Living While Dead

Chapter 4: Broken Promises are Unforgivable

"Alex! Alex, no!"

Almost there...almost dead...

"Alex, please! Alex, stay with me!"

The scarf that was suffocating me jerked, and my lungs barely caught a smidge of air.

No...please. Please let me die...

"Alex, your my sister now! I love you!"

If you loved me you'd let me die...

"somebody help! Somebody! Alex, wake up! Alex!"

The scarf was jerked more violently.

My heart gave one more thump before falling silent.

In my last moment of consciousness, I was released and I fell onto the floor.

Air filled my lungs.

But it was to late...  

"...goodbye...life..." I thought as darkness started to consumed me.

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I became aware of a light beyond my eyelids.  

Had I done it? Was I really dead?  

I opened my eyes.  

I found myself lying in a hospital bed.  

Tubes stuck into my arm. Bandages covered my arms, legs...and...my neck.  

I reached up to feel the bandages that covered my fabric burns. 

Ryder lifted her head from the edge of my bed. she had pulled a chair right next to the bed and had apparently dozed off.  

her electric blue eyes had deep shadows under them as she stared at me for a moment. her hair was messed up slightly and her clothes crooked and slightly dirty.  

"Alex..." she croaked, voice hoarse with sleep. "you're awake."  

she leaned over and gave me a tight hug. I didn't move.  

"I was so scared! I thought you had died... I was all mad at myself cause I yelled at you that morning. oh I'm just glad you're okay!" she rambled.  

"how did I get here?" I glared at her. she shrunk back from me.  

"how did I get here?" I repeated.  

"after I found you, I released you from the noose and I started screaming for someone to help...but no one did. I found your cellphone in your pocket and called 9-1-1..." she explained quietly.  

"y-you broke the p-pact..." tears of rage and hurt filled my eyes. "you swore you would keep the secret secret!

"im so sorry..." she whispered.

"no, your not! you broke the promise! ive been betrayed and hurt too many times. I have no more trust to give. and you broke the last piece! I will NEVER forgive you."

"I broke it because I didn't want you to die!"

"what about what I want? doesn't my opinion matter? I wanted to die! that was my last hope of escaping this shit hole! your worse than Marlay!" tears poured down my face fast and furious as I screamed at her.

she gasped, a single tear escaping her eyes. she quickly wiped it away and became angry.

"fine." she snapped, getting up. "fuck this. I'm done trying, Alexandriana. I am done trying to be your friend. I'm done taking abuse for you. I'm just done. you were my best friend and I'd take a freaking bullet for you. and you wont even stay alive for me." she stormed out of the room, the door slamming behind her.