I lie still on my deathbed. I was now sure that with each falling leaf of this vine I watched, my odds of survival were also decaying. It wasn’t like me to be this hopeless. This pathetic, but the doctor himself had said it. I had what he and the villagers referred to as pneumonia. A disease that rarely left it’s victims unscathed. So, now, here I lie, counting down until my inevitable demise.
“Twelve. Eleven. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven.” I muttered, smelling broth in the air. I felt my partner’s gaze etching into my back. Sue was watching me curiously. I could see her reflection in the frosty window in which I was staring. Sue shivered and spoke up.
“What is it, dear?” However, I ignored her and continued counting down, awaiting my release from …show more content…
On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too. I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?” I replied, glancing down at my ghostly pale and white skin. This disease had taken my once lustrous and beautiful body’s charm and replaced with a bony, cold, and dead appearance which I wore now. Sue …show more content…
And you used to love that vine so, you naughty girl. Don't be a goosey. Why the doctor told me this morning that your chances for getting well real soon were — let's see exactly what he said — he said the chances were ten to one! Why, that's almost as good a chance as we have in New York when we ride on the street cars or walk past a new building. Try to take some broth now, and let Sudie go back to her drawing, so she can sell the editor man with it, and buy port wine for her sick child, and pork chops for her greedy self.” Sue retorted, frowning down at me. I softly chuckled.
“You needn’t get any more wine.” I coldly muttered, watching a leaf fall. “There goes another. No, I don't want any broth. That leaves just four. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I'll go, too.”
At this, Sue leaned over me, in a motherly fashion.
“Johnsy, dear...will you promise me to keep your eyes closed, and not look out the window until I am done working? I must hand those drawings in by tomorrow. I need the light, or I would draw the shade down.”
“Couldn’t you draw in the other room?” I asked icily.
“I'd rather be here by you,” She replied lovingly, sending a pang through my heart. Despite all the time we’d spent together, it was still odd for me to adjust to having someone who cared about me so much. “Besides, I don't want you to keep looking at those silly ivy leaves.” She finished.
“Twelve. Eleven. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven.” I muttered, smelling broth in the air. I felt my partner’s gaze etching into my back. Sue was watching me curiously. I could see her reflection in the frosty window in which I was staring. Sue shivered and spoke up.
“What is it, dear?” However, I ignored her and continued counting down, awaiting my release from …show more content…
On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too. I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?” I replied, glancing down at my ghostly pale and white skin. This disease had taken my once lustrous and beautiful body’s charm and replaced with a bony, cold, and dead appearance which I wore now. Sue …show more content…
And you used to love that vine so, you naughty girl. Don't be a goosey. Why the doctor told me this morning that your chances for getting well real soon were — let's see exactly what he said — he said the chances were ten to one! Why, that's almost as good a chance as we have in New York when we ride on the street cars or walk past a new building. Try to take some broth now, and let Sudie go back to her drawing, so she can sell the editor man with it, and buy port wine for her sick child, and pork chops for her greedy self.” Sue retorted, frowning down at me. I softly chuckled.
“You needn’t get any more wine.” I coldly muttered, watching a leaf fall. “There goes another. No, I don't want any broth. That leaves just four. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I'll go, too.”
At this, Sue leaned over me, in a motherly fashion.
“Johnsy, dear...will you promise me to keep your eyes closed, and not look out the window until I am done working? I must hand those drawings in by tomorrow. I need the light, or I would draw the shade down.”
“Couldn’t you draw in the other room?” I asked icily.
“I'd rather be here by you,” She replied lovingly, sending a pang through my heart. Despite all the time we’d spent together, it was still odd for me to adjust to having someone who cared about me so much. “Besides, I don't want you to keep looking at those silly ivy leaves.” She finished.