Just another episode?

Chapter 1

I wake up in the middle of the night to the familiar sound. Great he's sick again. I tiptoe downstairs to where Mom and Dad are setting up camp for the night. I wince as the stair creaks half way down. Hopefully they haven't heard. I keep quiet for a few moments to see if i have been discovered; Dad comes out of the loungeto throw away the sick in the sick bowl. He spots me on my perch behind the banister and looks at me with sad teary eyes. They are glassy with dread and a lack of sleep. The sick ache returns settling itself at the pit of my stomach i know he feels the same.

"What are you doing up Melodie?"

" I couldn't sleep, i never can when he's like this."

"Well come down and have a cup of tea then, to settle your self down."  

I do as i am told and tread downstairs to make me, Mom and Dad a cup of tea. I try to be quiet as Anna is in the travel cot fast asleep. The kettle's already being brought to the boil so all i have to prepare the drinks. Me:two sugars. Mom: two sugars. Dad:one sweetner.

Whilst the teas brew i decide to get my school bag readyfor the next day. In my backpack i place my: sketch book, Chemistry book, Physics book, Geography homework and English essay, the essential equipment such as: planner, pencil case and art pencils. My lunch as been prepared the night before so i put that in also along with my drinks bottle. I'm ready for the next morning. In the meantime the teas have finished brewing so i pour the skimmed milk into the mugs.  

I bring the steaming mugs of tea nto the lounge and pass them around. We sit in silence for a while, tears stinging our eyes as we sit thinking of the enevitable questions: 'will it be short?', 'will there be a trip to the hospital?'; all the questions that run through our minds everytime he has one of his CVS episodes. We hope and pray. Hope he doesn't get dehydrated. Pray it wont end in hospitalisation. All we can do is hope. After i've finished my tea i dismiss myself with the excuse of school tomorrow. So i head up stairs and brush my teeth before heading back to bed.   After returning to the warm comforting safety of my bed i curl up in a ball and cry softly, not wantng Mom and Dad to hear. Everytime he has one of his episodes i often cry to myself to fall asleep because all i can think of is how his life maybe ruined for the rest of his life due to this horrid illness that may never be a cure for. He is hardly at school; possibly never get a job in his lfe. Iit sickens me but its fact that could happen and we lve with that fact everyday.  Slowly i start to to feel the essencce of sleep creeping through my body again until i'm eventually asleep.  

My sleep is distorted with nightmares. I dream of one day walking down the hospital corridor and hearing a scream fom my brothers room. Beeps echo through the silent corridor. Its as if i do not even exisist. Nurses and doctors run past me in a blur of motion. I follow behind them and eneter my brothers room. Tears streaming down my face. I see a mass of white and blue doctors and nurses uniforms gathered aoround the bed. My family squashed up in one corner holding each other for comfort. The colour drained out of each of their faces. Tears trickling down their cheeks with heart break and dread. My Moms face iis buried into her baby, my sister Anna. My Dad holding Bobbie, Charlee and Daniel trying to block their view of Cory, whilst hi face is red raw with torture and panful tears. A lump in my throat gathers and i try to swallow but it wont go. The beeping stops and a friendly kind nurse heads over to my parents. She whispers " I'm sorry we did all we could... Your son has passed away...  we werent able to rehydrate him fast enough... Is there anyhting i can do for you?" her whispers arent whispers. They echo around the room and a desolte heavy feeling settles in the occupied room. My families faces ful of shock and grief.  Suddenly im the only one left in the room. Cory lying unconcious in the bed his wires still in his arms. Fear grips my stomach a painful scream bubbling up in my throat. He's gone and i can't do anything about it.