Page 146 of After the Burn

Finley reached for the knife at his belt, and my chest tightened as we all realized what he intended.

“You don’t have to do this.” I walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. “We can do it for you.”

He looked at me and said, “Yes, I do,” his voice steady.

Wren gently moved Rory aside, shielding her from the sight, while Colson stepped forward and stood firmly in front of them both, blocking their view.

Finley walked into the field alone.

Harper snarled and began to move faster. Finley stopped and waited, the tears on his face visible to us all.

Twenty feet.

Fifteen.

Ten.

Lucas gently took my right hand, intertwining his fingers with mine, as Adrian mirrored the gesture on my left. Beck stepped close behind me, his hands resting on my shoulders with a soft touch.

Five.

Harper lunged as Finley stepped aside. His hand caught the back of her neck, and he drove the knife into her temple.

She went still.

Then her body collapsed against him, and Finley caught her. For one horrible second, it looked like he was holding her… not an infected. Just the woman he loved, as I’m sure he’d done a thousand times before.

Finley sank to his knees with her in his arms.

No one moved… I wasn’t even sure we were breathing at this point. The birds kept singing, and the sky kept shining, and I hated them for it.

Finley pressed his forehead against hers and whispered something in her ear. I couldn’t hear what he said, even with my enhanced abilities, and I was glad.

Rory was inconsolable and crying for her mommy, while Wren and Colson did what they could to console her.

I turned my head and kissed one of Beck’s hands even as I squeezed Adrian and Lucas’ fingers tighter in mine.

With great care, Finley laid Harper down in the grass before sitting beside her. We gave him time, even though we knew it wouldn't be enough.

Beck and Colson dug the grave. The storm had softened the ground, but it still took a while.

Adrian and Lucas watched the tree-line as Rory, Wren, and I picked tiny yellow flowers from the edge of the field.

When the hole was finally deep enough, Finley lifted Harper himself, refusing any offers of help as he lowered her into the earth.

“Is Mommy happy now?” Rory clutched the flowers tightly in her small hand.

I didn't know who she was asking, but I answered. “Yes, baby, she is.”

“Is she going to miss me?” She spoke so softly that I almost missed it.

“More than anything,” Finley answered. “But she knows I’m going to take good care of you.”

“How does she know?” Rory wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Because I told her so.” Finley walked over, took her hand, and helped the child place the flowers in the hole so they rested on Harper’s chest.

“Is she going to stay dead now?” Rory looked down at Harper’s body as a tear slid down her face and landed on her mother’s cheek.