Akira ran. She couldn’t say how she knew but she knew Askel’s fever had spiked dangerously high. She moved around the house at a faster pace than normal. Ehren tried to stop her several times but she was more than able to shake him off. When she had everything prepared, she scooped Askel up and took him to the bathroom. She stripped him down to his skivvies and put him in the tub. The water was as cold as she could get it. Using her hands, she brought the water up over his chest. Every time she touched his skin, she had to force herself not to jerk away. It was so hot she felt like she was getting burned.

Anguish swept over her. She couldn’t lose him too.

“How dare you,” she muttered to herself. “How dare you take them then turn around and try to take him too. I won’t let you have him, damn you. Damn you to hell. Don’t you dare take him. Don’t you dare. I will never forgive you if you do.”

Her hands kept moving but she laid her head on the side of the tub. She tried to stop the tears from falling but this time she couldn’t. She was so scared she would lose the last member of her family. She couldn’t bear to lose him too. Losing him would mean losing the last part of herself that kept her sane. She wouldn’t be able to hold herself together to take care of her father much less herself. So, she cried. She cried ‘Don’t take him.’ Over and over again she cried.