Cutie's heart dropped. His throat tightened as he stared down at her, the glow from his hand reflecting in her half-lidded eyes that were barely focusing on anything.
His healing wasn't working.
Kaya's face turned pale, her skin cold beneath Cutie's trembling fingers.
She gritted her teeth, but not a sound escaped.
Still, her mind was raging.
Damn it.
Why?
Why this pain—so sharp, so cruel?
She didn't have any illness. No condition. Nothing to explain it.
Then why did it feel like her body was being torn apart from the inside?
And the worst part—she couldn't even scream.
Only think.
Maybe… maybe it would've been better if she were just dead.
Anything but this.
And then—finally—her body gave up.
Her eyes fluttered closed, and she sank. Deeper. Beyond the pain.
---
Laughter.
Soft and familiar. Echoing in the stillness like a whisper from another time.
It wasn't just sound. It was comfort.
