For each death in the house, an urn is placed in a special room. As the house grows more empty the sadness grows deeper.
Mark is gone now. Only Bethany and Kellie remain. Bethany's wish has been completed, but at what cost? It all seems pointless now. How will they support little Christy? She's only a toddler.
Kellie spends her days caring for the little girl. Bethany spends her days on the treadmill hoping to complete that Marathon Challenge that she never felt the need to bother with before.
Whenever Kellie gets some time to herself, she gravitates towards her guitar to let out her feelings.
The house is quiet. Too quiet. Something must be done.
Christy has learned all her toddler skills, so the next morning Kellie takes the opportunity to get out of the house and think.
She's heard rumors around town. People talk about deathfish and life fruit and say they have special properties. She has some deathfish in the fridge thanks to Kiesha, but although Hope had maxed out her gardening skill she had never spent the time to look for special seeds. There didn't seem to be a reason to make the effort back then.
Some of the townsfolk talked of mysterious happenings at night. There's talk of blood and plasma fruit and "hunting". Kellie wasn't sure what that was all about but it didn't sound like anything she wanted to be a part of.
Besides, she'd have to wait till nightfall to find out, and she didn't think she could wait that long. Something had to be done now, she was 90 days old, and Bethany was 94. There wasn't time to waste.
One of the townsfolk mentioned something about a "guy" they knew. He could put ink on your skin that would make you feel young again! Ah HA! Kellie was suspicious about whether or not it would work, but she was willing to try anything if it meant that Christy wouldn't be raised by strangers.
The "Guy" worked at the salon. He charged $300 bucks but that seemed like a cheap price to pay for the chance of an extended life.
Kellie picked a design that she thought was appropriate. Maybe it would keep The Man in Black at bay?
She smiled. She felt a little different. Hopefully it would work.
And guess who came to visit right as she walked in the door?
Another urn was added, hopefully the last one for a while.
Now the house was REALLY quiet! But Kellie was happy. She woke up each morning with renewed strength, and cared for that little girl as if she was her own.
Until one day...
That little girl grew up!
