New York- Where Dreams are Made

Chaper 49- Only a Matter of Time

(Katie's pov everything in italics is Katie's thoughts)

3:39 PM

I can't see anything but I can hear Charlotte talking through the locked door. "Katie if you don't open the door we are coming in! Speak now or forever hold your peace!"

"Charlotte thank goodness you're here!" She was talking to someone. My guess it was Anthony.

"Anthony call 911."

"911? Is it really that bad?" A sudden wave of Nausea came over me. I felt really tired. My head was being lifted onto something. It was soft and warm.

"Hold on.." Charlottes voice said.

"I'm here Charlotte!" I cried. Realization struck me like a bat to the head.

I'm trapped in the place I feel safest: my own head.

Charlotte keeps talking but I can't hear what she's saying. Stay awake Katie. Stay awake. I mentally try to slap myself.

Soon, I fail and drift. I feel myself slipping away and welcome it gladly.

~

5:35 PM

I hear many people talking, and I finally understand Charlottes love for voices. They are all so different, some are high, some are low. I feel a pair of hands pull a gown on me. I shiver slightly when whoever it is placed heart monitors on my chest.

They must see this because they pull up a blanket but leave one arm out for an I.V I'm guessing. The small hand feels around for a vein. Once they find one they put a cold liquid on it.

A sharp pain radiates through my arm but I can't pull it away. I wince and a soft female voice apologizes and puts the blanket over the hand left out.

I hear her walk away, but there are also footsteps coming INTO the area where I am. I assume I'm on a hospital bed in, you guessed it, a hospital. The footsteps quicken.

"Katie!" The footsteps stop a ways away from my bed. "I'm sorry Mrs Spencer your friend is in serious condition and must be left alone. "Uh oh. You've done it now." "I have been waiting here for two hours on my friend who I never even got an update on is laying right there!" I can imagine her angry face.

"Get the hell out of my way." The footsteps begin again, slightly slower. Soon, they are extremely close and I can almost touch the source of the tapping.

Charlotte takes in a large gulp of air and I hear her sit on the hospital chair.

"I'm sorry you have to be in this situation Charlotte honey. I promise I'm going to make it."

"Can she hear us?"

"Yes! I can hear you Charlotte!"

"She can."

There is a long pause before anyone else speaks.

"Can you leave?"

I hear footsteps leave the room.

"Katie?"

"I'm here Charlotte." If only you knew.

"I don't know if you can hear me."

"I can hear you loud and clear."

I felt her hand slide into mine. It was warm and comforting in my cold and clammy one.

"You've gotta stay strong here Katie. We need you. You're kinda what keeps us from killing each other."

Her voice started to break. I wanted to hug her, but it seemed my body was turning on me.

"You've got to hold on."

The hand holding mine tightened. I could just imagine her tears. One left her dark eyes and splattered onto my cold hand.

Millions of thoughts flooded my mind when they were interrupted by a sweet voice.

"525,600 minutes. 525 thousand moments so dear. Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure- measure a year?"

Then more voices chimed in from farther out of the room.

"In daylights in sunsets in midnights in cups of coffee?"

A gasp left Charlottes mouth as well as small sobs. Her voice joined the others.

"In inches in miles in laughter in strife? In five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure a year in the light?"

All of the voices came together with sad tones as they continued singing.

"How about love?"

A tear left my eye even though I couldn't open them. I had never felt so much love surround me in my entire life. But that amazing feeling was cut short.

Another wave of nausea came over me. I heard people yelling. Charlottes hand was violently ripped from my grasp. She cried. Other familiar voices clamored.

I couldn't help it. My energy drained from me quickly and I felt myself shrink into the smallest shape I could have dreamt.

"I'm sorry friends. Take care of Charlotte for me. She is a fragile one."

I wished so much to be able to reach them. To let them hear my final wishes. Am I really dying?

"I love you all."

"I will see you on the other side."

Flatline.