‘I’m Afraid…’
Chapter 20
I waited outside the lab, anxious and almost afraid.
Emma was outside with me. Pacing up and down like a tiger in a cage, (or like an extremely stressed Emma Donnahue).
Sally was with the Doctor, doing what ever she could to assist the Doctor with saving Anastasia Rose.
If I had a real life heart, like Anastasia herself, I’m sure it would be pounding…
#Knock, knock, knock#
There was a knock on the lab door.
I stood up from the ground where I was sat, eager to here the news on Annie’s condition.
The Doctor opened the door and wheeled out in her wheelchair.
Emma rushed to him.
“Tell me, she’s ok. Please.” Emma spoke as she trembled.
“For now, she is, Emma.” The Doctor began.
Emma gasped and sighed with relief.
But the Doctor had more news to come.
“But I’m afraid I don’t know how long that will last.” He said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Her injuries would usually be healable to a normally healthy human being. But Anastasia hasn’t eaten in weeks. He body maybe too weal to heal itself. Due to the lack of speed of healing, her heart had been going from below sixty BPM and then reaching heights of over one-hundred-and-fifty. Since her heart is unique to herself, I do not know how to treat her condition.”
Emma looked like she was crying again. She must have been as shocked as I was.
“I’m afraid that all we can do is wait, and hope that her body has enough energy in her to heal herself and keep her heart beating as it should.” The Doctor Explained.
“Is she awake? I we see her?” Emma asked whilst shaking.
“She’s awake, and of course you can see her.”
Emma raced past the Doctor and into the lab.
I myself took my time. I think I was scared as to the state I would find her in.
I peered round the edge of the door as I walked round it.
I gazed into the room as it became clear.
I saw Sally kneeling down on the floor next to the examination bed. And she was holding the hand of a very familiar little girl.
“Annie!” Emma cried as she entered the room.
“Emma.” Anastasia muttered.
“Annie, are you ok?” Emma stood beside Sally and held Annie’s hand too.
“I don’t know. I keep falling asleep.”
“‘Keep falling asleep’?” Emma questioned.
“She’s been slipping in and out of consciousness.” Sally explained. “We don’t quite know why. But it has something to do with her heart.”
Emma knelt down to make herself more comfortable while she talked to Annie.
I just leaned against the wall; I watched and listened as Sally and Emma talked with Anastasia.
“Hey, Annie, do you know what I’m gonna do once this is over?” Said Emma. “I’m gonna go looking for our friends. Would you like to come with me?”
Annie just looked down in sorrow.
“Annie, listen to me, you’re gonna get better. And then we’re gonna look for the others. And then, we can all go home.” Emma tried to sound reassuring, but it didn’t seem to be working.
“I can’t wait for you to get better, Annie.” Said Sally. “I’d like to see what drawings your going to do next. Do you remember all the drawings you did in your book?”
Anastasia laid down on her bed and looked up to the ceiling.
“And what about that dragon you brought to life on Halloween? That was amazing. You scared the whole town. I can’t wait until you bring him back to life. What did you call him again, Annie?”
Anastasia was still silent.
“You called him moonlight, didn’t you, Annie.” Said Emma. “Because he flew past the moon on Halloween and he looked so incredible flying in the sky.”
I then hear a soft sobbing sound.
Anastasia was crying.
“Annie.” I came to her.
Annie turned her head to look at me.
She sobbed louder and held out her arms.
I wrapped my arms around her and tried to calm her down.
“Come on, Annie. I know how brave you can be.” I whispered.
Sally and Emma gave me some space with Annie and went to sit down.
I let go of her and knelt down by her side. But I kept hold of her hand.
“You’re brave for a nine year old, you proved that on Halloween.’
I then tried to be even more encouraging.
‘But you’re also strong. Nadallia went through the same thing you went trough. She’s older than you and not even she survived this far. I know the Doctor doesn’t know whether or not you survive, but that’s what he said before the Exorcism. The odds of you surviving were slim, but you beat those odds. You’re too strong, and you’ve come too far.’
I felt the slightest shimmer of hope inside me as I spoke to Annie.
Annie was strong and she had survived so much.
