Page 78 of Burn Like An Angel

Ripley’s eyes screw shut. Her skin has lost its alcohol flush and turned almost translucent. Determined to stop her from shutting down, I search for something happy amongst heart-wrenching memories.

“Every single day after school, I’d take the A7 bus to pick her up from class. It was a rattling hunk of junk. If I had enough money, we’d stop for an ice cream cone on the way home.”

She mumbles weakly, her eyes flickering. “Ice cream?”

“Yeah, that boring vanilla kind. Bright-yellow and full of additive shit. But she enjoyed that damn cone so much. I loved seeing her smile, even if I had to scavenge pennies just to make it happen.”

Tossing aside bloodied handfuls of gauze, Xander locates fresh bandages next. He nods to me in encouragement.

I smooth sweaty hair back from her forehead. “One time, the shop closed early. Daisy stared up at that closed sign, and the look on her face fucking killed me. I hadn’t realised how much our little ritual meant to her.”

Ripley’s eyes flutter open and lock on mine. Her tears are pearlescent rivers staining her skin. Skimming her cheek with my thumb, I wipe them away.

She lets out a thready breath. “What d-did you do about it?”

“You know me too well.”

“Yeah.” Her laugh is weak.

“I snuck around back and broke into the storeroom. Stole two tubs of that shitty ice cream then took it home. Daisy had a bowl every night until it ran out.”

Directing Raine to lift her injured leg, Xander packs the wound with sterilised cotton then begins to tightly bandage it. Ripley’s vibrating so violently, I wonder if she’ll pass out again. I seize her shaking hand.

“Hey,” I bark at her. “Eyes on me.”

Her muddled gaze flicks back to my face. “I h-hate vanilla.”

“You want to know a secret?”

She nods loosely.

“Me too. I only ate it to make Daisy happy. I don’t have a massive sweet tooth. Though if pushed, I’d go for chocolate every time.”

Xander applies medical tape to hold the bulging bandage in place. Panting roughly, Ripley interlocks her fingers with mine. I run a finger over her knuckles, studying each laboured breath.

“I went back to the ice cream shop after she died,” I blurt before I can stop myself. “I guess I wanted to feel close to her again. All her stuff at home was gone by then, and it felt like she never existed.”

Lowering Ripley’s leg, Xander casts a critical eye over his handiwork before nodding. He starts to clean up themedical detritus. There’s blood and bandage wrappings spread everywhere around us.

I didn’t get the chance to hold Daisy’s hand like this. I couldn’t give her the love she needed. The protection of her big brother—the one person in the entire world who was supposed to keep her safe.

I failed her.

But I’ll never fail my family again.

“It was gone.” The truth is a raw whisper that I can hardly vocalise. “Boarded up and gutted. Some little shits even graffitied the exterior. Daisy died, and everything she loved died with her.”

“Not you,” she replies weakly.

“The Lennox she knew did. He was weak. Blind to the truth. Pathetic. He didn’t protect her.”

I ignore the other two paying close attention to our whispers. I’m focused solely on Ripley’s face, wrinkles smoothing out and muscles relaxing. Her septum piercing is crooked again.

I gently straighten the silver ring. “Rest, baby.”

She mumbles an unintelligible protest.

“It’s okay, Rip.” My vocal cords spasm, causing my voice to break. “I’m right here. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

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