so sorry he was captured by some of Esmerelda’s men.” Said Jake hugging me tightly. I could feel heat creeping into my face. Now is NOT the right time to fall in love Alice, I told myself sternly.
    “We better keep going because we might get lost on the way up,” said Celes looking at Jake with narrowed eyes.
    “Sorry it’s been a long time since I’ve been here.” Soon they reached the top of the mountain there was a dark and eerie cave. “This is it,” said Jake looking into the cave. They went inside the cave.
    “I have been expecting you Jake,” Said a dark figure in the shadows with a raspy voice.
    “I need the sword of death,” said Jake
    “First tell me, who are the others?” said the figure
    “Prisoners”
    “Did you know that one of them is a vampire?” said the figure stepping out of the shadows, before them stood a giant, hairy, black spider, “Um…”
    “Then why did you bring her, she could be a threat to the whole mission?”
    “She has information that we need,”
    “Fine you may have it, under one condition…you must kiss your one true love to make it out alive,” Jake turned to me his face was bright red. And I could feel my face getting red too.
    “Jake…” I started to say but Jake cut in, he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into him, he pressed his lips to mine, I rapped my arms around him to deepen the kiss; after we pulled apart I hugged Jake.
    “I love you,” I whispered into his ear.
    “I love you too,” he whispered back.
    “How cute, you know this would be a lot more romant-” Lilly started to say but she was stopped by James lips being pressed to hers.
    “What’s next some guy is going to pop out and start making out with Jenny?” Said Celes
    “Hell no!” said Jenny “But I do know that we need to leave before that spider decides it wants to eat us,” said Jenny
    “Good thinking,” I said. “Let’s get out of here,” I said grabbing Jake’s hand.



    Chapter 5
    After we climbed down the mountain they headed east to the village of Love there was a boy at the entrance
    “Well, look what we have here, are you girl’s single?” said a boy with round glasses and bleach blond hair he was wearing a white shirt and brown pants
    “Well sense we just kissed I guess that is a no,” Said Jake grabbing me around the waist. I could tell that he didn’t like him.
    “Yea same here,” said James looking at Lilly
    “Well I am Liam, I live here and I would like to invite you all to the dance tonight.”
    “Sounds fun” I said. “Can we go?”
    “Why not” said Lilly looking at James
    “Fine, but I won’t put a dress on!” said Jenny.

    That night I heard a scratch at the door, when I opened it I saw a black cat sitting in front of my door, I picked it up Walked to Lilly’s room Celes was sitting on her bed.
    “Hay, look at this cat I found outside my door,”
    I said.
    “Awww it is so cute, does it have tags?” said Celes
    “Nope,” I said looking at the cat that was nestled in my arms “Is that what you are going to wear” I asked Jenny looking at her dirty black pants and red tee shirt.
    “No, she is going to wear this,” said Celes pulling out a white dress.
    “Celes if you think I am going to wear that you are completely crazy,” said Jenny looking at the dress as if it had just crawled out of the shower drain.
    “Well let’s go and get this over with,” said Jenny.
    “Jenny if you do this for me I will get you whatever you want for your birthday,” said Celes
    “Fine but only because I really want that koni,” said Jenny.

    Chapter 6

    Soon they were at the dance.
    “Alice do you want to dance with me?” asked Jake
    “I would love to,” I said. I’m not much of a dancer but I loved him, how could I say no?

    Celes

    “Hi Celes, I was wondering if maybe you would dance with me?” said Liam
    “Um…” said Celes
    “She is dancing with me,” Said a blond boy with medium length hair
    “Trust me he is not you type,” he whispered into her ear.
    “Yep that’s right, I can’t dance with you because I am with him,” said Celes. Pointing to the boy. He walked away with a hurt look on his face.
    “I am Lock,” said the blond boy.
    “I am Celes”
    “Why does that kid want to dance with me?” asked Celes.
    “He thinks you are cute, and I can see why,” Celes blushed. And for once in her life Celes thought she might be falling in love.
    “Well you are pretty cute yourself,” she said
    “Thanks.”
    “Wow you are a great dancer.”
    “I have had years of practice.”
    “Oh fair warning I like to use sarcasm a lot.”
    “I can see why,” he said glancing at Lilly, who was dancing like an idiot.
    “Thanks for saving me from him,” she said looking a Liam.
    “No problem” he said
    “You know it is a myth that even the most stubborn people can fall in love here, that’s why they call this village the village of love,”
    “Well that explains a lot,”
    “You know although I have lived here forever I have only fallen in love once,’
    “With who?” said Celes?
    “You,” he said looking into her eyes.
    “Really?”
    “No, I hate you,” he said sarcastically “Yes really,” he said pulling her into him. She kissed him gently.
    “You know this is the longest I have gone without saying something sarcastic,” said Celes smiling
    “Is that good or bad?”
    “Both,” she said as the danced off.

