Morbid day

Clarabelle found her way to the Sanctuary, she couldn't sleep at all. Dusk said he was trying to ignore but now? What does he think? Caelan won't leave her alone, why? Why is he stalking her? And now Cain, lying at Deaths' Door, just waiting for it to creak open and welcome her soul. She's only fifteen, so young. Drusus as well, who was this guy? Clarabelle's mind was fogged.

At the entrance Ravel was sitting nearby waiting. "Where were you?" his tone, cold as ice.

"What do you mean? I was here two hours ago."

"Did you not get the call?"

"Call?" she stared, "What call?"

"I called to inform you that Cain needed help." his voice still stern, "But we got it under control, for now."

"I'm just an assistant," she defended, "the other doctors and nurses were more than fine and equipped for this."

"Yes, but your Nye's assistant."

"So?"

"You're his successor-"

"As if!"

"Hey! You know as much as Nye knows, right? Yeah, you do, you read his papers, test experiments, etcetera, etcetera." his flush face returned to normal.

"Nye could've helped."

"Yes, but you got Nye to study the arrow, you were the next in charge." Clarabelle cringed away, he was making her feel guilty? But why? This wasn't her fault, she never did get a call. She just glared and prepared for the infirmary.

"How is she?" Clarabelle asked. Valkyrie Cain laid helpless on the bed, more paler, bluer than before.

"Not well-" as if on cue, the heart rate monitor ran to a flat line, a long, disturbing beep set off. Clarabelle lifted Valkyrie's arm and looked under, her veins were indigo-black. Not even close to the Remnant-black, as she referred to it. One doctor rushed over and briefly scanned a device over Valkyrie's body.

"Well?" Clarabelle desperately asked. "How is she?" Clarabelle muted the monitor to listen.

He stared at her, showing a pitied face, "She's gone." he murmured.

"What? There's no way." Clarabelle tried to find a pulse in her neck and wrist. Nothing.

Valkyrie Cain, age fifteen, six months from being sixteen was now dead. Born February twelfth, 1995 died on July eighth 2010.

Clarabelle had the unfortunate honor of pulling the plug. The machines' hum died. They detached needles and wires. Pulled the sheet over her sunken in face. And slipped on a toe-tag.

Once done, Clarabelle stared at everyone, "Well, today, we've lost some one who's saved the world multiple times, defeated Nerfarian, and might've brought fear to us, but that doesn't matter now. What matters is that she was a key ally and friend to us all- maybe not Nye though. I think she deserves a peaceful moment of silence." she lowered her head and the others followed. A moment of forever passed and one said the first word.

"Who's going to break it to Pleasant?"

Clarabelle didn't object, it was her, "I'll be back soon." she assured and walked out. Ravel was leaning against a pillar. "Where's Skulduggery?"

"Here." Pleasant said behind her.

"I believe he's right behind you, Clarabelle." Ravel said. She rolled her eyes and looked at Skulduggery. No emotions laced his skull, this just made it harder for her.

Staring at his eye sockets, a tear rolled just passed her nose, "I-I-I'm so, so, so sorry, Skulduggery, Valkyrie Cain died-"

He ran past her and the doors swung open. "Where?" he growled, "Where is she?"

They stepped away, revealing the corpse on gurney. Skulduggery stared at the body- friend. She was dead, cold, gone. He fell to his knees, groping the leg of it, making her arm slip out. He looked at it, the blue spread over her porcelain skin.

His head sagged and his shoulders quivered, was Skulduggery Pleasant crying? At least he tried… after a long hour, no one bothered to comfort him, but then again how could you?

Skulduggery stood, fixed his tie and walked out. Clarabelle cursed and chased after him, finally catching him outside. "Wait! Please!" she pleaded. He didn't listen, just walked to his Bentley and paused. "Please, Skulduggery, wait."

"What?" his acidic tone scared her.

What was she going to say? "I really am sorry."

"I know you are." he muttered, "I just need to go now, can you leave me to it? I've been having a rather morbid day" she nodded and turned away, about halfway, Skulduggery groaned and punch his car, denting the bonnet. He drove away. Clarabelle fell onto the stairs, feeling hopeless.

I'm sorry I've been so morbid for the past few chapters, Alice's parents die, Nellie Lovett turns to stone and now this. Our heroine dies, what is Skulduggery to do? Chicken out like he did from death bringer? Who's going to take charge to stop this madness!