Ella's Promise, Rain's Revenge.

Faith Hospital. The heart monitor beeped slowly. Too slowly. In the cold white room, Ella lay with an oxygen tube taped to her nose. Her face was pale. But her eyes were awake. She was waiting for him. Alex sat beside her, holding her hand tightly, as if his grip alone could keep her alive. With shaking fingers, Ella reached beside her pillow and brought out a small, old necklace. The silver chain was faded, the pendant was just a tiny, worn-out star. She placed it gently into his palm. "This... this is yours. Why are you giving it to me?" Alex's voice broke. Tears rolled down Ella's cheeks. "No. It was never mine. It was a gift of life. And now I am returning it to the owner." She looked toward the door. "Pam? Where is Pamela?" "She's outside. She doesn't want to come in. Should I call her?" Alex wiped his tears. "No, please don't." Ella lifted her trembling hand to his face. Her palm was cold. "Babe... I need a favour from you. Will you do it for me?" "Anything," Alex whispered. "Whatever it is." "It's hard. But it's the last thing I will ever ask from you. I want you to protect the owner of this necklace the way you protected me, your wife. Give her everything you can afford. And Pam... give Pam to her. She will protect her more than I ever could." "Wait... who is this Rain?" Alex frowned. Ella's eyes became distant. The beeping faded. And she remembered. SHE WAS 8. Heavy rain. Little Ella sat alone in the mud behind the school, dirty, hungry, shivering. Her thin dress was soaked. In the village, everyone already whispered that she was "Bad Luck." No one wanted to sit with the bad luck girl. Then a hand appeared in front of her. Ella looked up. A girl, maybe 9, just as dirty, her own shoes torn, but she was smiling. A beautiful, brave smile. Rain was the only one in the village who never called her bad luck. Rain pulled Ella up from the mud and quickly opened her small jacket. Inside, protected from the rain, was a small piece of pie. The only food she had. She placed it in Ella's cold hands. "Here! It's okay now. Everything is fine." SHE WAS 12. Three boys stood in front of Ella, pushing her, calling her names. "Bad luck! Your mother will die because of you!" Ella fell to the ground. Suddenly, Rain stood in front of her. Small but fierce. She pushed all three of them away with all her strength. "Don't you dare touch her!" The boys got scared and ran away. Rain sat on the dirty ground too and wiped Ella's tears. "It's okay now. Let's go home." SHE WAS 15. Ella's mother had just died. Everyone in the village said, "See? We told you she is bad luck." At the burial, Ella stared at her mother's picture. Her eyes were empty. She had forgotten how to cry. From behind, a soft voice called her. "Ella." Ella turned back. Rain was there, out of breath. She had been looking everywhere for her. And when Ella saw her, she broke. She burst into tears, beating Rain's back with her fists. "Why are you so late? I thought you were not coming! I thought I will not see you again! Do you know how scared I was, huh?" Rain just patted her back gently, letting her cry. And they both cried together, in rhythm. Ella snapped back to the present. Tears were streaming down her face. "She?" Ella whispered. "She was my first love. My first favourite human in this wild world. My first sister. She was the only one who didn't think I was bad luck." She grabbed his trousers weakly. "Find her. This promise is my heart. I'm sorry I could only stay with you till this stage. Find Rain and protect her." Alex held her tightly. "Of course I will keep the promise." Ella forced a smile. "Babe... can you get me something to eat? I'm hungry." Relief flooded Alex's face. "Yes! That means you're getting better. I will be right back." "I love you, baby!" Ella shouted. "I love you more," Alex said and left. The room became silent. Ella looked at her own empty finger. And she remembered - their first cake. Three years ago. Their small kitchen. Flour everywhere. "Babe, do you think this is going to turn out well? It's actually fun, right?" Ella had laughed. "Ella," Alex had said, then gone on one knee, holding a ring twisted from the silver tie of the bread bag. "Wait, babe... what's this?" "I know this might sound funny," Alex had said, shaking. "But this is my heart. Will you please accept this and be my-" "Yes! Yes, I will marry you!" They had hugged, flour mixing with tears. Back to the present. The memory faded. Ella's hand dropped slowly to the bed. Her eyes were still open, looking at the door. This was when Ella laughed for the last time. A few minutes later. Alex entered the corridor with a box of fruits, smiling. Then he stopped. His mother and his friend Frederick were there, weeping, holding little four-year-old Pamela tightly. The box slipped from his hands and crashed. Apples scattered everywhere. The bed was empty. "Where is my wife?" he asked coldly. Then screamed. "WHERE IS ELLA?" Frederick held him. "I'm sorry, man. Ella is no more!" "Shut up! Shut up!" Then a small, broken voice came. Little Pamela broke free and shouted with all her strength. "Mum is dead! Dad!" Alex slid down to the floor, his back against the wall, and cried like a child, holding the small star necklace tightly to his chest. END OF EPISODE 1