(A/N: Cedric is forceful! - Read and Review please!)
Cedric's store phone rang, he watched it as the answering machine turned on. Isis had installed the phone on her first day, Cedric didn't know how to use such things. Isis's distraught voice came from the phone.
"Cedric? I-I'm sorry I walked out of the store like that. You just-I don't know why I'm apologizing. You hurt me! But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." Cedric listened to Isis inhale quickly, "It's Henry, I don't know what's wrong with him! I took him out this morning and he's not acting normal! I need you! please..." Cedric heard Isis's voice crack, he could tell she was crying.
Isis hung up as she looked at Henry, who was sitting in his cage. Isis sat in front of Henry's cage and placed her hand on the glass, "Henry, what's wrong with you? Are you sick?" Tears traveled down her face as she placed her forehead on the glass as well. "Please be okay Henry. You're my best friend..." Isis trailed off when she heard a loud knock at the door. Quickly getting up, she ran downstairs and opened the front door.
Cedric was breathing heavily as he leaned against the door. Looking up as the door opened, he looked into Isis's scared blue eyes. After a moment of silence, Cedric spoke, "I, I'm sorry Isis, I didn't mean too."
Isis hugged Cedric, and cried into his chest, "I don't know what's wrong with him Cedric! He was just fine yesterday!"
Cedric continued to catch his breath as he walked her inside. As soon as she hung up, he had locked the door to the shop behind him and ran all the way to her apartment, he couldn't explain why hedid. (A/N: It's called love you dork!) Isis quickly led him upstairs to Henry's room, and over to Henry's cage, where Henry was lazily laying.
Cedric knelt onto his knees and looked into the glass, "How long have you had Henry?" He asked as he scooped the snake gently out of it's tank.
"My whole life," Isis said quietly, "Eighteen years." (A/N: I don't know how long boas live, so I'm guessing that's a long time, if not... it was snake cancer that did it.)
"I see..." Cedric closed his eyes and placed his hand on Henry's head, he was going to commune with the snake.
Isis watched him hold Henry in silence. After a minute, Cedric carefully handed Henry to Isis.
"He's dying." Cedric said quietly, and watched Isis's eyes fill up with confusion.
"You're wrong!" Isis said defensively as she shielded Henry with her body. "No! He can't! He's my best friend! I don't know what I'd do without him!" Falling to her knees onto the floor, she cradled Henry, even though she would not admit it, she knew deep down that he was dying. "I love you Henry, I love you so much..." She whispered to him as she kissed his head.
Henry, inhaled his last breath, and squeezed her arm with his long body. And then, as if in slow motion, he fell limp.
Isis's face contorted with sadness as she wept into the lifeless body of her best friend, "I'm so sorry Henry, If I caused you any pain or discomfort-I'm sorry..." She felt Cedric place a hand on her shoulder, and the other on Henry.
"I'll take care of his body if you want me to." Cedric said sadly, he could not explain why his heart ached as he watched Isis weep over her dead snake, but it did.
Isis hugged Henry, and gave him one final kiss, before getting up. "What are you going to do?"
Cedric looked at the snake, as he thought of some idea. Truthfully, he was clueless.
Isis also thought about it. "The local pound might accept corpses, I think they burn them... and then scatter the ashes in the pond or bury them under a tree... or something. I can do that." Slowly, she walked downstairs, closely followed by Cedric.
Cedric was silent as they walked to the pound. He watched Isis give Henry's lifeless body to a woman who worked at the pound. The woman smiled at Isis and left with Henry, to go discard of his body.
Isis walked back home with Cedric, rubbing her bruised arm absentmindedly.
Cedric noticed and frowned, "I'm sorry about grabbing your arm like that." He said quietly.
Isis realized what she was doing and quickly stopped, "Can I have a vacation this weekend? I want to be alone for a while."
Cedric nodded as they stopped at her door, "Yes. I have to go to a meeting, If you need anything..." He surprised himself when he gently reached out and tucked a string of hair behind Isis's ear.
Isis looked away from him, "I-I'll call you next week." Turning around, she walked into her apartment, feeling more lonely then she had ever felt in her life.
(A/N: Henry! No! Por que! I?m so sorry! But I had to finish him off! For the sake of the plot! cries I promise! No more deaths! No wait. I can't promise that-Yes I can! No. Yes! Maybe?I'm sorry Henry! runs away crying while holding a picture of Henry)
