I heard the song called, "If I Die Young" and thought of Stevie Rae. This is stepping out of my comfort zone so I hope you like.
Looking back at it, I should have known I was going to die. I felt like crap and had gotten unusually cranky. I only started to get worried when I started coughing after the Dark Daughters Ritual. I was on my knees in front of the cement block. I felt Zoey's gaze on me. I sat back on my heels, cleared my throat, smile, and mouth Frog in my throat. Realization passed through her eyes and she yelled, "Get Neferet. Fast!" She started toward me and I coughed hard. My shoulders shook with it and I coughed up blood.
That is when I knew I was going to die.
Zoey stopped and her eyes were full of want and hunger. She closed her eyes and it looked like she was straining against something. Another cough ripped through me and I fell down on the cold, unforgiving ground. "Zoey!" I sobbed.
"Get me more towels!" I heard Zoey yell. Then she crouched in front of me. "It's going to be okay. I promise. It's going to be okay."
I cried and shook my head. "It's not. It can't be. I'm dying." I was surprised how weak my voice was. More blood hemorrhaging in my lungs and throat. Through this whole situation, I thought of a song by the Band Perry called "If I Die Young."
If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
oh oh oh oh
Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and
Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
ain't even grey, but she buries her baby
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
"I'm staying with you. I won't let you be alone." I heard Zoey say.
I took her hand. "I'm scared, Z."
"I know, I'm scared, too. But we'll get through this together. I promise."
And I'll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger
I've never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand
There's a boy here in town says he'll love me forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done
I felt her start wiping my face and my mouth with a clean towel, but I started coughing again. There was too much blood. I was shaking so hard it felt like the earth was shaking. Wait, earth. How could Nyx let me die right after I got gifted with earth?
A penny for my thoughts, oh no I'll sell them for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'
Zoey pulled my into her lap and wrapped her arms around me. She rocked me, told me it was going to be okay, that she wouldn't leave me. Someone said, "Zoey, this might help." I couldn't quite place the voice.
"Come down here Damien. Hold the candle close to her." said Zoey. Damien. That's who it was.
If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
oh oh
I didn't see Damien get down to my level because my eyes were closed. I felt Erin and Shuanee come over too. All m friends. "Stevie Rae, open your eyes honey." said Zoey softly. With a gurgling breath, I opened my eyes and zeroed in on the green candle Damien held. Zoey said, "I call the element earth to us now. And I ask that earth be with this very special fledgling, Stevie Rae Johnson, who has been so newly gifted with an affinity for the element. Earth is our home- our provider- and earth is where we will all someday return. Tonight I ask that earth hold and comfort Stevie Rae, and make her journey a peaceful one." I smelled earth and said, "I'm not scared anymore Z" with a smile.
Someone burst in the door but I never looked away from the green candle. Someone started to move everyone away and take me from Zoey. "No! We stay with her. She needs her element and she needs us." I was surprised at the power in Zoey's voice. I felt more blood fill my lungs, making it harder to breathe. I heard Neferet say something and I said, "I don't need it. Since earth came there hasn't been any pain."
The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save them for a time when your really gonna need 'em oh
Something touched my cheek and I relaxed even more. Strong hand gripped Zoey and I and we started going somewhere. Everything started to get fuzzy but I kept my eyes on the candle. The only time my eyes left it was when I had to puke some blood out over a stretcher. I vaguely saw us going into the infirmary. I wanted to tell them something and realized my eyes were closed. I opened them and smiled at Zoey. "Would you tell my mamma and daddy that I love them?"
"Of course I will."
"And do something else for me?"
"Anything."
"You don't really have a mamma or a daddy, so would you tell my mamma that you're their daughter now? I think I'd worry about them less if I know y'all had each other."
Tears poured down her cheeks and it took her a minute before she said, "Don't worry about anything. I'll tell them."
I forgot what I said after that because I started to fall in a white light. I barely felt the candle o out as I fell into the light and landed on a field.
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had just enough time
So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls
When I got up, Nyx opened her arms to me and I stepped into them, grateful my pain had ceased.