Double Vision

24

024. viraliya .

mar. 19, 2024.

10:03 a.m.

"Kate!" Rene ran into the kitchen, breathing heavily as he gripped the doorframe. "Come back! Quick!"

What the hell does he want? 

"Okay." I grabbed the coffee mugs, sighing and turning to follow him. 

He pushed his hair out of his face, speed-walking throughout the halls. Surely this is a waste of time if they sent Rene of all people to come find me. Honestly, they probably just accidentally trashed a paper. I'm not too worried.

As we neared closer to the office, I could hear muffled yelling and Lyra screaming. What the fuck?

He opened the door.

The mugs in my hand crashed to the ground, shattering.

"Kate!" Lyra turned to me, panic in her voice as she sat hovered over Bella's body on the ground, her hands on her shoulders. "She won't get up!"

"Feel for a pulse." I murmured in a shaky voice, feeling all the blood drain from my face.

Lyra raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"I said feel for a FUCKING PULSE!!" I screamed, rushing over to the two and shoving Lyra out of the way and grabbing Bella by the shoulders. The light in her eyes were gone.

She's warm. She's still warm. I breathed heavily, feeling around for a heartbeat on her neck. Somewhere, anywhere. 

I felt my eyes sting. Where is it? Maybe I forgot how to check for one. I leaned my head against her chest, listening for a heartbeat.

None. 

I felt my breath come out in short gasps, looking up, my eyes begging for some sort of comfort from someone, anyone, but they all stared down equally horrified.

"Someone call the hospital!" I choked out, my voice breaking. "She's not dead! Please!"

Peri stared at the ground. "Kate, she's gone, I—"

"Call them!" I begged, feeling sick to my stomach. Bella wasn't going to be an Aneri casualty. She couldn't be.

Ryan fumbled for his phone, dialing 911 with trembling hands. The room was filled with a deafening silence broken only by my stupid attempts at muffling my sobs. My mind raced, desperately clinging to the hope that there had been some mistake, some mix-up in this nightmarish scene.

Lyra stood above me, hovering over Bella's lifeless form, stared at the two of us with a blank expression. "I don't understand. We were just working, and she just collapsed. There was no warning."

I shook my head in disbelief, my hands still clutching Bella's shoulders as if I could will life back into her. This can't be happening. It's Bella. She can't just be gone.

Ryan approached us, crouching down to have his eyes meet mine, his voice barely above a whisper. "The ambulance is on its way. I'm so sorry, Kate."

I nodded mechanically, the reality of the situation sinking in. Bella lay motionless on the office floor. 

After what felt like hours, the paramedics burst into the room, circling Bella as Lyra grabbed my arm to pull me away from them. 

I tried to see through them, but Bella was completely blocked off.

The minutes felt like hours as I watched, helpless, my mind unable to even comprehend the situation.

The paramedics exchanged solemn glances, and my heart sank.

No. No no no.

The paramedic in charge approached me, his eyes filled with regret. "I'm sorry, there's nothing we could do. She's gone."

The world seemed to crumble around me as those words settled in. "No!!" I screamed, running over to Bella and dropping to my knees, shaking her shoulders. "Wake up! This isn't funny! You're not weak enough to die like that, right?!"

"Kate—" Ryan started, walking up behind me.

"Shut up!" I snapped, my eyes watering over. "She's not dead!"

I watched in horror as one of the paramedics walked in with a body bag. Ryan grabbed my arm, pulling me away. I looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "She's not dead!"

"She's dead."

Ryan's words echoed in my ears, but my mind refused to accept the harsh reality. The room spun, and I felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. I could feel my legs giving way beneath me. 

The paramedics continued their work, preparing to transport Bella's lifeless body. A cold numbness settled over me as I watched, unable to comprehend the sudden loss. 

This couldn't be happening. It felt like a nightmare from which I desperately wanted to wake.

As the paramedics respectfully covered Bella's body with the bag, I couldn't tear my gaze away. The reality of her absence hit me with an unbearable weight, a crushing emptiness that seemed impossible to endure.

A part of me screamed in denial, refusing to accept that Bella was dead. She's all I have left.

She's all I had left.

I slumped to the floor, my tears falling freely now. Ryan knelt beside me, his arm around my shoulders as I continued to stare at the lifeless form of my twin sister, my other half, being zipped into a bag.