"Then at least I'll die full," he replied.
She shook her head, but there was no reproach in her eyes. Only exhaustion… and gratitude.
"Are the girls asleep?" he asked, nodding toward the bedroom.
"I just put them to bed," she answered.
"The little one didn't want to fall asleep without you again."
Bruno froze for a second.
"Was she crying?"
"A little," she said softly.
"But I told her Daddy would be home soon. And she believed me."
He looked away. He took off his boots and set them neatly by the wall.
"I'll go see them now."
"Be quiet," she whispered.
"They've only just fallen asleep."
He nodded. He walked into the small bedroom. It was darker inside. Only a strip of light from the hallway fell across the floor.
Two beds and two small figures under the blankets. He stepped closer.
The older one slept peacefully, facing the wall. The younger one lay on her back with her arms spread out, as if trying to hug someone.
Bruno crouched down beside her.
Slowly, carefully, he stroked her hair.
She stirred slightly… and then murmured in her sleep:
"Daddy…"
He froze. His heart clenched painfully.
"I'm here," he whispered almost soundlessly.
She didn't wake. She only sighed more deeply and fell quiet again.
He sat there for a long time, looking at his daughters' faces.
"Everything is for you," he said quietly.
And he wasn't sure if that justified anything at all.
He stood up and left, closing the door gently behind him. His wife was still sitting at the table.
"Are they asleep?" she asked.
"Yes."
He sat down across from her and laid out the night's haul on the table. Metal clinked softly.
She flinched at the sound.
"More than usual today," she noted.
"Got lucky," he answered shortly.
She looked at the items and said quietly:
"These belong to someone."
Bruno clenched his jaw.
"We should have something that belongs to us too…"
"That's not what I meant…" She lowered her gaze.
"I just…"
She fell silent, searching for the right words.
"I'm scared for you."
He smiled, but it was tired.
"You should be scared for someone else."
"For who?" she asked softly.
He looked at her — at the faint tremble in her fingers and the way she sometimes held her breath, as if pain was rolling over her in waves.
"For you," he said.
Silence hung between them. She closed her eyes for a second.
"The doctors came today," she said quietly.
He tensed.
"And?"
She shook her head.
"Nothing new."
"They said… we just have to… wait."
He clenched his fists.
"Wait how long?" he asked sharply.
"Another year?"
She looked at him calmly.
"They said to wait…"
He stood up abruptly and paced the room.
"Wait, wait, wait…" he hissed.
"We have nothing, and what if there's no time left to wait?"
She didn't answer. She only looked at him. And that was the worst part.
He stopped and ran a hand over his face.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not angry," she said softly.
He sat back down.
"I'll find the money," he said.
"More and better doctors. Maybe somewhere there's…"
"Bruno," she interrupted gently.
He fell silent.
"Sometimes it's not about money," she said.
He looked up at her sharply.
"Don't say that."
"I'm telling the truth," she replied.
"I don't need the truth," he cut in.
"I need a way to cure you."
She looked at him for a long time.
"Then live," she said quietly.
He frowned.
"What?"
"Live," she repeated.
"You can take the children and leave this place…"
He smiled bitterly.
"It's too late."
She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers.
"It's not too late," she whispered.
He squeezed her fingers as if afraid to let go.
"I can't do it any other way," he said.
"You can," she answered.
"Because if I stop…" he faltered.
Azalia lay on the bed, and her gaze was strange. Reddish glints shimmered in her eyes, her movements became jerky, and her face seemed to lose its familiar softness.
"Azalia… what's wrong with you?" Bruno asked, stepping closer.
"The doctors… from the center…" Her voice trembled, but it sounded almost alien.
"They gave me an injection… I fell asleep…"
He felt a chill run down his spine.
"And then what?" His voice cracked slightly.
"Someone… in my sleep…" She faltered, her fingers gripping the edge of the table.
Bruno recoiled. His gaze darted to his daughters' beds. The younger one stirred, her eyes faintly red, her breathing uneven. The older one turned toward the wall, but a red glint also flashed in her eyes.
"No… that's impossible…" he breathed, feeling panic tear through his chest.
Azalia stood up. Her movements became unpredictable.
"Bruno…" Her voice was both familiar and foreign.
"I…"
"Stay back!" he cried, rushing toward her.
"You… you can't be like this!"
At that moment the door burst open with a crash, and a man stormed into the room.
"Hey!" he shouted.
"Who are you?!" Bruno exclaimed, his heartbeat stuttering, his breath coming in short gasps.
"What are you doing in my house?!"
"There's no time to explain!" the man said, stepping closer.
"This is the only way to stop them!"
Bruno was lost, not understanding who this man was, what was happening to his wife and children.
"I… I can't…" he whispered, his fingers gripping the edge of the table.
"They're mine… this is my family…"
The man quickly drew a pistol from his holster and held it out to him.
"You have to…" he said shortly.
"It's the only way. If you don't do it, they'll kill you and turn you into a monster."
Bruno felt cold sweat cover his palm. His heart was breaking from horror and helplessness.
He saw Azalia, the woman he loved, and his daughters, who were no longer quite human. His heart beat so hard it felt like it would burst.