"So...you don't love me anymore. You want to stop seeing me..."
I looked up, hurt by the sad, accusing tone of his voice. "No Henry, that's not it. How could you even think that?"
He turned his face away. "Because all girls do this to me...they love me for a little while but they never stay. Never." He made a frustrated sound in his throat. "I don't lie, I don't cheat, I'm never mean, I listen...but, they all leave me."
A sharp wind hissed through the empty trees that surrounded us, making me shiver.
"Henry, all I said was that you won't see me for a few days."
He nodded. "That's how it starts." I shook my head, denying his words but he smiled sarcastically and stared me down with those unbelievable silver eyes.
"Elizabeth Leigh, tell me the thought of leaving me has never crossed your mind."
I parted my lips to tell him no, it hadn't but my tongue froze within my mouth. I couldn't lie. Ashamed I looked away.
Bitterly, Henry laughed. We were both quiet for moments. When, I looked up again, he was leaning casually against the trunk of a tree, his longish, waving dark hair fluttering against his face.
"Christine..." his voice was pleading, "I'd give anything to be perfect for you. Anything."
"You are perfect!"
"Then...why are you leaving me?" WHY?!"
The anger in his voice frightened me for a moment. What did he want me to say? It had been a year, a year of a fleeting courtship that never left the ground. No phone calls, no movie nights, no hand-holding while walking down the street, no snuck kisses at my house-or his.
He wanted-no- needed another year from me and it was something I should have been able to give him. Didn't I love him? Love wasn't easy...I couldn't give up, no, not on Henry.
I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"I love you, Henry." Those silver eyes filled with hurt and water and he tried to push me away. I clung on. Throughout the graveyard, the moon glared down and tackled ever object, making them eerie and yet, beautiful. Henry too in it's light gleamed with a frightening beauty.
I buried my face in his chest and sobbed, "I'll stay with you, Henry. I promise-I swear it on my life."
His arms came around me and tightly pulled me closer as he freely wept.
"I'm sorry, Christine...I'm being selfish. Don't swear, don't swear! I love you, don't swear." He choked. "I trust you, I love you. Don't swear!"

"No Henry, I swear it. I'll stay with you, however long you want me."
He stiffened suddenly. "Don't make me a promise you cannot keep, Christine." I had never heard his voice so cold, so empty.
"I promise you, Henry."
He was silent for a moment, then: "It's time for you to go back home, Christine."
I groaned. "Why Henry? You always make me leave at midnight." I looked up into his serious, handsome face. "You're not meeting another girl, are you?" I teased.
His smile was ironic. "No."
"Then, why?"
"Your parents will worry." Lame excuse, we both knew it. My parents were never home.
He sighed. "You'll hate me..."
"Never!" I breathed.
He laughed, long humorless laughter that chilled my skin.
"Ok Christine, it is fifteen minutes till midnight...kiss me, kiss me! Let's pass the seconds this way!"
Hungrily, his lips met mine and for a while, it was fine and passionate and sweet. Then, I noticed...he wasn't getting as breathless as I...his mouth started to taste sour and when I tried pulling away, he held me tighter and as the seconds passed, the taste became more rank and I gagged as his tongue pushed itself in my mouth. Finally, he allowed me escape. His silver eyes were mocking.
"Almost midnight now, my love." He whispered.
My throat was dry and hurting with a strange, burning sting.
He sauntered away from me and calmly stood in front of a large grave with a marbled angel.
He stared at me, unblinkingly for the longest time. His eyes drank me in and swallowed me down as if they were parched.
"I love you, Christine."
Then, before my eyes, the ground beneath him trembled and the earth's lips rose up to quickly swallow him down. I screamed until I tasted blood in my mouth.