The morning after Alex's arrival came too quickly. Raze stood at the warehouse window, watching the city wake. His team slept in shifts. No one truly rested after seeing the Chosen.
Sophie's visit yesterday had been innocent. Excited. She'd wanted to show him something at the Healing Hall. Insisted he come see the other children. All healthy now. Playing. Laughing.
He'd agreed. Couldn't refuse her happiness.
The Healing Hall's corridors were different now. Bright. Clean. The oppressive weight of death was gone. Children ran through hallways that once held only suffering.
Sophie led him to the common area. Dozens of children. All former Black Cough patients. All alive because of what his team accomplished.
"Look! Everyone's better! Because of you and your friends!"
The gratitude was overwhelming. Parents approached. Thanking him. Blessing him. Offering everything they had in appreciation.
Raze deflected. "The healers deserve credit. They're administering the cure properly now."
