Chapter 2

Machines were all that connected Kaleigh to the world. Brain activity was nearly non-existent. Family friends gathered by her bed side to quietly wish her goodbye. Micah was gather in the small mass of people. He had to check on her. All day his mind kept drifting to her , and the gruesome condition that she was in.

"Excuse me son, may I ask who you are?" A short gray-headed man says as he shook Micah's hand. "I'm Micah Sypek, the who found her." He answered as a small, yet warm, smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Thank you," The gray-headed man says as he turns his gaze to his granddaughter, his bluish-grey slowly welling with tears. "If it you hadn't of found her, we may of never got to tell her goodbye." Inside, Micah's heart broke. It wasn't all that long ago when he found himself in a similar situation.

It was just little over a year ago, in the same hospital on the very same floor, that Micah and his family gather to bid farewell to his father. Like Kaleigh, Alvin Sypek had suffered from many wounds that resulted in substantial blood lost. Unlike Kaleigh, Alvin had a hand in his untimely demise. It was yet another Carolina summer day, temperatures easily soared into the 90s without so much as cool breeze to help the suffering. Like always, Alvin grabbed a cold beer from the fridge and went outside to tend the livestock. In the middle of the field sat the tractor that Micah had forgot to place back into the barn, something he commonly did.

The animals cried for water, something to quench their thirst and cool their bodies from the midday sun, as they saw him carrying the pails. Grumbling he made his way to their stalls and dumped the icy cold water. Taking yet another swig from his can, he made his way outside, to the field. With temperature being so high, and the humidity escalating the problem, he knew a storm would be looming on the horizon shortly and he couldn't afford for the tractor to become ruin. Making his way to the field he took the final swig of beer, and crumbled the can in his hand. Climbing onto the tractor he turned the ignition. The old tractor roared to life, and he put into drive. With a quick jerk, the tractor began to move. Turning the wheel, he saw their new puppy running toward him barking playfully. "No! Kid no!" Alvin yelled, as he hit the brakes, but the puppy kept running towards the tractor. Cutting the tractor off, he climbs off and rushes to scoop up Kid. "Come on Kid, lets go play with momma for a little bit." He says as he walks to house. Once the dog was in the house, he moved back to the tractor. Putting the tractor back into drive, it lurches forward, this time Alvin wasn't ready. With the quick jerk, he falls from the tractor, and becomes entangled. Screaming was useless, the sound of tractor drowned out his calls for help.

Finally the tractor releases him, and he lays on the ground screaming in agony. Minutes seem to feel like hours, as they passed. "Please God, help me!" He screams, as he hears the rumble of their old truck off in the distance. With one last wail, he gives up, letting the pain engulf his entire body. The truck comes to a stop, and he can hear the door slam shut. Help, he wants to desperately scream one last time, but he is too weak. With nothing else to do, he just lays there and except his fate. In seconds, he can feel a stinging as Kid, begins to licking his many wounds. Then without warning the pup begins to howl, this was it. His prayer was being answered. He knew shortly, that someone would answer the dog's call.

The distance in Micah's eyes fade as the sound of the monitor pulls him from his memory. "No!" The entire room wails, as he listens to the flat-line echoing its hollow sympathy. Yet another person, it had to announce had departed. Nurses and doctors, rushed in crash cart ready, to attempt to revive her. They would do anything to give the family just a little more time with her. Every attempt was fruitless. That was it, she was gone. At young age taken, from the world before she had a chance to enjoy it. With his head hung low, Micah, backed out of the room, leaving the family to grieve privately. His heart was now in millions of pieces as he felt the pain of the family.

Outside, he took a deep breath letting the crisp air calm him down. His heart ached for the family, that was back in hospital, but there was nothing he could do for them. Nothing but time could ease their pain. Climbing into his truck, he made his way back home. "Hey sweetie, how's the girl?" He heard his mom ask, as he blew by the kitchen and went straight to his room. Tonight he wanted to be alone.

The sunrise seem to come to early, as the golden rays began to peek through the curtains. Stirring in his bed, Micah fought hard to go to sleep, but it still seem to evade him. His body protest for the rest, but his mind wouldn't listen. "Micah breakfast!" He heard his mom call from down the hall. With a groan he crawled out of bed, and began the day. It would be a long day, and he knew it. After all the chores around the farm was finish, he would have to go sell whatever crop, eggs, and milk they had. Today would either make or break for the coming year. "So sweetie, you never answered. How is the girl doing?" "She didn't make it." He replied as he pushed away from the table. He had finally got the images of her out of his mind. He didn't want to relive any memory. Though Micah had never met her before, she had an impact on his life that no one else did. Kaleigh was the only one who truly opened his eyes.