A wave of tension, fueled by the sheer impossibility of his situation, caused him to wobble dangerously. He realized he was standing on top of a ladder. A very tall ladder. His sudden shift nearly sent him tumbling.
"Whoa, whoa, no no— damn it!"
He clutched the shears tightly, arms flailing for a second until he stabilized himself. His heart pounded.
"Great. First dead chapter and I'm one slip away from dying again."
Before he could process any more, a loud, furious shout cut through the air like a whip.
"DO YOU CALL THIS CLEAN?!"
The shout hit him so hard he nearly lost his balance. Startled, he wobbled on the tall ladder he was standing on, clutching the shears for dear life. His head whipped toward the sound.
Down below stood Evelise.
But this wasn't the Evelise he knew.
She was human. Entirely… human.
