As if Laney can read my mind, she asks, “So, what now?”
I shrug. “Beats me. I was just thinking the same, though.”
“I wish we knew if we were alive or not. It sucks. We might be dead and forever trapped in this world, and we wouldn’t even know it.”
Keeping an eye on the rear of the ambulance I’m in, I notice there are several machines and IVs hooked up to my lifeless body. But if I’m dead, they won’t bother with that equipment, right? So, I should be okay. For now.
Laney, on the other hand, might be a different story. At this very second, the emergency personnel hoist her body over the cliff like they did with mine. Judging by the cuts, bruises, and incorrect way her arms and legs bend, she’s in pretty bad shape.
“Ew,” she says, wincing. “That looks like it hurts.”
“Uhhh…it looks like you’ve been in a car accident that sent you over a metal barrier and caused you to plummet a hundred feet.”
“Thanks to you,” she whispers, but she’s more absorbed with where the crew carries her body, and she begins moving in that direction.
I follow, not wanting to miss anything.
“What are they waiting on?” Her figure is lying on the ground instead of lying in the back of an ambulance.
Oh…
“An ambulance,” I reply. “They only have the one, and that was used for me.”
Laney’s eyes flit back and forth, between her body and the vehicle mine is currently in. “Why can’t they put both of us in there and just take us to the damn hospital already?”
“I don’t know.” I wish I did, though. It makes sense to get us to a hospital A-S-A-P, but we haven’t moved. Why? What’s the hold up?
A second ambulance arrives on scene within five minutes. Its lights stop flashing as soon as it parks at the overlook. Police and resPol0">Acue workers gather on either side of Laney’s body and lift the board she rests on, carrying her to the gurney the EMTs have ready and waiting.
“Ugh. Finally. I thought I was going to wait forever,” says Laney.
Out of nowhere, my skin glows brightly. Laney’s does the same. The radiance causes me to squint, as if I’m staring at the sun, but it feels like thousands of volts of electricity race through my veins, like if I want to, I can shoot lightning from my fingertips.
“What’s happening?” I raise my arms for examination, noticing every little hair stands up straight.
Laney screeches. “Okay, I’m officially freaked out.”
“Me, too.”
“Maybe it’s a sign we’re about to re-enter our bodies,” I suggest.
Without any warning, the gray cloak that’s been over us since the crash just…disappears. We can finally see the world, our world, as if we are alive again. Everything’s in color. Everything appears normal. Well, except for the fact that we’re both lying in the back of ambulances at the moment. My lips curl into a smile, and my insides bend, twist, and coil, like there’s a rave going on in my stomach. I don’t remember the last time I was this happy about something.
In the distance, more sirens wail. Wait—I can hear that?
I can hear the sirens.
“Laney, the static is gone!”
She pauses for a second, listening. Eyes widening, she says, “Oh, my God, it’s about time. That was the most annoying thing, like, in the history of annoying things.”
The paramedics surround our bodies. As far as internal injuries are concerned, who knows? They won’t be certain of that until we’re taken to the hospital. And they better freakin’ hurry. I mean, we’ve been stuck at the base of a gorge for days.
I have no idea what to do now, other than just stand back and let fate take the wheel. I’ve forgotten that I might not be able to return to my body. One glance at Laney tells me she’s as engrossed by this as I am.
“How do we get back to our former selves?” I ask.
She slowly shakes her head. “I don’t know.”
Seems like the whole town is here for the show. The majority stand outside the yellow tape, which is as close as they can get without being arrested, I guess. I recognize some kids from school: the girls cover their mouths in shock, and the guys either stand awkwardly to the side or they comfort the girls. Derek is here, too, with his girlfriend. I miss my brother, as crazy as that sounds. Damat shock, n it, I actually want to give him a hug. Seeing my parents standing next to Derek, my stomach flip-flops several times.
“We’ve got to do something,” I say.
Laney crosses her arms. “Like what?”
She’s right. Nothing prepared us for this, not even Sara. I just believed we’d be magically transported into our bodies once emergency personnel, or our families, found us.
“I don’t know, but we can’t just stand here. We’re obviously not in the Shadowlands, but we’re not back in our bodies, either. What’s going on?”
Shaking her head, Laney responds, “I don’t know. I thought, by now, we’d be conscious, or at least on our way to the hospital.”
“Speaking of…” I say, pointing toward the ambulance where my body currently rests. It takes off, accompanied by bright, flashing lights and blaring sirens.
Anxious, Laney bounces her leg. “What’s the hold up? Why is my ambulance not following yours? They should both be on their way.”
She and I near the emergency vehicle, where her broken and bruised figure lay covered in wires, tubes, and blood. I cringe at the sight.
“Yeah, they should,” I say, agreeing with her. I mean, she’s not worse off than me, right?
Ahead, one of the EMT’s says, “Do you want to call it?”
Grimly, the other paramedic’s shoulders slump, and he states, “Might as well.” Then, a sigh leaves his lips. “Time of death: 3:01 a.m.”
“No,” I choke out. The high-pitched hum of a flat line echoes inside the back of the ambulance as the EMT’s declaration is confirmed.
