I can feel my skin boil and hands shake. My mind clouding over. I'm not going to lose Katie. She's all I've got.
"Calm down, Romeo," he smiles. "I tell you what, I'll give her a shot of adrenaline. It'll wake her straight up and she can go with you to the bank. You'll have to pay extra obviously. How's that sound?"
"You're being too generous, Phil," says the voice behind. "I'd rather she stayed here with me."
"No," I scream. "Fine, whatever, just give her the adrenaline."
He snaps his fingers and I feel the knife loosen on my neck.
"Put her down on the floor. She's gonna be real excited to see you when she wakes up."
I take a glance to my left and right, the idea of running fresh in my mind.
"I said put her down, Romeo," he snaps.
"Okay, okay." I slowly place her on the floor, letting her head rest on my knees. "I swear if you hurt her."
"You'll do what?" The man behind moves out of the shadows, his self shaved bald head reflecting off the street lamps.
"Will you two relax, fuck. I'm trying to handle a needle here." He starts cackling like a witch, "You'd think I'd never used one before in my life."
He rolls up his sleeves to reveal several holes and bruises on the inside of his elbow. "Fastest way too the heart," he laughs again.
He opens his jacket and pulls out a sandwich bag filled with glass bottles wrapped with white labels, "You just never know what you might need, Romeo. I always feel it's best to keep a selection."
His tongue sticks out as he swirls his hand through the bag, "Hehe, here it is. I just need a needle now. Harry, pass us one."
"What's wrong with the one you got, Phil?"
"The ends broken. Just give me yours."
Harry buries his shovel hands in his pocket and rustles around a bit. Then he pulls out two needles.
"The used on please, Harry."
"You keep that disgusting thing away from her."
"I'm just joking, Romeo," he cackles. "Give me the new one, Harry, quickly now."
He snatches it out of his hands and tears open the packet with his teeth, spitting the plastic to the ground.
"Squeeze the top of her arm, Romeo. I'm gonna need a vein."
I gently hold the top of her arm and squeeze. Her face still lying motionless in my lap. I'm so sorry Katie.
"Okay now, get ready Romeo, she's gonna be crazy for you in a minute."
He stabs the needle into her thigh and injects the adrenaline. "I'm just joking, hehe, it goes into her leg," he cackles. "I just wanted to see you squirm."
"What the hell's wrong with..."
Her eyes open, darting from left to right, "Wh-Wh-where am I?" She lunges at my neck and wraps her arms around me. "Ja-JayJay," she shouts, struggling for breath. "Wh-what's going on?"
"It's okay, Kate. It's going to be fine. You're okay."
A loud clearing of a voice grabs my attention, "I hate to break up such a lovely reunion, but there is a matter of money to be discussed."
"Who is that? What's he talking about?"
I stroke her hair, "Don't worry, Kate. I'm going to sort it out." I lean forward and whisper in her ear, "When I say, run back to the hotel and lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me."
"I don't..."
"Just do it, Kate."
She nods back. I can't let her get hurt. I won't let it happen.
I help her to her feet and hide her the best I can behind my back. The two men edging closer with every step I take back.
"It's time for us to collect our money, Romeo," he grins.
I edge back, my hand grazing past a loose dumpster lid. I stop. This could give Katie the time she needs to get away.
"Don't do anything stupid, Romeo."
I was always going to do something stupid, no matter what I did in life, I couldn't see this being any different.
My fist clenches up around the handle of the lid. I take a deep breath.
"Now, Katie!" I scream.
I slap the lid around his face and hear the sound of heels clicking off behind me.
"You shouldn't have done that kid," says the bald man.
He lunges at me with his arms outstretched. I side step and frisbee the lid straight at his face then spin on my heel and sprint off down the alley, refusing to look behind me, heart pounding against the inside of my rib cage.
I burst out of the alley. Katie is struggling to run across the road, her heels tripping her over with every step. She's moving too slow. She'll never make it.
"Get him," I hear behind me.
