“No, no, no, no.” Panic dug its claws into Summer’s chest. This couldn’t be happening. She wouldn’t let it.
Ashlyn pulled back and studied Summer’s face. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m really happy for you.” Summer frantically looked around, making sure no cars were coming to mow Ashlyn down. “I never dreamed it would happen so fast. I thought it would take you guys days, weeks even, to reconcile.”
“Who knows how long it will last, but things are really good right now. So you want to go to the mall with us when we go? I can’t wait to get some new clothes that fit right. Real shopping without the side of guilt.”
“Seriously, Summer, you look like you’re going to cry.”
Maybe they’d have time to do it. Just because she’d seen Ashlyn dying didn’t mean it was close. Just because the others had happened soon after didn’t mean they always did.
“Hey, girls,” Darren said, raising his signature-covered blue cast.
Aaron stuck out his lower lip and gave them the nod. “’Sup?”
“We’re getting amped for a fabulous day of learning,” Ashlyn said, pouring on the sarcasm.
“You know, knowledge is power,” Darren said.
“GI Joe, right?” Summer asked, having a hard time focusing.
“That’s, ‘Knowing is half the battle,’” Aaron said.
Darren pushed his glasses up his nose. “I was quoting Sir Francis Bacon, actually.”
“Mmm. Bacon sounds good.” Summer nudged Ashlyn. “What do you think, Ash?”
Ashlyn clutched her chest. “Ouch. That was weird.” She shook her head and continued toward the school. “I don’t think I’ve had real bacon for years. Mom prefers the turkey kind. You know what we should do tonight? We should all get together and—” Her hand shot to her chest again.
Summer watched in horror as Ashlyn’s face contorted in pain. She bent over to catch her breath like she’d done back on the beach. Her breathing slowed.
Then she fell to the ground.
Summer dropped to her knees. She heard Darren and Aaron talking about getting a nurse or calling 911, but it was all fuzzy and detached. She shook Ashlyn’s shoulder. “Ashlyn, come on. Take a deep breath. Do something.” She wasn’t going to let this happen. If there were a God, Angels, Ciphers, there could be miracles. Ashlyn
“Please don’t go yet. There’s so much I want to do with you. We can change this.” Despair twisted around her heart, and tears stung her eyes. “You fight like hell, I’ll fight like hell, and we won’t let this happen.”
Ashlyn only groaned in response.
People started to gather, staring at Ashlyn crumpled on the sidewalk. Summer wanted to scream at them to all get away.
Summer focused on Ashlyn, trying to figure out what she needed to do to help her. She watched her chest slowly rise and fall…
Rise and fall…
Nothing.
“Ashlyn!”
She wasn’t breathing, and Summer’s mind spun as she tried to remember the CPR training Dad had forced her to take a couple years before.
“Tilt the head back,” she whispered to herself as she tilted Ashlyn’s head. “Pinch the nose and cover their mouth with yours.” Summer blew two long breaths in. She rocked back onto her feet.
Positioning her hands over Ashlyn’s chest, she started the compressions, counting in her head.
Sirens blared in the background, getting louder and louder. Summer sensed more people gathering around but was afraid to look up. Blocking everything else out, she repeated the CPR steps again. She had to get Ashlyn breathing again before the paramedics tried to take her.
Time slowed.
Each second dragged.
The world fell quiet as Summer concentrated all her efforts on keeping Ashlyn breathing.
The ambulance screeched to a halt a few yards away. Paramedics burst out of it, running in her direction. Summer recognized them—she’d seen them when she’d seen Ashlyn die.
“Move aside, miss,” one of them said.
Ignoring him, Summer leaned down and blew two breaths in and started pumping again.
“You’ve done a good job,” the same guy said. “Now let us do ours.”
“Summer, move away so they can help.” Troy had broken through the crowd of people and was staring down at her and Ashlyn.
“Move back!” The paramedic raised his voice. “Someone get her away from here!”
Arms encircled Summer’s waist, pulling her away from Ashlyn. “Get off me!” Desperation tore through her heart, ripping and tearing until her chest felt like a gaping wound. She tried to pry the hands off of her, but the grip remained firm. “Let me go!”
Troy’s voice filled her ear. “The paramedics are going to help her. Just let them do their job.”
“You don’t understand.” Tears blurred her vision. Her breaths were coming faster and faster. “She’s going to die. We can’t let them take her in the ambulance.” Summer lunged at the paramedics as they strapped Ashlyn on the stretcher. “Stop! Don’t take her!”
Troy pulled her back, holding her against him. “She’s going to be fine. They’ll know what to do.”
“She’s not going to be fine. I’ve seen it. If she gets in the ambulance, she’s dead.” She twisted around in Troy’s arms and met his gaze. She didn’t even care if he thought she was crazy, as long as he helped her keep Ashlyn out of the ambulance. “Troy, please don’t let them take her. If they take her in the ambulance, she’s going to die. Don’t let her die.”
Troy hugged her to him. “It’s going to be okay. I know you’re scared, but it’s all going to be okay.”
“But it’s not. You don’t understand.” Summer glanced back and saw the paramedics loading Ashlyn into the ambulance. “Please, help me. Don’t let them take her.” She pushed her hands to his chest, desperate to break free. “At least let me go so I can stop them. Please, Troy. Please.”
The doors of the ambulance closed.
“It’s going to be okay,” Troy said again, keeping his arms tight around her.
The vehicle took off, sirens blaring. Summer’s body slackened, Troy the only thing keeping her from falling to the ground. “I don’t like this job, I don’t like this job, I don’t like this job.”
“What job?” Troy asked.
Everything inside her turned icy cold, and at that moment, she wished for the ground to swallow her whole so she didn’t have to feel or think or be. “I can’t believe she’s dead. I couldn’t stop it. I really thought I could stop it.”
