[ WP ] Diseases ca n't be cured , only passed on to someone else . It 's common for those about to die from old age to act as recipients , allowing the young to live lives free from illness .

Despite herself, she flinched slightly, her eyes unable remain on his smiling face. 
 
 She knew the transfer was difficult. She knew it would n't be pretty. But to see the morphing in his old, smiling eyes and her pain washed over him like the tide was too much for her to bare. Still, his grip kept her rooted next to the bed. 
 
 `` Come on, kid.'' the old man coughed slightly as he laughed. `` I'm fine. Quit'yer worrying.'' 
 
 Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment at her own weakness, but this only served to widen the grin crossing the man's face. 
 
 `` Well.'' he continued, bringing his other wrinkled hand across the gurney and wrapping it around hers. `` What's happening. Am I growing scales? Polka dots? I always knew girls had cooties.'' 
 
 She could n't stop the giggle from bursting forth from her lips, not even noticing she did n't cough as she laughed this time. 
 
 `` Acne.'' she replied, her eyes meeting his again. `` You've got my acne.'' 
 
 It was common place, after all. When the transfer process began, the little things were the first to get swapped over. Acne, scars, allergies. The lesser the ailment, the more easily it could be transferred over to the purger. Sometimes if the donor was sick when they came in, the purger would catch their cold. There had even been cases of cuts transferring over during the process. But at the word acne, a look of abject terror had crossed the old man's face. 
 
 `` Acne??'' he cried out dramatically, tilting his head towards the shelf near his bedside and a lone picture sitting on a wall. 
 
 `` Do n't look at me, Margot!'' he cried, opening his palm and trying to hide his face from the picture. `` I'm hideous! I thought I had already left this hell of... puberty.'' The final worse slipped through his lips like poison and the girl next to his bed rolled her eyes at his antics. 
 
 `` Oh. My. Goodness.'' she chided as she gave him a small punch in the arm. `` You are just like my Dad!'' she giggled. The man smiled brightly back at her, chuckling to himself. 
 
 `` You must have a great father then!'' he asserted, a playful mirth crossing his face. She smiled back, but tilted her head towards the picture. 
 
 `` Was Margot your wife, then?'' she asked. The man nodded quickly, pride filling his features. 
 
 `` The greatest woman to ever get married to an idiot!'' he boasted, his face flush with emotions, `` Is n't she gorgeous? My muse! My song!'' 
 
 `` She's very beautiful.'' the girl agreed, before a somber look crossed her face. `` Is she still...?'' 
 
 Sensing her tension, the old man chuckles as he waved her off. 
 
 `` Oh, lord no.'' he answered the unfinished question. `` No, no. She passed away about six years ago. Cancer. Ended up doubling up before she went though. She was amazing.'' 
 
 The girl's eyes shot open. Doubled up? Usually no one signed up to be a purger if they already had a terminal illness, the pain of adding another too much to even fathom. For Margot to have taken on two cancers before she passed... 
 
 The old man was oblivious to the girls awe, however, his eyes remaining rooted to the picture. 
 
 `` Yes... yes. But it's alright. I'm coming for her.'' he muttered quietly to himself as he continued to stare at the picture, his mind lost to his memories. The duo fell silent for a long while after that, with the old man continuing to stare at his picture. It was n't until almost ten minutes had passed that he took a deep breath and turned back to the girl. 
 
 `` You know,'' he began slowly, `` the nurse told me this should n't take more than five minutes. And yet here we are almost twice that...'' 
 
 His eyes rose softly to meet hers, and she felt his hand begin to tremble slightly. He gave a low hiss as he leaned back and closed his eyes, starting to sweat slightly. 
 
 `` Oh... oh goodness.'' he whispered softly. The girl gulped as her eyes began to water up as she watched his body slowly begin to tremble. 
 
 `` I'm sorry.'' she whispered, leaning over and wrapping the shaking man in a hug. `` I'm so, so sorry!'' 
 
 Gritting his teeth, the man snorted as he breathed heavily. 
 
 `` Shut it, you. I've got this.'' he assured her, shakily running a hand through her hair. 
 
 `` But what... what is this? What hell has a young, beautiful woman like you been carrying?'' he asked desperately. The girl attempted to wipe some of her tears away, but each time his body twitched beneath her, her heart lurched. Her silence, however, spoke volumes, and despite his pain, the old man let out a barking, haggard laugh. 
 
 `` Bwahaha!'' his voice weak now, and failing fast, but a smile etched across his face. 
 
 `` So...'' he whispered. `` I'm doubled up too?'' 
 
 She could n't respond, only burying her head in his chest, her heart trembling like his body. With what little was left of his strength, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close, there hands still clenched tightly as a small heat began to sear their palms from the connection point. 
 
 `` Kid.'' he wheezed. `` What's your name?'' 
 
 `` Amanda.'' she barely whispered. The old man smiled. 
 
 `` Amanda...'' his grip began to loosen as he slowly sunk into his hospital bed, his eyes flashing slightly before sliding closed. 
 
 `` I mean, it's not quite Margot... but I think it's still pretty...'' 
 
 The final words never came, as a bright flash of light filled the room and Amanda's connection to the man's hand split with a slight jolt. 

