With Every Sin

Chapter Nineteen

*Emberly's POV*

7 days. That's how long Andy has been in a coma. The wreck resulted in severe head trauma, 3 broken ribs, and a punctured lung. They were able to fix all the damage, but it took 3 different surgeries. Not to mention that no one knows if there's any brain damage or if he'll ever wake up at all.

Right now, I'm sitting at his bedside, gripping his hand. His eyes are closed and his face is peaceful. He is hooked to an army of machines, including a ventilator that's currently breathing for him. He also has a feeding tube going through his nose and into his stomach. My chest constricts in pain every time I see him.

The police came and talked to me the day of the wreck. They questioned the truck driver who, in exchange for immunity, confessed that a tall blonde woman had paid him to crash his semi into Andy's car. It wasn't hard to put 2 and 2 together. Juliet attempted to have Andy killed. She's now wanted for attempted murder and has disappeared again.

I'm getting worse. I can't eat or sleep or function. I feel like I'm a shell. My insides are hollow and every night I pray that I won't wake up. I just want Andy and I to be together. I want us to be happy again. That's why I made the decision to sign a DO NOT RESUSCITATE form. Everyone tried to talk me out of it, but I stood my ground. CC is furious at me for it. It means that if my heart ever stops again, legally, they have to let me go. I just want to be with Andy. I can tell everyone is worried, but I don't have the energy to assure them that I'm fine. I'm not fine and they know it. I'm brought out of my thoughts by a knock at the door. I glance over to see Jinxx leaning against the doorframe, peering at me.

     "Let's go for a walk." He says, extending his arm to me. I don't try to argue and instead stand and join him. We walk the halls in silence, Jinxx leaving me to simmer in my head. We come to a stop outside of the chapel. He holds the door open for me. I give him a weird look.

     "Why are we here?" I want to know.

     "Because it's a good place to be when things are uncertain." He explains. I laugh dryly.

     "Maybe if you believe in those fairy tales, but I don't." I can't keep the bitterness out of my voice. "Religion was created to keep the masses under control. It's bullshit." I find myself walking into the dimly lit room anyways. There are a couple pews on either side of the center aisle which leads to a small altar. Above the altar is a stain glass window depicting Jesus on the cross. Off to the left of the altar, is a small table with candles covering it. The room is warm and smells of lavender. I find myself calming.

     "I know you aren't religious. Neither am I. I brought you here because it's quiet and peaceful. I figured you could use a little of both." Jinxx lays his hand on my shoulder and guides me to a padded pew. I sink onto the cushion and sigh deeply. I don't feel great and I just want to scream but I can't. I just sit there, numb.

     "What's going to happen?" I ask no one in particular. And not surprisingly, I don't get an answer. We sit there for what feels like hours. I am feeling pretty sick, but I don't mention it.

Suddenly, the room feels like it's 100 degrees and closing around me. The walls begin to melt away, uncovering throbbing, bloody flesh below the wallpaper. There's screaming coming from somewhere. Jinxx appears in front of me, his eyes dangling by a thread and his skin sliding off his face. He opens his mouth to talk and cockroaches begin pouring out in the hundreds. They all start coming for me and I can't shake them off. Their legs brushing against my skin causes me to open my mouth in a scream. They easily find the new opening and crawl down my throat, cutting off my access to oxygen. I can hear the roar of blood in my ears as my vision fades.

I accept my death and close my eyes, my last thoughts linger on Andy.