    Jenny

    “Um…are you ok you look like you are going to puke?” Asked a brown haired boy who was wearing black pants and a gray shirt.
    “I really don’t like all this mushy love crap,” said Jenny
    “Then why come to a dance in the village of love?”
    “Alice and Lilly,” she said
    “Well why not dance with someone?”
    “Um…I don’t dance and I positive that no one wants to dance with me except the boy from the gate and he is not someone am going to dance with even if my life depended on it,”
    “Well I know there is a guy who looks a lot like me who would love to dance with you, his name is Deidara”
    “And would your name happen to be Deidara?”
    “Yep,”
    “So you want to dance with the girl who is wearing a dress that she ripped and died red so it would be less girly?”

    “Yep”
    “Well I would have to think abou-” Jenny started to say but before she could finish he swept her onto the dance floor. Jenny still was a little green in the face but he didn’t seem to mind.

    Alice
    “Um… can you please help me?” asked a girl with shoulder length curly blond girl in a long floor length light blue dress.
    “What do you need?”
    “I am looking for a girl named Alice Black, have you seen her?”
    “You’re looking at her,”
    “Oh…Well I have a message from a boy named Liam said he wants to talk to you about something,”
    “Where’s the dweeb?” I asked.
    “He is over there,” she said pointing to the corner.
    “Come on Jake; let’s go see what he wants,”
    “He said to come alone,”
    “Fine but if he even thinks of touching you I will personally rip him to shreds,” said Jake.
    “Jake, I will be fine,” I said. I kissed Jake and walked over to where he was standing.
    “Hello Alice,”
    “What do you want?”
    “I want you to give me the swords you have,”
    “Well good luck with that,” I said turning to leave.
    “Not so fast,” he said grabbing my arm. I yanked away but he was too strong. A flash of white-hot pain shot into my arm. I couldn’t help letting out a yelp of pain, no one seemed to hear, and I had to do something. Jake. I just have to clear my mind and he will come. I know he will. But there was another shot of pain. The last thing I saw was his twisted smile, and then everything went black.

    Jake
    Come on Alice where are you? It was pointless, she didn’t answer my thoughts. Celes. I need to go get Celes. I ran across the dance floor to where Celes was sitting with some guy.
    “Celes, Alice is missing,” I couldn’t help the note of panic that crept into my voice.
    “YOU LOST ALICE!” Yelled Celes
    “No! She went to go talk to Liam about something and she never came back,”
    “This is not good we better get Jenny and Lilly.”
    “I will come with you,” said the blond boy that had been with Celes,”
    “And who are you?” I said looking at the boy
    “I’m Lock, and you are…”
    “Jake”
    “Let’s go! We can do introductions later,” said Celes. They ran over to where Jenny was dancing with a brown haired boy.
    “Jenny Alice is missing and we need you to help us find her,” I said
    “That is not good,” she said
    “Who’s Alice?” asked Deidara.
    “She is my girl friend,” I said
    “Where did you see her last?” asked Jenny.
    “She went to go talk to Liam about her,” I said pointing to Celes. Celes blushed.
    “WHY DID YOU LET HER GO ALONE!” yelled Jenny, she started to vibrate and then she burst into flame and then there was a flash and there was a wolf standing in front of them. There were screams heard from behind them. Then Lilly ran over to them
    “Ok which one of you pissed Jenny off?” asked Lilly looking at the big black wolf that was in front of them.
    “That would be him,” said Celes pointing to me.
    “What did you do?” asked Lilly
    “Well…Alice was kidnapped by Liam,”
    “Don’t look at me!” I said.
    “Well you where the one dancing with her!” Lilly said.
    “I know but the blond girl said to let Alice go alone,”
    “Wait, what blond girl? There is a blond girl that isn’t Lilly?” said Celes
    “Um…yea she derived a message to Alice from Liam,” I said
    “Well let’s find her and talk to her,” said Celes

    Chapter 7

    “Hey you!” yelled Lilly
    “My name is Rose,” said the girl.
    “Where is Alice,” I said demandingly.
    “If you mean the girl that was with you then I have no clue, I only deliver messages,” she said
    “If she is in any way hurt, then I will hold you personally responsibly,” I said in a deadly tone.
    “Hey don’t blame me, blame Esmeralda,” She said.
    “YOU LET THE LOVE OF MY LIFE GO WITH A BOY WHO WORKS WITH A KILLER WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR THE SWORDS WE HAVE,” I yelled
    “Jake, I know you are upset but DON’T YELL,” said Celes with a stern look.
    “Sorry just a little worried about her, I could never forgive myself if something happened to her,”
    “She is a big girl she can take care of herself,” said Celes.
    “I know but I get so worried,” I said. There was a deep growl from the wolf
    “She smells Alice!” said Celes
    “Well lead the way Jenny!” I said excitedly. They fallowed Jenny out of the building and down the dark road. Soon they were in front of a worn out building.
    “Um…I don’t want to go in there,” said Lilly
    “Well you have to,” I said
    “Fine,” said Lilly grabbing James. They walked into the building. There was blood on the walls. I hoped that it wasn’t Alice’s. We followed Jenny through the dark bloody hallway. Just stay cool, Alice is ok. I kept repeating this to myself hoping that somehow It would make things ok. It didn’t. After we opened the door at the end of the door and I saw her on the floor I just fell to pieces. Every time I love something it leaves me heartbroken. No. Not now. Right now I need to find Liam and rip him to shreds. I looked around but he was nowhere to be found.
    “LIAM WHEN I FIND YOU I WILL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!” I yelled into the night.
    “Jake? Is that you?” I felt her cold hand reaching for my face.
    “Alice?” I asked looking at her in astonishment. “Are you ok,” I asked
    “I will be fine but we need to leave now,” she said trying to stand, but she fell.
    “Here I will carry you,” I picked her up, she was lighter then I had thought.
    “Can we leave now,” It was the first time Jenny had spoken since she transformed, Deidara was standing next to her.
    “Yea, that sounds good to me she said.

