Page 17 of Not Quite Dead Yet

Jack wiped his eyes, following the other officers to the door. He thought she was going to choose the surgery, didn’t he? That this was goodbye.

‘Goodbye, Jet,’ Detective Ecker said, leaving no room for doubt.

The door swung shut, taking them away, Jet’s last hope with them.

She was out of time.

Alone for less than four seconds before the handle twitched again, Mom in first, followed by Dad and Dr Lee.

‘Luke, come on,’ Mom barked, beckoning him into the room too.

Dr Lee stood there, holding her own hands, arms crossed in front of her, watching the family assemble around Jet’s bedside. Luke was breathing so heavy that Jet couldn’t think, and she needed to think; they were here for her choice, and she needed to think.

‘Luke, shut up,’ she snapped.

‘I didn’t say anything.’

‘It’s time, Jet,’ Dr Lee said, quiet and serious. ‘We would need to get you prepped for surgery right away. Do you know what your choice is?’

‘Of course she does,’ Mom said, running her hand over Jet’s shoulder, gripping on. ‘The surgery. She’s choosing the surgery. It’s the only choice, the only hope.’

‘Jet?’ Dr Lee pushed.

Jet looked up at her mom, that drumbeat doubling in her head, tripling, her heart throwing itself against the cage of her ribs. The song building to its end.

Mom looked down at her, eyes unwavering.

Jet blinked.

‘Come on, sweetie.’

‘I don’t …’

‘She’s choosing the surgery. We all are.’

‘Mrs Mason, please.’ Dr Lee raised her voice. ‘Jet. What doyouwant?’

What did she want? She wanted her life back. She wanted to go back two days and unbreak her head, make sure none of this ever happened. She wanted what she’d always wanted. Todosomething, achieve something big, something undeniably great, to prove that she could. So that life couldfinallybegin. Jet had played the waiting game too long, and now she was out of time.

She’d run out of road, and she’d run out oflater.

Someone had taken them from her.

But not all of it.

Die now or die in seven days.

Jet didn’t have hope, but she could have that week.

To do what?

Jet swallowed, stared straight ahead, turning her mom’s face into a blur.

‘I’m not choosing the surgery.’

Dr Lee looked almost relieved. Mom did not.

Her face cracked open.

---