Page 89 of Blinding Echo

“Thank you, again, for being here.” I rub his arm and he moves in to hug me but stops himself and smiles instead.

“Anytime, Jade.”

I can’t help but smile at the name. When I was terrified, not knowing a soul in this world, Wayne showed up in Arizona to help me. One day, he asked me to pick a new name, said I could be anyone I wanted to be. I wanted to be Jade. No idea why, I just liked the name. It didn’t stick, but instead turned into a joke only shared between the two of us. Leave it to Wayne to make me laugh when I needed it the most.

Kase hasn’t left Ellie’s side all afternoon. The doctor came out once and gave us an update. She’s stabilized, but she’s still in ICU due to all the blood loss. I want to see her, but I don’t want to take Kase away from her. Cody strolls in with lunch, setting at least twenty bags of Chick-fil-A on the table. My eyes widen wondering if he brought food for the entire waiting room.

“You better grab a bag before they’re all gone,” he says, leaning over.

My mouth opens to ask why, but then I snap it shut when oversized muscled men bombard the table, digging in the bags, taking handfuls of sandwiches and fries. Instead, I jump in and grab two and back away with the bags gripped tightly in my fist, eyeing the guys. I’d hate to cook for this crew.

“I’ll go see if Kase is hungry.”

Nobody is listening, so I slip away easily. The bright hallway is empty, my shoes squeak across the floor so I try to walk lightly, but it doesn’t help. It’s like eating popcorn in a theater when there is a lull point, you try to chew slower, but you feel stupid thinking everyone is staring at you.

The door to her room is closed and I pause outside her door questioning if I should even be here. I’m not here for Kase, I’m here for Ellie. She’s my sister. My twin sister. She’s inside me, part of me, of course, I belong here. My knuckles tap against the door and I wait.

Kase opens the door, and in a flash, I’m taken back to when his mom was dying. His blue eyes are dull and his face is tight with worry. I offer a small smile and hold up the bags. “I thought you might be hungry.”

His brow lifts and it’s the first sign of life I see in his face. “I’m surprised you could grab a bag.”

I chuckle. “Your friends are savages. Good thing I’m quick on the draw.”

His lips twitch and he nods, stepping back so he can open the door wider. I freeze at the sound of beeping and air being pumped into Ellie’s lungs and stare at her body, framed by the blanket and riddled with tubes and wires. My gaze darts to Kase and I squeeze the bags of food to my chest.

“You should sit with her.” He motions for me to keep walking. “I’ll give you some time together.” He squeezes my shoulder as he passes and the door shuts behind me. Wait, I‘m not ready. The room's walls close in and I draw in a ragged breath. I’m having an out-of-body experience, looking down at myself, fighting for my life. My steps are heavy as I take a couple toward my motionless body. ‘She’s not you’ my subconscious repeats and I shake out of the dreamlike state.

Sitting beside her, I cover her hand with mine. “Hi, Ellie, it’s me. Everly.” Tears threaten as our touch sends a flurry of emotions inside me. “I… I hope you can hear me.” I wait for a reaction, a squeeze of the hand or an eye twitch. But nothing changes so I close my eyes and rest my head against the cold sheets on the bed. “I just found you. Please don’t die.”

I take long deep breaths, focusing on our connection. We were once one, maybe being connected again, we can share my energy. She has to feel it. Feel me. When a hand touches my back, I flinch, jumping out of my seat, knocking it backward, the sound of wood hitting the floor rebounds through the room. My heart thumps and I scramble to regain my bearings.

“Hey, it’s just me,” Kase says, eyes wide open and hands up. He bends down to pick up the chair.

“Sorry. I must have dozed off.” I glance at Ellie, hoping to see a change. But she hasn’t moved. Disappointment I couldn’t help her tugs at my heart. “I can feel her. She’s still fighting,” I say when he sits down on the opposite side of the bed, weaving his fingers through hers.

“I would question how realistic that twin voodoo really is if I didn’t know better.”

“Twin voodoo?” I smirk as he nods. “If only I could use some of those special powers we have to help her.”

“You being here is helping her.”

I blink back my tears. “I hope.” Kase’s face jerks to Ellie’s and I look at her, but she hasn’t moved. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he beams, standing up and staring at her face. “She squeezed my hand. Ellie, can you hear me?”

Chapter Forty-Five

Ellie

I can hear myself talking to Kase. I sound weird, but it’s my voice.

“Twin voodoo?” I ask.

What is Kase talking about? And how do I hear myself talk, but my mouth isn’t moving? Wait, that’s not me. Everly is here. Kase’s hand slips into mine and I squeeze it, not planning to let it go.

“Ellie, can you hear me?”

I nod, not wanting to open my eyes. My body is heavy and my brain foggy. Voices come and go as I slip back under. Whenever I wake, Kase is always by my side. But my body isn’t ready to come alive yet.

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