Being Brooklyn

Chapter 3

When I finally come to, I find my self strapped into the back of Logan's silver Toyota Highlander. My eyelids flutter and I take in a quick gasp of air. "Where am I? Where are we going?" I wonder. Then I remember. Sophie. "Noooooooo! Not Sophie! Please! Please no!" I moan.

"Brooke. Calm down. Deep breaths. Everything is going to be okay." Logan reaches back and places a hand on my trembling knee.

"I have nowhere to go now. The child custody will take me!" The tears start to stop. I glance down. My shirt is stained with tear drops.

"You can stay at my place." Logan swiftly turns left and pulls into a parking spot.

He opens my door and scoops me up bridal style and carries me to the front of the hospital. I grab his hand lightly and he glances, worriedly at me. "Let's go." He guides me into the building and asks the receptionist which room my sister is in.

Room 392.

 The ICU.

I run towards the elevator just as the doors are about to close. I press the number 3 button lightly.

"Ding." I step out of the elevator hesitantly. I walk to the room and stand in front of the door.

"Go on in." Logan's voice encourages me. He places his hand on the small of my back to support me.

"Sophie?" I call out softly, though I know she won't answer. I blink back tears as I look at her limp body, covered in a blanket. She is missing one of her fingers and her head is wrapped in a bandage. The room is glowing with florencent lights, reflecting off the puke green walls. There is one window, its dusty pink curtains drawn closed. The air is musty and I start to choke on my tears.

I pull a chair closer to Sophie's bed. I pick up her limp and lifeless hand. "Sophie? I know you are already gone and you can't hear me. But I will miss you so much. I love you. I need you. I know we used to fight, but I depended on you. I don't know if you'll miss me up where you're gonna be but I know I will miss you here on Earth. In ways I'll be happier. You're gonna be with Dad. I love you so much." The only response I get is the soft hum of the machines in the room. I look at her sullen face, pale, all blood completely drained from it. A lock of her blonde hair is covering her eye so I gently push it away. I gasp as the truth starts to sink in. Sophie is really gone. She is never coming back. I'm alone. I bowed my head in despair. The skin around her right eye was been torn away entirely and is revealing her skull, while her left eye is red and swollen shut. I gasp as the truth starts to sink in. Sophie is really gone. She is never coming back. I'm alone. I bowed my head in despair.

I start to sob again and Logan's arms are immediately around me gently carrying me out of the room. He sets me back on my feet outside of the room. He bends down and I sniffle into his shirt. The nurse comes over.

"Sweetheart, we have found one relative for you to go stay with. We currently have him on the phone. Paul Higgins. He has said to fly you out to an airport in London and he will be there to pick you up. Love, your flight is at 7 pm. You better go pack up your things now." The nurse says calmly, a fake smile plastered to her face.

"Okay." I say, my eyes swollen closed.

Logan reaches for my hand, stroking my back, trying to comfort me. I jerked my hand away briskly, in taking a breath of air sharply. He doesn't know, nothing will comfort me until Sophie is here again. Which is never. We fought like cats and dogs but I loved her more than my own life. We were each other's everything.