Guardians and Angels

Chapter 27: Jack

Rapunzel was absolutely right.

Here I am, the day after getting my portrait done by Rapunzel, laying on the couch in the basement, practically dying from something as trivial as the common cold. I never imagined my life would end like this, but at least I've lived a good one. 

I'm just sad that I can't have more time with Rapunzel. She'll be devastated to know that I've passed on due to my severe conditions. We haven't even had our first kiss yet, and now it may be too late. My death is coming and I'll never get to know what it's like to have a future with her.

At least I'm missing school.

North keeps popping his head in to check on me about every half hour. He stayed home from work to take care of me, making sure my symptoms don't worsen, or that I don't somehow die. I may end up coughing out blood any second and North's ready for when that happens.

"How're you feeling?" he asked for the thirteenth time today. It's nice to know he cares.

"I've been better."

"Do you need anything? A hot rag? Cough drops?"

"Can you bring me my XBox controller and turn on the TV for me?"

Normally, North hates me playing video games, but since I'm on my deathbed he's letting me just this once. He handed me the controller and the remote and left me to play my games as a last request.

I snuggled into the couch some more and turned on the console. It's a miracle I was even able to make it to the basement in one piece. I came out of my room this morning, dizzy and disoriented from a sickness plaguing my senses. Emma saw my pitiful state and laughed at me. "You look awful!" she had said.

"Thanks, it's not like I'm dying or anything."

"You aren't."

"You don't know that!" I exclaimed. "Emma, I've been diseased by some heinous sickness and this could very well be my last day. You have to be nice to me."

She rolled her big brown eyes at me. "Whatever."

Emma had gone to school several hours ago I assume, and I was left to wither away in the basement by myself with only North and my XBox to comfort me.

My phone buzzed and I paused my game when I recognized the ringtone to the one I correlated to Rapunzel.

Punzie: Wanna go grab some lunch?

Me: What about school? Are you ditching?

Punzie: School got cancelled because of the weather. Duh!

Guess I wouldn't be missing school, then.

Me: I can't. I'm really really sick. North says this is the worst he's ever seen me.

Punzie: Hahaha, I told you!

I chuckled.

Me: I'm dying! Show some sympathy!

Punzie: Merida says you're a moron.

I rolled my eyes. Of course she'd say that. She's probably laughing her head off at my misery.

Me: Yeah, well I'm not too worried about what she says because I may be six feet under in a couple hours. It's pretty bad.

She doesn't say anything, which I take as an invitation to get back to my game.

Somewhere between coughing out my lungs and blowing up aliens, I had fallen asleep. It was an awkward nap, that felt as though I had woken up in a different universe. I don't remember anything and am slightly confused by my surroundings. The controller was laying on my chest and the TV was stuck on the home screen of the game.