"Vewonica, pwease, wet me hewp you. We can find a way, together," Samantha said. Veronica continued to trot along the path towards the stream. Samantha's heart sank as she heard the sound of water. She didn't have much time left.
"What are you afraid of?" Veronica asked. "Don't tell me Miss Rough-and-Tumble G-Woman is scared to die. Being in this fat little body must be making you soft."
Samantha considered this. All her years in the Bureau she had charged into harm's way, not caring if she lived or died. Even as a child on Eternity death didn't scare her so much, because she had so little to live for. But ever since she had met Joseph life had gained new meaning. Now she really did have something to lose. "I don't wanna die," she said. "I wuv Joseph. Can't you understand that?"
"It's so adorable when you say it like that," Veronica said. "It really touches my heart." She wiped a fake tear away from her eye. The sparkling waters of the stream came within sight now, beckoning to Samantha. "Just think of it this way, when you die you'll get to see him again. If you believe in all that Christian shit about heaven and hell."
"I don't wanna hurt Joseph," Samantha said. "Haven't you ever wuved someone so much you never wanted to hurt them?"
"Life is pain," Veronica said.
"I know your parents were mean and-"
"Shut up! Stop trying to pretend you understand me. You don't. If you did, you never would have betrayed me like you did. You never would have abandoned me for him!"
"I didn't abandon you. You were stiww my fwiend."
"I'm sick of your lies. I ought to cut open your throat right now." The knife hovered over Samantha's throat. She waited for the blow, but Veronica lowered the weapon. Tears had come to her eyes again. "Why couldn't you love me? Why couldn't anyone love me?"
Veronica knelt down at the edge of the stream with Samantha still tucked beneath her arm. "No one ever wanted me. Not you, not my worthless parents. None of you ever cared about me."
"That not twue. I did wuv you. You wike my sister," Samantha said.
"Do you still wuv me?" Veronica asked, a hint of menace in her voice. "Am I still your sister?"
"I wuv the widow girl I met in kindygarden," Samantha said. "I wish she would come back."
Veronica shook her head. "No, it's too late for that. But at least we can die together like sisters." Veronica got to her feet and started to wade into the water. Samantha took a deep breath, knowing her only hope lay in outlasting Veronica once they went underwater.