Death Is Equal To All

Chapter 4, Part 1

France, 1348

Death Sanctuary 

"Can you let go of our arms now?" Evelyn asks him. They weren't very far into the forest yet, but the grip on her arm was starting to hurt. He let go of both of their arms in unison, but continued to walk as if nothing had happened. She thought that they probably wouldn't stop for a while. Even so, the darkness of night was slowly creeping up on them.

"Not to be picky or anything... but it's going to be night soon and we won't be able to see." Evelyn tells the doctor.

"And what exactly do you suggest we do?" The Occisor questions. This startles her for a moment, but still continues.

"Well... stop for the night and light a fire."

"Fire will attract people." He says which immediately shoots her answer down.

"O-oh.." She stutters, and is embarrassed by her foolish thinking. All hope was gone for resting for the night, until Edmund started rapidly coughing. Evelyn immediately rushed to her brother's side to inspect the damage.

The Occisor watched all of this in silence. "We should rest for the night. Your brother is too frail to go long distances." He suggests at which they both happily oblige to.

The next morning was an early and cold one. Because they had stopped too early in the night to rest, the doctor made them get up early to continue their journey. Bright daylight streamed into their eyes as they took in their surroundings. Tall green trees surrounded them at every side. It seemed almost impossible to guide their way out of the maze of trees. Luckily, the doctor was apparently a good navigator.

"Are you feeling any better, Edmund?" Evelyn asks her brother.

"Yeah... it was really nothing to begin with. You really shouldn't worry about me, sis." Edmund replies to his sister. Despite what her brother said, she could not stop worrying about him.

"If only I-" Evelyn was interrupted with the sound of her brother coughing again and then he falls to the ground. The doctor payed no mind to this, and only stopped so that they could catch-up. That was, until he started coughing up blood.

"D-doctor!" Evelyn shouted towards him.

"Say away from him." He said and walked over to Edmund. Evelyn resentfully follows his instructions and backs away from her brother. The doctor inspects him with his cane for a few moments, before dropping his cane and stepping away. "Did any of his blood get on you?" He asked her.

"No.... I don't think so." She answered and started to inspect herself. "What's wrong with him?!"

"...it's an after effect for those who survived the Black Death that infects the lungs. It doesn't seem to happen to many, but when it does, it could kill them." He informs her.

She swallows a knot in her throat. Evelyn was afraid to ask her next question. "...Is it curable?" She slowly asks.

"No." He answers and Evelyn tears up.

"He's going to.... And we can't do anything! I can't even stay near him! There has to be som-" Evelyn panics, but was cut off by her brother.

"It's- *cough cough* ok, sis. The pain don't hurt very much, it'll be over soon." He says and tries to smile before coughing up more blood.

Evelyn laughs a bit while the tears continue to pour down her face. "Don't say that... you're going to live! The doctor said so, right doctor?" She asks desperately and looks back up at the Occisor. But, he doesn't go along with it, instead he just stares at the two. "Right?!?" She pleads.