Evony And Alabaster

Chapter One

They told us that this miraculous medicine could cure him. They lied. One week was all it took and now i'm sitting in the muddy grass staring at a granite headstone. I felt numb as I reached out and traced my brothers name on the headstone. James and I were inseperable, a likely thing to happen when your twins. James got the short end of the stick when it came to our health. He was born with multiple health disorders, some of them more life-threatening than others. One in particular had the potential to make his body shut down. They didn't have a name for it, there was no clear diagnosis. The medicine triggered what we were trying to prevent and we didn't realise until too late. After a summer of multiple tests and treatments we couldn't wait for this medicine to arrive. James and I were going to return back to school together. He couldn't wait to test the new lab kits the school purchased at the end of last year. He was going to audition for the head Tenor in our school choir. This was supposed to be his year and now he's gone.

I sucked in a shaky breath as I recalled the last moments I had with my other half. 5 days ago we were laying on the soft carpet floor of our room coloring the newly drawn covers for our binders for the new school year when James complained about pain in several different places on his body. I jumped up from my spot on the floor and screamed for my parents. By the time paramedics got there James was curled into a ball on my floor crying from the pain that spread through his body. He was rushed to the Hospital and my parents and I followed in the car. They wouldn't let us in the room for what seemed like forever and that terrified me. After an eternity they let one of us go in at a time. My parents let me go first and I pushed open the heavy door blocking me from my brother.

"James?" I asked walking over and sitting on the edge of my brothers hospital bed.

"I'm so sorry Evie." His voice was raspy from crying.

"What do you mean "you're sorry"? What is there to be sorry for?" I asked my voice shaky. I knew where this was going and I was terrified. It had always been James and I, I couldn't imagine what life would be without him by my side.

" I Have a list for you." He said changing the subject.

"What the hell are you talking about James?!" I almost yelled. I could feel the tugging sensation in my heart. He had talked about writing lists for all of us to complete if he was to get too sick but I had always brushed it off, never thinking that the time would actually come.

"Evie... I'm dying." My heart tugged and I felt like I was going to vomit. His voice was calm and steady. He had already accepted the facts. I couldn't believe this was happening and I refused to believe that he was dying until his last breath and he knew I would. He didnt argue when I told him that he wasn't he just calmly laid there and listened to my hysterics. After I calmed down a little James handed me a light green envelope with my name written on it.

" Complete this will you?"

"Of Course I will." I said grabbing the envelope in my hand and shoving it into my hoodie pocket.

"I love you Evony" He said pulling me into a weak hug.

"I love you too James." I said squishing him in a tight hug.

"Dont cry please."

"I can't promise that James."

"Just think Evie, I'll see Aunt Merrilee and Grandma again soon."

"I want to be the first to hear about it." tears slid down my face but I forced a smile for the sake of my brothers sanity.

The door opened and dad stood in the doorway.
"It's time to go Evie." He said gravely. The look on his face showed that he didn't want to separate us but I understood that I had to go.