The Awakening (Jack Gilinsky) not continuing

Chapter 2

It's just been one day since I've been at school.

Patrick has been making nonstop chore lists for me. I've been vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning kitchen. Outside I have mowed the lawn, cleaned out the pool, and swept.

As the days go on he's been adding ridiculous chores.

I don't complain because I know if I do, he'll just add more and I'll get hit. My mom has been trying to talk to Patrick about taking it easy on me, but he doesn't budge.

As I'm outside sweeping the patio, I hear my mom and Patrick talking in the kitchen through the screen door.

"Patrick, it hasn't even been a month since Angelina has died, I think this is just too much for Emma right now."

"That doesn't make an excuse for her beating that young lady."

"It may not have been, but you know she's going through a rough time. Just give her a break."

"I will think about it, but if she doesn't improve her attitude then she will be sent to military school."

"What!? You've got to be kidding me!" I yell at them through the screen door, "Military school? Mom, please."

"Sweetie," my mom begins but gets cut off by Patrick. "You won't be sent quite yet. You have until prom to improve, if you don't you will be sent right away."

"Yes sir." I say somewhat happy.

"Now, finish sweeping and you can be done today." I nod because he'll bitch if I don't.

I finish up and go into my room and turn the shower on. I feel incredibly sick and tired. My muscles ache, and I'm not sure if it's from the fight or the time of the month. When the first cough racks my body, doubling me over, I pause.

Could I just be picking up some nasty bug? Just my luck. I get two weeks for relaxation, and I'm getting sick. At least I might get out of doing my chores.

Another cough comes just after the first, and I'm struggling to catch my breath. It's not a normal kind of cough, it's a difficult hack that burns my lungs and tears my throat.

I get in the shower and wash my body and hair.

My mind starts to wander to Angelina. Why did she kill herself? What was going through her mind that lead her to it? Did she honestly believe that she was so alone she had nobody to be there for her? I could have helped her!

I start to cry, hard. When the coughing starts again, I barely notice it, until I start to feel like I'm coughing up liquid.

The second wave of coughing came, my lungs start to hurt and my heart begins to burn. My pulse quickens, and I'm sweating through my clothes. My head is pounding in my skull.

What's wrong with me?

Soon enough it end and I'm lying there gasping for air and calm my racing heart. What's going on with me?

In the morning, I wake up feeling worse than last night. My entire body is stiff. Even the thought of moving hurt. So there is no way I am getting out of bed.

Finally, around noon, Patrick starts pounding on my door, demanding I get up.

"You are being punished! You do not get to sleep in until noon."

"I don't feel well!"I shout at him.

"I don't care! It's almost noon, get up!"

I sigh, and throw my legs over the side of the bed, trying not to cry out at the painful tightness in my body. When I'm dressed for the day, I make my way towards the kitchen to make myself something to eat.

I stop several times to cough.

Sandwich in hand, I make my way back up to my bedroom. At the first bite, I know something is seriously wrong.

The coughing erupts form my chest, driving me down to my knees. The hacking is getting worse, and finally, I start to cough up something warm and sticky. I raise my hands to my face, when I pull away my hands are covered with blood, I gasp and start to panic.

Oh god! I'm coughing up blood! I'm dying!

I cough up another mouthful of blood, and it starts to stain my carpet. My body is on fire, and I can feel my blood boiling in my skin. I try to focus on breathing as my eyes start to flutter closed, even though it feels like I'm being stabbed in the chest with a flaming knife.

"Mom!" I scream, begging that she'll arrive to help me.

My bedroom door is thrown open, and she rushes in, sees the blood, and her hand instantly goes to her mouth. She sobs a little, and kneels down beside me.

"Patrick!" she screams, but I know he won't hear her. Even if he does, he probably won't care or come.

The pain increases as more blood gets coughed up. I grip the carpet, trying to anchor myself to reality as it fades away. My vision starts the fade away around the edges.

"Patrick!"

I don't hear if he answers or not. I'm too far gone. I can feel it; my last few breathes are painful and by now, I just want everything to end. Once it's over I'll be able to rest in peace, and maybe I won't be so horribly lonely without Angelina.

Angelina!

I'll be able to see her again! That thought makes everything ok, and I wish for death to take me. I'll never have to see Patrick again, I'll never have to go back to school, and I'll never have to cry myself to sleep because of Angelina.

With one last, shuddering breath, I collapse, and my body goes still. I can't see anything except dark, emptiness or death, and I'm finally at peace.

Death is complete bliss. My body is no longer in pain. My heart is at ease and peaceful.

"Emma, I need you to wake up for me."

Who the hell is that and why are you interrupting my inner peace?

Whoever she is, her voice sounds beautiful and almost heavenly.

"Emma Redding, open your eyes, and enjoy the beginning of your new life."