Everything hurts…
Every muscle in their body is screaming at them, begging them to stop, to give up, to just collapse and sleep forever.
But they won’t.
They fight, unable to see their own intentions completely, but knowing that it gives them strength.
Yet, was this what they want…?

Blood flows through the air like petals, the ground is cracked open all around them, and the people…
There were still people standing.
The people hadn’t given up on their efforts in trying to stop them.
Despite countless losses, the people still desperately clung to their hopes… their dreams for the future…
And whom would stand directly in death’s path, if not a lone child.
Wavy golden blonde hair… light blue summer dress… a basket full of forget-me-nots and white roses in her hand.

They approach the child, their head involuntarily twitching as it always has.
Yet, the child doesn’t back away.
She stands her ground, and stare into the abyss.
The abyss, which gazes back with it’s one good eye…
Her eyes, so bright blue, are filled with the determination to live.
But they were also piercing.. a gaze eerily familiar…
And her pair of eyes were not the only ones on him…
Multiple pairs were staring out at them from their hiding spots amongst the ruins.
They are watching… hoping… praying…

Death raises their cursed hand to the child… to strike her down… but…
Time passes as they observe… as they think…
Finally, they lower their thumbless hand again.
They couldn’t hurt this child…
They can’t hurt something, someone, so pure.
The child did not cower as the creature raised it’s hand.
Nor did she steel herself. She simply looks up at the creature, almost pityingly.

Now, it was the child’s turn to raise her hand to the creature.
They blink down at the child, confused.
Her smile is friendly, graceful, and inviting.
They can feel fight and anger leaving them, and they take her hand in their curse-free one.
The child’s hand was small, compared to theirs.
Soft… and warm…
The warmth spread into the creature, causing a soft purr to escape their lips.
The girl smiles wider as she looks up at them, before putting down her basket, to then reach up and stroke over the creature’s head.
They wince slightly as her fingers brushed against the open wound on his forehead. It did not hurt.. yet it felt cold, as if her touch had left a layer of ice over the sore.
The creature’s purring didn’t seize, however.
In this girl’s presence, they felt safety.. care…
“Come… it’s time to wake up…”

They do not object, but simply nods.
And together, the girl and the creature walks past the people.
Hand in hand, they wander out of this dream.. never to be seen again.