Message me if you want the link to the picture.^^
WARNINGS FOR: character death, terminal illness
"...We've done all we can...no other choice...it's time...you're all she has left..."
You nod, barely listening. Tears begin to well up, but you're quick to wipe them away. You take in a shaky breath.
"Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can."
You quickly hang up and run to grab your coat and Callie's book before you dash out the door and to your car.
xx
You walk into her room and see her sleeping peacfully. The only sound in the room is the constant chirping of the heart monitor. Slowly, you walk over and sit down quietly on the side of her bed. She gently wakes up and opens her eyes halfway, glancing up at you.
"Hey Rox. What're you doing here?" She coughs, her eyes fighting to stay open.
"Oh nothing. I just thought I'd read you a bedtime story before you go to sleep. You hold up 'Sleeping Beauty' which you had specially chosen for Callie.
She nods slightly and gives you a small smile.
"Alright," you say, "Here we go then."
"Once upon a time there were a King and a Queen..."
xx
"...What a feast there was that night! In spite of the hundred years that had gone by it was still the Princess's birthday, and she was in reality no more than fifteen years old, for time has stood still for her. So she had her birthday feast just the same, and it was her betrothal feast too, for the King joined the hands of the young Prince and his daughter and gave them his blessing. The end."
Putting the book down you go to rub your eyes and realize that they're wet with tears. You know what's coming next and you're doing you're best to stay strong about it.
You turn and look at your best friend laying on the bed beside you. She smiles sadly at you, tears also making their way down her face.
"I really liked that story."
"I hoped you would."
She takes a shallow, shaky breath.
"Thank...thank you for everything." She turns head head to the side and coughs into her shoulder, too weak to lift her arms.
"You can tell me in the morning, just...just rest now." You shush her. "It's all gonna be okay, just sleep." You can feel yourself trembling as you wipe the tears off her cheeks. Her eyes slowly slide closed and you feel her breathing relax.
You bend over and press a light kiss to her forehead as the heart monitor fills the room with it's monotone sound.
"Good night my sleeping beauty."
I might write a sort of prequel to this when they actually meet, but I don't know yet. Let me know what you thought about the story.^^