Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in soooo long! I've been writing stuff on Fictionpress and dealing with my GCSE's. I took a look at my story stats and things earlier and was completely shocked at how popular my stories still are on here. I'm going to finish off the story's but i'm not sure how regular i'll be updating. It'll probably be every two or three weeks or something like that. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, personally I don't think it's too good but i'm just getting back into the swing of the storyline again so just bare with me. Anyways, thanks for all the support, i'm actually quite blown away by some of the reviews I've been getting and I can't shout you all out individually to thank you because there're so many of you all, but to everyone who's reviewed, followed, favourited, or even just viewed my story, THANK YOU SO MUCH! If you feel like checking out my Fictionpress account then by all means, go ahead, my account name's 'Keyleigh S Perham'. I know this chapter's really quite short but as I've said, i'm getting back into the swing of things so hopefully my next chapter will be a bit longer. So, yeah, i'm going to stop waffling now and let you read... enjoy! :D x

Chapter 12

Time fly's fast. It's now only three days until her seventeenth birthday. Three days until she gets taken to the place of her death and has to recite the four lines that will automatically sentence her to death. She still hasn't told her housemates about her sacrifice, and she knows she's going to have to.

Tonight, before it's too late.

She's currently sat on her bed in her room, listening to the sound of the TV drifting up from downstairs, and the sound of Eve clomping around in the kitchen.

It's Eve's turn to cook tonight, meaning there's a high possibility that Claire won't live to see the day of her sacrifice anyway.

She smiles at how normal her life has seemed ever since she moved into the Glass house. Well, besides the obvious abnormality surrounding her entire life, that is.

She stands up and makes her way downstairs, taking a deep breath as she realises just what she's about to do tonight.

When Eve's finished in the kitchen, they all sit around and have a nice meal (or as nice as it could be with Eve's cooking) and then sit down to watch some TV.

Well, it's now or never…

"Hey, guys? I kind of need to talk to you…" she says, her tone of voice automatically drawing everyone's attention.

Oh, boy…

Michael quickly turns the TV off with the remote.

"Yes, hun?" Eve asks.

"So… as you all know, it's my seventeenth in three days," she starts, making sure to not look Shane's way.

She's finding it harder and harder to stay away from him lately, which is not a good thing when she only has about a year left to live.

"Yes," Michael says. "And you've got to decide on whether you make this sacrifice or not, right?"

"Wrong. I've already decided, I just have to announce my decision," she corrects him.

"Right," Eve says. "But what exactly is this so-called sacrifice you have to make, Claire?"

That question causes Shane's back to stiffen.

There's no way around this question. No way around the inevitable. So Claire decides to drop all bullshit and get straight to the point.

"My life," she answers truthfully. "I have to sacrifice my life."

Silence, complete and utter silence.

And then all hell breaks loose.

"What?" Eve screeches at the same time as Shane shouts, "No way in hell am I letting you do that!"

All three of her housemates start yelling things that are all pretty much along the same line.

Eventually, Claire steps in.

"Shut up!" she yells at all three of them, and they shut up. "Firstly, it's not like I haven't done this before. Secondly, it's not like I'm going to stay dead. And thirdly, I don't really get much of a choice! If I don't die then the rest of my kind will!"

Another silence as they consider her words.

"CB, come on," Eve starts, her voice reasoning. "I'm sure there's a way around this. I mean, there has to be, right?"

"No," Claire replies. "There really isn't. Drake's looked and so have I, there's nothing we can do…"

"Well, you can't just die!" Shane says. She looks over at him and finds his face filled with so much pain, she actually has to look away.

"I don't have a choice!" She says, trying to make her voice firm but she can feel the tears stinging the back of her throat.

Maybe it was a mistake after all, her moving in here. She should never have let herself get close to these people, she should've seen Shane was her soulmate in this life and run the other way.

Why had she been so stupid…?

"C'mon, Claire… you can't just… give up," Michael says desperately.

"You think I'm giving up? I'm not giving up, Michael, I'm doing what's best for everyone!" she snaps.

"Everyone?" Shane asks in disbelief. "And where exactly do you fit into this? Because I'm sure as hell it's not best for you, and I'm positive it's not best for us either!"

Ugh, fantastic. Now she knows it was a mistake to move into this house. Maybe she should just move out again, maybe she should go back on the run for the last year of her life to get away from everything for a little while longer, that is, until she's found again and the inevitable happens.

"Please, Shane, don't. This is hard enough already!"

"Then don't do it!" he half yells.

"Shut up! You know I have to!"

"No you don't, you have a choice!"

"What choice, Shan?! Jesus, put yourself in my shoes! Would you be able to kill off the rest of your friggin' species? Because I sure as hell can't!"

And, with that, she's standing up and storming off to her room.

She really doesn't need the guilt right now…

At least, if she did move, she wouldn't be prolonging her friend's pain…