“No more!” roared Marion, puffing his fleshless chest out. “You shall harm no more children!”

“What’s one more, Marion? How many did you not save?”

Marion yelled and lunged with his sword. The Collector dashed forward, ducking easily beneath Marion’s clumsy swing. With a swipe of his scythe, he sliced the skeleton in half. Marion didn’t even manage to scream.

A few of the dead who had gathered to watch the scene tittered laughter.

Far away, deep in the darkness of the cemetery, Charlie sat down with a thud as a shadow passed over his heart. “Marion?” he whispered.

This is part seventeen of a larger story for Halloween. All sections are in the form of a 99-word story. Check back tomorrow for part eighteen!

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