DIAMOND KEYS

SEVENTEEN

“Hello Miss Michele.” one of the cooks greeted me.

“Hi, can I get two cups of iced tea.”
    
She motioned for someone to get the drinks and turned back to face me. “Would you like something to eat?”
    
I shook my head remembering Claire’s comment about the food.
    
I studied the eatery while I waited for the tea. It was very neat and tidy, the tables and chairs carefully arranged. There were only few doctors and staff there at the moment eating sluggishly from their plates, probably because the food tasted bad.
    
I recognized one of the doctors; maybe she was one of the doctors that performed the operation on Claire. I took a closer look at her, she was a pretty doctor. I’d love to be like her if I became a doctor.
    
A nurse walked into the eatery and went to whisper something in the doctor’s ear. The doctor stood up suddenly, sipped a little from her cup, said something to the person beside her and ran out with the nurse.
    
I found myself sweating profusely with my heart almost out of my chest. I stood up without even thinking and, walked over to the person the doctor had said something to before leaving.
“Hi, I’m sorry to interrupt you but, why did the doctor leave?”
    
The woman looked at me from head to toe then asked, “Why?”

“Ehm… I’m just curious.” I stammered.
    
She shrugged “Whatever, the nurse came to tell her that there is an emergency in room 119.”
    
It was like some unknown force pushed me back and I found myself knocking down a chair.

“Miss Michele!” I heard the cook call.

“Are you okay Miss?" 7The woman asked.
    
I smiled and nodded, “Please, excuse me.”
    
I ran out of the kitchen and headed up the stairs, the elevator seemed useless. My mind was void of thoughts; I didn’t want to think about anything. I didn’t want to think negatively.
   
By the time I got to her room floor, I realized my body was wet from both tears and sweat. I looked like I’d run a marathon, but that was the least of my worries at the moment.
    
I walked slowly to her door and I looked up, Room 119 was inscribed boldly on the door. I remembered the woman words “… there is an emergency in room 119.” The noise from inside the room reached me then. I could hear Mrs. Taylor’s sobs, the beeping sounds of the machines and the breathing of so many people.
    
I opened the door slowly and the first person I saw was Marc, I pushed it a little bit and I saw Logan, I pushed the door further and I saw Mrs. Taylor crying in her husband’s arms, they were blocking the bed and the army of doctors hovering over it; when the door opened fully, I saw Dennis seated with his face in his palms.
    
No one even realized that I had come in. I walked over to Marc and he didn’t even blink when I stood at his front. He was looking straight at me but he wasn’t seeing me- he was somewhere else. I felt goose flesh rise on my skin before Logan pulled me into his arms for a hug.     
    
It was at that moment that the seriousness of the situation downed on me. The doctors were in such a confused state, they probably didn’t realize that so many people were in the room while they carried out the operation.

“Where is the damn injection?!” one of the doctors exclaimed and I could hear the doctor and the nurse scrambling around for the injection.
    
I tried to turn but Logan held me closer trying to stop me. I pushed him away from me and turned, I gasped loudly and more tears began to roll down my cheeks.
    
Everything I saw, I saw in twos.
    
It was like there were two Dennis’ crying.
    
Two Mr. and Mrs. Taylor.
    
Two Marcs.
    
Two of each of the four doctors and two nurses.
    
Two of the doctor plunging that nasty equipment in and out of Claire’s chest.
    
And two of Claire whose chest was rising and falling as the equipment was plunged in and out of it.
    
I focused on Claire. Although I couldn’t see clearly, I could see her eyes wide opened and staring up at the ceiling and I could see her chest rise and fall. I looked at the doctor and saw the fear in his face. I saw Dr. Gilbert in a corner his clothes soaked in perspiration.
    
Wasn’t he the one that promised me that Claire would be okay? Son of a bitch! Liar! I had counted so much on his words that day, I had drawn hope from him that day; and now all hope was lost.
    
I felt Logan’s hand on my arm but I did not bother to look at him. At that moment, I was angry with everyone who had given me hope that Claire would survive, I was angry at myself for believing them and I was angry at God for given such punishment to a lovely girl like Claire. Why not me?
    
My blurring vision rested on Claire again and at that moment, everything stopped.
    
The world stopped spinning.
    
The doctor made the final plunge with the equipment then he stopped.
    
Claire’s chest stopped rising.
    
He turned to face the doctors and the nurses then, he shook his head.
“No!” I heard Mrs. Taylor scream.
    
Dennis stood up instantly and tried to rush to the bed but the doctors restrained him, “It can’t be possible! Claire, you can hear me, can’t you?!”
    
Nurse Amy stepped forward and drew the sheet over Claire’s pale white face.
    
I saw stars spinning in circles.
    
I heard people screaming and waiting.
    
My eye lids fluttered, and then everything went blank.

I feel soooo sad! I know a lot of people love Claire, I also do. But, life doesn't always go as planned and the story most go on, right?

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Love,
Prisca.