Lucifer (The Devil Chronicles #1)

Chapter 6

I raced down the hallway in my wheelchair, laughing as I continued to pick up speed. I swerved around corners, knocking over nurses and trays of medical tools.

This was probably the most fun I'd had since...before the accident...

I continued to race around the hospital with nurses and doctors chasing after me. Finally, my dad stepped in front of me. I screeched to a halt a foot away from him. He looked pissed. He grabbed the back of my wheelchair roughly and led me back to my room. I crossed my arms and pouted.

When we got to my room, I saw Luke standing there. He smiled when he saw me.

"Hi Luke!" I tried to stand up to greet him but my dad grabbed my shoulder and shoved me down. Back to pouting.

"Hey." Luke said, still smiling, with his hands in his pockets.

I looked at my dad and gave him a look that said "get out". He glared back at me, shot Luke a menacing look and left.

I tried to stand up again but my legs were too weak. Luke chuckled and swooped me up bridal style. He laid me gently on my bed.

This kid was adorable.

***

I laid her down gently on the bed. She was beautiful, even though she looked really sick. She looked more sick than yesterday. I sighed, her shaved head was slick with sweat. I knew her shenanigans earlier wore her out.

"How are you?" Charlie asked. I looked at her and laughed.

"How am I doing?! You're the one with cancer!" I said laughing. She laughed too and shrugged. We had seen each other every day for the past three months. And my feelings got stronger at every moment. 

I sat on her bed and took her hand. She squeezed it and smiled. I really cared for this human. But I still hadn't figured out what her "powers" were. I knew she was special but I kinda expected her to be able to breathe fire or have x-ray vision.

"Why are you staring at me?" Charlie said, laughing. I looked away shyly. I felt her hand on my cheek and I looked at her again. 

"Because you're beautiful."

She smiled at me,  her eyes lighting up. They were so beautiful.

"What are we reading today?" I asked her, jumping onto the bed beside her. I put my arm around her as she grabbed the book next to her. We had been reading together everyday. She said she needed something to do and she loved to read. I loved listening to her read. I always joked with her that she should record audiobooks. I would buy that shit.

"The Count of Monte Cristo." She responded. I made a face at her. She was really into the classics. 

"Alright, Shakespeare, read on!" I declared, as she pushed my chest and laughed.

"Monte Cristo isn't by Shakespeare, dumbass." Charlie laughed.

"Oh. Is it Poe?" I joked.

She shook her head at me. "You're hopeless, Luke. Hopeless, I say!"

I laughed, pulling her a little closer. She smiled up at me. "And you," I cooed, "are a dork."

"Can you please shut up and let me read?" She scolded. 

"Only if you take your shirt off," I giggled.

Her mouth dropped open. I put my arms up as she started to hit me with the book. I could not stop laughing and neither could she.

"You are four years old, I swear to God!" Charlie groaned.

"C'mon, I'm at least 5 1/2!" I argued.

Charlie rolled her eyes. She grabbed her book and we settled in. She began to read about the Count and his adventures, though I couldn't seem to keep my focus on the story. All I could focus on was her. Reader, can you imagine that attraction? God made her for me and I could feel myself falling. It had only been three months and she understood me better than anyone. ME. Not the devil me. I'm a person too and I had found someone who got me. 

BEEP BEEP BEEP

I sat up, startled. Charlie and I had fallen asleep. What the hell was that? 

Out of nowhere, nurses came into the room bustling around and yelling commands at each other. I couldn't comprehend what they were saying. I looked down at Charlie to see she was having a seizure. A bad one. I was shoved aside by nurses and they quickly wheeled Charlie away.

I ran through the hallways to find Charlie's dad. My head was spinning and I was panicking. What the hell was going on? She was fine. She was fine. Is she not fine now?

I finally found him and told him what was happening. His face turned pale and we ran to the waiting room. We waited there for a few hours. I paced for every single moment. Charlie's dad collapsed in a chair, a blank look across his face.

Finally, a doctor came out, looking exhausted. Charlie's dad stood up quickly and stood next to me.

"We did everything we could..." The doctor said.

My whole world came to a stop. The room started to spin and my knees buckled. I couldn't breathe and I clasped my chest.

Charlie was dead.