CHAPTER 48: Their Undying Love

GABRIEL’s P.O.V.

“Help! Please! Erevell, don’t pass out... Don’t leave us,” I cried as I realized what is happening... She’s dying.

When Erevell lost her consciousness, I could feel the weight of the whole world being put down on my shoulders. It felt heavy, as if I got all the problems that no one will ever ask for. The doctors came in, as well as her mother whom restrained me from holding onto the love of my life. The two of us cried out loud, as the doctor tried their best to save Erevell. Thankfully, they did... And now, I feel safe once again, hopeful that she will eventually wake up sooner... And maybe recovered from her disease, by any miracles.

Mrs. Smith and I waited for her to wake up, while crying for apparently no reason at all. Well, maybe because we all know what will happen next even though I tried my very best to deny it. It’s time for us to say goodbye. It’s time for us to be left by her. And then she finally woke up, making us hopeful again.

“Gab! She’s awake now!” her mother alerted me.

I didn’t come any more closer. A meter far away from her is enough. I don’t want to hear her words, for I know that this is the time that we all been waiting for but never really wanted to happen. I heard her talk to her mother, as if bidding her farewells. All of the sudden, Mrs. Smith took a step backwards, allowing me to come closer, so I began to cry, knowing that even her mother... She finally gave up.

“Gab... Please talk to me...” Erevell pleaded, begging for me to come closer.

I tried to pretend like I didn’t know what is happening, stating that she needed to take a rest but her answer caught me off guard. It was not what I mean. I want her to take a rest, not to leave forever. I shook my head, before I secretly wiped it off. I knew that she caught me, before she begged for me to hold her hand. I refused to do so, before I felt her cold skin touched mine. I gasped, feeling anxious and afraid for the next few moments to happen.

“I love you... Please don’t cry, Gabriel... Please don’t...”

“I love you too... But Erevell...”

“I’m tired,” she stated. Those words, it completely made us all guilty.

She’s tired, yet she’s been holding on to life because we wanted her to do so. She is begging for us to let her go, so her Mom finally said it. She allowed her sleep. So who am I not to allow her to do as she please?

“It’s time, Gab... Let us allow her to go... Let her go...”

Erevell bid her farewells to her mother, thanking her for everything... While me, my mind was just starting to accept the fact that she will be gone soon... It is now slowly sinking into my mind. I tightened my grip on her hand, before finally, I nodded at her, allowing her to go just like her mother’s.

“Fine... You can stop being selfless now, my love. If you wanted to go, I’m now allowing you... Sorry if I forced you to stay awake... I’m sorry if I’ve been so selfish... Now I’m letting you go... I love you... I love you so much. You gave us a fair fight. Now it’s time for you to take a rest.”

“Thank you... For making me feel loved. For everything. I’m sorry for this Gabriel... I’m sorry if I will have to hurt you this way. Promise me you’re going to continue living...”

“I promise you... I promise you, Erevell.”

After making me promised that, she smiled, as I planted a forehead kiss at the top of her head. That’s when the inevitable thing happened. Only the loud, blaring sound of the machine is all that we can hear. She died... She already left us.

Her mother cried out loud, as well as me. When the doctors came in, it was already too late, and they have to announce her death even though they all know how painful it was for the both of us.

“Time of death, 08:17 pm,” the doctor announced, leaving us all dumbfounded.

“Erevell! Please! Don’t leave us!” her Mom cried out loud.

My shoulders dropped down as my whole body started to tremble so bad. It was now official. Now that she’s already gone, her mother became vulnerable. Now I understand why she acted that way earlier. She acted brave enough to let her go even though she can’t... It was all just a fraud. And she did that for her. She did that to let Erevell rest in peace.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Smith... Your daughter... She is gone. But she gave us a fair fight. She’s a brave woman... My deepest condolences to your family.”

I bit my lower lip, preventing myself to sob out loud. Her mother... Her mother is the one who deserves to weep and cry. The two of them had been through a lot. Yet here I am, barely staying by her side, still crying. Why is that? I wanted to ask myself. Why do I feel like my whole world has been crushed down into pieces? As if she hold my heart? Is that how much I love her? Is that how I badly wanted to be with her?

She’s been my unselfish shelter, my love, my life, my everything. I can’t stand living without her presence, knowing that I can’t never talk to her again... That I can never touch her, tell her stories that I experienced in the past. I can’t bear to do that. Just by thinking of it... Everything feels so wrong. So what’s more now that I have to face it in real life? Now that it was already happening to us?

Her death... It must have been the very painful thing that will ever happen to me. But I have to get up, and fulfill my promise before she left. Because even though she died, our undying love will stay forever in my heart.