Soul Stitched (book one)

Chapter 96: Aqua

I jerked awake, grabbing hold of the sides of the bed. Where was I?

                "Cashmere?" I whispered. I finally got hold of my surroundings. I was faintly aware of tubes and needles sticking from my body. A sharp pain in my chest caused me to cry out. I clutched my chest and looked around. Was I in a hospital? "Hello?" I called out. Moments later, a nurse walked into the room, looking over a piece of paper with scribbles on it.

                "Aqua Mist?" she said. I noticed dark bags under her eyes and her high pitched voice. She must've been under a lot of stress.

                "Yes." I replied.

                "You've been out for quite a while, missy." The nurse smiled and checked my vitals, then felt my forehead.

                "How long, and when can I leave?" I asked.

                "A day and a half. You've got severe burns from the explosions and some damage to your ears, a severe concussion. You may be here for a while." She said, pulling my hair from my face. I scrunched my nose.

                "Oh." I said. "Do you know of anyone with the name of Cashmere Ray? Or Crystal Winterbrooke?" I asked. The nurse shook her head.

                "I'm sorry, we have so many patients right now, I wouldn't remember." She replied.

                "Why?" I asked.

                "Yea, a day and a half ago, anyone with Stitches got better. They show no sign of the virus, in fact, the virus seemed to just have...vanished." She said. So we did it. We actually shut down the generator. Yay for us.

                "What about a girl named Mac or Wilt Shade?" I asked. Her face paled.

                "Uh, no sorry. Haven't heard of Mac." She said.

                "But Wilt, do you know about her?" I asked, hopefully.

                "Was she family, friend?" she asked.

                "...Family." I said, slowly. The nurse, gathered her notes. "What do you mean, was?" I asked. No reply. "Well!" I shouted. She jumped.

                "She's gone." She said. All the pieces of my life crashed down all around me.

                "Gone?" I whispered, swallowing hard.

                "Dead." She confirmed. "Wilt Shade is dead."

I closed my eyes, lower lip trembling. She was too young, too young. No, she cannot be gone. Dead. I cannot lose her, too. I felt tears falling down my face but I ignored them. I buried my face in my hands. My heart burned, ached. Not her, too.

                "How?" I asked. "How did she die?" The nurse shrugged.

                "I'm sorry, I only know she is dead." The nurse replied. A low whimpering sound came from my mouth. She's in the stars now, with Cryptic. But I want her here. Next to me.

                "Are you okay?" The nurse asked. My eyes flew open.

                "No. I am not okay." I replied. Wilt, Wilt Shade. I cannot picture her name written on a grave stone next to Cryptic's. I closed my eyes.

When they opened, I was met with a surprise.

"Aqua!" I smiled and stood, pulling my IV bag along with me. I hugged Cashmere tightly. My throat closed up and I didn't let her go. "Aqua?" Cashmere asked, worry creeping into her voice. My body shuttered as sobs rippled out of me. "Aqua, what's wrong?" she asked. I rocked back and forth, holding her. I smiled through my tears and pulled away. I saw Crystal standing in the door way. I embraced Crystal. They didn't know why I was crying.

                "Aqua." Crystal whispered. "What's wrong?" she asked. I sniffled and pulled away, wiping my tears.

                "W-" my voice faltered. "Wilt...she's-" I broke out into tears. Crystal's face paled and she froze.

                "No..." she whispered, so quietly.

                "Aqua." Cashmere's voice almost held a warning.

                "Wilt's gone." I cried. Crystal opened her mouth and a choking sound came out. She broke down into tears, a desperate wail.

                "She's not dead. "Crystal cried. "She can't be dead." I wrapped both my arms around their shoulders and we pressed our foreheads together.

                "I can't. I can't do this without her." Crystal sniffled. I nodded.

                "I know." I rubbed my eyes. I took Crystals hand and squeezed.

                "We can do this, together." Cashmere said. Crystal looked up and took a shaky breath and said, "Together."