Immortality Means Never Dying

Immediately, Anne and I started running.

"Wait!" Bob called after us but we ignored him. I could hear them start running after us but I didn't care. Stacy needed me.

When Anne and I finally made it back to where we'd last seen Stacy, I felt as if my heart had been ripped out of my chest. Stacy was against a tree, hugging her legs. She was rocking back and forth, occasionally coughing. Her eyes were wide yet vacant. She was shaking.

"She just...pushed me away and...I don't know," Mikey said from behind me, breathing abnormally.

"Stacy, are you okay?" Anne said, kneeling down beside her. Stacy stopped shaking. She sat still and looked up at us.

"Did you fuck her?" Bob asked. I gave him a death glare for being so insensitive.

"That is none of your business," Mikey stated angrily.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Mikey's eyes glowed green, like Frank's had been.

"Anne...Jane..."

We brought or attention back to Stacy. I kneeled down beside her. She looked at Anne and me, smiling.

"Thank you," she said softly. Anne and I held either of her hands. "Thank you for being my friend all these...many, many years."

Stacy laughed lightly but coughed.

"Stacy, what's happening?" Anne asked. She sounded on the verge of tears. Stacy smiled.

"I'm dying," she said.

"No," I stated. "You...you're not."

"Face it, Jane. I am." Stacy wouldn't stop smiling. I hated her for smiling. "I know what it is. What'll kill us? Its sort of ironic, really." She coughed again. "But I'm not telling you. I want you to figure it out yourself."

"Stop talking like that," I said softly. My eyes stung.

"Mikey?" Stacy said, still holding onto our hands but looking up now. Mikey kneeled down in front of her. She pulled her hands weakly away from mine and Anne's grasp.

"Yeah?" Mikey said gently. Stacy brought her hands to his face. She pressed her lips lightly against his.

"I love you," she said softly. Then she looked at Anne and then at me. "And I love you guys. I thank you all for making my last days worth while."

"Stop saying that," I said softly. I didn't want to believe it. I just wouldn't believe it.

"Good-bye," Stacy said still smiling. I grabbed her hand. She looked at Mikey and her smile faded. Her eyes were vacant again. Her hand felt cold.

"She's dead," Gerard stated.

"No!" Anne yelled almost hysterically. I put my ear against Stacy's chest. I couldn't hear her heart beating. I brought a shaky hand to her neck. I couldn't feel it, either.

Tears streamed down my face like waterfalls. I felt cold. I didn't want to believe it.

"I thought this is what you wanted, Jane," Frank said coldly. I looked up at him, still holding onto Stacy's dead hand.

Dead.

His angry expression softened when he saw me cry. I let go of Stacy's hand and stood up, shoving Frank as hard as I could.

"I'm sorry, Jane," he said softly. I shoved him again.

"I killed her."

We all looked at Mikey.

"What?" Anne said through tears.

"I killed her," Mikey repeated.

"Mikey, its not your-" Gerard started.

"I KILLED HER!" Mikey interrupted his brother, standing up. Mikey's eyes glowed almost maniacally.

"Mikey..." I said softly. He hissed at me, baring his teeth and looking like...quite honestly, like a monster.

"Mikey, its not your fault," Anne said softly.

"Whose fault is it then?" Mikey hissed at her. Anne stayed quiet. Mikey knelt down in front of Stacy. He pressed his lips against her forehead. He dropped his hands over her eyes, closing them for the last time. Then he looked up at me, that manic hungry stare taking me aback.

"I. Killed. Her."