Her

2

This whole week was so tiring. Doing the presentation for our History project, the homework that kept piling, Addmath, Chemistry and most of my evening was spent by practicing basketball. The tournament was in a month so we need to be in the best condition when we against the SMKHO. By being busy, well, my life was smooth. So smooth that I felt the bad thing will happened eventually. Sooner or later.

"Hey, Seth, if you're gonna die tomorrow what would you do?" Huh, another weirdo.

Why the God just give me weird friends, I don't really know. I deadpanned. "Dude, are you dying?"

He must really be dying because Harith that I knew are not really into serious topic. He would, of course avoid it whenever I want to open up something serious. He can be imbecile sometimes but today was really something.

"I don't know, it just crossed my mind. A couple days ago, when I saw a girl, student from nearby school had been hit by a car, in front of my eyes, I just thought what if it was me? It was an awful to see the scene in front of my eyes. And I was dumbstruck, I can't move at all. So, the answer?"

I don't know why but I got the unnerved feeling in my gut.

"Rith, how does she look like?" I need to know. I haven't see Raine almost three days including today. I quickly took my phone, then showed him the one and only picture of Raine that I had.

"Is this she?"

Please, I hope it was wrong. His eyes changed into a cognization and he gulped down. When he nodded, I don't know how to feel. Is she okay? What if she couldn't make it? I tried calling her. The first and two, she didn't pick up. The third was a charm I believe, as someone had picked up the call.

***

Hospital of Columbia. Third floor. Ward 23.1.

Her sister was there. I have not met her sister before, but I could see the resemblance very well. She had the same black hair but her hair was straight compare to Raines wavy hair. With the same high cheekbones and little nose that being red because of crying. When she heard I was approaching, she gazed at me. Her eyes were blue, so contrast with Raines light brown eyes. But I love brown anyways.

When I was in front of her, I asked, "She was okay, right?"

"Sit down, please. Truth to be told, I don't even know myself. Shes been in a coma for a while now. The doctor said we need to wait." Her voice was hoarse and she sniffled back her tears.

"She is a strong girl, I know that she can make it. After all, she had a promise that she need to fulfil." At least I could comfort her, seeing she could smile now, even it was a forced.

"There still time for you to see her. Go on. If the nurse ask, I would tell you're a family too."

When I entered the room, it was heart shattering to see her. Her once bright face was becoming paler and there a medical ventilator to keep her breathing for the time I don't know how long. There also many other wires around her body which I don't know what it was for. I kissed her forehead in which was slightly cover with the head bandage. For the time that I have, I just hold her cold hand with mine and keeps hoping that she will wake up.

After that I have been told that Raine had suffer the traumatic brain injury in which cause the damage to the brain tissue, blood vessels and nerves. It results to the brain swelling. The CT scan had been done, and the result will be out tomorrow.

***

She had ischemia. The doctor had explained that the swelling in the brain was severe which made the blood supply to the brain was blocked and could lead the tissue death.

"It's a rare for the patient to wake up from this coma, we couldn't do anything other than waiting for her to wake up. We have use certain drugs which will help decrease the fluid in the head and in the body as a whole. It also will reduce brain metabolism and blood flow, protecting the brain and decreasing the pressure in the skull."

My heart was beating loudly makes me want to faint out.

"This means she will survive, right?" I hold my jeans tightly to hear whatever the doctor would say.

Before he starts to speak, he's taking a deep breath and saying, "Her brain cells begin dying within minutes. Once brain tissue completely died, the body wont work anymore. The use of the medicine only delayed the process."

Thats when I felt my world had fall apart. She is the one that I love the most. I want her to keep living, to see her smile, to hear her laugh and to felt her warmth beside me.

It's been a week. In the meantime, I had pull out from the Tournament of basketball. After school, I will go visiting Raine without skipping a day. Her sister will keep accompany during the morning, before she left for work and will comeback after the office hours end. We had take a turn to watch on her. I'm not exactly tired being with her almost every day because this is the only time that we could spend together. I would tell her a lot of stories from when we met and a lot more hoping that she could replay back with a smile or laugh. But that day never came.

What came was the stopping of her heart beat.

And that was the most terrifying thing that I heard. Her fight had finally ended.