“I thought I could make it. I really thought I could make it.” Elora dropped to her knees. Her eyes welled with tears. “I’m so sorry.” The nurse replied. Elora and Jack had only had each other for as long as Elora could remember. And now, now he’s gone and left her. Elora trembled. It had only been 40 minutes ago when she had gotten the call that her older brother was in critical condition. She had rushed out of school and driven straight to the hospital; but she had arrived too late. She hadn’t been fast enough. She hadn’t even gotten the chance to say goodbye.

The nurse helped her up and led her over to a chair. Elora sat down. “Do you have any parents?” The nurse asked. Elora shook her head. “Any other family at all?” Elora shook her head again and buried her face into her hands. Could that nurse just shut up?! Elora knew she was just trying to be nice, she probably had no idea how to react to this situation either but it felt like she was rubbing it in. It was so sudden. Elora couldn’t imagine it; being all alone. What was going to happen to her now? Jack had always been there. He had always taken care of her whenever she got sick or lonely. She could see him now. His hair, his smile. So warm and so kind. To die in such an awful way was…was just not right! He deserved to grow old and happy; die in a warm bed, not on the cold street. After everything he had done to care for others, to care for her…

The nurse placed her hand on Elora’s shoulder. “Would you like to see him?” she asked. Elora paused for a moment, then nodded. She owed him this much. No, she owed him so much more. The nurse led her down a hallway and into a room. Elora paused at the door. The smell of everything being so clean was getting to her. It stung her eyes. It had been a while since she had been in a place like this. Jack and ELora had never had the money to come here before. If one of them got sick, they would just pray they would make it through. They had always made it through. No matter what happened they would always face it together. Elora stepped in the room, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the floor. She couldn’t look. If she did, if she saw him, then it would be real. She would really be left all alone. The nurse stood behind her, clearly uncomfortable in this situation. Elora wanted to walk right out of that room and leave. She doubted the nurse would try to stop her; but she knows this may be the last chance she gets to see him.

With no life insurance, there was not going to be a funeral. Neither of them had bought any graves, so who knows where he’ll end up after this? Elora looked up. There was a white cloth covering her brother’s body. She wasn’t surprised; she was told the accident had left his body battered and broken. The driver that hit him as he was crossing the road had taken off. No witnesses had seen his license plate, but Elora was assured he would be caught and tried with justice. It didn’t matter though; no fine or time in prison could bring her brother back to life.

Elora walked over to the lifeless form lying on the table. “G’bye idiot,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. “I wish-” she couldn’t do it. “I-I wish…” she fell onto the floor with her hands gripping the side of the table; reaching for the words she couldn’t say: I wish you the best, wherever you are now.