Septifiria; The Becoming

Chapter 8

   "What do you think?" Septi asked Ferinequell, searching his face anxiously. She had just told him her idea, and she had a feeling that he’d nix it.

   "I think that while it is doable, we oughtn’t." Septi’s face fell.

   "Why?" she demanded, thoughtfully.

   "Isn’t it a tad… gruesome?"

   "Are you afraid of the bodies?"

   "Not afraid. I just want to be respectful."

   "Respectful?" Septi echoed.

   "Yes. They were real people. We should give them the dignity of a proper burial, at the very least."

   "But there are no real solutions as to how we’ll do that," Septi pointed out bluntly.

   "I’ve been doing some research, and when Lord Victor bought this land eighteen years ago, he paid for it free and clear. So this land does belong to us."

   "Yes, and-?"

   "We could bury them on the land. There’s a rather nice spot a distance away from the building that would work."

   "Yes, but if somewhere along the line we want to move the hideout, we couldn’t exactly sell it."

   "We could sell the building but not the burial grounds," he countered. "You’re not planning on moving the VI4C any time soon, are you?"

   "No, I’m not. But you never know what might happen."

   "But if we pay too much attention to the ‘might’s, the ones that most likely won’t happen, we lose sight of the definite."

   "And what is definite?" Septi asked, her face and voice remaining smooth, untouched by the emotion that was rampaging just beneath the surface. Her eyes, however, did show the emotions. Pain, exhaustion, and a silent question appeared in them.

   "Nothing really on this earth. The past, I suppose, technically is set permanently. And our future is the same, though we don’t know it, and we have our choices. I suppose we will all die eventually."

   "Death," Septi spat the word out like a bullet. "Yes, it is certain." Ferinequell, obviously sensing Septi’s tension, cleared his throat and spoke again.

   "I contacted Miss Evens earlier today. She said that she was a nurse, not a doctor, and that she no longer lives in the area, so she doesn’t know of any safe doctors." There was an odd, almost reminiscent look on Ferinequell’s face, and Septi stared at him curiously.

   "You knew her?" she asked curiously. Ferinequell gave a start and started to blush.

   "Ah- well, yes, I did, many, many, many years ago," he stammered.

   "You liked her or something?" Septi prodded, surprised by his reaction.

   "No, not her," he said, a partly guilty, partly closed look appearing on his face.

   "Who then? And when was this even?" A naughty glint appeared in Septi’s eyes, and a slight smile played on her lips.

   "Ah, I guess it must have been nine years ago, or so."

   "Nine? That’s not many, many, many years ago!" Septi teased, her smile growing wider. "You would have been what, twenty?"

   "Yes," he said, sighing slightly.

   "So, who was she?" Septi asked, smiling coyly at him.

   "Sarah," he said reluctantly.

   "How old was she?"