Empty Night

My heart frantically fluttered, the pounding felt like my heart would jump out of my chest. My fingers meticulously typed each letter, my smile growing bigger with each response. I anxiously bit into my burger, the flavours flooding my mouth. I chewed hastily, hoping that the response would somehow occur faster if I did. My large bites simply only led to a tongue bleed. My heart was filled with disappointment as I stared at the silent phone, my message being ignored for the third time that night.

I sighed with disbelief and my parents soon asked. I simply couldn't explain what I was feeling as the thought of a person making their daughter's heart pound was unfond. So I lied, I continued to babble on about the lockdown and how I was feeling burnt out, even trapped I guess. They swallowed my lies whole, and I continued to stare at my empty phone screen. My attention was only grabbed by the movie. The loud noises filled the atmosphere with shape and intrigued my parents and I. I watched attentively, baffled at the storyline. My mind was completely engaged, that was until the ringing began. I jumped, leaping for my phone. But I was only greeted by a still screen.

I then look up to find my mum desperately rushing for her phone. She had answered the call on her watch but still panicked for her phone. She fumbled, her feet overlapped as she ran from the couch to her room. My head was then filled with endless possibilities, the worst scenarios becoming reality in my brain. My head was pounding, the noise of the movie began to enrage me and I aggressively grabbed the remote, turning the tv off in triumph. Mum soon ran back to the living room, her phone in hand. She quickly explained what was happening and positioned the phone in front of us. There I was greeted by the sight of my grandma in the midst of losing feeling in her body.

My mum's hands shook as she held the phone up. Her voice broke with tears when she tried to talk. My dad then shook us both and gestured to the keys, we picked our jackets and ran out the door. Barely able to make sure the doors were locked, we each were flustered and still disheveled in our pajamas. Dad drove carefully, only speeding when we arrived at the street. We arrived within 10 minutes, the ambulance was outside but it was noticeable as it stayed still quiet. We rushed in finding her strapped into a gurney, her eyes fading softly. The mechanical noises echoed through the hollow house. Each machine beeped at a steady pace, we each walked up to her, my hands linking through her fragile finger. Her hands could break at any second. I stepped away after saying my goodbyes, falling onto the wall digging my nails into my palms. I watched as my cousins arrived, they both held her dearly. They returned to the wall with me, quietly trying to mask their cries away.

I watched as they pushed her away. Calmly the wheels gently rolled across the room into the ambulance and drove away. My cousin's tears bursted as they left. For the first time in 7 years, I saw him vulnerable. We sat there in silence, as they tried to suppress the strange crying noises. We hugged, and all three of us agreed to never let go. We all cried, emerged in the warm embrace, I felt the scared shaking of my cousins, one which had been hidden from me for so long. I was warmed by their emotions, but also found myself dumbfounded by my lack of such feelings. My tears were cold, they felt misplaced and incorrect.

We walked outside to sit along the cold porch. The air felt cold, and the wind continued to throw my hair into their faces. We all let out a soft laugh, but as each of our hands were still intertwining with fear of what would happen next. We stared into the empty night as it slowly filled with stars, as the moonlight mercilessly shined. Our heads each nuzzled gently into the soft grass, only embellished by the frail flowers. I felt isolated from time, I closed my eyes gently remembering the memories I have had with my Grandmother, her precious life now in the hands of God. Finally, I felt warmed by the tears, my heart now whirling with emotions.