Sarcasm and Freedom

"Because you shouldn't have to see me die like this, or right now."

Afena's father had a violent death, which would have definitely scarred her, had this actually happened. Everything she'd just been made to re-experience was real up to the snake bite, which was a lie. Her father died of old age, with a smile, in a bed by the fire side, holding her hand. She'd held it long enough to feel it grow cold, despite hers sweating.

Things were off again, she knew that, and remembered her father's real bittersweet end. Still, what could a twelve years old do except cry miserably as her father died shaking uncontrollably, spewing foam out of his mouth? By the time he stopped, his skin was deathly pale, his body rigid as a wooden board, and the eyes stared ahead with pain, suffering, and agony still imprinted in them.

She cried on top of her father's corpse until it spoke.

"You could have saved me."