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As the final drop of the Potion of Living Death passes his lips and the magic begins to take effect, it occurs to Jack:

. . . that a vampire hunter needn’t be human,

. . . that a gift offered too eagerly may prove unwelcome,

. . . that even a boy with no tongue may utter cries of warning,

. . . and that any fluid that promises living death is poison.

The bright blossom of pain that accompanies his death lasts only a moment, but the torment of undeath will never cease . . . though eternal darkness may fall upon the world outside this room, Jack will see no darkness but his own eternal shadow-life, will never know that this is . . .

THE END.

Return to 1 and begin again.