"Eria," Mika whispered, placing her hand on my upper right arm. I shifted and turned to her, slightly opening my eyes. A candle my dad was holding over my mother's body barely lit the room as I heard a dead one outside. I sat up and rubbed my eyes with one hand as the other was used to prop myself up from the wooden floor.

I slowly stood and tried to walk as slowly as I could over to my parents. "Daddy," I slowly said, "how is she?" I said, looking down at my shivering mother. The cold rag was still pressed against her forehead and the cloth napkin loosely covered her shoulder.

"Still alive." My mother said along with the sound of her teeth clattering against each other. I knelt next to her and grabbed her hand and held it between my own. "Eria, baby girl, you're the strong one..." She started saying.

"No, Mom, I told you before and I'll say it again: I'm not gonna be the one to do it," I said as tears pooled around my eyes. I kissed her hand then walked over to grab my blanket and laid it over her. I then saw Mika sit next to me and I pulled her close to kiss her forehead and she wrapped her arms around me.

"Mika, go get Lizzie. I can feel it coming closer and I need to talk to you girls." Mama said, looking at Mika. Mika nodded and wiped her tears away, standing and walking over to our other sister. I turned back to my mom and used the cold rag to wipe the sweat off her face.

Soon we were joined by Mika and Lizzie, the latter still half asleep. Mom took Mika's hand and flashed her sweet smile that would always make me feel better when I was sad. "Mika, baby girl." Mom started as her voice choked. "You are so smart for your age. You always wanted to be a scientist and baby, you still can. I don't think this is the end, I think there's still a chance of restoring the world to what it used to be. Just promise you'll never throw away your talent and give, baby."

"Yes, Mama," Mika whispered, sniffling. Mom took the hand she was holding and kissed the top of it. Lizzie looked at me before Mom called her name.

"Lizzie...in this world, this world, it brings out the worst in people. It'll tempt you'll want to do the wrong thing but don't. You can still do the right thing no matter how hard it is. I believe you can and you will. Make sure you take care of Mika and she may seem tough but watch out for Eria." Mom said winking and I chuckled a bit, wiping away my tears. "Lizzie, just follow the right path." Lizzie nodded and hugged Mom, letting go before she lost it. The girls moved and I got closer to Mom and now she took my hand.

"Eria, sweet baby. You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. You'll find someone, hopefully, have a family, and start something new. But don't settle for just anyone, get someone who treats you special, and that you can trust and rely on. Baby, I've never been more proud. Watch over the girls and your dad, baby." Mom said, starting to cry. Hearing her break down broke my last strand of strength and the tears flooded. "You are so strong, so strong. Don't let this world destroy you, don't let this destroy you. Please, my darling. My first born beauty."

"Mama, I can't do this. I need you!" I cried.

"Honey, everything works out the way it's supposed to," Mom said with a smile. I didn't want this. I wanted us as a family to survive, to stick together. I wanted my mom. The only person who's always been in my corner, even more than Dad. I wanted the Mommy who used to sing to me when I was little and had nightmares, my Mom who was there for me when I had my first heartbreak, although this was my worst heartbreak. She was there for it all.

"Eria, you have to do it. I'm too weak to move and Dad can't bear it. You know I wouldn't ask this of you if I knew you couldn't handle it." Mom said, pointing at her gun. I grabbed it and looked at it in my hands while Dad stood.

"Lizzie, Mika...we need to give them space," Dad said, wiping his eyes. The girls cried, giving Mom one last hug and I looked away. After the final 'I love you,' I looked at Mom with tears in my eyes.

"Baby, this world is shitty. The people are shitty. You beat and fight through the shittiness. It's a fucked up world to grow up in, not what I had in mind for my children. The girls will change. Dad will change. You'll change. But you can decide whether it changes you for the better or worse. I believe in you, Eria. When someone crosses you, threatens your safety, or kills someone you love; fuck 'em up. I wasn't going to say any of this in front of the girls and dad because, in the prior world, you killed with kindness and were nice. This is not that world, Eria. Beat this world, but don't let the world beat you." Mom finished, taking a deep breath. "Now, Eria, I'm ready."

I took a breath before getting the gun ready and hugging Mom one last time. She closed her eyes and I could tell the life was draining from her. I watched her breaths until they stopped and I knew it was time. She's already dead.

I held the gun to her temple and pulled the trigger, the sound of the gunshot making my ears ring. I took her blanket and covered her body. I put the gun in the back of my pants and stood, kneeling to pick up her body. I carried her out of the room of the old house we'd found sanctuary in and passed my family. I walked outside, looking for some kind of shovel, and found a hand one. The digging took me hours before I finally had a proper hole to bury her in. I walked back inside after it was all done and my sisters and father stared. My knees finally collapsed, the anger-induced adrenaline wearing off. My mama was gone.

"It's done."