“So please don’t be so depressed. You’ve got so much to look forward to. The demon is gone, now. Your free…”
But then, I noticed that Annie’s breathing was rather fast.
“Annie? Are you alright?” I asked.
“Uhhh….” She moaned and cried.
“Her heart beat’s increasing again!” The Doctor exclaimed as he wheeled over to the heart monitor.
I felt Anastasia’s hand start to shake and tremble.
“Hang on, Annie! You can do it!” I encouraged her.
“I’m going to give her Tardigal! Sally!”
Sally raced for the bottle and a syringe.
I saw the heart monitor, her BMP was up to one-hundred-and-thirty.
“Ah…ah…ah…ah…” Anastasia gasped and cried.
“Mind yourself!” Called the Doctor.
I mover out of the way so he could administer the drug.
I kept hold of Annie’s hand and also kept an eye on the heart monitor.
The heart rate dropped to one-hundred-and-ten, then to one-hundred.
“I think it’s under control.” Said the Doctor.
Anastasia’s breathing began to calm.
“That’s more like it.” I said.
Anastasia’s breathing got shallower, and her hand got colder.
I began to panic again.
“Doctor, why is she going so cold?” I asked him.
“Her heart rate won’t stop dropping. It’s below fifty. Sally, Tardigal! Naught point ten more milligrams!”
I kept hold of Annie’s hand, though my grip was loosening with my fear.
“Jack…” Anastasia whispered to me. “…I’m afraid.”
I listened to her words and began trembling myself.
Then she whispered…
“I want my father…”
He breathing got shallower and shallower...
Then, she stopped breathing altogether…
Her trembling hand fell limb…
I saw her head drooping…and then…she closed her eyes.
My grip loosened with my shock.
Her hand fell out of min and landed upon the covers.
“Annie?” I questioned worryingly. “Annie?”
I stared at her. She was lain perfectly still. I heard a continuous bleep from the background behind me.
“Annie!” Emma cried as she ran to where her friend lay. Though Emma can bear no tears, I could hear her crying.
She slumped to the ground beside the bed and sobbed.
I then heard another crying. The soft crying of my dear Sally.
I embraced her sorrow and sadness as I wrapped my arms around her.
Sally leaned on my shoulder as she continued to cry.
And as I looked over one last time at where lain Annie Rose, I almost began to cry with her.
…
After our solemn hour, the town needed to know of the grave news.
The citizens of Halloween Town were gathered outside the Doctor’s house, waiting to find out whether or not Anastasia Rose had lived.
The Mayor was waiting in the gateway.
Then, the front door of the Doctor’s house opened.
The Mayor turned to the door with his happy face at the front.
As the door opened, myself, Sally, Emma and the Doctor all came slowly pacing out.
The Mayor’s face turned round when he didn’t see Anastasia.
Sally was still sobbing as the Doctor tried to comfort her.
Emma was holding her hands together and squeezing tightly.
I came over to the Mayor.
I simply placed my hand on his shoulder and shook my head.
He got the message.
The Doctor opened the front gate and led Sally and Emma out. I followed close behind with the Mayor.
The rest of the town lifted up their heads, hoping to see Annie.
But when only our sorrowful faces were seen, it was all too clear that she hadn’t survived.
I turned round and looked to the lab window.
The light was off; the room was dark.
The citizens unintentionally copied my actions as they too gazed up at where Anastasia lain now.
The Mayor removed his hat from his head in respect for the deceased Anastasia Rose.
Mr Hyde and the other Hydes did also. And the witches.
We all then looked down in sorrow for our fallen friend and stood in a moment of silence…
…
I then looked back up to the window. I knew that something formal and respectful had to be done.
“Mayor,” I began to speak to my friend.
The Mayor looked up to me.
“I must have a meeting with you immediately. I would like to make plans for a funeral.”
The Mayor nodded. He then began walking to the town hall as I followed closely behind.
I almost couldn’t believe what had happened.
Anastasia Rose, the little girl I befriended, the little girl who made our Halloween worth while, the little girl who I helped through her nightmares, the little girl who the town had grew to adore so much, the angelic, kind-hearted little girl who I adored will my heart…was not gone forever…
…and…
…I could hardly bear it.
