TWENTY-TWO

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TWENTY-TWO

The quiet voices of my family wake me.

My eyes flicker back and forth underneath my eyelids as I try to open them.

"Elle," a quiet voice speaks,

I manage to open my eyes and see Ethan leaning over me, "Eth-an" my voice croaks, it was so dry.

"You're okay Elle, just take it slow" he says grabbing my hand shoulder as he helps me sit up, "Guy's she's awake"

I groan and rub my hand over my face, feeling something on it I go to get it off, but Ethan stops me.

"No Elle, leave that one on there" he says,

"What's going on?" I ask, my voice was shill croaky, I look around at my family that had now gathered around the bed, "can I have some water?"

"Sure," Ethan says, he presses a cup of water to my bottom lip gently.

I take a couple of mouthful and cough loudly as it travels down my insides.

"You're okay," Aiden says rubbing circles on my back, as I cough harder,

"What's going on?" I ask once my coughing had stopped,

"Gabrielle," my dad steps forward. I can tell he's struggling with his words.

"Tell me," I push,

"You passed out at school and you've been out for a couple of days," he starts to explain, "I had to comatose you because you weren't breathing well enough for yourself. I've had to put you on twenty-four-seven oxygen and fluids"

I look around and notice the oxygen tanks and fluids that I am connected to. "Wh-what?" I struggle to comprehend what's going on. I'd been out fordays?

"I think that your body is going into shutdown, that it can't take it anymore. I wouldn't...I wouldn't expect you to last much longer"

I felt the tears well up in my eyes.

This was it? I was going to die, to actually die. I knew it was coming but didn't think it would be this soon.

"Everything's going to be okay Elle," Ethan said grabbing my hand.

"But is it?" I say, the tears rolling down my cheeks. Everything was suddenly starting to feel very real. "what about everyone I'm leaving behind? Mum, dad, you lot"

Alex.

"Gabrielle, I've done everything I can. We'll be okay," he says smiling sadly at me, "I promise"

"But it's just not fair," I huff loudly,

"Life isn't fair," my mum said coming and grabbing my other hand, she gives it a little squeeze, "You'll be gone Elle, but we'll never forget you"

I rub away the tears that had escaped down my cheeks and look to my dad, "How long do I have left?"

He raises his shoulders and runs his hand through his hair, "I would guess a week at the most."

A week. I only have one week.

I wanted to make sure I could die happy, and that meant making sure all my ends were tied.

I nod and smile at him, "Well then, there's some things I want to do before I die. So, we'd better get started."

Because of my bad health, I knew I couldn't be running around bungee-jumping off buildings or anything, but there were some things I'd like to do and see.

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