1 Chapter # 1

The morning rays of sunshine illuminated the sleepy town, the birds started singing an annoyingly sweet melody.

Some orange and yellow rays hit the scratchy glass window of a room, lighting up an otherwise dark room. The glass window had a personality of its own, marked with countless scratches and a fist-sized hole, evidence of neighboring kids' taste for sport.

In front of the window, there was a wooden desk, books and notes haphazardly scattered across the small desk. Some familiar titles of pharmaceutical books can be seen as well as some strange ones among those.

"Where is it?!" a girl in her mid-twenties was searching for something, throwing the books and notes down on the marble floor.

"Finally, found it!" she held up a piece of paper with a victorious grin on her face.

She swung her bag over her shoulder and ran downstairs, stopping in front of the first door and knocked, "come in."

Zubie opened the door and stepped in, "what is it that you want?"

An elderly woman was laying on the bed, in her youth she would have been gorgeous evidence from her sharp features. The skin color of the woman was deathly pale, and her once beautiful eyes shrunk into her skull, giving her a hollow stare.

"I found something last night, figured you'll love to take a look." Zubie handed her the piece of paper.

"Zubie, is it about the cure again?"

"Yes, but this is different. All ingredients work well together, if done at the right time this can work spectacularly---" the older woman folded the paper, "how many times I've told you to stop wasting your time on me?"

"Wasting time? Are you kidding me right now?" Zubie was frustrated with her mentor, how can she just let her die?

"You do understand, right?"

"I do," her voice came out very small.

"Let me rest, Zubie, and pay attention in your classes." she smiled, motioning her to sit on her bed.

"I can't do that,"

The older woman gently grabbed her hand, "you can, you just don't want to."

"Tell me something with all honesty, if I was the one laying on the bed, would you give up on me?"

"Never."

"Then why?" her voice broke, a stray tear falling from her eye.

"Because I don't want you to suffer, even though we are not related by blood, I've always considered you my daughter."

"If you think of me as your daughter then please let me help!"

The older woman brought her hand to Zubie's cheek, wiping away her tear, "alright, you can do whatever you please."

Zubie smiled, "just wait, this time I'm not disappointing you."

"You've never disappointed me, Zubie." she let go of her, "you should leave, it's almost time for your bus."

Zubie picked up the piece of paper and placed it into her book.

"You are right, see you in the afternoon."