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Is a Good Person[/center]
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Leah wasn't a particularly lucky person. She'd accepted this by now, really, since it wasn't a thing you could actually do anything about by yourself, and she was a pretty firm believer in one free slap for everyone that said you make your own luck. Then again, in a twisted way she guessed you could call it lucky that she'd ended up here when...

[color=c4df9b]"What the [i]fuck[/i], what the hell is that-- jesus christ, where'd it come from what do we--"[/color]

[color=fff200]'Please shut up.'[/color]

"I don't know, I don't know, please [i]helpmemovethis[/i]."

[color=c4df9b]"R-right, sorry!"[/color] Leah snapped out of it, at least momentarily, helping the classmate who'd ducked in here with her to shift the desk, ramming it up against the door with seconds to spare. [color=c4df9b]"Oh my god. Those things, are they... do you think they're everywhere?"[/color]

The noises weren't stopping, the creature determined to get at the prey it knew was waiting for it. Seemed like it'd only be a matter of time before it got to them, and as Leah stared into the floor, she realised there wasn't any escape, really. They'd ducked into the nearest room when they saw it, panicked screams alerting the thing to their presence and vulnerability.

"I... I still don't know. Do you think we're gonna--"

Her name was Sara; neither of them had wanted to head to the bathrooms alone right then, so they'd walked together, chatted. It wasn't too hard, she was nervous, she was kind, she'd showed her the pictures of her dog on her phone. It was too real and too close but Leah was so afraid that none of it seemed to matter. There was a black bow in her hair, and for some reason Leah's gaze rested on it, fixated on the small and safe detail that let her pretend there was a way out of this.

[color=fff200]'Mortal.'[/color]

It would be okay, she just needed to wait, they wouldn't let the school go down like this, there were too many kids here so it'd be [i]fine[/i].

[color=fff200]'[b]MORTAL![/b] You can't stay here; it doesn't matter if you're right.'[/color]

[color=c4df9b]'No, it'll be fine, if I'm right then someone will come--'[/color]

[color=fff200]'They'll come for [i]you[/i]. But who'll come for [i]her[/i]? I trust you didn't take your duties so casually, after all I've done for them.'[/color]

He - he was right, she realised dimly. Even if someone came to help her, they'd keep them there. They wouldn't go and save Taylor, her family, anyone. She'd lose all of it, everything she'd done, everything she'd given up on for them would all be for nothing. So even if someone came to help them, it would guarantee she lost it all. At that point, it was... [color=fff200]'As good as dying anyway.'[/color]

So she had to leave before anyone got here, before there was any help. But there was no way she could rely on being faster than that thing, dodging around it, so... her eyes landed on Sara. Sweet Sara who loved puns, showed her dog to any passing stranger with a few spare seconds, and dressed herself up like she was always preparing for a formal event. Who snorted when she laughed without meaning to. Who did a bunch of little things that she never had to consider before.

[color=c4df9b]'Only one of us is leaving this room, huh.'[/color]

Envy didn't say anything back, but she'd swear she felt his agreement. Or maybe that was just a comforting lie.

Vines, blooming hyacinths, snaking around her outfit, pulling up the hood of her jacket as she gritted her teeth and reached out. There was no point in restraint, because it wouldn't help her. It wouldn't help Taylor. This wasn't - it wasn't selfish, it was for [i]them[/i], she knew that. Someone had to help.

She struggled at first, screaming, but Leah at least had more strength than any normal kid her age when she channelled. Probably a little more than most adults, too - and she didn't want to hear it. She couldn't let herself hear it, not like this. Surprisingly, Envy spoke to her calmly, gently, comforting words and affirmations that this was the right thing to do, that you could never help anyone without helping yourself, that she didn't owe these classmates and strangers a single thing. It was better to focus on his voice, calming, easier as she kept her eyes shut once Sara's struggles ceased completely.

7/8ths of vitality. It wasn't likely she'd be able to recover even in a different place; but Leah knew that, and so she'd taken her strength, her energy, everything. As far as she could tell, the girl had been placed in a coma. She didn't want to kill her directly; this felt easier somehow, like it was all for the plan, so at least one of them could make it out of there. That made sense, right? It had to be like this. She dragged the comatose figure over and lay her next to the door, which was creaking dangerously, hinges splintering. Lift her up, pull away the desk, and dump her on the floor in front of the thing.

It pounced; no beast would ever ignore such an easy meal.

And Leah ran, towards the exits, not daring to let herself look back.

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