Though a web of tears, David watched in horror as Jasper struck Steven around the head and he was knocked out, and he cried out for them to stop.

"You fucking crazy ass bitch!" Max yelled, and David's heart dropped. He knew Jasper would make Max pay for that. "Stay back!"

He heard Jasper say something, and the next thing he knew he felt his arms being yanked behind his back and a cold blade being pressed to his throat.

David tried to stop breathing.

He didn't want to accidently slice his own neck while exhaling too excitedly. Daniel's dagger was a hair's breath away from his skin. His arms were twisted painfully behind him and all he could hear was the thundering of his heart against his ribs.

But when he saw her grasp Max around the neck and begin constricting his windpipe, David screamed.

Too late: in seconds Max went limp, just like Steven. He fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes and didn't move. David sobbed. Jasper snorted with laughter and picked the two of them up, stuffing them under an arm each.

Daniel let go of David. He collapsed onto the floor, panting, sweating, terrified. He raised his head, shaking, to glare at Jasper. She stood over him, the two children tucked under her huge arms. Daniel crossed the room and stood beside her, grinning manically down at David.

"You've lost," Daniel hissed. "Now you get to make a choice: watch Max die, or ...actually no, you don't have a choice. I'm going to make you watch him die either way. And then, finally, I will reach total inner peace."