My Soul to Keep

Epilogue



Mr. James patted me on the back and I kissed Jessie on the forehead. She snuggled into the hospital bed and smiled.

“I love you, Jess. I’ll be back tomorrow morning to check on you.”

“Okay, baby. You heard the doctor. I’ll be home on Monday.”

“I know, but I’m still going to come see you tomorrow.”

“You better.”

I laughed. “I will, baby. Get some sleep. Good night, Mr. James.”

“Good night, Connor,” he said and relaxed in his chair. I wanted to spend the night with Jess, but he insisted he would. I don’t think seven tractor-trailers could have dragged him from his spot. I gave them one last smile and stepped out into the hall. The placard on the wall next to the door across from Jess’ room caught my attention. 113.

Caelyn!

I smiled guiltily and went to go check on her. Her room was empty. I shrugged and left to go find Clarisse. They'd probably discharged her and they were in the waiting room, pissed I hadn’t come out yet. I walked back through the ER and through the door guarded by the big scary nurse. I smiled at Clarisse when she saw me come through the door. Then I saw her and saw her tear streaked eyes…

“Where’s Caelyn?” I looked around for my bratty sister.

“Oh, Connor…I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t even joke, Clarisse. Seriously, where is she?”

“Young man?”

I turned and saw the scary nurse. She looked sad. Don’t tell me they got her in on the joke! I’m going to kill the both of them. “Yes,” I said, playing along.

“Your parents are here. They’re waiting in the main hospital lobby for you.”

I looked back at Clarisse. She was full on crying and looking everywhere but at me. “Clarisse?”

“Connor, she…she lost too much blood. They couldn’t save her,” she said and started sobbing. She stood and wrapped her arms around me.

“No. Come on, this isn’t funny. Where is she?”

“Connor, please. I would never joke about that. Come on, sweetie. Let’s go find your parents.

She took my hand and led me through the corridors of the hospital. The emergency room was in the back with the main entrance was in the front. I didn’t remember anything as she brought me to the lobby. We must have passed a hundred people and a hundred doors. I didn’t see anything but my feet hitting the floor.

“Connor!” My mom’s voice cut through the haze filling my head.

“Mom?” I ran to her and started crying on her shoulder. She held me tight as I cried. My father came over and put his arms around the both of us. They started crying, too. Dad was the first to pull away.

“Do you want to say goodbye? They waited for you,” my dad said.

I nodded and he took me back inside the hospital. We turned right instead of left and walked down a hallway that felt a little darker than the other ones I'd already passed through. At the end of the hall ominous looking double-doors stood closed. I looked at the wall and read the word "morgue". Each footfall sounded like the beat of a drum, getting louder the closer we got. The doors opened automatically as we approached. My father stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders as we passed through the doors.

Caelyn was there.

She'd been laid out on a table and draped with a sheet. The closer we got I kept watching for signs of breathing. She didn’t move at all. She had no color either. Her lips were a pale purple and her skin was porcelain white.

“I’ll let you say goodbye. I’ve already done it, and honestly, I can’t do it again.”

I patted my dad’s hand to let him know it was okay and I heard him walk away and through the doors of the morgue. I reached out and touched Caelyn’s arm. Her skin was hard and ice cold under my finger tips.

“Caelyn, I’m so sorry. I thought you were okay! I’m so sorry!” I put my arm on the table and buried my head in my elbow and cried. It was all my fault. If I'd known she was that badly hurt I would have been there for her!

I must have cried myself out. The tears stopped falling and I breathed in through my nose. I stood up and looked down at my baby sister lying there. I kissed my fingertips and touched her forehead.

“Goodbye, brat,” I whispered.

“Stop calling me brat.”

Caelyn’s eyes opened. Her irises were blood red. She gave me an impish smile and bared her fangs.

Little sisters suck…