    Chapter 8

    Alice

    Jake bandaged me up, although every time he saw a bruise or cut he swore he would kill Liam.
    “That a** will pay for what he did to you” he said when he saw another cut.
    “I am fine, you can stop worrying,” I said
    “I can’t help it,” he said
    “Dose this help,” I kissed him gently
    “A little,” he said smiling
    “Well good,” I said smiling at him. “You know I love you, right?”
    “I know you do,” he said. I kissed him again.
    “Awwww, how cute,” said Celes
    “Shut up Celes, I saw you and Lock kissing last night,” I said back. Celes blushed and looked at Lock, who had his arm around her shoulders.
    “How are you doing?” asked Jenny as she walked in.
    “Fine,” I said.
    “Good,” she said smiling.
    “How long until we can leave?” I asked Jake
    “About one week,”
    “WHAT?” I said, “I want to leave now!”
    “We have to wait until you are feeling better,” he said.
    “Fine,” I said pouting. Jake laughed at my expression, and then he kissed me gently.
    “I know you want to leave now, so do I, but I would wait one million years if it kept you safe,”
    “Jake, I will be fine,” I tried getting up, but white hot pain shot up my legs and back, and I fell back into Jake’s arms, I blushed.
    “Alice stop flirting!” yelled Jenny from the doorway. My face turned to an even deeper red.
    “Shut up Jenny!” I said. Jenny just smiled and walked out. Jake laid me back down on the bed; he too was blushing a deep red.
    “We can to leave now, I will be fine,” I tried to get up, but he laid his hand on my chest and pushed me back down.
    “Come on let me up, I am fine!”
    “Alice you need to heal, that means you can’t get up.”
    “Fine.” I said pouting.
    “Well I have to go to James' room, I will be back in five minutes tops, ok?”
    “Ok, I will miss you,” I blew him a kiss.

    Jake
    It kills me to see her in this much pain. I am determined to kill Liam for all her pain. Every time I looked into her eyes and saw the pain that she tried to hide, it killed me. After I made my way passed Jenny and Deidara's room, and walked into James and Lilly’s room, they where off on a walk. Then there was a Tap, tap, tap at the door. Someone was at the door, maybe it was that cat she has, that cat will follow her everywhere, It likes everyone but Lilly. I opened the door and standing in the doorway was Liam, I was shocked to see his face, but before I could do anything he grabbed me and sent a shock of pain up my arm.
    “Where is she?” he yelled
    “I’ll never tell you,” I said in a strained voice. The pain increased.
    “Tell me or I will kill you both,” he said in a menacing voice.
    “I would rather die than be without her!” I said
    “Well then I will just kill her and you will live without her for all eternity.”
    “You are a monster,”
    “Now where is she?” I hoped with all my heart that no one would walk in, especially not Alice. But of course that didn't help. Alice walked in helped by Celes and Jenny. Damn. Before they could turn and leave Liam turned.
    “So glad you joined us,” Liam said with a malicious smile.
    “********,” swore Jenny and Celes together.
    “And here is the guest of honor,” he said looking at Alice. I could feel tears running down my face as he pulled out a long, sharp knife. “I had to wait a long time to kill you, after you got away, and then I had to track you down again.” He grabbed Alice by the arm and dragged her over to the center of the room. Tears flowing down her cheeks. I could feel tears running down my face too as he brought the knife closer to her back. How come all that I ever love kills me in the end? It killed me but I still loved her with all of my heart. “Any last words?” she gestured for me to go over to her. I walked over and knelt beside her. She looked into my eyes and I could see she was not frightened at all.
    “I love you,” she whispered. And she kissed me and smiled weakly. There was a huge tugging on my heart.
    “I love you too,” I said. There was sobbing in the background. Celes was holding Jenny, whose face was stained with tears. Liam was using magic to stop us from doing anything.
    “Can we get on with this pleas, I have things to do,” I was forced to step away from her.
    There was a flash of metal and a thump as her body hit the ground. Then there was a puff of black smoke and he was gone. I knelt beside her body. I hugged her corps as if it would bring life back to her. Silently Celes walked over and placed her hand on her heart. There was a flash and her eyes flickered open. We all stared at Celes, then at Alice. Alice pulled the knife out of her back.
    “Um...how did you do that Celes,” Asked Jenny wiping the tears from her eyes.
    “I learned a few things from Lock,” I walked over to Celes and squeezed her with all my might.
    “Can't breathe!”
    “Sorry, I hope you know that I owe you my life,”