"No. I won't let it end like this. I won't die like this. I won't fucking kill like this!" Tears streamed down her ashen face, and she threw her weapon to the ground. "I will not fight you," she said, voice a hoarse whisper. The nurses surged up to her, their breath fire, flames curling from lips, and their hands touched Pippa, caressed her, stroked her hair and body and she gave herself to them, no longer caring, and she knew, deep in her soul, she should never have burned Emelda, it was wrong, it was evil, and now she stayed her hand, did not toss the match into Emelda's hair, instead taking the beating and crawling home, weeping, for revenge could never be the right way. Pippa breathed, deeply. She opened her eyes. Stared into the burning, glowing orbs of the nurses. "I will not fight you," she growled. "Do your worst." She closed her eyes, and waited for death, but opened them again as she felt the nurses retreating. The benches were gone, leaving a large cool space, and in the middle of the area something glittered on the matt floor.
