AN: Covenant means Binding Contract. This has absolutely nothing to do with the movie about the five dudes that fight each other with flashy magic at the cost of a premature death. I'm not saying that it's a bad movie, just that it is completely irrelevant to this story, but I digress.

~Amethyst

"Tell me a story." the child looks up at the dark shadow that looms above him. He tries to block out the sound of the screams that surround him, preferring instead to gaze up at the shadow. If he wishes intently enough, he can almost believe the shadow is a person. A friend. God knows he needs one, needs something, to keep the impending insanity at bay.

There is a reply, though he is not sure if it is part of reality, or merely his own internal ramblings. He hopes it's the former. The voice, if it is indeed real, is elusive like a dream, like the shadow figure. But that is not the most peculiar thing about it. What's strange is that it is beautiful, impossibly beautiful, like dark sweets and forbidden desires. Like freedom.

"One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight"

"That's not really a story." the boy replies to the phantom voice. But he is smiling now. He relaxes a bit, intent on listening to the rhyme.

"Back to back, they faced each other
Pulled out their swords and shot one another"

"And it's dreadfully morbid." he mutters softly, his eyes fluttering closed. He is calm, for the first time in far to long. He wants to stay conscious, to enjoy the peace that is such a rare gift to him, but it is a desire just out of his reach.

"The deaf cop on the beat heard the noise
and came and shot the two dead boys"

The boy fell asleep.

The shadow curls around the boy. Slowly, it solidifies into a shape decidedly human. But like the voice, it is impossibly beautiful. A hand reaches out to the small form sitting slumped against the wall. It trails delicately up the small boy's frame, the deathly pallor of skin stretched too tight over protruding ribs.

"It won't be long now, dear one. And then I will always be by your side."