Life Lost and Found

32: Wake

Tuesday, February 24

Sofie sat in Madeline's empty bedroom, hugging her pillow. She had been there for a while.

Page knocked softly on the slightly open door. "There you are." She smiled sadly. "It's time, Sofie."

Sofie didn't look up. "Okay."

"Are you okay, Sofie?" Page sat on the bed and hugged her.

"She did not deserve it, Page! She did not! Why did it happen?"

Page couldn't help but tear up as well. She grabbed a tissue from a box next to Sofie and dabbed at her eyes, trying to save her mascara. "Who really knows? These things just happen, you know? It's part of..." For some reason, "life" didn't seem like the right word.

Sofie's hands tightened into fists. "They should not happen!" she hissed through her teeth.

"I know... I know."

"I want to help find her necklace," Sofie said after a while.

Page couldn't stand the idea of it being lost, and her eyes watered some more. "Good idea. We'll all help look for it. It's the least we can do."

A horn honked outside.

"Come on, Sofie. Stephen's back with the truck." Page gave her another squeeze. "Let's go pick out a comfy one, okay? She'll be spending an awful long time in it."

Sofie sniffled, then gently placed the pillow back on Madeline's bed. Straightened it. Smoothed the sheets. As she followed Page out, she reached for the light switch... but she couldn't turn it off. So she left it on, and quietly shut the door behind her.

"Oh, and Sofie?" Page stopped her on their way to the garage. "Let's not say anything about the necklace yet, okay? Not until we find it. Maddy's got enough on her mind as it is."

●●●

Rain.

A single thought registered, a word. Rain. It was raining. She could feel it on her face. It was dark, cold. She tried to move, but her body wouldn't respond. Her good hand flinched, reaching... toward the Studio... toward the...

A hand appeared in hers. Her mother's? Then a voice spoke. Distant. "Maddy?" It became clearer. "Maddy! Praise Jesus, you're still here!"

Her eyes opened, but her vision was blurry. The voice, it was woman, it was..."Syd-ney?"

"Lizzie? Lizzie, can you understand me?" another voice was nearby.

"Dad?"

She blinked. Her eyes felt dry. Her lips were chapped and stiff, and her mouth was sticky. That didn't make sense. She was soaking wet. "What's...?"

Sydney trembled with emotion. "You're at Sacred Heart, hon. You're in the hospital."

No, she was on the road. She was... looking at her father? "You... not real."

"I'm real, darling! I'm here!" He kissed her cheek. "You're going to be okay now."

"No, I..." She was beginning to lose her sight again. She was running out of time! She had to text... her..."Mom?"

The voices continued speaking, but they were becoming distant, softer, drowned out by the rain. "... worry... alone... be here when you... love..."

And the world disappeared.

●●●

"I'm sorry!" she screamed as she jerked awake. The movement brought pain. Why was it dark? Why did things hurt? She was so thirsty! Why—