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Chapter 18

AN-Thanks for reading this far! I really appreciate the votes and comments I've gotten, it gives me more motivation to write! Anyways, I'll try to figure out a schedule to upload chapters. From now on, I'll try to publish at least once a week, if not more. Check out the video above, I really love that cover!

Christina's POV

Amy and I stand up as Lauren and Mom enter the room. Lauren looks a bit calmer, but still very pale and kind of freaked out. That's to be expected though, all of us are freaked out. Mom looks like she's in a nightmare, but is still trying to be strong for us, I watch her walk up to Kath, who had been holding it together for a while now and just hug her.

That's when Kath really breaks, she always tries so hard to take care of all of us and put us first, that sometimes she forgets about taking care of herself. I'm glad that Mom is comforting her now. Lauren walks up and reminds us of the room and then sits next to Dani, both of them naturally leaning against each other, with Lauren pulling Dani into a half hug while whispering something to her. I see Dani crack a wan smile. Good, those two are going to need each other for a while, I'm glad they are so close.

Finally, Amy and I walk out and to Lisa's room in the ICU. I push open the door and slowly walk to her side. I stare at her face, and sit down in one of the chairs beside her. I vaguely register Amy doing the same on the other side. I look at her neck and see the  circle of black and blue around it. I don't even remember how I got her down, I just did.

I brush a little bit of her hair away from her eyes, and notice just how sunken in they look. There is dark circles under them, it looks like she hasn't slept in days. Without her makeup, Lisa looks like someone who has been starved in a POW camp or something. I see the scars and fresh cuts on her arm, and just shake my head as tears fill my eyes. I should have been a better big sister. It's my job to protect her, to make sure she's okay. And I failed. I was annoyed with her even, how did I not notice how sad she was?

Looking back, I can't remember the last time she ate, or did anything other than sit in her room with that cat. She didn't go to church. She even stopped going out with her friends, I just assumed they got in a little fight or something. Now, I recognize that she probably pushed them away, like she pushed us away. That doesn't excuse my inaction though, she's my little sister, my responsibility, and I failed her.

Amy's POV

I look across the bed at Christina, who is staring at Lisa's face with a look of absolute misery on her face. I quickly look away, and focus my attention on Lisa. The marks around her throat and the large tube going down her throat look so painful. And the various noises of the machines in the room are putting me on edge.

I grab one of her hands and bend down, clasping both of my hands around it. Then, I start praying. Desperately pleading with God to save my sister, to give her the strength to get through this, to give us the strength and faith to help her. I prayed for her to recover fully, I asked for help in this time, and ended my prayer session, feeling a lot calmer and bit less worried. I feel like I am doing something to help.

I stand up, and call Chrissy's name. Her head snaps up and I tell her that it's time we got back to the others, she nods distractedly and we walk back to the waiting room together.