Free Fall

Chapter Eleven

// the picture of Erick and Kelsey is at the end of this chapter, inspired by a real movie (; //

~Kendall~

I'm not afraid of dying. Everything I love was taken from me, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Life is a disease, and death begins already at birth. Every breath, every heartbeat, is a moment of dying, a little push towards the end.

When Erick visited me after almost three weeks, I knew something was wrong when I didn't feel anything. I didn't feel hate, or love, or remorse. Nothing. As minutes passed, I knew I was going to die. I could feel it deep in my bones, the way my heart slowed down tremendously and my brain seemed to stop sending signals to my body. I got overwhelmingly tired, and gave one last prayer to God, apologizing for killing Charlie and giving up so easy before closing my eyes.

*****

~Erick~

I don't think I've ever yelled so loudly and ran so quickly in my life. Karen was at the front desk talking to a lady with three young boys, and they all looked startled at my loud tone.

"Karen, it's Kendall. Her heart - where's Dr. Sanchez!"

Karen didn't even pause. Turning her back on the patient, she hurried out from behind the desk and down the hall, and seconds later my uncle appeared, talking quickly to the other doctors. I moved out of the way as they practically ran to Kendall's room, one doctor pushing a AED machine. I felt sick to my stomach and I started to feel dizzy as I sank to the floor, hearing Uncle Mario call out, "1...2...3...Clear."

I heard a buzz before he called out clear again, and again, and again. I ran a hand through my hair before standing up and walking to her room, surprised that he hadn't even closed the door.

I saw my uncle rub the paddles together before placing them on her chest and yelling clear. Her back rose off the bed with the electricity, and I covered my mouth with my hand, froze in place. A doctor glanced over at me before walking quickly to the door and closing it in my face. I stared at the beige colored door; the sounds from the inside completely muffled as the noisy chatter of the hospital filled my ears instead.

I took a step away from the door, the another one before turning on my heel and rushing out of the hospital doors into the chilly air. My heart was racing, and my breath came out as fog in the night air as I hurried to my car. I blasted the heat and leaned my head again against the headrest, closing my eyes and trying to calm my frantic heart.

This Kendall situation was really taking a toll on me. I am almost 100 percent sure that Kendall is dead, that I didn't get my uncle in time, and I couldn't save her. The thought that I wasted three weeks of not seeing her beautiful face, not comforting her when she was hurt was gnawing at my brain.

My phone started buzzing in my pocket, making me jump. A picture of Cole showed up; a picture I had taken the last day of junior year with him making a funny face and multiple tater tots hanging out of his mouth. I slid my finger across the screen before putting it to my ear.

"Hey."

"Hey, how'd it go, man?" I could almost see his smile from the other end of the line.

I didn't answer, and Cole turned serious. "Is she okay?"

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "She...no. She's not."

"What happened?"

"I'd rather not say." I clenched my jaw and looked out the window at the huge hospital, happy families walking out of the sliding glass doors and tightening their jackets around them.

"Come over."

He didn't have to tell me twice.

*

Cole's parents were loaded. Their house was huge; their driveway was paved in a circle around a huge water fountain and a black iron gate blocked the entrance. I leaned out of the window and typed in the five digit code (Cole's birthday) and waited for the gage to slowly open.

As I pulled up next to the flagstone steps leading to the French double doors, I tried to remember what Cole's dad does. I remember he used to play Major League Baseball, but that was only for a year and I don't know how he could keep up with the cost of this house with any job in this area. Then I shrugged and rubbed my temples, getting a headache. Who cares?

I hopped up the three steps and was just about to knock when the door swung open and Cole leaned against the door in a SLHS Hawks baseball t-shirt and sweats. "Hey."

I stuck my hands in my pockets and nodded once before Cole waved me in. The marble floors were shiny and I felt my head throb with the headache, but I was surprised when we walked through the double doors to Cole's room and I saw Kelsey sitting on one of the reclining chairs, watching TV.

"Kelsey?" I raised my eyebrows and looked over at Cole, who gave a shy grin and shook his head.

"I was dropping him off and wanted to see his house." She shrugged as if it was no big deal and went back to watching the television.

"She's a character." Cole laughed and I felt myself start to grin, before realizing why I was over here.

Cole sensed my sudden sadness and his smiled faded. "What's wrong with Kendall?"

Kelsey shut off the TV as Cole led me to the couch perpendicular to the recliner. I sighed and ruffled my hair.

"She flatlined."

"Oh, my God!" Kelsey covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes widened. She got to her feet and hurried over to Cole's bedside table, snatching up her keys.

"Kelsey, where are you going?" Cole stood up and walked over to her. Kelsey was breathing quickly as she looked under Cole's arm at me.

"Why didn't you tell us!"

I looked back at my feet as Cole answered for me. "Maybe he didn't want to talk to about it, Kels. I don't think people are allowed to visit her right now."

"But she...I have to go at least check on her!"

"She's okay, though Kels-" Cole turned to me. "She is...okay, right, Erick?"

I didn't answer, and I finally felt the sting of tears behind my eyes. "I don't think so, man." A tear escaped and slid down my cheek, and I used my thumb to wipe it away.

Cole suddenly appeared in front of me. "You mean, you left?"

"I didn't know what else to do!" I stood up and stalked to the other side of the room, grabbing fistfuls of my hair. "I don't even know how I should feel, I don't understand how I care so much for a girl I barely even know! I feel like that's my mom dying in that room, not a girl I know from school."

Kelsey walked over to me and lightly touched my arm. "Don't you see, Erick? That means she's the one. She's not just 'a girl from school', she's so much more than that and you know it."

I looked down at her, small and petite Kelsey who not even a month ago was scared of her own shadow and was now lecturing me. Cole was standing by the couch still, biting his lip to keep from smiling.

I nodded and reached in my pocket, grabbing my keys. "I'm driving."