Memory Lane

Chapter 12: Inevitability

(Performed song: Don't Stop Believing by Journey. How the group performed? Think Glee but acapella. Mentioned song: Sit Still, Look Pretty by Daya.)

Violet had finally caught up with Falcon, still feeling Mark's grip around her neck. She trailed in front of Jared and Rex, both of them ensuring that Mark did not try anything dumb such as running after them.

Falcon and Rachel were talking.

"... what if she really is dying? Don't you want to just talk to her parents first?" Rachel asked.

"No, I- uh, hang on..." Falcon whipped out her phone, responding to somebody's call. "Hello? Bro, what is it?"

She turned white as a sheet. "Oh your performance is today... I'm going to see Elly..."

Rachel was about to interject, but Falcon frowned. "Hey, don't say that- that's really insensitive."

She suddenly spun to the door. "No... I... good luck, bro... I'll join you on stage, next time."

Falcon's face fell. "Oh... well... sure. Talk later."

She hung up and pushed open the door, with Violet and Rachel following behind. Elly and her parents were in the room talking.

Her mom stood up, running over to embrace Falcon.

"Oh my... I thought you'd never come over," she whispered, hugging the smaller girl. Falcon, surprised, gave her a tentative hug back. "I texted your mom."

"Oh, I... didn't... see," her phone beeped again, another message coming through.

"It's okay. Elly? Sweetheart? Falcon and her friends are here, honey, do you want to talk to them instead?"

Elly looked almost pathetic, eyes half open like she was high on some drug or something. Except she probably was, against her will. She looked sickly pale, refusing to even look over. She was intubated, weak. Violet may not have known Elly that long but seeing someone in that position, that young... was wrong. It was just wrong.

Violet kept the horror out of her face. After the whole hospital fiasco a couple of weeks back, the rest of the group filled her in on what had transpired in Rex's and Falcon's hospital room. And this was the same girl who was called autistic as an insult, now that was just plain wrong. So many levels of wrong.

Falcon nodded gratefully at Elly's mother, walking over to the sick girl.

"Hey... future cardist... hey, c'mon. I got a trick to show you," Falcon tried to keep her voice light and peppy, but underneath, she was probably quaking in fear.

Falcon took out a deck of cards from her bag, and taking out a six of hearts from her pocket. "See... kiddo... six of hearts..."

She lifted the top half from the deck, placed the card in, and quickly glanced up at Elly to make sure she was still watching. She was still looking so impassive, so done... so hopeless.

Falcon put back the top half of the deck, flipping the top card over and showing the six of hearts again. Normally it would have elicited a response, maybe not from Elly but anyone else in the room. She gave a crooked smile, gaze wavering, eyes flickering around Elly but not looking at Elly per se. Jared approached her carefully, seating himself beside Falcon.

"... sing."

"Huh?" Falcon asked, a little confused.

"I bet you encountered Mark out there. He told you what was going on, huh?" Elly gave a weak smile.

"I..." Falcon licked her lips. "Alright."

"Is she really dying?" Violet asked Elly's mother.

"Violet!" Rachel hissed.