The Fourth Notebook

49

Emma POV
12/28/14
Grace was told to take it easy so she mostly stays in that bean bag of hers. I looked in her room today to say hi and I saw Cody sleeping on the floor next to her.
"Hi, guys."
Cody snapped awake, "Whut? Huh?"
"Shh. Cody, it's just Emma," Grace reassured him.
"Oh. Hi, Emma," he said with a yawn.
"Hi, so where's James?" I asked.
"Mmm...in his room?" Cody said.
"When did you last check on him?!"
"Emma! Quiet down," Grace scolded.
"James?!" I yelled as I knock on his door.
It was open but the bathroom door was closed.
"James. Open the door, please," I pleaded.
Please.
Please.
"Please. Go away," he said in a hoarse whisper.
I sighed in relief, "Oh. Thank God, James. James, you can hear me, right? I need you to please open this door. Okay?"
The door opened a crack. I slipped my hand in so that he couldn't close it again. My hand inside the door searched around for his hand. The floor was wet and warm. My hand found his and I held it so tightly he sigh a quiet, "ouch".
"I'm so sorry," I cried, "James you need to open this door all the way so I can get in there."
"No, Emma. You- you can't see me like this."
"James, please," I pleaded.
The door opened a bit more and I took the chance to slip myself all the way in. He was sitting on the floor with a surgical scalpel in one hand and the other lying on the ground gushing blood.
"James!" I gasped, "You need some help! You need a nurse!"
"No! Emma!"
"Yes, James. Let me help you!"
"Emma! This isn't something you can just fix! You can't help me! Just go away!"
I stared at him. He started crying, too.
I didn't say anything else to him because I realized words wouldn't help.
I pulled him in a tight hug.