Sophie
When Sophie spotted the familiar building of Alluveterre, her heart stopped. She didn't know if she was ready to face the consequences of her actions, yet. Would Agent Forkle punish her? Were Grady and Edaline worried?
She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and leapt off Silveny. She snatched the jar from Keefe's hands.
"Where are you going?" Marella asked. "Are we here?"
Sophie did not have time to answer. She had to get this to the people infested with the plague as soon as possible. She sprinted into the familiar building. She jumped into the elevator.
The elevator was gray and dull. No one would have expected it to lead to a top secret organization. But it did. It lead to one of the most secret ones of all.
Sophie threw off her gloves and pressed her palm into a specific place. The elevator lit up.
"Sophie Foster," its monotone voice said. "Agent Moonlark. Rank: Alpha."
The elevator plummeted downwards. Most people were terrified the first time they were in it. Not Sophie. She had been fascinated. But right now, she was impatient and panicking.
"Floor negative seven, please," she told the elevator.
"Ok."
The elevator came to an abrupt stop. The doors started slowly opening, but Sophie was out them by the time a sliver of space had appeared between them. She ran through the halls, not caring that the hood of her cloak was down.
She burst into the meeting room, where the Collective was.
"Tinker said there was no- Sophie?" Agent Forkle's eyes widened. "What? You're here already? We were so worried."
"No time," Sophie panted. She held up the jar. "I've got the cure."
"But there is no cure," Squall said.
Sophie shook her head. "No, there is."
"We hacked into the Neverseen. There is no cure."
"That's what they think. But Calla found one."
By the time they processed what she had said, she was out the door and running to the Healing Center. She pushed open the doors.
"Sophie?" Fitz was reading a book. "You disappeared. And you're not even supposed to be in here!"
Sophie ignored him. In a flash, she was at Tam's side. She opened her jar and grabbed some petals, but she stopped.
Tam was ghostly white. He looked like death itself. His forehead was plastered with sweat and his breathing was faint.
A tear escaped from Sophie's eye, and she quickly wiped it away. She took a deep breath and shoved the Panakes petals into Tam's mouth.
"Swallow," she begged him. "Please, Tam. Swallow!"
Tam did not move. The petals remained in his mouth.
"Someone make him swallow them," Sophie shouted. "Please!" All her desperation leaked into her voice.
A familiar brunette charged into the room. She was at Tam's side in an instant.
"Please, Tam," Biana said softly. "I know it's hard, but you can do it." She put a hand on his cheek.
Tam slowly swallowed it.
Please work. Please work. Please work.
She saw Keefe and Marella come in out of the corner of her eye. Keefe wrapped an arm around her waist. She hid her head in his chest, praying that this would work.
The Collective chose then to come into the room.
"What are those?" Agent Forkle asked. He pointed to the petals.
"Panakes petals," Sophie said. She took a shaky breath and walked over to Agent Forkle. She pressed a handful of petals into his palm. "Give this to the Basiles as soon as possible."
Agent Forkle nodded and left the room.
Sophie went to Lur next, and gently opened his mouth and dropped the petals in. Thankfully, after much coaxing, he managed to swallow them down, much to Sophie's relief.
"It worked," a raspy voice said. Sophie spun around and saw Tam propped up on an elbow, his bleary eyes half open.
Biana squeezed him in a tight hug immediately. She buried her head in his shoulder, her body shaking with silent sobs.
Everyone else was torn between looking away awkwardly, or crying tears of joy, too. Sophie chose the latter.
Biana released him. For a second, all was quiet. Then Biana punched him.
"Don't you ever do that again," she told him sternly. Her voice cracked and her teal eyes watered.
"I'll try not to," Tam laughed. Laughed. He only did that about once a month.
Quicker than anyone's eyes could follow, she leaned in and kissed him. One second she was a good two feet away from him, the next her lips were pressed against his.
Sophie blinked, her mouth dropping open. She shielded her eyes, blushing hard.
Agent Granite cleared his throat. "As touching as this is...I'm afraid we must cure Mitya, now."
Biana and Tam sprang apart, their cheeks redder than roses.
"That was my sister, Bangs boy," Fitz said in a bewildered voice.
"Aw," Keefe said. He wiped a fake tear away. "He used my nickname for Tammy boy." He sniffled dramatically.
Fitz rolled his eyes, and pointed to his eyes then to Tam. 'I'm watching you,' he mouthed to them.
Sophie shook herself out of her trance and ran to Mitya's bed. She reached into the jar, but a cold hand stopped her.
"No," a strained voice said. Sophie slowly lifted her head and met Mitya's open gray eyes.
Sophie gasped. "You're awake again? Mitya, save your energy! We'll have you cured soon!"
Mitya's hand got a firm hold on Sophie's. Sophie stared at it. It didn't used to be this thin. Right now, it was so frail, it was only skin and bones.
What had this plague done to her?
"Mitya?" Sophie whispered. Why wasn't Mitya letting her feed her Panakes petals?
Mitya shook her head the tiniest bit. "I'm dying, Sophie."
"I know, Mitya! That's why I should give you these-"
"No." It was gentle, but firm. "It won't work." Mitya smiled weakly, the edges of her eyes crinkling.
"We need to at least-"
"Save it, Sophie. Save it for those who need it more." She coughed.
"You need it the most! You're the most sick." Sophie wiped her running nose with her sleeve as she pleaded with the elderly woman.
"It would-" Mitya coughed again "-just be a waste."
"No! Nothing could ever be a waste on you!"
Mitya lifted a trembling hand up to Sophie's cheek. Her thumb traced the curve of Sophie's cheek. Cold skin made contact with warm skin.
"I am old, Sophie. I have lived a long life," she wheezed.
"No! Mitya, please! I'm begging you!" A sob escaped her throat.
"You are the strongest person I know," Mitya told Sophie. Her voice was barely above a whisper, now. "Promise me you'll stay strong and remember Calla?" The rest of her hand joined her thumb on Sophie's tear-stricken cheek.
"Yes." She nodded, trying not to break down in front of Mitya. "I will, Mitya. But-"
"Shhhh," Mitya said. She smiled. "You are the change this world needs, Sophie. Just tell-" She gasped for air. "Tell Lur that I love him." Her hand fell from Sophie's cheek. Sophie caught it and cradled it.
"Please," she begged. "Please don't. I can't lose someone else."
Mitya's smile grew. "It's ok," she whispered. She took a last, shuddering breath and her chest stopped moving. Her eyes glazed over. And she was dead.
"No," Sophie breathed. "No no no." She touched Mitya's body. It was colder than before, if possible.
"No!" she screamed. She fell to her knees, sobbing. "I'm sorry, Mitya, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She kept on repeating 'I'm sorry' over and over. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."
She cried into her now wet hands. Why did death follow her like this? Why didn't Mitya let her cure her? Why did the Neverseen have to ruin their lives?
"No no no." She couldn't see anything anymore. Only Mitya's body.
All she could feel was the cold feeling of Mitya's hand. Colder than stone. Barely alive. And now she was dead.
She felt strong arms pull her away from the Healing Center, but she could barely register that. All she cared about was that Mitya was yet another person she couldn't save.
"Stay gold, Ponyboy."
^ If you get that reference, comment a crying face. Because that was so sad.
New Author: Sorry I forgot to keep reposting. I had a 3 day overnight swim meet last weekend in Carson City, and didn't have time.