Page 83 of Macon

I see her eye flutter, and I pull her hand closer to me, cupping it with both hands.

“It’s me. Dee. Your sister. I’m here,” I say, crying.

Ray’s eyes start to open, and she grips my hand.

“Dean, that’s it. Come back to me,” I say, egging her on.

Ray’s eyes blink a few more times, trying to focus on me.

Tears stream down my cheeks. “I’m here, sis. I got you.”

I said the exact words she said to me when I woke up at the hospital.

Ray’s eyes widen, muttering, “No. D. Dead.”

What? D. Dead?

I shake my head. “No, I’m not dead. I’m right here.”

Thinking she’s confused, like everyone else, that I’m dead.

Ray’s head slowly moves from side to side, and her eyes start to close. She mumbles, “D-dead. Hide.”

I can’t tell if she’s stuttering dead or if she’s saying Dee’s dead. What or who am I supposed to hide? What the hell?

I start to panic when she squints her eyes like she’s in pain. She still looks doped up. I don’t understand why she seems worse now than when we brought her in.

I push the call button.

Nurse Cheryl comes rushing in.

Frantic, I say, “She’s awake.”

Cheryl rounds the bed and starts to check my sister’s vitals. As she calls out loudly, “Raydene? Can you hear me?”

Ray cries out, “D. Dead.”

Cheryl glances over at me, and I shrug. I can’t tell Cheryl I think she’s talking about me since everyone thinks I’m dead.

My sister’s eyes close tighter in pain, and her body starts shaking.

“Oh my God! What’s happening?” I panic.

Nurse Cheryl pushes some buttons and the alarm blares. Doc rushes back in with two nurses, pushing me out of the way.

I move back against the wall as I watch Doc and the nurses work.

When Dr. Wilson rushes in, he announces, “Talk to me.”

Nurse Cheryl starts reading off her vitals

Doc looks at me.

I start to stammer, “She…she woke up. Her eyes were…were glossy, but she looked at me.” I pause as the doctor begins calling out orders.

Doc grabs me, ushering me out of the room, saying something about how they need to work.

I’m in shock.

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