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522words
Dragging my heavy body,I entered his room.
He was trapped in a nightmare,frowning,muttering nonsense.
His pain reminded me of Julian.
Julian endured pain silently when he was sick,just like this.
I wiped sweat from his forehead with a damp cloth,but he grabbed my wrist.
"Mom,Mom,don't go...don't leave me..."
I should've pulled away,but I I made up my mind and took his hand in mine.
"I'm here.I'll stay.Don't be afraid."
My words calmed him.His tension eased.
Seeing the tear at the corner of his eye,my heart stirred.
When the system confirmed his tear of sorrow was collected,I exhaled in relaxation.
I didn't notice his trembling eyelids or clenched fingers.
Looking at the unconscious Ethan,despite his cruelty,I'd indeed used him.
I had no right to hate him,nor he me.
From the start,we were even.
The system warned me that my time was limited.
I had to collect his final drop of tear by this month's end.
But how to get his tear of moving on?I was clueless.
I asked the system if I could ask for help.It paused,then said,"Yes."
I thought maybe only my death could let him move on.
On the last day of this month,I followed Ethan to a bar—a first.
My presence sparked curiosity.
I'd never come willingly unless Ethan forced me.
Today,however,I came.
I sat meekly beside Ethan,watching him embrace Mia,drinking recklessly.
I stared blankly at a distant glass.
I hated this place.I wanted to go home.
I wanted to go back to Julian.
"Miss Reed,have a drink."
Mia,noting my distraction,placed a bottle of vodka before me.
Her taunting gaze ignited my anger,but I suppressed it looked to Ethan.
"If Mia says drink,drink."
His words sentenced my death.
I eyed the bottle,knowing that drinking the whole thing would land me in the hospital.
But I had no choice.I was going to die soon anyway.
This time,I didn't beg.I grabbed the bottle,chugging down.
The burning in my stomach screamed for me to throw up,but I forced it down.
I told myself alcohol might dull the pain of death.
"Stop!"
Ethan snatched the half-empty bottle from my hand,smashing it on the ground.
Seeing my pale face,he hoisted me over his shoulder,heading out.
For the first time,I saw panic in his eyes.
Was he...worried about me?
"Think you can drink yourself dead to escape me?No way,Sarah."
He tossed me into the passenger seat,speeding to the hospital.
I forced myself to stay alert and looked at him,curling my lips to a faint smile.
"Ethan..."
I wanted to ask if he still hated me.
But before I could,a speeding truck barreled toward us.
With the system's prompt,I unbuckled my seatbelt and lunged towards Ethan,shielding his head.
Dizzyness came first,then pain,all over my body,like each and every one of my bone was shattered.
So this is what getting hit feels like.
As consciousness faded,I heard Ethan clutching me,screaming why.
I managed a weak smile,touching the drop tear at his eye.
"Ethan,as you wished,I don't owe you anymore."
I closed my eyes,lifeless,but the system's voice echoed:
"Failed to collect the third tear...System detects...Failure...Task failed..."
