And Then Death Held Out His Hand

For You, I'll Do Anything

The maths homework blurs in front of my eyes, letting me know how boring it is. My phone dings and I grab it, glad for an excuse to stop working.
Jacob: can u meet me at the hospital?
I need you here
My heart leaps into my throat, Echo. I type and run to the car. I have my drivers license, but I'm not meant to drive for a while, apparently I'm to weak.
Oh well. I start the engine and turn out of the driveway. My heart pounds as I take the familiar route to the hospital. As I near, I think about my journey with cancer and if it'll come back. No, this is the end of the road for cancer. It's gone. It has to be.
I park and run as fast as I can to the cancer ward. I ask for her name at the front desk. Tears blur as I realise that she's isolated in intensive care. That she's near the end.
I walk briskly to her room, as the numbers on the doors increase, so does my heart rate.
Her door is shut but still letting out the sounds of a mothers heartbroken sobs. I knock and the door flings open. Jacob wraps me tightly in a hug. "She's leaving."
Over Jacobs shoulder I see his sister, as pale as the white sheets. Jacob lets go, still holding my hand tightly and leads me to a chair. Jacobs parents were watching us with a tight smile and I break out of my daze.
"This is Stella, my girlfriend."
I shiver when I hear him say it. Now it's official.
His parents shake my hand, his mother trying to control her tears. Echo gives a small sigh, making our attention snap to her. She looks so small against the big bed.
"Come on, lets go get a coffee." Jacobs dad says sadly.
The cafeteria is as bland as ever, the posters on the wall are like a little bit of brightness in a sea of white despair.
The waitress brings our orders and I slowly sip my milkshake, remembering the last time I was here with Jacob. That was only the beginning of everything.
"So, how's school?" Jacobs mother asks in an attempt to break the silence, swallowing her sobs.
"Um, well I just went back after you know, .......cancer." Her eyes dull at the mention of the deadly illness. "But it's okay, I spent a long time catching up on work though."
My attempt to lighten the mood doesn't work. We sit in silence as the hand of the clock ticks around. I'm staring into my milkshake, my hunger gone when the silence is abruptly broken.
"Mr Lane, come quick, you're daughters awake!"
Mrs Lane bursts to her feet and runs hand in hand with her husband. Jacob looks at me with wide, despairing eyes. "It'll be okay." I whisper.
In the elevator, time passes so slowly, an eternity until the doors open with a ding.
Echo's small frame is surrounded by cords keeping her alive. Her eyes are sunken within her gaunt cheeks, her fuzz of hair gone from the dreaded chemo. She try's to smile but ends up crying out in pain.
It's a mothers worst nightmare, that Mrs Lane is living. "Honey, it'll be okay..." she breaks down crying mid way. Echo opens her mouth her eyes filled with unshed tears threatening to spill. Her mouth quivers as she watches her mother collapse with sobs.
"I'll be okay, as long as your happy." Echo's voice is thin, strangled with exhaustion. She coughs, her body wracked with pain.

"Sing to me."
Her mother sits up, tears coursing down her cheeks as mine burn hot in my eyes. Mrs lane pulls herself together and opens her mouth. She starts to sing the quiet beginning of a lullaby. It's halfway through when Echo's eyes start to droop. The beeping of her heart in the monitor quickens. As her mother sings the last line, 'As you fall asleep....' Echo takes her last breath. The monitor gives a continuous beep, the sound of death.. Jacob turns and buries his head in my shoulder as his mother collapses on Echo's body. The body that's growing colder with each passing second.