When I'm Gone

Chapter 1

Let's start from the beginning shall we? Christmas, thirteen years ago. To the best of my memory of course.

"Emily, sweetie! Grandma and Grandpa are here! Come say hello!" Dad called. I rushed down the steps of our two story, four bedroom house to greet the remainder of my family. All my cousins, aunts and uncles have arrived. On both sides, along with my other grandparents. Everyone was jamming out to Christmas music or talking. Mom, six months pregnant with my little brother, was putting out food. I ran to hug grammy and pappy.
"Grammy! Pappy!" I was engulfed in a hug from my mom's parents.

"Why hello Emmie." Pappy said to me.

"Miss us that much?" Grammy asked me, which I replied with a rapid nod up and down. "Oh Aubrie dear! Let me help you!" Grammy called to my mom.

"No no! I'm fine!" Mom called from the kitchen

"Nonsense! Here let me help." And with that, Grammy ran to the kitchen to help my pregnant mom. It was one of the best and last Christmas I would spend with my family. A grand feast with lots of cookies and presents to follow was what Christmas looked like in the Thorn household. And I couldn't love it anymore than I did. No one was ever crying or mad. Only laughter and joy filled the house. The smell of fresh pine and baking cookies, that would have been decorated after lunch, filled the air. Up in the mountains, on the countryside, was the place to be durning Christmas.

I ran to Dad. "Daddy? Did you tell the Goldsteins happy Christmas?" I asked

He knelt down and ruffled my hair. "Of course I did. They send us their best wishes. They had their ball last night and will be coming by tomorrow."

I smiled. I loved it whenever the Goldsteins came over. "Okay!" I hugged him and ran back to my cousins to play with Barbie dolls.

By eleven, the cookies were cooling and everyone was having the time of their life (literally). My dad had opened up a window because it was getting hot in the house. Some of my cousins, aunts and uncles were outside, playing in the snow. That's when my dad smelled something funny in the air. Being a scientist, he quickly ran to look at something. My mom called after him and I saw the family members outside drop to the ground. That's when the screaming happened along with the crying and confusion. Mom along with a few others ran outside to help my fallen family members. I remember the sense of panic and my heart was racing. Everyone was dropping here and there. That's when my dad picked me up and covered my face with a scarf and a small oxygen tank and mask to breath in.

"Emily, honey, no matter what happens, don't take this off and don't breath in the air. Got it?" He asked and I nodded because I couldn't speak. He kissed me one my forehead and ran out the front door with me in his arms. He ran and ran and ran farther from my house as he could. Then he dropped me and feel to his knees, coughing up blood and other unknown things.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart. You okay?" He asked and I nodded. Tears in my eyes and a dry throat, I hugged him. He hugged me back and kept me close. He pulled away and with his dying breath, he told me, "Sweetheart. Mommy and me love you." He kissed my forehead and closed his eyes. He fell to the ground.

After that, everything was in a blur and went in slow motion. What I heard was as if I was underwater and what I saw was foggy with tears. I heard ambulances and they took my to a hospital two towns over. They checked my vitals and whatnot. Within an hour, the Mr and Mrs Goldstein were in the room. I was holding on to Mrs Goldstein, crying, as Mr Goldstein talked to the doctors. I later was told that everyone in town and breathed in the air as passed on and I was lucky to be alive. All I can remember after that was a lot of crying, lots of testing, and a lot of throwing up.

Three days later I was told I was not going home but to a funeral service for the whole town. Friends and family, for those you lost their lives, and me went. I watched my parents and unborn brother be buried. I could smell the scent of death and blood. Four days later I went home with the Goldsteins and didn't come out of my room for days on end. They took me to see a therapist because of what I saw. By May, I was better, but never the same. On May 17th, I blew out six candles on a white cake.