Page 3 of Bishop's Queen

Don’t die.

Don’t leave us.

The wheezing faded. Brie’s lifeless hand hung in Eloise’s.

“No, Brie.” Bishop’s voice broke. “You’ve got it.”

Lights filled the car. First responders opened the door. Bishop yelled that he wanted to stay with his sister. Eloise wouldn’t let go of her best friend. She couldn’t. “Help her!”

A radio crackled as paramedics forced them apart. Bishop went one way, shouting that he needed to stay close to his sister. Eloise was torn in another direction.

A medic flashed light into her eyes. They made her lie down then wrapped a neck brace around her. No one would listen. “I need to stay with her. She’s scared.”

Eloise was scared too. She needed Bishop. The ambulance doors slammed, and the radio crackled again.

“Roger that. We’re headed to Meadow Brook,” another voice in the ambulance answered. Then they read Eloise’s stats. “Second victim’s right behind us.”

A garbled response returned.

A third voice broke in and cut off the radio. “That’s a negative on the second female.” From the front seat, someone mumbled, “Damn shame when we have a DOA.”

It hadn’t been for her to hear, but Eloise’s world shattered.Dead on arrival. She had killed her best friend.

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