~ 3 DAYS LATER – 13th JUNE 2001 ~
Serena strolled down the corridor of the hospital inconspicuously leaning against the rail for support, she could barely hold herself up, but she was determined not to be dependent in a wheel chair.
“Serena, honey how are you?” John questioned walking up to her
“As good as” she replied
“We think if we increase the amount of Chemo and medication we may be able to shoot this thing into submission”
“Why bother? So it can reappear later? It doesn’t matter anymore does it? Pump me full of whatever radioactive junk you have down there, it doesn’t matter, stock me full of pills of all different sizes and shapes, what will it do?”
“We have to fight it”
“Sometimes you win the battle, but you always loose the war”
She shuffled past him, signaling the conversation was over.
~ 7 DAYS LATER – 20th JUNE 2001 ~
Serena sat drealily staring up at the roof above her bed, her eyes focusing on each spot that she could see. The Chemo had once again taken it out of her, she felt sick to her stomach, her mouth was parched, her eyes watery and heavy. She wanted nothing but to fade away, unknown, hidden away. Silent, painless death was now what she craved. She felt a tear fall soft from her eye, it ran a trail down her cheek.
~ 10 DAYS LATER – 30th JUNE 2001 ~
“Pick up” Kevin mumbled down the phone
He studied his watch again, the sound of the unanswered ringing driving him mad.
“It’s the right time” he muttered praying Serena would soon answer his call.
~ AT THE SAME TIME ~
The heart monitor ran heartlessly through the room, the low beep, with a higher beep every so often.
“What happened?” John questioned screaming into the room
“She slipped into a coma” a faceless voice replied solumly
“Oh God, Serena, no, honey, please wake up” he cried slumping down onto the chair beside the bed.
He looked at the lifeless, emotionless figure that lay before him, her pale skin spotted only with the occasional freckle, her eyes shut tightly, her mouth pursed in neither a smile nor a frown, he couldn’t help but notice she looked almost dead.
~ 10 MINUTES LATER ~
Kevin threw down the phone in annoyance. Why wasn’t she answering? He sighed loudly, he’d been trying her for ages, but to no avail.
He looked around the room, then out the window. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering her smile.
“Ser, what’s wrong?” he whispered to the face in his mind
He bolted to his feet and yanked the suitcase out of the wardrobe, he never really bother to unpack so he simply zipped it up, grabbed his backpack and yanked open the door.
“Woah, something up cuz?” Brian exclaimed
“I have to go back” Kevin rambled pushing past Brian
“Back? You mean to Florida?”
“Yes I mean to Florida”
“You want to tell me why?”
“Because Serena’s not answering her cell phone”
Brian cracked a small smile.
“Kevin your not seriously considering flying half way around the world, because she’s probably in the bath, or out somewhere and forgot her phone”
Kevin though for a moment, that was exactly what he was planning to do.
“Look Kev, she’s probably just forgotten to take her phone, she may be at the doctors, whatever the reason, you cant just up and leave”
“I just don’t want to be someone else when she needs me” he sighed walking back into the room.
“Don’t worry everything’s cool”
~ 2 DAYS LATER – 2nd JULY 2001 ~
Natalia sat studding her friend closely, her red eyes hadn’t been dry for two days, and neither had they seen sleep. She mind suddenly crossed to thoughts of Kevin, surely he must have tried to ring, and not gotten though. But she could also remember how Serena had told her directly not under any circumstances tell Kevin if something went wrong. It was a horrible request that Serena had made, but that was Ser, she never wanted to be a burden, never wanted to interfere with anyone’s life. Natalia sighed, she knew she’d made that promise, but surely Serena cant have meant her to keep it.
She rummaged through Serena’s top draw and pulled out her cell phone, it read “30 calls”. It must have been Kevin she concluded, giving her even more reason to call him.
She flicked through the address book on the phone, and came to his mobile number. She had no idea what time it was in Australia, but she frankly couldn’t careless.
The phone clicked through the exchange and began to ring.
~ AT THE SAME TIME ~
Kevin mumbled into the pillow, the sound of a ringing phone invading his dream. He sniffed back, then pulled his head off the pillow realizing the ringing wasn’t in his dreams. He practically fell out his double bed, and stumbled toward the table where his phone sat.
“Hello?” he answered wearily
“Is this Kevin?” the female voice sniffed
“Yes, who’s this?”
“It’s Natalia, Serena’s friend”
“Where’s Serena? What’s wrong? Is she okay?” he bombarded
“I'm sorry, she made me promise not to ring you, but it’s not good, she slipped into a coma”
Kevin could hear the faint whimpering of tears down the line.
“I didn’t know what else to do” she sniffed
“I’ll be on the next plane”