Double Jinx (Wattys2017)

Chapter 15

There was a deep longing to stay in the darkness forever. It was cold and damp but it was welcoming, more so than the outside world. I didn't belong in the dark but I didn't belong in the light either, I didn't know how to successfully thrive in either one. It would be better to stay in the dark though, at least I wouldn't have to feel any more pain or suffering or heartache.

But there was a consistent itch at the back of my mind, nagging against my decision. Someone was waiting for me, someone who didn't belong as I did. It was the thought of that person which kept me grounded, refused to let me move on. I didn't know who the person was or what significance they held towards me, but they were important.

They were the reason I fought to wake up.

My head spun and my limbs felt like they were weighed down by cement. But nothing compared to the pain throbbing in my chest. With each beat of my heart, the pain deepened. It stole the breath from my lungs and the sanity from my mind. All I could do was beg for more unconsciousness.

"Genevieve, can you hear me?" A distant voice asked, as though they were at one end of a tunnel and I at the other. I searched for the voice, turning towards it with the hope that maybe whoever had spoken could take away the pain weighing on my heart. Maybe the voice belonged to the person who was waiting for me.

Something tickled at my shoulder, squeezing me tightly to bring me out of the fog that hung so thickly in my mind. It was hard to fight my way out, to find the voice. Everywhere I turned was darkness, so much darkness. Heavy and cold, filled with a dull agony that I could only remember vaguely.

Bad things had happened, someone was waiting for me. But who? Why couldn't I picture their face? All I could see was a crop of dusty hair and swirling grey eyes.

Who was it?

"Genevieve?" The voice asked again, softer this time but closer. A voice I suddenly recognized all too easily, the voice of a man who has been in my thoughts since childhood.

The fog cleared and my eyes cracked open, but just barely. More darkness met my eyes but this darkness was split by a dim light. I blinked a few times to clear the excess liquid in my eyes, then reached a hand up to rub the sleep from my gaze. Still, I couldn't see clearly. Everything was blurred by the tears in my eyes.

I don't know how much time passed before I was able to see once again. My body still ached tremendously but whatever I was laying on was wonderfully soft, it helped to sooth my sore muscles. I took in the room around me, realizing for the first time that I was still in my room, laying on my bed. The events leading up to my unconsciousness crammed their way back into my head, hitting me hard with each torturous detail.

"Back with us, Ms. Moncrief, what a relief." I heard a voice state from above me. I looked upwards, expecting to see grey eyes above a dimpled smile. Instead, I saw the elder face of pastor Jim. He smiled down at me, resting the back of his hand against my forehead, "You gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling?"

What was the pastor doing here? I tried to sit up but an excruciating pain tore through my chest, causing my body to fall back onto the bed. I held a hand to my heart, gripping my skin tightly as if that would dull what I felt. The pastor reached behind him, pulling out an orange bottle containing small pills within. He dumped two into his hand then lifted them to my lips.

"Take these." He ordered. He handed me a glass of water as well, providing me with enough to swallow both pills. Then he instructed me to lay down. I did as I was told though that didn't help the confusion.

I left my hand on my chest, "What happened?"

"You had a very minor heart attack, you're heart stopped for about a minute. Personally, I've never seen anything like it in someone so young." Pastor Jim informed quietly, rubbing my arm in comfort, "When Donna called me, I almost didn't believe her. I talked Jason through restarting your heart and gave you a shot of adrenaline once I got here to keep your heart rate up, but we called an ambulance anyways just to be safe. It's a good thing Maggie called me though because it still hasn't arrived yet. Imagine that."