A Legacy of Hope

Chapter Thirteen

Isaac's POV
I just couldn't believe it. Hannah was dead?! She couldn't be! It just wasn't fair! She was doing okay! I mean, she had pneumonia, but she was recovering from it. I collapsed onto my bed, tears silently streaming down my cheeks. Then, I had an idea. I opened up my backpack, pulled out a pen and notebook, and started writing a letter to her.

Hannah,
I know that you're happy now, and you're in heaven. But even though I know you're happy and not hurting now, when you died, I lost a lot. I lost my ability to watch waves beating on the shore, and watch you get knocked over by them as we swam. I lost the ability to go down the hill on a sled when it snows, and laugh at the way the sled spins when we ride. I lost the ability to wake up on Christmas morning, smiling when I see you're already making pancakes and bacon like we normally do. I lost the ability to smile and truly be happy. I lost the ability to secretly enjoy it when you would pull pranks on me, and love it when you'd help me prank others. I lost the ability to look in the mirror, and laugh about how alike we look. Now, when I look in the mirror, all I see is you looking back at me. When you died, I didn't just lose a fifth of me. I lost a half of me, since we're twins. But despite all I lost, I gained two things. One, the ability to want to love people like you. You always had a smile and an encouraging word for anyone that needed it. Two, the desire to have a faith that was as strong as yours. You were always the one to knock sense into me, and you were the first to accept Christ. What happened to you may not be fair, but even though you're gone, God is still good. Someday, when I have children of my own, I'll tell them about their Aunt Hannah, the girl who couldn't be held down, who always trusted God, even in her last moments. I love you, Hannah, and I always will. I'm still gonna miss you. Anna, I'll see you when we're together again forever.

I put it on the nightstand, and I saw her journal in my backpack, with a note taped to it. I pulled it off, setting the journal on my bed beside me, and read the note.

Isaac, I put this in your backpack when you left it here at the hospital a few days ago. If this cancer kills me, I would like you to read this journal, and let everyone else who is mentioned on the first page read the entry labeled with their name. If I do make it, Imma make you give this back to me. I know that I might not make it, and that's okay. I'll be alright. I just want you to know that I love you all, and no matter what happens, I will always love you. I pulled the journal out, and there was a long list of people. Mom, dad, me, Ben, Kaelynn, Genna, Kathryn, Dalia, Skylar, Grace, Jude, Phoenix, Moriah, Joel, Joran, Peyton, Luke, Courtney, and Schyler. Wow. I flipped a few pages, and found her page for me. It was a prayer. I started it, and moments in, I was nearly in tears.

God, I know life's been crazy lately, but I thank you for my brother. Thank you for Isaac. I don't know if he knows it or not, but for the last couple years, he's been my light, like in dad's song. I known this has been so very hard for him, since we're so close. God, I pray that he would see you in this, because I know you're there. I know you have control of this whole situation, even if we can't see you, we are in your hands. I know he accepted your Son into his life, and God, if he's reading this, I didn't make it. God, please be with him. Let him know you are there, and comfort him. I know we've had our differences, but he's my twin. He's a part of me, and I'm a part of him. I know we don't always get along, but I love him so much, and I've realized I never said it enough. I guess we don't know what we had until it's gone. For me, it's my family and friends. My time's running out, and I know it. Thank you for the time I did have. Matthew 5:4-12; Psalm 34:18. Isaac, again, you know I love you. I had already bought my Christmas presents for this year, and yours is the only one wrapped. I'd like you to wrap them and give them out for me. They're labeled, so that'll hopefully make it a bit easier for you. And to wake mom and dad up, play Uncle Joel and Luke's Little Drummer Boy. Love you! :)

I tried to wipe away the tears that were blurring my vision, but they just kept coming back. She knew she probably wasn't going to make it, and yet she simply kept going. I didn't know how we were going to tell Dalia, Genna, and Kathryn. They had all agreed that they would go through this fight together. As I drove to the hospital, I called Moriah, Luke, and Ben. All three said they'd meet us as soon as possible, and I heard Ben and Luke were trying not to cry. Moriah did start crying, and I heard Joel in the background, trying to sooth her. As I got there, dad took me up to the room she was in, and they left. I looked at her, lying there. It just looked like she was asleep, not dead. I took one of her hands, and knelt there, crying. My sister, my twin, my other half, was dead. For a moment, I thought I could see our brother, Joel, standing there, head bowed like he was praying.

"Hannah," I whispered, sliding her anchor locket back around her neck.
"Thought you might want this back. I'm going to miss you a whole lot. And thanks. I guess, in some strange way, you made me brave. I love you. I always have, and I always will. Bye, Anna." I stood, kissed her cheek, and headed back out to where our family was. Mom hugged me, and I broke down. I started crying, and we sat down, both crying. Moriah, Joel, and a sleeping Peyton arrived, and mom stood. I went back down the hall, to the room where Genna, Kathryn, and Dalia were. Dalia jumped up and down when she saw me.

"Isaac, guess what?! My cancer is gone! I get to go home in a couple of weeks!" Genna put a hand on her shoulder, calming her as she saw my tear stained face.
"Hey, what happened? Isaac, what's wrong?" Then, she gasped, and put a hand over her mouth.
"No....oh no. Isaac....Where's Hannah?" All three girls looked at me, fear in their eyes. I shook my head, and Genna sobbed.
"Hannah.....no....no!" She nearly collapsed, but I caught her, sitting on the bed and hugging her. Kathryn and Dalia started crying as well, and it turned into a group hug. Things were getting worse....but they'd get better.....right? They had to.....eventually. God wouldn't just let us hurt like this for the rest of our lives.