By: Kaiya Irion

Based on ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’

He had survived 72 years, innovated an entire city, fought many battles; and now he was dying. He woke up that morning, but never got out of bed. His wife, Suki, called the doctor. There was nothing the physician could do about his wheezing cough.

Suki knelt down next to him, giving him water whenever his coughing stopped. Near the end of the day, his voice became raspy and quiet.

“I can’t believe it,” he breathed, “I’m gonna die first. Zuko got shot with lighting to the chest, and I’m gonna die before him.”

“Well, you were stupid enough to get stabbed,” Suki replied, “After all these years; you didn’t think that would be a factor?”

“Yeah, but still,” he grinned. Sokka lifted his hand and stroked her hair, which was now filled with gray. She held his hand with both of hers and leaned close.

“Sokka, I’m scared,” She whispered.

He closed his eyes and smiled, “Me too.”

“But you gotta leave?” she asked, putting her forehead against his.

Sokka squeezed her hand, “I gotta leave.”

Tears began to streak down Suki’s face onto his.

“Hey,” he whispered, opening his eyes, “Are you trying to make me feel guilty?”

“Wouldn’t think of it,” she said, trying to hold back tears and failing.

He smiled, yet began crying himself. He wrapped his arms around her and the sobbing stopped.

He had a few more coughing fits before sunset and he was gone.

His sword was passed down to his daughter, Kya, who gave it to Bato when she became of age. His funeral was not in the city he built, but in his home village. His sister, Katara, knew how he wanted to be remembered. Laid to rest in their family’s burial cave, next to their father’s bones.

Because Suki had intentionally hindered the news of his death being spread, the funeral was small. No one came for political benefit. No one came who did not truly appreciate him; just his lifetime friends. And they felt his absence.