Ian held his breath and Doc and Jared delivered the news. How long can one breathe in cave dust and make it over 40 years old?
"You're lungs are chalked up from the dust, making them weak. Eventually," Doc cleared his throat; he too was getting old, "they'll give out."
"Ian," Jared started. Life was short in the caves; Jeb had passed away, along with Kyle, Maggie, and Sharon.
"Don't tell Wanda," Ian choked out. Jared ran a hand through his hair and nodded, understanding.
Jared drank through the crate of liquor that night. This was all too similar to Melanie's death: Happiness. Disease. Sudden and unexpected death.
Wanda drank in the short days of happiness, it's only been a few years since she's found this pod of humans, her family. They spent nights talking and days working, laughing. Wanda gained a new last name: O'shea. Ian and Wanda were inseparable, never wanted to leave each others' sides.
"Ian?" Wanda asked when she heard his wheeze. He was getting worse every day.
"I'm fine," He muttered. Purple dust had set in his wrinkles, tinting the creases around his eyes. Ian was glad Wanda didn't know when his life would end; He was glad that he could give her a forever within the number of days.
"Wanderer," She heard Ian breathe into her hair, his very last breath. Wanda clasped his hand, hovering over his body. Her tears spilled over onto Ian's face.
"No," she moaned. "No, no, no." She searched his face for something, anything. Any sign of life or glint in his eyes, but all she got was Ian's face draining of color, slowly becoming cold.
Ian never passed 35. She spent weeks in her hole, only eating when Jamie begged her to. After a month, Wanda crawled out, weak and lifeless. Her eyes were glassy and dull, frown lines began to form where her smile lines used to be.
Wanda never talked any more. She still went on raids. She had to, but she never smiled when the Souls greeted her, never replied when they asked if that was all.
Just like Ian, her happiness was taken from her as well.
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