Before She Left | ✓

27 glum

" P R O G R E S S -
- is slow," Doctor Wesley told her grimly when she visited the hospital after school. Still clad in her school uniform, she fingered the pressed ends of the plaited skirt nervously. "Is he better though? Is his chance of waking up still... there?"

The doctor nodded, a small smile slightly lighting up his face. "Of course there still is. We just have to hope." She dropped her head to her chest, her eyes staring at the ground, while heaving a soft sigh from her parted lips.

Hope. Doctor Wesley said that was what they need. Hope.

However, everyday, the hope in her heart was diminishing. At first it started out like a huge bonfire, the tips of the orange flames dancing about, as if performing a mesmerising dance for the devil to see, but as the hands of the clock ticked every second, and rang at every interval, the fire got smaller, as it slowly used up the oxygen in her body. The raging fire was dying out, and lazily, the flames gradually started to droop like sad faces.

Hope was pushing against the walls of her body in a desperate attempt to escape.

You don't need hope, the devil on her left shoulder was speaking haughtily. You don't need hope. Look at him. When his finger moved, did he even wake up? Cassandra, you pathetic human being. He will never wake up. Stop hoping, my dear.

The angel on her right shoulder retaliated. Stomping on the nape of her neck, she hastily retorted. Don't listen to him! He's the pathetic excuse, not you. Her angelic face contorted into that of disgust, and she shot an angry look at the smirking face of the devil. Please keep your hope alive. He is going to wake up. I'll make sure of that.

The angel rubbed her hands together, creating little sparks, while the halo floating on top of her head glowed a bright yellow, similar to that of a lantern. Now, I need to leave. I gotta teach that blasted devil a lesson, she said, patting her sympathetically on the neck. She gave Cassandra a soft smile, and placed a chaste kiss on her jaw, before a mask of defiance and determination appeared on her features, all traces of innocence and happiness vanishing in a flash.

She disappeared and reappeared on Cassandra's left shoulder, and stood right next to the devil, her small fists shaking with fury. She pushed and prodded his chest, and squeaked a foreign language at him in hushed whispers. A blank face took over his animated expressions as he listened closely to what the angel was saying. And then, he smirked again, and looked up at Cassandra, slightly craning his neck up to stare at her confused and puzzled face.

Remember, there is no use to hope, he said, winking at me. Grasping the angel's hand, he altogether disappeared along with the angel, who struggled against his strong, vice-like grip.

Cassandra felt more puzzled than ever.