CHAPTER 8

I am no longer falling....am I dead? Why is everything dark? Where is the light?

I tried to open my eyes, 'too bright' I thought. Then slowly I opened my eyes and I see white blank ceiling. 'Wait...my room's ceiling isn't blank.' I thought. Then I tried to turn my head. But it hurt too much so gave up. What happened I thought...? Then I remembered... I was falling... I am alive? Then I noticed the oxygen mask on me. I could hear beep sounds... 'Hospital' I thought 'I'm in a hospital' I turned my head trying to ignore the pain but a tear fell from my eye because of the pain...August? He was asleep... he was sitting next to me...even though it hurt, I smiled. That was actually cute 'A brother is all a sister need' I thought. And all the quotes that once read about brother-sister relationship came back to me. 'Brother and sister relationships are like tom and Jerry. They tease and irritate each other, knock each other down, but can't leave without each other.' It seemed like a lie back then but now I need my brother. It feels like pain has reduced a lot just by looking at him sleep. He looked so peaceful. He slowly moved and opened his eyes. He looked blankly at me looking at him. Then stood up and hugged me. 'Too tight' I thought but did not have the energy to say it. Then he let go like he remembered it would hurt me.

"I'm sorry" he said, now crying. I wanted to tell him not to cry and that I'm fine, but couldn't for two reasons. One, I couldn't talk. Two, I'm not fine, my whole body hurts...I can't even talk. can tell someone your fine when you cant move or talk.

He kissed me on the forehead and said "I'm sorry Charlie... I should've come earlier... it's my fault... I'm not a good brother aren't I? I knew you would go to the statue one day or the other, I should have been more careful" I wanted to say there couldn't be a better brother than him. I hate this, why am I not able to talk? But then, I wanted to ask him how did he know I was there? Did Alex tell him? All of the questions started circling my mind when I thought 'where's the thing...? Where's the thing that I took from the fire?' and the face of the rotting man came to my mind, I closed my eyes trying to push that away, I think August saw the fear in my eyes because he kept a hand on my forehead and said in soothing voice "it's okay, you'll be fine.."

I wanted to believe him, but it doesn't feel right. But I was too tired so I drifted off to sleep. Next time I wake up mom and dad are here, moms crying, and dad looks like he will too. By next two weeks I and August became less like sworn enemies and more like friends. Still I haven't told him about the man or the thing that I took nor asked who told him that I was there. I just felt like it isn't the right time.

Eleanor would come to see me almost every day, Jacob, Julian and Benjamin came a lot to. The only person that didn't come was Alex. I didn't ask August about her, I am scared... what if she's dead? Now that she's not here yet I'm starting to doubt if she is really dead. I tried not to but I cried. August was cutting apples for me, actually mostly for him. He isn't very sincere when it comes to feeding me fruits, he never was and i doubt he never will be. He saw me crying and hurried next to me and asked what was wrong. I said it was nothing but he would listen then when I couldn't help it anymore I asked "where's Alex? Is she..."I asked.

"She's okay, she's just...she thought you died and..." then he stopped and looked at me then said

"Enough of it for now we'll talk about it later" he said. Relief filled me when he said Alex was okay, but when he refused to talk about it anymore I felt like she's not completely fine, if she's not then that'll be my mistake. 

One more week and I was going back home. Uncle Dylan (mom's brother) was there waiting for me. I broke one leg an arm and there were tons of stitches here and there. How did that happen you ask? They refused to talk to me about it until getting home.

August was helping me get inside his eyes full of concern. Uncle Dylan came running towards me, I was afraid he would fall upon me. But he stopped right in front of me and looked at me and said "I'm sorry Charlie, I'm late"

"It's okay! You came that's fairly good for me"

"Oh my... it's been so long since I saw you both. You've grown up" he said and looked at me and August then added "now that I think of it the last time I saw you both you were 5 and August 7. First August ruined your drawing and moments later you were dragging him by his feet." He laughed, we laughed too. It was bizarre; he ruined my drawing because according to him it wasn't the right way to draw so I got angry and pulled his feet, he fell down and I started dragging his feet and was walking to his room but Uncle Dylan caught me. Even mom couldn't scold me properly.

Then we sat on the sofa, uncle Dylan was talking about his time abroad. I wanted to ask mom what happened, how I got injured and stuff but didn't feel right to ask mom in front of Uncle Dylan. Then he got a call, he said it was from a very important client and he have to attend it so he went out to talk. I found this a perfect timing so I asked mom

"What happened? How did I get injured?"

"We'll talk about that later Charlie."

"You said we'll talk about it once we're home" I snapped. Mom was about to say something when Uncle Dylan came back smiling

"Look who came to visit" he said and moved away...I gasped and relief flooded me. There stood ALEX...alive, healthy and not even a scratch on her.