The Unexplainable You.

Part Forty. Asher.

Beeping fills my ears, something tight over my mouth, choking my lungs. Bright lights flood my vision and it takes me a moment to come to my senses.

Genesis sits next to me, her raven hair pulled into a messy bun, a red tank top making her look snow white pale.

"Asher?" She asks, her eyes bloodshot, cheeks puffy.

"Where's Portland." I cry, forcing myself to sit up despite the screaming pain buzzing through my whole body.

She stands up quickly, leaning out into the hallway, calling to someone. Something about hallucinations.

"Gen," I beg, tugging at the mask on my face. "Genesis, where's Portland?"

"Asher," She says, kneeling down next to me. "Hey bud, just take a deep breath. Dr. Taylor is on his way, okay? Just relax, please."

"Where's Portland?"

"Asher, please, just calm down."

"Where's Portland!" I scream, my voice hoarse.

She opens her mouth, tears in her eyes. "Asher-"

Before her sentence even comes out, two nurses rush in, grabbing my wrists, pinning me to the blankets.

"Portland!" I scream "Portland, I'm here!"

"He's still coming off the anesthesia," One of the nurses says, pressing the mask over my face as I claw at her hands.

"Calm down Asher." The other nurse says, pinning my shoulder to the bed. "We need you to calm down."

"Where's Portland?" I scream, tears leaking down my cheeks.

"Asher!" Genesis says, cupping my face in her hands. "Asher, Portland is dead."

Her words take a moment to set in.

Portland is dead

Is dead

Dead

"You're lying." I mumble, tears choking me like a vise. "you're lying! I was... I was just in New York with her. We were at the pool, we were swimming, we kissed-"

"Ash," She consoles, sitting down next to me, cupping my face in her hand. "That was two months ago, Asher."

"No," I whisper, "No, no, no, no, no!"

I bang my hands against the bed, tears pouring down my face as the whole memory comes back to me.

We were at her house, sitting in the basement. Her, Andy and I, we were playing a game on our phones. We had to end because all three of our phones died.

"What do you guys want to do now?" She asks, running her hand over her head. She hadn't been feeling well, so we decided to stay home. She insisted she was fine, she promised.

"I guess we could watch a movie." Andy replies, grabbing a chip from our arrangement of snacks.

She smiles, but something crosses her face, and her smile falls almost as quickly as it came. Her breathing turns raggad as she collapses into the wall behind her. 

"Portland." Andy mumbles, sliding over to her side. scooping her up into his arms. "Hey, sis, Portland, look at me, just look at me."

She twitches in his arms, her eyes rolling back in her head. 

"Asher, call 911" He instructs, tears creeping into his eyes. "Now."

But all three of our phones are dead, I don't know what to do.