“What?” Laney asks, faintly. “I don’t... No. This isn’t happening to me.” As if her radiant glow is linked to her death, Laney’s skin goes from bright white to dim in a matter of seconds.
Before I can respond, or offer an apology or condolence, Sara appears. Her figure flickers in and out, like a candle near an open window. A few seconds later, she’s not quite solid but not quite transparent, either.
“Sara? What’s going on?” Laney asks, eyebrows meeting her hairline.
Features soft and glowing, Sara attempts a smile and extends her hand. “Come with me, Laney.”
“I-I don’t understand,” Laney stutters. “You said when they found us, we’d return to our bodies.”
“Once a person is conscious, they can return to their body. But, Laney, you aren’t…awake.”
Laney shakes her head in disbelief, backing away from Sara’s outstretched hand. “No, you lied to me. You made me believe everything was going to be all right.” Thrusting a finger at Sara, she shouts, “You liar! I’m not dead. I can’t be dead. I have a family who loves me, a boyfriend I’m supposed to be with… I have a life! I can’t be gone. I’m too young for this!”
Now I feel like those girls from school, standing on the sidelines at chaos ensues. My hand covers my mouth as I try to cope with the sudden burst of emotions stretching my throat, seeking to claw their way out, while simultaneously spinning around in my stomach.
Peering up at Sara, she stares at me, like she knows about my abrupt feelings. Like she’s been here, done this, a thousand times before with other spirits.
Laney glances back and forth between Sara and me. “Tell me this isn’t the end, that I’ll wake up and this will have been a horrible nightmare.”
A solitary tear slides down my cheek. “I’m so sorry.” What else is there to say? Laney’s dead, and any second now I might wake up surrounded by nurses and doctors and fluorescent lights. She’s right about everything: she has friends, a family who loves her, a life. She should be in my shoes.
“Can someone else take her place?” I ask.
Of course it isn’t that easy. All I can do now is stand back and watch as Laney’s form grows fainter and fainter. In time, she’ll dissolve into thin air, returning to Lichburn with Sara, and I’ll never see her again. At least, not until I die.
“What’s going to happen to me?” Laney inquires, unable to look at either of us. Her arms are crossed as she gazes toward the horizon, at the black sky and the shimmering stars. It’s a harsh reminder that while I’m able to enjoy color once again, Laney will return to the overcast depths of Lichburn.
“You will go back with me, where I will petition the Elders to allow you to stay for only a short time.”
Laney spins around. “Stay? Why would I want to stay in that godforsaken place? It’s depressing and miserable, and I don’t want to be reminded that I was stuck there before I died.”
Sara glides forward a few inches. “I know it appears to be a sad place, but Lichburn does have its advantages.”
Snorting, Laney says, “Like what?”
“Like helping lost souls, or being able to check in on your family whenever there’s no one to assist. It’s not the end of the world.” Extending her hand again, Sara states, “Come. We haven’t much time, anyway. They’ll be expecting us.”
“I can’t even say goodbye.”
“I’m sorry?”
“To my family,” Laney clarifies, her voice losing its pitch. “I can’t say goodbye to my family.” Then, she faintly whispers, “Or Chase.” She glances at the ambulance, where her body rests. Mia has arrived, and is sobbing against the gurney. The police officers and paramedics stay close but let her have a moment with her sister.
Sara closes the gap between herself and Laney, her arms circling Laney in an airy embrace. “That’s because goodbye means forever,” she murmurs against Laney’s hair, “and we both know that one day, you will be reunited with your loved ones. You will pick flowers taller than yourself in the Crystal Meadow, the morning dew not yet evaporated and reflecting the light from the three suns in the sky. Those suns will warm your body from the inside out, for they are the very symbol of joy. And all the while, you will be near Roseshore, named after its rose-colored sand, where glass-and-pearl castles tower over all else. What’s a year of servitude to the Elders? Your time in Lichburn will come and go before you know it, and then it will be your moment to pass on.”
“When you say it like that, it doesn’t sound too bad.” Laney looks up at Sara. “How big is the meadow?”
Grinning widely, Sara replies, “As far as the eye can see. Flowers and berries, and other plants not of your world, grow in all different shapes and sizes. Crystal Meadow is an endless sea of”—she glances at me—“flora. You will not be disappointed, because you will never find its end.”
My throat parches, and I gulp several times.
“It sounds like a happy place,” says Laney.
“So I’ve heard.”
Laney’s lips twist to one side. “And I’ll only have to work a year in Lichburn?”
“You have to work however long the Elders decide. Your fate is determined by them, and them alone. Most only stay a year before they await sentencing, but I always petition for less time.”
“Do you know how they decide? Like, are there certain factors I should be worried about?”
Sara smiles, but the lines and dark circles surrounding her eyes are a telltale sign of exhaustion. “Come, Laney. We will discuss this in greater detail upon our return to Lichburn.” Sara begins guiaraark circleding Laney away from the scene, but Laney resists, fighting back.
“I’m not ready yet.” Slipping out of Sara’s grasp, Laney turns to me and exclaims, “Listen to me, Flora. When you wake up and are finally able to move, I need you to deliver a message to Chase. Got it?”
