Page 72 of Backdraft
I am! I fought and struggled to the brighter layers.
Fight, fight!
Doesn't the voice hear me? I just told it I'm fighting.
My eyes were so heavy, but I wanted—no, needed to open them. I had to see who the voice was.
In my ear soft, soft words. Drea, I need you to come back. I love you.
Finally, I was able to see through a tiny little crack. Someone must have glued my eyelids, which was dumb.
I had to see who was telling me they loved me.
"Yes! You can do it. Open your eyes. Drea come on, open your eyes. Fight!”
The voice was insistent and I wanted to tell it I was doing my best.
Slowly, the disjointed puzzle pieces of my memory began to click back together. My brain was no longer as muddled.
Fire. Falling. Pain.
Taylor. Yes, Taylor! He was the voice.
"Taylor, I love you."
He didn't say anything. Was my mouth working?
Did he hear me? Why didn't he answer me? Now I was starting to get mad. Enough of all the bullshit.
I felt his hand on my cheek, and I turned my head into his palm, even though pain seared through my neck. I moaned.
"You can do it. You can do it." He pressed his hand gently against me, and I felt lips on my forehead.
Someone was wiping my face. The warm cloth felt wonderful, and I was finally able to open my eyes.
Everything was blurry, and I saw a form looming over me. I blinked, my vision still swam and I wanted to rub my eyes back into focus.
Then I saw the face that meant so much to me. The face that trusted me to come back. I wanted to tell him not to cry when I saw tears on his cheeks. That everything would be okay.
I gazed up at him and then whispered, "Who are you?"
"What?" He looked at me and then at somebody standing on the other side of my bed.
Then back at me.
"Gotcha," I whispered, and my eyes drifted closed again. "So tired."
"Drea, don't fall asleep yet. Open your eyes."
I did as he asked and gazed up at him. "So, so tired."
"I know, honey, I know. You're going to be okay. I'm so glad you've woken up. I'm taking care of you and won't leave your side."
"I know."
“Shannon called. She wanted you to know she’d be here if she could and to tell you she loves you.”
“Mmm, k,” This time, I couldn’t fight it. I drifted down into sleep. I dreamt of being in his arms, of him holding me close.
