Chapter Nine

Minerva

I stare at my sister, her body underneath a flimsy, deformed blanket, motionless, almost lifeless.

Two more days, Sephy. Wake up. Please.

Stroking her hair, I begin to plait it, calming myself ever-so-slightly.

Two more days. Wake up or you'll be dead, Sephy.

The door bursts open and in comes a doctor,

"I'm just changing her drips," he says, "Don't look so worried."
I felt like shouting 'How can I not be worried? My sister has to wake up in two days or she's dead!' But instead I just nod, deciding Sephy wouldn't like to wake up to an argument and that it may jeopardize her health.

Sephy, wake up. I'm scared. Please don't die, I can't live without my little sister.

My phone, which lay upon my lap, buzzed hysterically.

"Hello?"
"Minerva Hadley?" My heart began to beat faster and faster.

"S-speaking."
"It's Callum, Callum McGreggor." Phew.

"Hello. What's up?"

"I'm getting released!" His voice cracked as he laughed. "Which hospital are you at? I need to see Sephy."
"Um...Mercy Hospital."

"Ok, I'll be there in ten."

Callum's on his way, Sephy. Callum's on his way.

Callum

"Have you got all your belongings?"

"Yes, officer."
"I'll get you one day, McGreggor. That noose will kiss your neck."
"I know, officer." God, if you're up there, please let Sephy live. Please.

After arriving at the hospital, I sprinted towards the reception, huffing and puffing in an attempt to find Sephy's room.

"Cross...Sephy...Perse...phone...Hadley..."

"Ward E, Room 2."
"That's the intensive care ward..."
"Yes. I know. I do work here, you know." Running as fast as I could, I threw myself towards the ward labelled 'E'.

"Callum. That was quick." I nodded.

"How's Sephy?"

"Not good, the doctor said if she doesn't wake up in two days...she's dead." My heart hit the floor. I opened my mouth to speak, but there was nothing coming out, just silence and pain. My eyes felt asif they were clouding over. "Callum? You okay?"

"Y-y-y...no, do you think she'll survive?"
"You might wanna sit down." She stood up and signalled to her seat. "The doctor said that if she does survive, she will only remember the first few years of her life, I can't remember how many exactly, but you wouldn't be...in her mind."

"So...she wouldn't remember me? Oh my God." My hands flew towards my face and tears slipped down my cheeks as Minerva patted my back, comfortingly.

"Don't worry, everything will be fi-" I pushed her hand off and wiped the tears from underneath my eyes.

"Don't even say it'll be fine because clearly IT WON'T. Sephy dies, I lose the love of my life, Sephy lives, I lose the love of my life." Planting a single kiss on her forehead, I tucked the blanket over Sephy's body and around the sides of the hospital bed. "Wake up, baby, wake up."

"There's another blow-up mattress underneath the bed if you want to stay overnight."
"I do. Thank you, Minerva." Yanking the bed out, I blew it up quickly.

It was about half-past-one in the morning and Minerva was asleep, I lay down, wide awake, staring at Sephy.

Please don't die, my love. Wake up.

Her eyelids began to open, slowly, and her eyelashes fluttered.

"Sephy?" I whispered. "MINERVA!" My voice was almost a scream now, desperate and needy. "Sephy? Speak to me, say something."
"I-I-I-I love you, Callum."
"I love you, too," I gasped. "I can't believe you're alive."

"Me neither! How long was I out?"
"I don't know exactly, I was arrested."
"WHAT?!"
"Yup. Nearly hung, infact the officer promised he would make sure the noose would kiss my neck. You should rest Sephy, you've only just woken up and you're shouting at the top of your lungs." I pecked her cheek before holding her hand and sitting back down. A single strand of hair fell across her face and she puffed a single breath to get it away.

I couldn't believe it. Sephy was alive.