Page 19 of Isle of Pain

Lisa holds my hand. “I love you, Mimi.”

“I love you, too.”

“Promise me you’ll take care of Ember if anything happens to me.” She squeezes my hands and her face scrunches with concern.

“Nothing will happen to you.” I already know it’s a lie but it feels good on my tongue.

“Promise me,” Lisa demands urgently and I vow to protect her daughter no matter what.

Dr Olmeto places a mask on Lisa’s face and the gas puts her to sleep in second. I stay close while she delivers Ember.

Something’s wrong.

“Why isn’t she crying?” I ask as someone takes Ember away and out of sight.

The monitor next to Lisa’s head starts to beep and my attention is split. “What’s happening?” I yell.

I can’t hear Ember. The noise of the machine gets louder and takes over my whole brain. I close my eyes. When I reopen them, my vision is blurry and my heart is pumping too fast. I heave and pant. A hand lands on my shoulder and I’m moved away from my sister but I resist.

“Tell me what’s going on!” My voice sounds so far away, broken and my throat tastes like ash.

I don’t know who, Dr Olmeto or maybe a nurse, but I’m taken away from the room as I cry and yell for someone to tell me what is happening.

When I’m out of the room, I land on my knees. Strong arms drag me away as I push against their strength to reach my soul mate, my sister, my everything.

My sister Alana’s face comes into view and she takes my face into her hands. “Get yourself together, Marie. Lisa needs you to focus.”

Lisa needs me, end of story, but I don’t say it.

A bottle of water is brought to my lips and though my throat is raw and I want to scream in pain, I swallow greedily until I’m calm enough to blink the tears away.

“What happened?” Lana asks.

I shake my head. “I don’t know. I don’t know.” I repeat the words over and over until I collapse into my sister’s arms. She holds me against her and soothes my hair.

Time slows and warps.

I must lose consciousness at some point because when I come back to myself, a cold sweat staining my armpits and making me shiver, my family whispers around me, looking at me like I’m on the verge of another breakdown. I am, but I swallow and wait. The need for the burn of alcohol is so potent it almost seems like I’m sweating whiskey.

I stand and go to the bathroom down the corridor, tearing at the gown and face mask with shaky hands. I text Nico again.

Me

Something is wrong with Lisa.

His response isfast and not what I expected. Anyone would give words of reassurance. He doesn’t. And I appreciate it more than he will ever know.

Nico Capaldi

Whatever happens, she loves you and you her.

I’m so fuckingtired of crying but tears leak again on my cheeks. When I wash my hands and look into the mirror, my face is puffy and red. I avert my gaze and go back to the waiting room. Dr Olmeto’s back is to me and my family looks on with their eyes wide. My mother is crying in my father’s arms. Lana’s knuckles are white with how much she clenches them.

“No.” The word is a guillotine in my mouth. “No, no, no, no.”

Dr Olmeto turns to me, her face torn with pain. “I’m sorry,” she says but I don’t hear.

All I hear is my scream.

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