Cold Hearted August

Chapter 40.5 Epilogue Catalina

"It's like a dream." I sighed while in Lara's warm and tight embrace, her heart beating next to my own felt almost foreign; despite the fact she had only left yesterday to come back to her sophomore year at Brown, but I couldn't bare another whole year passing and not being together.

"That's because it is." Lara replied her voice dying.

"What?" I asked confused

"Catalina..."

"Lara?"

"Catalina can you hear me?"Lara spoke but her lips did not move as her arms stretched me forward.

"Lara..." I called.

"Catalina if you hear me open your eyes; please. Come on Catalina I need you to wake up sweetie."A voice called that wasn't Lara.

Soon everything got dim and distant; I felt cold, as if someone had sat me in a tub of ice as Lara's form slowly disappeared behind a bright flashing light, slowly I started blinking, desperately trying to open my eyes and see what's around me.

Where am I? I thought as the blinding light slowly subsided I took a look around my surroundings.I was at the hospital. The stark smell of bleach was overwhelming making me even more nauseous. I could not remember how I got here but I knew for sure that I wanted out as soon as possible.

"Catalina! Oh thank goodness baby you're okay." My mother sobbed cradling my face into her chest hard as my father sat at the end of my bed.

"What. ..what happened?" I asked my throat feeling dry.

"You don't remember?" My mother voiced concern.

"Sweetie, you...you were in an accident." My father answered.

"What when?" I asked lost.

"Catalina, you and Lara-"

"Lara? Where is she?" I spoke sitting up frantically feeling my heart jump in my chest.

"Catalina, you two where hit by a car earlier tonight; you were on a date remember?" My mother spoke avoiding my question.

"Where's Lara?" I asked feeling scared.

"Sweetie-" My father sighed.

Ripping the sheets from off my legs,getting up I ran. My heart was pounding in my chest, my body shaking with terror filling eyes as there was a bitter taste in the back of my mouth that I couldn't seem to get rid of; I knew something was wrong. My breathing was coming out in ragged gasps, I didn't know what to do and I could barely think over the rising tide of cold fear. I didn't know what to do... "Lara!" I screamed down the hospital halls as my bare feet hit the tiles as I called out for her. "Lara!" I cried out again,tears staining my cheeks as I felt a cold gust of wind shiver down my spine.

Following the cold chill I turned around and the sight I was brought to practically made me drop to my knees. I couldn't breath, it felt as if someone was choking me. My heart was racing and all I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and wait for someone to wake me from this nightmare. I choked out cry for help as forced itself out my throat, and felt a drop run down my cheek.

"Lara." I cried entering the room. Her eyelids closed against the dim light and her breathing seemed deep and relaxed, all the muscles in her face and body were totally at peace; she was hooked up to so many machines that read her fate. I felt tears pour like waterfalls down my cheeks as I crawled into the bed, cuddling into Lara's side weeping.

"Catalina you shouldn't-"

"This isn't real. This isn't happening." I cried cutting off my mother.