I nod.
“Tell him that I know he searched everywhere and couldn’t find me. Make sure he understands my death isn’t his fault. Tell him.” Laney’s chin quivers as she tries to be brave. “And tell my sister to go screw herself. She should’ve never treated you the way she did. No real friend would do something like that behind your back.”
“Laney,” Sara chimes in, “we must leave. You’re only delaying your meeting with the Elders, and they won’t be happy if you postpone any longer.”
Stepping backward toward Sara, Laney says, “Tell him, Flora. Please.”
I manage to move my head up and down. “I will. I’ll tell him.”
Sara opens a portal, and Laney looks at me one last time before she hops in.
“Goodbye,” I murmur, as the color drains from my surroundings, and I plunge into shadow.
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chapter nineteen • flora
two weeks later
The intensity of the light through my eyelids causes me to squint, even though they’re closed. I softly moan, and the sound vibrates my throat. Moving my head is a difficult task. My neck is so stiff it hardly budges. Little by little, I become aware of each limb, each nerve ending, each cut, scrape, and bruise.
“Oh, my God! Flora?” Mom’s voice deflates the room’s silence. “Hang on, honey.” She kisses my forehead, then runs out of the room, high heels clacking against the white floor.
I make a feeble attempt at pulling myself into a sitting position. My arms shake, the muscles drained of any strength. Weaker than they’ve ever been. But I can’t handle the strain, and I let myself go. Breathing heavily, I attempt to calm myself down. Why do I feel like I ran a marathon?
Mom reenters the room with a nurse who has short, brown hair, and looks old enough to have a few grandkids.
“Hi, Flora. My name is Pat. I’m going to ask you a few questions, and then we’ll get Dr. Emerson in here.” She smiles warmly. “Are you experiencing any pain at the moment?”
“No,” I say, my voice gravelly.
Pat raises her eyebrows. “None at all?”
“I feel sore, but it’s not painful.”
“Are you experiencing any dizziness or nausea?”
I barely shake my head. “No.”
“And do you have any siblings?”
What kind of question is this? “Yeah, I have a brother—Derek.”
“What about friends?”
A few months ago, I would’ve answered using Mia’s name, but those days are long gone. “I don’t have any friends.”
“Flora,” Mom scolds, like I’m a child, “you know that’s not true. You and Mia are best friends.”
“No, we’re not. I don’t want to ever see her again.”
“You were just at her house before the accident. She’s been here every day since you were found. How can you two not be friends?”
Fury builds from within, threatening to gush over like lava in a volcano. “Because she’s fucking Gabe, that’s why!” Then, taking deep breaths, I add, “I don’t want her in my room again.”
Mom’s eyebrows crease together, forming deep ridges. “All right, sweetie.”
Pat clears her throat and asks, “Do you know what month it is?”
“It’s November,” I state.
“Actually, we’re halfway through December now,” she replies.
I meet my mom’s eyes, and she nods.
“How long have I been in here?”
“Two weeks.”
Pat lays her hand on Mom’s shoulder, reassuringly. “I’ll be back with Dr. Emerson soon.”
Mom nods. “Thank you.”
I groan. “Do you have anything to drink?”
Grabbing a bottled water, Mom twists off the lid, then hands it to me. The liquid hits the back of my parched throat, and I nearly choke. God, the coolness is refreshing. I gulp down what’s left in the bottle and give the empty container to my mom. Sh
e tosses it in a trash can on the other side of my bed.
“Where’s Dad and Derek?” I ask.
“They’re on their way. They always come here at lunchtime, so we can eat as a family.”
I frown. “They don’t know I’m awake, do they?”
Mom shakes her head. “No, not yet. But they most definitely will.” She jokes about the last bit, emitting a worn-out laugh. There are blue-and-purple circles around her eyes, which I’ve never noticed until now. Are they because of me, because of the accident and my subsequent stay in the hospital? Is she exhausted and stressed from staying here?
Her hands rest on my bed’s metal guardrail, and I reach out, taking one of them in mine, which is covered in wires and an IV. She looks at our hands, then at me, and smiles.
“How bad was I?” I ask, staring up at the ceiling. Do I want to know the answer to this?
“Pretty bad. Multiple broken bones and injuries, which resulted in several surgeries. It’s a miracle you’re still here.”
If she only knew the shit that happened after the accident, what all I went through to return home…
“How’s Laney’s family?” I ask. “Are they okay?”
Mom’s eyes widen. “How do you know about Laney?”
Oh, shit. I open my mouth to fake some sort of response, but close it as soon as the doctor walks in the room.
“Flora, I’m Dr. Emerson.” He extends his hand to shake mine, which I pull out of Mom’s grasp. “Pat said you aren’t in any pain.”
“Yeah,” I confirm. “I’m just sore.”
“Good, good. You’ve come a long way in the last couple of weeks, and we’re glad to see you awake. Do you remember anything prior to the accident?”
“I remember everything.”
His eyebrows meet his hairline. “Everything?”
“Yeah, everything. It’s the after I don’t remember, once my body was found.”
Almost Dead (Dead, #1) Page 14