Serena

The screams suddenly cease and I open my eyes. Kathryn is definitely dead. Tears fill my eyes and Nathaniel holds me close. I feel tears on my shoulder and we are both shaking. Lucy pulls me off Nathaniel and Jonathan grabs him. He yells and kicks and Jonathan throws him into a tent. Lucy pushes me and I fall over, my body still weak. She kicks me and I scream from the pain. Lilly pushes her away and picks me up. She carries me into another tent and lays me down on some blankets. She gives me a glass of water then leaves me alone. I sob into a pillow and fall unconscious from my pain.

A few hours later, I wake up to a cold rag across my forehead.

"What...?" I start, but Lilly quiets me.

"You have a fever. You are very sick," she whispers, dabbing my forehead.

"I want to see Nathaniel!" I croak, pushing the rag away from me. She shakes her head.

"Elijah has him. You are forbidden to talk to him. I'm very sorry."

"Let me talk to Elijah then."

"He says he has no intent to speak to 'the devil child' at the moment," she says seriously. I laugh but stop immediately from the pain.

"See ya in hell, honey," I rasp then fall asleep again.

"Serena?" someone says, shaking me awake.

"Hmm?"

"It's Nathaniel." My eyes pop open and sure enough it is he.

"What are you doing here?!" I whisper.

"Elijah said I have ten minutes to talk today," he says, his eyes full of sadness. "I just wanted to say...thank you."

"For what? I stole your chance at life and you're dying tomorrow and me soon after. I am the last person you should ever thank," I croak, and my throat starts to close up again.

"You showed me adventure. Despite all the deaths, we had some good times together. I-I thought you should know t-that you are truly... brilliant." And then he breaks down. He curls up in ball next to me and sobs. I reach for his hand and grab it gently.

"You were amazing. We really did have g-great times. This is the end n-now. At least... we are all... going to be... together." I join him in tears. We sit together in the dark little tent and cry together. We are the only ones left, completely alone in the world. I know this is our last conversation.

"It's time for you to go, Nathaniel," Lilly whispers from the tent doorway. He nods and leans down to kiss my forward.

"Goodbye, Serena," he whispers and leaves the tent. Lilly comes over to sit with me, and she pulls a blanket over me.

"No! I don't want to sleep!" I cry.

"Sleep, child. Sleep," she whispers consolingly.

"No!"

"Please." I stare into her eyes and finally nod. She leaves the tent and I close my eyes.