"Molly, wake up," I hear my brother's voice, somewhere in the distance. I don't know where he is. I don't know how to wake up.

"Molly, please, wake up!" he's shaking my arm now: "Don't be dead, Molly, please!"

"I'm not dead," I say. I can hardly open my eyes and look at him. The pounding in my head is unbearable. I want to go back to my aunt.

"Soon," she says: "Soon you'll join me and all your pain will be over."

She's smiling at me. I want to touch her hair, it looks just like mom's.

"Molly, stay awake!" It's William again.

"It's so hard," I tell him.

"I know," he explains: "It's your meds, they are making you sleep. But I don't want you to sleep."

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid you'll die if you sleep."

"I am not going to die."

"Mom says you are. Soon. But I'm not supposed to tell you that."

"I don't want to die," I tell him. I just want to sleep. It doesn't hurt when I sleep.

"Am I going to die?" I ask my aunt. She hugs me and I'm happy. She won't let anything bad happen to me, I know it.

"Listen to your brother now," she whispers and the pain is back.

"We found Lily," he is talking about his cat: "She is dead."

"No…" I am crying now: "It's not fair."

"And now you are dying too," William is crying as well.

"Why? Why do I have to die?"

"Your cancer is too big now. Mom says they can't do anything for you anymore."

"I'm afraid!" I run to my aunt: "I'm afraid, I'm so afraid!"

"I know, darling," she comforts me: "But it won't take long. It won't hurt, at least no more than it does now. It will be all over soon. I will be with you all the time."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Molly!" William is calling me back: "Don't go back to sleep!"

"I'm sorry. It's so hard to stay awake."

"Are you mad at me for telling you?" he is worried.

"No," I assure him: "Not mad. But I'm afraid."

"Me too. I don't want to lose you."

"I love you William. I will always be with you."

"Just like I'm always there for my baby brother," my aunt is smiling: "We share the same special connection like you and William do. Death can't destroy that kind of connection. Nothing can."

"What about my parents?" I ask her.

"You will always be with them, as well. But it might be harder for them to feel you. It won't be hard with William. You two will always know how to find each other."

"Do you promise?" William is asking me.

"I promise," I assure him.

"How will I know?" he is wondering. I am wondering too.

"We will find a way," I tell him: "Just don't forget me."

"Never! You are the best sister in the whole world and I will never ever forget you!"

"Do you promise?" We promise a lot to each other, but we never broke any of the promises.

"I promise! I swear! I will love you forever! More than dad loves Samantha!"

"That's not possible," I would smile if it didn't hurt so much.

"Of course it's possible. I already do."

"You promise?"

"I promise!"

"Will you take care of my fish?"

"Will you take care of my cat?"

"I don't know. Do people and cats go to the same place when they die?"

"I don't know. But if they don't, maybe you can still go to the place for cats and visit her there…"

"Maybe. I'll try. I promise."

"Me too."

"I still want to live," I say to my aunt.

"I know. I wanted it too. But it's not ours to decide. When the time comes, we all have to go."

"Molly," William is kissing me and I feel his tears on my cheek. He is wrapping his arms around me, trying to hug me without lifting me from the bed, without hurting me. I try to hug him back, though my arms are so heavy and every movement hurts.

"I love you Molly."

"I love you too, William. You are the best brother in the whole world."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."