Live Only Once

Chapter Six

What the old man had said unnerved her. It reminded her of her sister. It induced her with a flaming, exposed, and stubborn pain that she wouldn't stop.

The sentences haunted her. She was always looking over her shoulder to make sure she was alone. The last thing Faith wanted was to be knifed by his true words. It disrupted her mind.

But, stolid, she continued to have parties, and photo shoots, and publicity. Faith thought that she was having the time of her life. That was so until she heard her sister's illness was worsening.

So, with a heavy heart, she entered Grace's room with an opulent bouquet of blossoms in hand. She smiled and walked to her resting sister.

"Heya, sis..." She said softly.

Grace shifted a bit. She sighed in realization and slowly opened her eyes to the strange, uncanny image of her sister. What was left of her old, fragile mind was puzzled and disturbed.

"...Oh... Hello, Faith..." She said and forced a smile.

The Vessel girl handed the flowers to her sibling, but seeing she was too tired to grasp it, she set it beside her on the bed so she could at least admire and smell the blossoms.

Faith pulled up her chair to get a closer look.

"...Are you alright?" She asked and tilted her head a bit in concern.

Grace swallowed.

"...I got those flowers just for you, sis..." Faith said with a vulnerable look.

"They're beautiful, Faith..." The old woman said with a gravelly voice.

The younger-looking one ducked her head a bit.

"Look, Grace... If I hurt your feelings-"

"No. We don't need to talk about it, Faith..." She held up an old wrinkled hand. "...You're already forgiven."

Faith took a deep breath and heaved it back out.

"Alright... I just... Hear me out, okay?... Please." She said.

Grace looked at her thoughtfully.

"...Grace. When our parents died I was devastated... You know that. Over the years, I tried to be independent. I did. But one by one I realized that when all of my family members were dying... I could never see them again. I never knew how much time I had with someone who was still with me... And now you're all I have left who shares my blood." Faith said and held her sister's hand tightly.

Grace didn't return the squeeze. She just looked at her flatly.

Faith blinked, gulped, and strained back tears.

"Please... Just let me help you."

Grace placed her hand on top of her sister's.

"It is not your choice..." She said.

"Sister... I don't know- how much longer I may stay..." Grace said, her fragile, wrinkled hand enveloped in sweat. Her grip was loosening, weakening.

"Grace." Faith's breathing grew jagged. She put her hand against her sibling's withering visage. "Keep your eyes on me. Don't let go." She said. "Be strong for me."

Grace gave a breathy laugh.

Faith grimaced in confusion, her jaw tautening.

"I am being strong, sweetheart. You need to be strong for me." Grace said.

The younger one's eyes grew large and she swallowed. The tears built up in her vision. Her throat became sore.

"Please... Don't leave me." She whispered tremulously. "I'll be alone..." With the stress of the last syllable, the crystalline drops slid down her synthetic face.

"No... You will be alright." Grace said. The withering body before Faith used what remained of her energy to barely caress her sister's cheek before collapsing into an eternal rest.