Things to do in Salem When You're Dead
Chapter Three
"I have leukemia, Brady. I have cancer."
The blood drains from his face and his tanned skin is now a sickly gray. He stares at me, his blue eyes portraying utter disbelief.
"Wh-what?"
I cup his face with my hands. "I have cancer, Brady. It's why I've been so sick."
"No, I…I thought you were getting better. Craig said that your blood tests were improving."
I know what he's feeling. It's what I felt when I first found out – what I'm still feeling. That this can't be happening, that somebody's made a mistake. I'm only seventeen years old. I'm too young to be dying.
"I know. But now my blood count has gone back down. He and Colin have run and rerun all the tests. There's no mistake." Despite my attempts to keep my voice strong, it wavers and breaks and I feel the hot tears on my cheeks. "I have cancer."
I see the exact moment when the ugly truth sets in. I see the understanding in his eyes. Slowly he gets up from the couch and begins frantically pacing the loft. I can tell that his mind is racing as he starts asking questions.
"Okay, okay. What are the treatment options?"
I haven't even begun to think about treatment. I can't even think beyond the next two seconds. I've never been so terrified. I shake uncontrollably on his couch as I try to answer him.
"I…don't know. I think Craig said something about a bone marrow transplant."
"It could take months to find a match, if one can be found. Is there some kind of medication you can take to hold off the disease?"
"I don't know." My head is spinning and my vision blurs. Cold terror overtakes me and I can't stop shaking. I'm going to die. I'm never going to go to Julliard. I'm never going to sing at the Met. I'm never going to fall in love. The last thought makes me saddest of all. To die and never know love, true love.
"How long have you had it? How- how much time do you have?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" I scream out as a suffocating panic washes over me. I can't breathe. I'm crying full force now and I can't catch my breath.
I feel his arms wrap around me as he pulls me close. His deep voice is calm and reassuring in my ear. "Sssh. It's okay, Chloe. Just breathe, breathe. I'm so sorry Chloe. Just let it out, it's okay."
I clutch his chest and cry into his shoulder. "I don't know what to do, Brady." I cry out through choking sobs. "I'm so scared."
"I know, I know. I am too. Just let it out." I hear the tears in his thick, raspy voice.
I cry so hard my entire body shakes. I have never cried like this before, not even when my parents died. My heart breaks and I cry for all the things I'll never get to do, never get to experience.
Brady just holds me even tighter to him and he gently strokes my hair. He murmurs soothingly in my ear and rocks me gently. I can't tell how many minutes pass – it feels like an eternity in his arms, safe and secure. My sobs quiet down but my tears continue to fall. Poor Brady's shirt is drenched.
I can't remember moving but now Brady and I are stretched out on the couch and I'm lying on top of him. I've finally reached the end of my tears and I am completely drained. I haven't had much strength lately anyway and now I am exhausted. His arms are so warm around me. I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat pound steadily in my ear. My heart gradually matches his rhythm and our two hearts beat in time. Contented drowsiness crawls over me and my eyelids grow heavy. The last thing I hear before I fade into blissful sleep is Brady's course whisper.
"I won't let you die, Chloe. I promise."
Chapter Three
"I have leukemia, Brady. I have cancer."
The blood drains from his face and his tanned skin is now a sickly gray. He stares at me, his blue eyes portraying utter disbelief.
"Wh-what?"
I cup his face with my hands. "I have cancer, Brady. It's why I've been so sick."
"No, I…I thought you were getting better. Craig said that your blood tests were improving."
I know what he's feeling. It's what I felt when I first found out – what I'm still feeling. That this can't be happening, that somebody's made a mistake. I'm only seventeen years old. I'm too young to be dying.
"I know. But now my blood count has gone back down. He and Colin have run and rerun all the tests. There's no mistake." Despite my attempts to keep my voice strong, it wavers and breaks and I feel the hot tears on my cheeks. "I have cancer."
I see the exact moment when the ugly truth sets in. I see the understanding in his eyes. Slowly he gets up from the couch and begins frantically pacing the loft. I can tell that his mind is racing as he starts asking questions.
"Okay, okay. What are the treatment options?"
I haven't even begun to think about treatment. I can't even think beyond the next two seconds. I've never been so terrified. I shake uncontrollably on his couch as I try to answer him.
"I…don't know. I think Craig said something about a bone marrow transplant."
"It could take months to find a match, if one can be found. Is there some kind of medication you can take to hold off the disease?"
"I don't know." My head is spinning and my vision blurs. Cold terror overtakes me and I can't stop shaking. I'm going to die. I'm never going to go to Julliard. I'm never going to sing at the Met. I'm never going to fall in love. The last thought makes me saddest of all. To die and never know love, true love.
"How long have you had it? How- how much time do you have?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" I scream out as a suffocating panic washes over me. I can't breathe. I'm crying full force now and I can't catch my breath.
I feel his arms wrap around me as he pulls me close. His deep voice is calm and reassuring in my ear. "Sssh. It's okay, Chloe. Just breathe, breathe. I'm so sorry Chloe. Just let it out, it's okay."
I clutch his chest and cry into his shoulder. "I don't know what to do, Brady." I cry out through choking sobs. "I'm so scared."
"I know, I know. I am too. Just let it out." I hear the tears in his thick, raspy voice.
I cry so hard my entire body shakes. I have never cried like this before, not even when my parents died. My heart breaks and I cry for all the things I'll never get to do, never get to experience.
Brady just holds me even tighter to him and he gently strokes my hair. He murmurs soothingly in my ear and rocks me gently. I can't tell how many minutes pass – it feels like an eternity in his arms, safe and secure. My sobs quiet down but my tears continue to fall. Poor Brady's shirt is drenched.
I can't remember moving but now Brady and I are stretched out on the couch and I'm lying on top of him. I've finally reached the end of my tears and I am completely drained. I haven't had much strength lately anyway and now I am exhausted. His arms are so warm around me. I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat pound steadily in my ear. My heart gradually matches his rhythm and our two hearts beat in time. Contented drowsiness crawls over me and my eyelids grow heavy. The last thing I hear before I fade into blissful sleep is Brady's course whisper.
"I won't let you die, Chloe. I promise."