Selected of Illèa-A Selection Fanfiction

20

We entered the hospital wing and I nearly punched Jake for doing that to me. Rachel was not dead. Rachel was awake. I stayed back for a minute as Lucas hugged his sister and talked to her. She managed a thin smile. I could see her energy draining with every minute.

Her hand lifted weakly to motion be over. "Don't think you're getting out of this," she croaked out. I smiled and happy tears filled my eyes. I gave her a careful hug. 

"I missed you, Rachel," I said as I pulled away. With her breathing tubes her breathing sounded unnaturally. But then, she pulled in a breath and it caught halfway through. Her eyes rolled back and her heart flew to her chest.

Blood began streaming down the front of her hospital gown from her chest. A nurse rushed in and ushered us all out. I was numb as I clung to the window of the door. Someone pulled me away. All I thought was, I can't lose someone else. My mind slowly drifted asleep.

I woke to a hand on my shoulder. It was the doctor. I hoped with all of my heart that she was alive. He shook his head. 

This can't be happening. They only do that in movies. This has to be a dream. This has to be a dream.

***

I solemnly walked to the gardens in my black dress alongside the rest of the family, staff and selected that were invited to the funeral. This wasn't a dream and was no longer like the movies. It was sunny and for some reason that made me mad. The entire country is mourning the death of a beautiful human and the weather has the audacity to be happy and rejoiceful. The worst part is, it reminds me too much of her. It's like Rachel's spirit was channeled into the weather: optimistic in the worst of times.

Rachel was awake. Finally. And then she died. They released the information of how she died shortly after the event. 

The government had produced a prototype of a bullet that implants a mini bomb where ever it lands that can't be removed. The objective was, in six days after implanting, the bomb would go off. Not enough to go out of the body, but to destroy any close organs, arteries or veins. 

The only prototype was stolen at the last rebel attack. The specific purpose was to finally kill Rachel if the original bullet didn't do the job. It malfunctioned and 4 days late, went off, destroying her heart and blowing through both lungs. She died seconds after.

The funeral didn't do her justice. At the end, we all threw in our hand fulls of soil and said our final goodbyes. Rachel was buried forever.

Lucas sent all of the selected home for an indeterminate time to give the royalty space. And I flew home to Dakota.

***

Jason is dating a girl from town named Amy. Amy was in our year at school and is a good friend of mine. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and a heart of pure gold. Her grandparents raised her because her parents died in a house fire when she was 3.

Amy is over all of the time. She's even hired as a chef at the diner. She's been dating Jason for 4 months. I was here for the first month they were dating, but Jason didn't really tell us. Of course, he didn't see the importance in telling us.

I talk to her a lot when we cook together. I can't wait tables anymore. She's so full of energy, but I have a hard time reciprocating. It's not easy being shot, cut, and losing a good friend all within 30 days. And I miss Lucas. A lot. It's only been a week, but it feels like an eternity.

It took me awhile to realize it, but I love him and I want to be there with him even if it means the rebels attack everyday. I would go through ask of the pain again with him.