Wings

Chapter Thirty-One

There are butterflies in a cage.

The cage door opens on its own.

They are all finally free.

Some butterflies stay and flutter, many fly to the sun.

One of the butterflies has golden wings.

The butterfly transforms into Luna. I fly toward her, toward the glowing sun.

Luna raises her hand. "No. You have to stay."

"I want to be with you," I whimper. "They don't need me anymore. I need you."

"No. You must stay."

Luna caresses my cheek before wrapping me in her warm embrace.

As soon as she does, a warm sensation tingles up my spine.

Luna and I speak simultaneously, "I'll always love you. No one will love you as much as I do."

The warm sensation becomes greater; it gives me comfort.

Luna kisses my forehead before flying back to the sun with the others.

"Katheryn, wake up."

My eyes shoot open. The room is bright, too bright. Am I dead?

"And stay awake."

I don't want to die.

"Aaah!" I struggle to be free from whatever was holding me down. "Somebody help me!"

No, calm down Katheryn. You're safe and sound. You're in Sky, in a hospital. You're safe and alive. An IV is strapped to you because you've lost so much blood. It's OK, Katheryn.

I take the needle out of my arm and sit up. Flowers, so many flowers, fill up the empty space of my room. Along with the beautiful flowers, are chocolates and way too many Get Well cards.

I take a deep breath and lie back down in the hospital bed and, for some reason, think about how I would definitely wear a hospital gown to prom. Moments later, a nurse enters along with Sarah and Emily; they squeal excitedly when they see me awake. I assume they expected me to still be unconscious and just came to visit.

"Princess! Oh, I'm so happy to see you!" Emily pats my head. Sarah takes my hands and kisses them. "This has been the longest month of our lives."

"I've been out for a month," I ask shocked.

"Yes," Sarah says. "Thank goodness Mary saved your life."

I snatch my hands away. "What?"

Emily stares worriedly into my eyes. "Princess-"

"Where is Mary," I ask forcefully.

Sarah says nothing. Emily steps toward me. "Princess, Mary is dead. Your damage was so terrible, that while she was healing you, she died. The doctors just went on from there."

"No." I don't believe it. I don't want to believe it. "No! I told her not to! She promised me she wouldn't!"

Sarah says, "She had to because without it, you would've died. The doctors wouldn't be able to do anything!"

"She should have let me die!"

Emily whispers, "I don't think anyone would let you die."

Kind of reminds me of the man with the red hair, my father. He barely knew me and he died for me. Or when Jason was against me fighting my first battle. I have so many people who care about me here and I'm so thankful. I just wish no one else had to die.