I huff, eyes peeled as I scan the densely packed crowd. That slimeball, Petra called him Ivor I think, has completely vanished. It's only been a few moments since I last saw him, and it's already like he skipped town!

Darting around the stalls, I keep searching for his robe. At least other people won't be wearing something so old and weird, but there's just too many people in the first place to see past them.

A snarl bursts from my lips when I still can't find him, pissed at him for being a scammer and pissed at myself for not keeping an eye on him in the first place. Ender Con is just too big, so many places to hide, hopefully Petra's having better luck than me. She's never going to get that diamond if we don't find that creeper soon.

People scoff at me as I push past them, failure prickling at my chest when no matter how many places I check, how quickly I scan the crowds, I just can't find that slimeball!

My eyes do land on Lukas though, and despite the situation, I glare at him before turning away. I do not need any help from that puffed up furball. I can find Ivor myself.

I face the crowds again, hopelessness crushing into my lungs at the mass of people. All the shadowy stalls that the scammer could hide in, weaving between the countless bodies and slipping further and further away from me and Petra.

I reluctantly set my gaze on Lukas again, that arrogant leader of the Ocelots looking as if he's just above everyone and everything. I can't believe I'm seriously considering asking him for help when he's the leader of the gang that makes our lives miserable every single time they possibly can.

With one last hopeful scan of the crowd, trying to find Ivor myself again so I won't have to talk to that brat, I can almost feel Petra's glare on me. If she finds out I didn't ask for help to get her diamond, I'll have more things to worry about than Lukas.

Begrudgingly, my legs scoot me over to Lukas. Toes curling in disgust at having to talk to him, having to ask for his help. I brushed Petra off earlier when she said I should talk to him, mainly because I didn't think I'd ever need his help.  

Grumbling, I shake my head and approach him. My blood bristling with every step I get closer, even my body utterly repulsed at having to go to him for assistance. I know Ivor's slipping away every extra moment I take, but I'm having a real hard time convincing my face to remove its scowl and just say hi.

~~~~

My arms cramp and burn as they heave my body, armor, and Lukas up the last platform. Adrenaline long gone and the sleepless night with no food and fighting PAMA wearing on my body. But even then, I have bigger fish to fry than my own bodily needs.

Namely, the terrifyingly raspy and wheezy breaths coming from Lukas that are slowly getting weaker and weaker.

As careful as I can, I slide him off my back. Not so much a twitch in response when his body thuds against the glass. His face a horrid explosion of ghostly skin with the red and blistering burns from PAMA's short circuited chip.

"Lukas?" My voice crawls out pathetically, my heart drumming as I still get no response. Just his raspy breathing that seems to get ever quieter. "L-Lukas?" 

The red lights around us flicker, my pulse throbbing in my ears to combat the dreadful silence around me. Lukas isn't responding, he has to respond!

Panic shrieks and hollers, my trembling arms shooting out to grab at his shoulders. "Lukas! Come on buddy! You gotta... you gotta wake up now, P-PAMA's dead. We, we did it- you fought it off."

My fingers dig into his shoulders, my eyes popping out when I can't see any life returning back to him. "Lukas! Please! You can't die after everything we've gone through! This can't be the thing that takes you down!"

The massive cavern swallows up my shouts, the crackling redstone my only response. My heart lurches in my chest, my lungs collapsing with every breath I try to grasp at. This can't be happening, this cannot be happening! Lukas can't die!

"Lukas, please, I know you're tired but just give me something." A sob pounds against my chest, my entire body shaking as I desperately hold onto Lukas's shoulders. "Please, anything."

My own suppressed whimpers come out louder than the faint wheeze his lungs produce. My lungs shudder with sobs, tears cascading onto Lukas's armor as I hang my head over his chest. His breaths just getting weaker and weaker and weaker.

"No... no Lukas, please don't go." My words crack and strain, my heart burning and twisting. My stomach cramped, trying to contain the truth that I'm desperately pushing down. Lukas can still wake up, it's not too late. I refuse to let go of that.

"Please don't make me say goodbye."

****

Yep, it's shorty. But hopefully you also consider it a goody.

Anyway, I was poking around on Pinterest and got inspired. The original pin itself said along the lines of two of the hardest things you'll do is saying hello for the first time and goodbye for the last.

First thought: "Psh, I've made my characters go through so much more tragic stuff than that."

...

Second thought: "I'm totally writing this."

So yay for sudden bursts of inspiration! I hoped you enjoyed and I'll be back again sometime!