I fly across the road, dodging the incoming cars, the sound of boots clapping against the floor behind.
I scoop up Katie and carry on running towards the entrance. "How far behind are they?"
"JayJay!" she screams down my ear. "Why are they chasing us? Oh my god, they're right behind Jaime!"
Shit. I shoulder charge my way through the crowds of people and head straight for the elevators, my muscles burning.
"There, JayJay, that one's opening."
The elevator door to the left starts to roll open. I leap forward with Katie and slam my back against the wall of the elevator.
My vision blurry. I can see two silhouettes coming towards us. A faint sound of screaming in my ear. Katie smashing her fingers against the buttons of the elevator, turning to me every so often, her mouth moving without sound. My breathing's heavy. I can't make sense of it.
The doors shut and the silhouettes disappear behind them.
"JayJay," says a muffled voice. "Can you hear me? JayJay?"
A cold surge brings me back. I swipe the water from my face, "Katie?"
"I'm fine, JayJay."
She leaps at me and squeezes her arms around my head, "I thought you were going to pass out."
"I think I was, Kate, but I'm okay now," I smile.
The elevator bell rings and the doors slide open.
"Let's go back to the room," I say. "I've had enough of Vegas for one day."
Chapter Twelve
I open the door to our room and usher Katie in, locking every bolt as I slam it shut behind. I hope they don't find us.
I turn around. Katie stumbles over to the bed, the heel of her shoe dangling off, and perches herself on the edge, allowing her head to hit the post.
"How you feeling?"
"Tired," she whispers. "What did they give me?"
I sit down beside her and wrap my arm around her, "Adrenaline."
"I think it's starting to wear off. My eyes are getting heavy."
"I'm sorry, Kate. I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn't leave you with them...I just couldn't."
She places her cheek against mine, "Thank you, JayJay."
We sit and stare out the window for a moment. The city lights dancing away. The morning sunrise trying to break through in the distance.
I look down at Kate. Her eyes blinking slower and slower.
"Do you want to lie down?"
She grabs my arm as I go to move away, "Don't leave me. I don't won't to be on my own."
"I won't," I whisper. "Never."
We lie down on the bed and she curls up to me, "I need to tell you something, JayJay. It's about the..."
"I've got something to tell you first."
I roll over to face her, my nose touching hers, "I think I love you, Katie."
A tear drips down her face, "I think I love you too, JayJay."
I lean forward and gently kiss her on the lips.
"You were right, Jaime."
"What's that?" I whisper.
"It was worth the wait."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
I bolt out of the bed, sweat dripping down my cheek, the faces of the men in my head.
Silence. It must have been a dream. I look at Katie, her skin's turned yellow. Something's not right. I place my hand under her nose; she's still breathing.
I need to find out what's wrong with her. What the hell's sorafenib though, and where do I
get more of it? I should find a doctor. But they'll know what we did. They’ll know we stole the money. I can't figure out the right choice. I need a drink.
I creep out of the bedroom and close the door behind me. The computer in the corner catches my eye; flashing away with the hotel's emblem at the centre.
I stumble over to it and log onto the internet, typing 'sorafenib' into the search engine.
'Sorafenib is a drug approved for the treatment of advanced liver cancer.'
I sink into the chair, my heart along with it. She has cancer. All this time. Why didn't she tell me? I feel tears run down my face.
'Chemotherapy can slow the progression of the cancer, relieve symptoms and prolong life for months or, in some cases, years. If viable, liver transplant from a relative, or someone matching their blood type, can be used to cure the cancer.'
She still has her hair. She couldn't of had chemotherapy. Why didn't she get the transplant? The waiting list.
Katie Summers. The name punches me in the stomach. Her mom pulled her out of school in year ten. I remember now. People said she was ill. I didn't...I can't believe.
I bury my head in my hands and cry. She doesn't deserve this. She shouldn't have to die like this. Why does everything keep failing around me? I won't let it happen. I won't let anyone take her away from me.
I stand up and slam my fists on the desk. She's not going to die like this.
