His breath was ragged, and with every exhale he tasted blood in his mouth. The water around him fazed into void, cold and endless, swallowing all life. The night was bitter. A feeling of dread, of hopelessness crept up his spine, and his long steps turned into a fast pace, and finally a run, even though every muscle and every bone in his body was screaming in agony. But this pain he was willing to endure, as long as he could make it in time. If he failed, all of them would die. And she would, too.
A faint shimmer of blue guided him home. The last survivors, gathered around a clean pond of shallow water, with her keeping the few remaining children calm and telling a story. She looked up and her face brightened as she saw him, even though he was dirty, exhausted and sweaty. It didn't matter to her, and it didn't matter that he was an outsider. The story faded as she stood up, leaving only faint pictures of imagination behind.
"I found another lake", he said after catching his breath. "But it is far away... Maybe four days." He brushed his black greasy hair out of his face, and paused. The survivors looked at him in hope, despair and even just deep sadness.
"I have made a decision", she said after a while into the silence. "I want to be the Essence." These words had an immediate reaction from all sides. The survivors jerking their heads to her, rumouring to each other, and all colour draining from his face. Grabbing her by the shoulders he pulled her close and shook her.
"What are you talking about? We are going to live through this together. That's what you always said. The Purge, it's gonna go away one day, you said that, and we only had to survive that long, move around, that's what you said -" He stopped abruptly and looked her dead into the eyes. "You can't be the Essence. No. We are doing this together. You can't just say that and expect me to - no, nononono, you can't. You simply can't." A quick, sharp laugh escaped his lips. "Who would volunteer as a Vessel or Contractor anyways? No, we are going to live, we all are -" She put a finger to his lips and cut the flow of words. "My Vessel", she said calmly, "will be the old oak. It still stays strong even now." His eyes went dark and soulless as he tried to look into her mind, why she would do something this dangerous and reckless. Bit he only saw confidence. Confidence that they all would be swallowed up by the Purge if nothing happened. And he knew she was right. She raised her voice again.
"I haven't found a Contractor yet." A feeble spark of hope he would be able to convince her to let go of that plan spiked in him, but it died out as quickly as it had burned. She had set her mind.
"There is no other way." He knew it. But he didn't it to be this way. For it to end this way. Her. And them.
"I once promised to follow you wherever you go", he started, but then he hesitated. "Even into death. I will be the Contractor." She looked up, smiled a hurt smile, and nodded.
Everything was ready. They were standing under the large oak, just the two of them, holding hands, just looking into each other's eyes. A single tear ran down his cheek.
"At least I won't loose you." Then they kissed for a final time, and she sat down in front of the oak, eyes closed and waiting. He stood behind her, collecting himself, mustering the courage to speak the words and access the flow of energy that was still hidden deep inside the earth, in all waters. Slowly, he started, taking deep shaky breaths in between. He was killing her. And himself. The sacrifices that must be made. The ancient words crumbled from his lips, while he laid his hand on her shoulder. She was shivering. Was she cold? In pain? Or afraid? He sat down behind her and flung his arms around her, hugging her close while never stopping the incantation. He felt it deep inside him, the roots of the oak and the net of energy it was connected to. He also saw her energy, pulsating, full of life. It got brighter and larger, like honey oozing out of every pore, as it reached the network and grew. She was too tiny to keep that amount. So he, the Contractor, took parts of her energy and kept her alive long enough to finish the ritual. He was sweating, burning inside from the overflow, all the while whilst whispering the words like a bedtime song and hugging her. It was almost done. He knew it. It was almost time. So he dared to take a small quick break and kiss her behind the ear. She was limp and unconscious in his arms. At least she wouldn't have to feel death. Then he breathed the final words and slipped away, together with her.