Lisa:
"Twenty-eight, female" I said hoping that it would work.
At first nothing happened then my crystal started to glow. This was unusual as they didn't glow when they transformed someone. When it quit glowing my crystal was black and Mrs. Martines'was once again clear. The only difference was that it now had black swirls in it along with the pink and blue swirls.
Anna picked up her mother's crystal and clutched it to her chest. "It... didn't... work" she sobbed.
"I... know" I managed to choke out.
Suddenly we heard Mrs. Martines' voice. "What have I done!?!" she said. "I'm sorry Anna. I love you. Lisa, take care of Anna for me. I'm sorry."
"What was that?" Dan asked.
"I think it was Mrs. Martines' last thoughts" Mama said.
"What do we do now?" Daisy asked.
"Well the right thing to do is have a funeral for her" Raymond said. "It's sad. I never thought that we would have a funeral for a Bonded."
"Well eventually some would get bored after a couple hundred years and decide to die" Dan said.
"But to take one's own life like she did just after becoming Bonded..." Mama said leaving the rest unsaid.
I thought I knew what Mama was going to say. That what Mrs. Martines did was cowardly. I would have to agree with that. Mrs. Martines didn't even try to live as Bonded. The big question now is what effect this will have on Anna. That was my primary concern. The whole world could go to hell for all I cared at that moment. I knew that I would have to start thinking about what this would mean for Bonded later.
"I'll have to let my superiors know what has happened" Agent Greenleaf said.
"We... can't let... anyone... know... how... she... died" I said. If the criminal element found out about this then they could essentially get away with murdering someone. There would never be a body to find.
"I have to wonder if anyone else has thought about aging someone to such an extreme age" Daisy said.
"I hope not" Mama said.
"I better go call my superiors" Agent Greenleaf said. "And the consoler I mentioned before."
I didn't see Agent Greenleaf leave. I was embracing Anna in our shared grief. I didn't think that either of us would be getting much sleep for awhile.
"I hate to say this but we need to figure out what we'll bury" Raymond said.
"Her... clothes" I said. "Her... crystal... should... be... kept... by... Anna."
"I agree" Dan said.
"So do I" Mama said.
"It's just right for Anna to have her mothers crystal" Daisy said.
"Then we're all in agreement on that" Raymond said.
We remained silent for awhile. The only sounds were mine and Anna's sobs. I had only know Mrs. Martines for a short time but I was still sobbing over her death. Perhaps it's because she was Bonded. Maybe it's because I had grown close to Anna over the last week. Maybe it was the way she had chosen to end her life. I did know that whatever I was feeling, Anna would be feeling the same. This is going to be extremely tough on her. I just hope that she wouldn't decide to age
herself like her mother to be with her.
"I'm... here... for... you... Anna" I said.
"Thanks" Anna said.
After a few moments Agent Greenleaf came back and said "The talks are on hold for a few days. They're sending a new team of three for the talks when we have been cleared and the quarantine lifted. The President will be making an announcement tomorrow."
"Well there's not much more we can do tonight" Dan said. "I suggest that we retire for the night. Lisa, Anna, and you too Agent Greenleaf, try to get some sleep."
I could only nod. I wondered how much sleep I would get. I was willing to bet that Anna would be getting less than me.