Make You Love

Chapter 12

How many days passed since both friends were taken to the ICU. Craig snapped out of his coma the next day, but he was still as weak as a mosquito. When the nurse refilled his drip, he joked about her being a potato.

And, every single day she was assigned to his ward, he said, "Hi Potato".

She rolled her eyes, not quite ready to offend the "hero". That was his nickname ever since he brought Isla to the hospital in his arms.

But every night, he cried himself to sleep, knowing that the report was still the same:

Ruptured spleen.

Inoperable.

Incurable.

Broken bones.

Hip fractures.

Head injuries.

When Winter came to see her best girlfriend lying unconscious, she burst into tears. Hysteria set in, and Hunter had to wrap his arms around her. He blocked her view of Isla's bed with his body, then walked her out of the ward, holding her hand lest she go crazy. As soon as they entered the reception, her dam burst forth in torrents. He could only beg and beg and beg her to stop crying. She didn't.

After one whole week of enduring the sight of his best friend almost lifeless, the doctor stopped by at Craig's bed on his morning rounds. The latter shifted his position so that he say upright, searching the doctor's eyes for the faintest rays of hope.

"We give her three more days. If her condition doesn't improve by then, we'll have to euthanize her, with the consent of her family, of course".

"Will I sign the papers too?", Craig asked tearfully.

The doctor removed his hands from his coat pockets and clasped them over Craig's.
"You have to be strong. For yourself. For her."

Craig nodded. Three days. She still had time to live. That afternoon, he took permission from the nurse to visit her ward. He stared at her for a very long time, saying nothing. There was nothing to say.

On day one, there was no sign of life. For the first time in months, Craig prayed to God before he went to bed.

"Dear Lord, I've heard a lot about you. That You answer prayers, and You've done many good things. I'm not sure if You can hear mine because I'm not sure if You still love me, but I need you to heal my friend. She's dying. I can't bear to lose her", he continued rambling until he surrendered to sleep.

Day two came. The doctor sighed each time he saw Craig. Winter stayed beside Isla all day and night, wishing for a miracle. None happened.

Day three. The hospital authorities assembled all the necessary documents. They called Isla's dad, but like the terrible human he was, he readily agreed to sign. The doctor checked on her one last time. Her pulse was sinking rapidly. Her palms were stiff, and he could hear the sound of water rush in and out of her lungs. Even with the respirator, breathing was so difficult.

"How is she?", Craig asked when the doctor came out.

He shook his head.
"I'm sorry. She has to go. We can't keep her much longer".

"I'm willing to spare her the pain. I'll__ I'll let her go", Craig held back his tears. He should have seen this coming. Did he expect her to survive hours of being tortured in a blizzard?

One by one, they signed the papers. All was set. For Isla Dehler to slip out of this world, never to return.