Why is she acting so silly?

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I burst through the front door, my heart pounding. I had run ahead of Harry as soon as I had seen the cabin, I couldn't contain the nerves that were bubbling inside of me. I was terrified of what I would find on the other side of that door, but at the same time I needed to know. The thoughts that were entering my mind had me on the verge of toppling into the pit of insanity. It was like those moments when you just wanted to stop for a second, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Then, maybe- just maybe- when you opened your eyes again, everything would be fine. Except, it wouldn't be fine. At least, not yet. Or ever.

Ever is also a possibility.

That would suck.

I reached out for the door handle, my heart beating uncontrollably as I continued to worry about every little thing. My hands were sweating and my head was beginning to ache. My mind was so full of horrible scenarios that it felt like it was about to burst. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder and I jumped slightly.

"Hey," Harry said soothingly, "You need to calm down."

"I can't calm down. I can't." My breaths were coming in short gasps, my lungs were  begging for more air, but it was like I couldn't quite manage to get the right amount of air. My vision was blurring as tears gathered in my eyes. "I'm scared." I choked out with a gasp, my grip on the door handle loosening.

"I know, baby. I know." He cooed, wrapping his arms around my waist and placing his chin on my shoulder. "Please don't cry."

"I can't just not cry, Harry. It doesn't work like that." I let out a half-hearted laugh that sounded more like I was choking more than anything else.

"You're going to make me cry." He let out a short, sad laugh, his eyes glazing over. "Men don't cry."

"It's a good thing you're a little girl then," I sniffled, wiping beneath my eyes, "Or that would have been embarrassing."

"Oh, Bree, you're always so kind, aren't you?" He asked rhetorically before entwining our fingers and pushing the door open. Harry tightened his grip on my hand, humming a soft and soothing tune under his breath. Everything seemed to be moving in slow-motion, it was all a blur of frowning faces and anxious whispers. I felt like I had detached myself from my body and I was just floating, like I was an outsider looking in. Everything was so distorted and unreal, I felt like the room was spinning around me. The world seemed to be taunting me, laughing at me.

What did I do wrong?

Everything, the world seemed to be saying. So we're going to take everything from you. 

 My footsteps were rushed and unsteady, I probably would have fallen flat on my face if it wasn't for Harry's tight grip on my hand. I knelt beside the couch, taking in Rose's pale form. She looked terrible. 

"Heeey, Breeee!" She giggled before a fit of coughs took over her. "Did you know that your name sounds like a type of cheese? Do you like cheese?"

Dakota stepped forward, sighing. "She's been going on like this for a while now, she won't stop talking."

"I will never stop talking! I have rights!" Rose exclaimed, looking like she was on the verge of puking her guts out. "Baa, baa black sheep, have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!" She sung at the top of her lungs and I wanted nothing more than to duct tape her mouth shut.

"What's wrong with Rose? Why is she acting so silly?" Grace whispered from behind me. She was gripping Liam's leg with a worried expression on her small face. "Did she eat something bad?" 

"No, she's fine." Liam reassured, not wanting to scare her. "She's just tired."

In that moment all I wanted to do was believe his words. I wanted to be a little girl that believed anything that she was told.

I don't think I had ever wanted to go back more than I did in that moment. When everything was so much simpler.

"Bree." Rose coughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Yeah?" I sniffled, I hadn't noticed that my eyes had filled with tears, threatening to spill over.

"I'm going to turn into one of those things, aren't I?" She pulled her hand away, revealing droplets of blood. I wanted to tell her that she wasn't going to turn, that I wouldn't let her. That everything was fine and she would wake up the next day feeling great. But I couldn't. I couldn't lie, and the look on her face told me that she didn't want me to.

"Yeah." I whispered, trying to keep back the sobs that threatened to rake my body. "You are, baby."

"I don't want to be one of them." She sobbed, reaching over to grip my hand tightly. "Don't let me turn, Bree."

"I won't. I won't let that happen." I placed a kiss on her forehead, tears spilling down my cheeks. "I promise."

Rose took a deep breath, a look of relief washing over her. "This is happening for a reason."

I gave her a confused look, wondering if a side-effect of being infected was talking crazy. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember when Grandma died?" She asked and I nodded unsurely, not sure what she was tring to get at. "And do you remember when you told me that it was okay because when someone dies it means that someone else is going to have a baby?"

"Yeah.."

"That must be what's happening. I'm dying so that someone else can live." She smiled, "And I think it's worth it."

I let out a choked laugh, a smile lighting up my face. "You're too smart for your own good."

"I know." She whispered, grinning. "I love you."

"I love you too," I stood up, stepping away from her. "So much."

I felt a tight grip on my waist and looked up to see Harry, a sad smile on his face. "You'll be okay."

I gripped his hand, entwining our fingers. "I know." I stood silently with Harry, watching as everyone sat with Rose, smiling and laughing. I knew that they were trying to keep her mind off of what was bound to happen eventually. I knew that I couldn't save everyone, even if I wanted to. I just didn't expect the pain to hit so quickly. Rose wasn't even gone yet and I could already feel the ache of loss in the pit of my stomach.

I felt dizzy, the room seemed to be spinning as black dots spotted my vision. My stomach churned, making me feel like throwing up.

My last thought before I passed out was that I wished I was back at home. I wished that I would wake up in my bed on the day that all this shit started. I wished that none of this existed, that by some miracle these last five years had been a dream.

I wished that everything would just go back to normal.

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