Never Say Goodbye

Chapter 3

 I scream, "Caleb!" He rushes over to me. "Caleb!" I scream in agony. "Caleb, what's happening?"

"I'll go get the nurse," he says, his face worried.

"Caleb! Don't leave me!" I yell, tears pinching at my face. This is the most pain I have ever felt, tearing through my leg, my foot, everywhere.

"I'm sorry. I have to. I will be right back," he insists. He lets go of my hand. I am in so much pain. Blackness is on the edge of my vision, but I can't seem to pass out. I am frustrated that I won't fall into unconsciousness. I yell both in pain and in frustration. I realize that I don't want to live anymore. I don't want to be me in this hospital. I don't want to. I don't want to be anything. I want to die, like my mom. I hear a scream, but it is not me. Is it? It is high and strangled and child-like. My mouth is open and my throat is raw. Die, I think. Just die already.

A nurse bounds through a door followed closely by Caleb and my dad. Caleb holds my left hand while my dad holds my right. I continue screaming. I don't want to. I don't want to scream; I don't want to live. I try to close my mouth, but I can't. Pain shoots through my leg, like a million bullets piercing my skin. Invisible daggers are stuck in my leg, unable to be pulled out. "It's okay," the nurse says, soothingly. "You're going to be alright."

"Get these daggers out of me!" I yell between screams.

"Ssh. You're alright."

"Get the doctor!" Caleb yells.

"The doctor is currently giving a child a flu shot and-"

"A flu shot? You can't be serious! Emma has a horrible pain in her leg; she can't stop screaming! And the doctor is giving someone a flu shot instead! Grab the doctor!" Caleb says. His voice has an edge I have never heard in it before.

"I'm sorry, we can't-"

"Now! Emma needs a doctor! NOW!"

"I'm sorry-" At which Caleb stands up, cutting the nurse off.

"Get the doctor. Now. Get. The. Doctor!" he screams.

"I'm sorry-" the nurse starts, but I cut her off, screaming in agony.

"Get the doctor. Emma is in pain. Get. The. Doctor. Now!"

"I'm so-" Caleb gives her a glare that silences her. "I'll get the doctor," she says quickly. She walks out of the room, presumably to get the doctor.

"Okay, she'll be back soon. It's gonna be okay," Caleb says. I am still screaming. I can't stop.

The nurse shoves open the door with the doctor close on her heels. I can't hear anything, just my screams. Pain pulses through my leg. "What's wrong?" Caleb asks.

"I'm not sure, yet. I'll have to run another X-ray," the doctor answers. He starts to move my bed. I scream louder. I try not to, but I can't stop. Tears spring out of my eyes.

We finally arrive in Radiology again. I can't hear anything anymore. I don't know if I stopped screaming or not. My mouth is open, but I am not sure if it is producing sound. By the worried faces of Caleb and Dad, I think it is. I see the doctor's mouth moving, but I can't hear what he is saying. He repeats himself and looks at me. I don't know what to say. He says something to Caleb and Dad.

The pain is still excruciating. I can barely breathe; I can barely think. The only words that are going through my head are Just die already. I am ready to die. And then there is blackness.