The Dream

Ash POV: Prepare thy tissues, for tragedy awaits!

I pull my cell phone out of my pocket, still smiling from the success of our show.

"Hello?"

"Ash?"

"What's up, Mum? Running late because of traffic?"

"No sweetie," something's wrong. She never calls me 'sweetie' anymore, "Your dad... he, um, he was going to pick you up."

"Was?"

"He's in a coma. Car crash. The doctors say he has less than a day to live."

My voice breaks as does my smile, "W-what? N-no, that... that can't be true! Y-you're lying!"

"Sweetie, I-"

I hang up the phone, breathing hard, trying not to cry, whispering to myself over and over again, like a mantra, that, "He's fine... he's fine... he's okay... he'll live..."

My phone rings again, insistently, but I ignore it, only to jump as I hear thunder roll overhead, lightning flashing.

I swear and run inside, thinking.

Who can I call to take me home? Mom won't want to leave Dad's side... Tal's in town. I'll call her. She can give me a ride.

With shaking hands, I pick up my phone and dial Tal's number, leaning against the wall. I sigh with relief when she picks up.

"Ash? Is that you?"

"Yeah... yeah, it's me. Hey Tal. I was wondering if you could, you know, give me a ride home?" please, please, please say yes.

"Y-yeah, sure. You're at the High School, right?"

"Yeah, I just finished my gig. We... we did really well."

"Alright. Hang in there, and I'll be over in about 10 minutes, okay?" No, it's not okay. It is very not okay.

"O-okay..." Please hurry...

Ten minutes later, my sister's white volkswagen beetle pulls in, and I run out to her, carrying my guitar case in my hand, climbing into the passenger seat after putting my guitar in the back seat.

"So... I take it you heard about Dad?", Tal asks quietly, as she pulls out of the parking lot, driving away from the school.

"S-so it's... it's true then?"

"I'm sorry, Ash... I know how much he meant to you."

"Whatever. I don't want to talk about it. Just... just drive."

Tal glances over at me, her silvery grey eyes darkening, "We're going to the hospital. You can't pretend nothing gets to you all the time, Ash. Our Dad's dying. You're allowed to be upset."

My voice is weak, "Stop... please..."

Tal's eyes soften as she sighs, "Fine... but we are going to the hospital."

"Fine..."

=============================

"You can do this Ash."

I nod to my twin, opening the door to my Dad's hospital room, and pause as the smell of hospital hits me like a slap to the face.

Putting on my game face, I force myself to step into the room, and toward the mechanical beast, a machine with tentacles covering my father. I take a deep breath walking forward, toward him.

"H-hey Dad. I-I know you can't really h-hear me, or respond, but..." My voice cracks, but I keep going, "I... I just wanted you to know... I-I love you, and I..."

"Ashbel Jane Lewis. I thought you weren't coming. That I was lying about your father's state. You ungrateful little-"

Tal jumps in, "She's here now. She's just in shock."

"-get out of here."

I take a step back as if slapped, eyes widening at my mother, who just kicked me out of my dying father's hospital room. I take another step back, then bolt, running out of the room and down the hall, bursting out the door and onto the streets, still running as fast as my legs will allow.

I run down the streets, barely taking note of the familiar signs and the pouring rain as I run.

A/N

Sorry, we've had this ready and it was originally two chapters but Ash writes tiny chapters so I combined them lol okay gtg work some more bYE

~Skylar and Ashbel