With All My Heart (A Devons Series)

Chapter 17

Small warning guys! This chapter is full of curses so...

Chapter 17:

"Once you start appreciating, that's when you realize how much you truly have to live for."

Gabriel POV

Something tugs me back to my body and I see my adoptive mother. She had on pure white clothes and on her face was the most gentle and warm smile. She gave me a huge and warm hug, then proceeded to pushing me back toward the light, toward my unmoving body on the hospital bed.

I hear her beautiful and loving voice echoing in the empty space that we're in. "Return, my lovely son. This isn't your time yet. You are much too young. You have a lot to accomplish. You have yet to live many more prosperous and happy years. Return and take it easy on yourself and your siblings. Take care of my beloved daughters, especially Emma. I love you. Know that always."

"Mom!" I cry in a hoarse whisper.

But she shakes her head and pushes my spirit back to my body. "Return," she repeats with that gentle and loving tone of hers.

*****************

Voices that have been buzzing around me constantly are no longer near me. The insistent and pestering beeping noise that I've been hearing for quite some time has also stopped. My body aches terribly and I feel awful. However, my first coherent thought is, "Is Emma okay?"

I know that I should be more worried about myself and where I am but she takes precedence over my own condition. I haven't seen her in my dreams lately. I hope nothing has happened to her.

Today is the only quiet day and for that, I am grateful. There is no one in my room when I crack open my eyes. I feel grimy and dirty and in desperate need of a shower. But first, I need to know if Emma is okay. 

I sit up slowly, my bones creaking like an old man with arthritis. I wince as something at my waist stings. My hand flies to my torso and my eyes squeeze tight. I regulate my breathing and once the intense pain passes, I take time to slowly take in my surroundings.

White everywhere. White walls, white bed, white drapes, white sheets, white blanket. This is definitely not my room. So where the hell am I?

I slowly swing my legs off the bed and go to stand up. I collapse immediately, my legs no longer supporting my weight. I can't even stand for a minute without falling down almost instantly, severe tremors of pain running up and down my legs. What on earth happened to my legs? What happened to me?

I give up on my attempt to go see Emma so I climb back into bed and tuck the blanket securely around my feet. Turning on the TV with the remote that's on the nightstand beside my bed.

I choose an interesting channel- the football game- and promptly fall asleep.

Landon POV

I come into my dead brother's room to say goodbye to him, when I notice the TV on. I freeze in place and Thea bumps into me. "What's up?" she asks, touching my back. I notice how her swollen and red eyes go everywhere but at Gabriel's still form on the hospital bed.

I point. "The TV is on!" I glance at Gabriel. Or what used to be him. "And look! He's moved!"

"He's dead," Thea says flatly and bitterly. She's so bitter and sarcastic now that Gabriel died. She genuinely feels like his death is on her own shoulders and it's completely her fault, no matter what we tell her. "He couldn't have possibly moved unless someone moved him."

"He's not on the IV," I continue.

She rolls her eyes. "Big deal. He's dead, obviously he's off the IV. They need it for someone who's still alive and have a chance to survive."