"Take care of my teddy bear, OK?" Pax looked into Emma's eyes. "Promise?" Through the tears, she nodded her head and took the bear from his outstretched hand. "At least I did something good for the war, right Emma? Did I... Did I do good?"
Emma smiled as the tears streamed down her face and said, " You did good, Pax. The very best." Pax smiled, closed his eyes, then said three simple words:

“You're
even
better.”
His innocent face lost its color: the bolt from the gun was working too quickly.

~~~~~~~

Pax’s words rang in her ears as she walked. Did I do good? Did I do good? Every step brought back memories; the first time they met, going to the park, meeting Aaron, laughing together.

Did I do good? Did I do good?

His small, frail body weighed much less than Emma was used to. Why did I have to complain about carrying him? she thought. His face still had the smile that was present at his death. Emma's tears fell onto his green beanie which covered his pointed ears. Her bleeding hands shook as the child in her arms was brought closer to the pit. Her one last look at his innocent face was one she couldn't take. Her tears rolled onto the corpse of her best friend the closer they got.

Did I do good? Did I do good?

The pit was shallow, no longer than 4 feet- the exact length to fit the lifeless body in. His forehead was cold and hard on Emma’s lips. Strangely, her arms didn’t waver as she laid him in his grave. As she looked upon his dead body, she thought,

You did good, Pax. You did good.

Afterwards...
Emma was weeping at Pax's grave holding his ratty worn teddy bear, remembering her promise to keep the teddy bear safe.
Her bloodshot eyes gazed at the place where her best friend lay. "I was suppose to protect him..." she whispered. "I WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HIM!!!" she screamed at the sky. Then she curled up in a ball, sobbing and hugging the teddy bear Pax had handed to her just before he died.