The bathroom door glides open. Five buckets filled to the brim with ice. Champagne bottles sticking out.
She's not going to die today. She deserves to live. She deserves a life more than the one I'm wasting right now.
I pick up the phone and dial 911.
I'm going to save her; no matter the cost.
Chapter Thirteen
I wake up and stretch my arm out across the bed. It's cold and empty.
"Jaime?" I whisper. The room stays silent.
I pull myself out of bed, my shoulder and side sore. I try not to cry. I don't like crying. It burns my skin.
I struggle to my feet and open the bedroom door, stumbling out to see the computer screen in the corner of the room. The words 'sorafenib' in bold letters at the centre.
"JayJay," I whisper. Still nothing. The room eerily quiet like a graveyard. A strange chill in the air.
I should of told him the truth at the bus stop. I was just too afraid. I didn’t want to be alone. I didn’t want him to leave me.
A bubbling sound comes from the bathroom, yellow light escaping through the gaps underneath.
"Is that you, Jaime?"
I edge forward, scooping the strap of my dress back over my shoulder. The floor's cold. Ice cubes scattered everywhere. Empty metal buckets tossed to the ground.
I place my trembling hand on the door knob and slowly turn. My heart drops into my stomach.
"Jaime!! No!!"
His pale body is in the bathtub covered in ice, eyes fixed wide open. I sprint over and fall to my knees, grabbing his hand with mine. No pulse.
"Why Jaime? Why?" I sob. "Why have you done this?"
His emotionless face doesn’t move. His eyes staring past me at the table beside the bath. Two bits of paper folded up into neat squares: one marked 'Ambulance' the other with my name 'Kate'.
My hands tremble towards it, tears flooding onto the paper making the ink run. I flick open the paper. My other hand clasping over my mouth:
O- blood type. Do you ever think somethings are just meant to happen. That destiny put us together on purpose so we would meet and fall in love. I do.
Katie Summers. I remember you now. We were best friends in primary school. I'm sure you even came to my birthday party once. Then you just disappeared for a year without saying a word.
When you came back to secondary school you never spoke to me again, never even looked at me. I thought you just didn't like me anymore, but yet, you used to sit behind me in almost every class, hover around like you wanted to talk. I guess it all makes sense now. I can't believe you didn't tell me.
I've read everything there is to know about liver cancer. All the symptoms match yours, and there's only one solution left for you to survive; A full liver transplant.
I always did wonder what my purpose in life was. Now I know. It's you Kate.
I love you.
Jaime.
I scrunch up the paper and slam my fists against his chest, "You idiot JayJay! You idiot! I'm stage three. I can't be saved. It won't work. They said it wouldn't."
I climb into the bath, the cold taking my breath away. I wrap my body around his, the faint sounds of banging coming from the front door.
"I'm stage three, JayJay," I sob. "I can't be saved. I'm stage three. I'm stage three."
Chapter Fourteen
Two years later
There's only one place I go to when I'm aloud out of my cell. There's only one place I want to go.
I reach forward and place the snail beside the others. A small smile appearing in the side of my mouth; the only time I ever smile these days. I like to think you're smiling too Jamie.
I move back and slouch onto my knees, handcuffs making it difficult to rearrange the flowers that have scattered in the wind.
"They're letting me out next week JayJay," I say. His name engraved into the stone staring back at me. "I have to where a tag around my ankle but I'll still come visit you everyday, I promise."
I rub my hand under my eyes to stop the tears. "I'm so sorry JayJay. I should of told you I was ill. I shouldn't have tried to run away from my problems. I should of opened up to you. I miss you, JayJay."
I lunge at the gravestone and squeeze the cold stone against my cheek.
"Okay Miss," says the guard behind me. "Time's up."
A pair of hands drag me to my feet, my hand falling to my side. "You saved me, JayJay. You gave me a second chance."
The guard pushes me forward, my neck arching back to see the snails appearing out of their shells.
"You saved my life, JayJay. I promise I won't waste it."
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