Because There Is a Future

Chapter Thirty-Five

Sophie took Fin's hand, guiding him through the chaos of elves and humans. Obviously, the whole human population wasn't here -- the world was huge. But then again, there were so many more people storming into the hole -- so many people who were ready to fight, driven by a false determination.

Sophie tried not to think of the way her heart was pounding, or how pale Fin's face was getting by the second.

She could think about those things later.

Right?

Fin was willing to sacrifice himself for it.

But then again, she was, too.

"Um... So would you mind telling me where we're going, because it seems like we're walking in a circle." Fin said after a while. Sophie ran her free hand through her hair. He was right.

"I know. I can't find Veta." She hated how hopeless she sounded. She should be able to do it herself, shouldn't she?

Her emotions were getting more tangled by the second.

Fear.

Unease.

Bitterness.

Hopelessness.

She wanted to leap out of here and go to another universe that had no problems.

This was Fin. The guy she had worked with in the hospital. The guy who had comforted her when she was broken.

A human who had accepted her.

Sophie found herself flinging herself into his arms. "Fin." Her voice cracked; it was hoarse. "You don't have to do this. You don't want to--"

"I don't want to, or you don't want me to?" He asked softly. "Listen, Hart. I know you're crazy powerful and all, but you can't fix everything on your own. You need to let someone help you, every once in a while."

Before she could answer, she found a frantic-looking Linh rushing towards her. "Sophie!" Her voice wavered. "Sophie!"

Sophie broke free from Fin, turning to her friend. Looking at her tear-stained cheeks and pale, horror-struck face, whatever she had to say couldn't be good.

"Veta -- she got shot."

................................................................................

Sophie found Veta laying on the ground in a pool of blood. Her head was resting on Natt's lap, who also had tears streaming down his face. He carefully cradled Veta's hand, muttering to her as if it would make any difference.

They were in the middle of an isolated area, where they were hidden from everyone's view. But the gun shots and screaming and utter chaos could still be heard from here.

When Veta spotted Sophie, her painful expression eased into a sad smile. "Who knew human technology was this dangerous?" Her voice had an odd gurgling sound to it, which Sophie did not like at all.

"Shh. Don't talk." Sophie whispered, kneeling down next to her. She tried to fight off the sadness, but her eyes seemed to be leaking.

Veta reached up with a shivering hand, and wiped a tear away. "Death is a common thing--"

"Don't talk like you are dying!" Sophie insisted stubbornly, feeling chills crawl up her spine when she got flashbacks from when Mr. Forkle died. "Please. I need you."

She reached down into her pocket and pulled out a clear case, and placed it into Sophie's hand. "What you need to do will be in there." Her breathing got shallower.