Life's Last Breath

I have decided to try to write a short novel so here it goes, this is part one...............

Chapter #1

Camille stared at the bright blue sky and wondered if she would make it to tomorrow. A mere six moths ago she was a vision of health and her life seemed perfect. But now her lapse in energy and the darkness that threatened to overtake her is just a reminder of how sick she really is. "Camille, I'm very sorry the treatment isn't working. There isn't anything else that we can do." Camille's eyes filled with tears. She had been through it all before. She had held her mothers hand until her very last breath. "Could this really be happening to me? Who is going to hold my hand? I don't have anybody." Although to the outside world she appeared to have it all, even she is fooled at times by the mask that hides the true sadness and despair of her reality. She never takes it off. No one knows how alone she really is. She has carried the burden of her illness for some time now. It is like her illness is so deep inside that she can not bare to bring a voice to her ongoing sorrow.

Camille lives alone in an old farm house left to her by great grandmother. It was a family treasure for centuries and she always felt at home here. She could remember running through the fields as a little girl and reminiscing now she could almost smell the scent of wild flowers crushing against her wind blown hair. She recalled the beaming smile that was always on Williams face. She spent so many days by his side sharing stories and secrets. She was so grateful for his company as she was so alone without him. William was so dear to her although she loved him so much she regrets never revealing her true feelings to him. He always treated her like a close friend or maybe even a younger sister. But sadly this true friend and only childhood companion was not meant to be a lengthily relationship.

Camille looked around the familiar room for she knew that it would be some time before she would be back. She spent a few moments touching each of her mementos which although had no true monetary value were precious treasures to her. Each one came with its own elaborate story. She wished that someone would be there to care for them in her absence but sadly the old farm house would go vacant for some time even Camille was not sure how long that would be. She wondered slowly downstairs and lingered over the pictures on the fireplace mantel. This old house which she knew was once filled with so much love and laughter had not known such happiness for quite sometime. She closed the door behind her and took one more lingering look back and drove away.

The roads were slippery and the thick fog made for a difficult drive. She was so pensive as streams of thoughts filled her mind and each came with an explosion of its own emotions. Camille found it difficult to focus but she forced herself to concentrate on the road, She would not allow any further distractions as the fear of wrapping her car around a tree was greater than her need to relive her life's experiences. It took every ounce of energy for her to remain in the present and not escape into memories of her past. She tried to occupy her mind first by turning on the car radio and listening to music but each song was like a story of its own and so many of them were intertwined with her own life. She opened the window to try and get some air but it was raining so hard now that she would be drenched in moments. Nothing seemed to be able to keep her attention where it needed to be. She could not allow herself to drift into her thoughts again. Not now, not here. She needed to arrive at her destination unscathed.

She got out of the car and headed towards the door. The lights were so dim and she hesitated before ringing the bell. She waited anxiously for what seemed like such a long time. She could see a shadow through the etched window. It was so dark that she could not make out weather it was a man or a woman. Camille backed away changing her mind about the whole thing when the door opened the voice in the dark said "good evening, you must be Miss Evans, we have been expecting you. Won't you please come in." Camille took another step backwards. She had decided that she was going to turn and leave, getting as far away from this place as possible. As if sensing her hesitation the voice from the darkness spoke again. " I know that you must be nervous, that's understandable but believe me you are in the right place. We are only here to help you in your search and to lead you towards a better future. You have got to trust us." The shadow held out her hand and leaned in closer. Camille could feel her heart beating wildly and she swallowed hard due to the lump in her throat. What should she do? Her life's experiences led her to be suspicious rather than to trust. At this very moment she could not believe that she had even searched for such a place let alone made arrangements to be here. Her head was spinning and every fiber of her being was telling her to run and not look back. She was quickly contemplated her options when she blacked out cold.

When she woke up she was in a dark room. She tried to command her legs to move but they would not. Her hair was strung across her face and she tried to move her hands to brush it out of her eyes but her hands could not move.
"What's happening? Why is my body failing me?" She thought that if she could just concentrate, then she could will herself to just stand up. She closed her eyes and desperately tried to move her arms and legs but despite her efforts she still could not move. Tears began to stream down her face and she started to shiver. Camille did not understand what was happening. She tried to speak but there were no words. She could hear footsteps coming towards the door. Someone walked in. The pale man looked at her and for a moment Camille thought that she recognized him. The light was so dim and strands of her hair were still in front of her eyes blocking her sight so she could not be sure. He reached down and took her arm and injected it with some fluid. The last thing that she remembered was the man saying " Good night Miss Evans, rest, for you will need all of your strength for tomorrow."

Camille slept effortlessly. She wondered if it was due to the injection. She would awake often and have lucid thoughts but only for moments at a time. Her dreams were so vivid, she felt like she was reliving them and for the most part that made her happier then she had been for some time. She dreamt of when she was a little girl about 10 years old. It was the first day of grade 5 and she was taking the school bus back home when someone new caught her eye. He stepped onto the bus and was looking for a place to sit. At first it made her a bit nervous that beside her was the only available spot. He sat next to her and immediately started talking and telling her his life's story. He made his day to day life sound like an adventurous novel. He was kind and funny and confident. She was having so much fun listening that she didn't realize until he got off the bus that she didn't even know his name. He was tall with dishevelled blond hair and beautiful pail blue eyes. His clothes were a bit worn and somehow seemed like they just did not fit him quite right. She was curious as to why that was. She looked forward to seeing him on the bus every day and she was so glad to learn that he was in the same grade as her. Camille and William became great friends. They were inseparable. Camille trusted William and she knew that he would do anything for her. She grew to love him more each day but it was many years before she came to the realization that she was looking at William differently then she had previously. Could he tell that she was falling in love with him? These ongoing thoughts made her nervous and excited at the same time. She would spend countless hours talking to her mother about him and her mother would listen and giggle. She would never tire of Camille's stories and her excitement and happiness for Camille was evident. William spent almost every waking moment with Camille after school and on weekends. Summer vacations were the best times of her life from the time that she was 10 years old. The best part of all was that William seemed to enjoy Camille's company too. Camille's mother was very fond of William. Those years of her life were perfect and her memories were so sweet. But there came a day in Camille's life when she was about 17 years old where things changed and her happy days turned to torturous nightmares. As Camille was contemplated these thoughts she awoke and her eyes were filled with fear as tears ran down her cheeks.