Married Into The Mafia *Undergoing Re-editing*

Two Opposing Decisons

--Eloise--

Beep

How had things come to this?

I stared listlessly at the body of my younger brother, sprawled out like a corpse on the hospital bed and wrapped like an Egyptian mummy in all his bandaging. There was a ventilating mask over his head, his eyes shut with one of the covered to hide and protect that severe burn running up that side of his face 

Why had things come to this? 

I rested a hand on his own, the very few places were reddened flesh peaked through the bandages. It fliched instinctually from the sensistised skin which laid there now and I softened my touch even more so than before. 

Oh, God, Sam. How has this happened to you? 

I slumped over the railing on the side of the bed and mourned miserably. Never before had his body looked so small. Sam was always a late bloomer because of his premature birth. Though he was almost a 13 year-old boy now, he still looked like a little kid, which hurt the soul even more. 

I sniffled with a stroke of his hand. Mom and Dad were always so protective of him growing up. It had taken them so much to have him and now that he was much more delicate than the usual boy, they raised him preciously. 

I listened to the beeping of the heart rate monitor, thankful to hear its consistent and unwavering rhythm - the only thing telling me he was still alive. But, was that always the best thing? 

How much pain will he be in when he wakes up? Will he have to endure it for the rest of his life? How will I tell him that Mom and Dad...Mom and Dad are...

My head ducked, hanging limp and powerless. My mother and father are...

Like a sudden wave, a whole storm of emotions washed over me. It overwhelmed me so much that I could only shake out short breaths as I shivered, staring, mortified, at the burnt remains of my little brother. 

No. No, why? Why has this happened? How could this have happened?

My parents are dead! They're gone! 

I... My lip quivered, tears welling up in my eyes. I...

I can't believe they died whilst I held such an intense hatred towards them in my heart. No. That wasn't how it was supposed to happen. They were meant to explain everything to me. So, I could understand why this was happening to me. So, I could finally forgive them. Why did they have to die before I could?! Why...

Mom. Dad...

I wrenched out a silent sob, shoulders shaking as I arched over the edge of the bed. Tears streamed down my bed as I recalled seeing their charred bodies. As I recalled them being carried away from the fire. As I recalled every memory of them I had and cherished. They raised me with love. No matter what they had done at the end of it, they had still raised me with love. I doubted it before but now I could tell. None of that growing up was a lie. My parents...

And, now they were gone. 

I clenched down on Sam's little hand unknowingly and felt it tremble in pain. My clasp shot open, perking me up in concern of my brother. He laid motionless afterwards as if he hadn't even felt the pressure, to begin with. Nevertheless, I felt guilty. I felt useless. I felt irresponsible. 

I'm sorry, Sam. I'm such a horrible older sister, aren't I? If only I had been better...

I don't know if I have the courage to tell him what had happened. I don't know if I'll even be able to compose myself enough to tell him that his body would be scarred for the rest of his life. I was afraid of him waking him up. But, it terrified me even more the think that we won't.