Chapter
13
A few days later, Alexa was sitting in Brian's room as usual, holding
his hand. She watched him, sleeping so peacefully, and ran her fingers through
his soft curly hair.
Suddenly, the beeping of the heart monitor stopped. There was a high
pitched whine. Alexa stared at the monitor in horror as the peaking line went
flat. "No!" she screamed.
She ran into the hall. Howie and
Kevin sat outside the door. They looked up in alarm as she burst out of the
door. "Help!" she screamed. "Go get help!" Howie leaped up
and ran down the hall before Kevin could even react.
Moments later, a group of doctors and nurses raced into Brian's room,
pulling a crash cart. Alexa started to run into the room after them, but Howie
pulled her back. She stared in horror through the window as they shocked his
chest. The line stayed flat.
"Brian!" she screamed hysterically, the sounds of her screams
blending with the wail of the monitor.
***
Brian climbed a tall set of stairs. There was a bright white light at
the tip, shining down on him, drawing him to it. As he grew nearer and nearer
to the light, he saw a girl, dressed in white, waiting for him. As he got
closer, he recognized her. "Alexa?" he said. The girl smiled and
shook her head. Brian stared harder. "Elisa?" She grinned wider and
nodded. "Am I dead?" Brian asked.
"No," Elisa said. "It's not your time yet."
"So what am I doing here?" Brian asked, confused.
"Look down there," Elisa said, pointing over the railing.
Brian stared down. He saw a group of people hovered around a bed. They were
doctors and nurses, he realized. He looked closer.
"That's me!" he cried, looking down on himself lying in the
bed. He watched as the doctors shocked his body again. He heard them shouting.
Then, he heard another voice rise up above the rest.
"Brian! Brian! Come back, Brian! Come back!" It was Alexa. He
saw her tear-stained face peering through the doorway. Brian turned back to
Elisa.
"She needs you," said Elisa.
"I know," said Brian.
"You need her too," Elisa said. "You two are meant for
each other."
"I love her," said Brian.
"And she loves you," said Elisa. "You need to do
something about that."
"What?" Brian asked.
"You'll know soon enough," she said.
"What? What will I know?" he asked, confused.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "You'll figure it
out."
"What's going to happen to me?" Brian asked, looking down
into his hospital room again. "When do I get to go back down to
Alexa?"
"You can in just a minute. But first, I need you to do me a
favor."
"Sure, what is it?" he asked.
"When you get to talk to Alexa again, tell her that I'm up here,
watching over you and her. It will help her get it."
"Get over what?"
"My death."
"She is over it, mostly."
"Not as much as you think. Just tell her; I know it will help her.
But don't tell anyone else. No one else is supposed to know. It'll be you, me,
and Lex's little secret," Elisa told him.
"Okay. I will, Elisa," Brian said.
"Alright," Elisa said. "I guess this is it. You can go
back now."
"Wait, Elisa, I have to thank you," Brian said.
"For what?" Elisa asked, looking surprised.
"For your heart. Without it, I would be dead."
"Well, I didn't have much control over the whole situation, but
you're welcome anyway. Good-bye, Brian. Take care of my sister for me."
"I will, Elisa. Good-bye." He turned and started walking
slowly down the golden stairs. He turned around once more to look at Elisa, but
she had vanished. Then suddenly, darkness fell over him.
***
