Cole

Oahu

"NO!!!  NO!!!  NO!!!  It can't be!", I screamed, gasped and sobbed. "I have to help her!  I have to save her!!"

I jumped into the car.

"What happened?  What happened?", I said tearing up and hyperventilating. I was starting to go into shock. The world seemed to be starting to go black.

"I will take you home", said Jill. "What the heck are you doing here at the beach?"

Jill put the car in gear and we started moving around the parking lot heading to the roadway and home. She drove faster than I had ever seen her.

"I broke up with her. It's all my fault. She was to get a new boyfriend. I didn't want her to be with me anymore. I'm a neurosynth monster!", I said through great sobs and my chest heaving. "I must save her. What can I do?  What happened?"

"Cole, you shouldn't have broken up with her that way. The way her dad described her you were everything to her and all she ever talked about."

"It's all my fault. If she dies, I die. I wanted her to have a new life without me because the damn Neurosynth team wouldn't let her be with us."

"No, Cole. Don't talk like that"

"Yes, things are going to be different now. As of this moment I am taking control of the neurosynth project and Manda is on the team. If anyone disagrees with me they will be fired!"

"You can't do that."

"Yes I can. I should have realized this from the start! It's as clear as day. It was my mistake not to notice it""

"What do you mean?"

"I control the money, and I control the secret of neurosyn, and I control my mouth. I will tell her.  People that don't like it can go to hell!!"

"Manda is in a coma."

"Do you know what happened to her?"

"Not, really. Her dad said she thinks she poisoned herself. It's, really bad Cole. They don't think she will make it."

Jill just pulled into our driveway.

"I need to talk to Manda's dad right away. Do you have his number?"

"Umm, I think so. It's the last number called on my cell. I can do a callback. Do you think it is appropriate for you to call him?"

"I don't care about myself. I have to save Manda."

"Okay, Cole.  Here is my cell.  I am ringing the number now," she said.

I took Jill's phone and walked into the house.  I could hear the phone ringing.  For a while, nobody picked up and I was in agony.  It seemed like a million years went by.  A voice eventually came on the other end.

"Err, who is this?  Is this Jill Hammond?," said a man's voice that was obviously upset and crying.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Westbrook.  This is Cole.  I.. umm"

"Cole!  Amanda is dying!  Why did you do this to her?",  He said with heartbreak and a cracking voice.

"It's all my fault.  I broke up with her today because I wanted her to find someone other than me.  I know I am no good, but I, I love Amanda.  I...I did not think she would do something like this.  It's all my fault.  I am so very very sorry," 

I started to sob myself.  There was silence on the other end.

"Cole, Manda loved you with all her heart.  You were all she ever talked about.  You were her whole world."