C4 THE ACCIDENT

Annette's abrupt awakening was accompanied by a racing heart, a lingering effect of the nightmare that had gripped her during sleep.

Shaking off the remnants of the unsettling dream, she gradually acclimated to the soft morning light filtering into the room. Raising her arms above her head, she stretched in an attempt to dispel the residual unease.

The wristwatch resting on the nightstand caught her attention, and a glance revealed that it was already 8 AM. Memories from the previous day surged back, the tension-filled confrontation with Jane at the forefront of her mind.

Annette winced as the memory replayed, a throbbing ache forming between her brows. Another headache was starting to take hold, a predictable response to the stress.

With a heavy sigh, Annette reached for her phone, her intention to call Jane and apologize for her rude behavior the day before. Regret filled her as she scrolled through her phone, noticing the absence of any message or call from Jane. She hesitated, wondering if Jane would even answer her call after the way she had treated her.

As Annette was about to dial Jane's number, when a piercing scream cut through the air, causing her heart to race with pure fear. The voice was unmistakably her sister Cassie's. Panic surged through her veins as she bolted out of bed and raced towards the source of the scream – the kitchen. With each step, thoughts of worry and fear flooded her mind.

Annette's eyes widened in shock as she reached the top of the stairs and saw her sister Cassie lying unconscious at the bottom. Fear gripping her, Annette hurried down the stairs. Questions raced through her mind. How did Cassie fall? Could it have been her sleepwalking?

Annette knelt beside Cassie, her heart aching as she noticed a trickle of blood from a gash on her sister's forehead. Beside her, a shattered vase lay in pieces, likely having fallen during the accident. Annette's hands flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Cassie! Oh no, Cassie!" Annette cried, her voice trembling as she gently shook her sister, hoping to rouse her. The tremors of anxiety intensified as she worriedly looked for any sign of response from Cassie.

Annette frantically searched for her sister's pulse on her neck, her hands trembling and blood-stained. Despite her shaky hands, she managed to fumble with her phone, attempting to dial 911. After a few seconds of struggle, she finally dialed the emergency number.

"Hello, 911. How may I help you?" the voice on the other end asked. Annette, taking a deep breath to steady herself, found her voice.

"Please, I need an ambulance! My sister fell down the stairs, she's unconscious and bleeding from her head. You have to hurry!" Annette's voice trembled with desperation.

"Calm down, miss. May I have your address?" the operator inquired, and Annette quickly provided the information. "An ambulance will be with you soon. Don't let your sister fall asleep."

"Okay, I will try to keep her awake," Annette replied before the call ended. She cradled her sister Cassie's head in her lap, urging her to stay conscious. Her heart raced as she gazed down at her injured sibling, feeling helpless and terrified while waiting for the ambulance.

Minutes later, the distant wail of sirens grew louder, bringing a glimmer of hope to Annette's chest. She prayed that the paramedics would arrive in time to save Cassie's life. Amid her worry, Annette couldn't shake the thought that something might have triggered Cassie's sleepwalking again, a memory from when their parents had passed away.

The sound of wailing sirens drew closer, and relief washed over Annette as the ambulance arrived at the scene.

Paramedics rushed into their apartment, their professional demeanor calming Annette's frantic heart.

They quickly assessed Cassie's condition, stabilizing her neck and carefully lifting her onto a stretcher.

Annette watched with a mixture of anxiety and gratitude as the paramedics worked efficiently to tend to Cassie. They checked her vitals, applied bandages to her head wound, and administered oxygen to ensure her breathing remained steady. Annette followed closely, explaining what had happened as best she could while fighting back tears.

With Cassie secured on the stretcher, the paramedics loaded her into the ambulance, and Annette climbed in beside her. The vehicle's interior was a whirlwind of activity, but the medical team's competence reassured Annette. She held onto Cassie's hand, whispering encouragement, as the ambulance sped towards the hospital.

Upon arrival at the emergency department, Cassie was swiftly transferred from the ambulance to a hospital bed. Annette remained by her sister's side as doctors and nurses continued the assessment. They conducted scans to check for any internal injuries and stitched up the wound on Cassie's head. Annette felt a sense of gratitude for the medical professionals working diligently to care for her sister.

As Cassie's condition stabilized, Annette had a moment to catch her breath but her moment of relief was crushed when the doctor told her Cassie needed surgery because she had a brain bleed which could be fatal if not attended to properly before the price of the surgery was not covered by their insurance.

As the doctor walked away Annette fell to the chair in the waiting room and she cried into her hands, Why did this happen now? Where was she going to get the money from? They barely had enough to feed and pay the bills. So many questions stormed her head, and she was terrified that her sister would die if she didn't have this surgery and Annette would rather die than allow anything happen to her little sister.

Annette's mind raced as she staggered towards her sister's room, overwhelmed by fear and worry. Physically and mentally drained, she felt like she had exhausted all her options and was desperate for some sort of miracle.

"I really need a miracle right now," Annette muttered to herself, reaching her sister's room.

"I need to text Jane," she whispered as she sent the message, hoping Jane would respond soon.

Despite their recent fight, she knew she had to contact her best friend Jane for support.

Lost in her thoughts once again, Annette was jolted back to reality when the nurse entered the room, checking up on Cassie for the third time that day.

Annette watched as the nurse tended to her sister, monitoring her temperature and other vital signs. Feeling a mix of frustration and anxiety, Annette couldn't help but find the nurse's silence irritating. However, her focus quickly shifted back to her sister's condition and the weight of her concerns.

The door swung open, revealing Jane as she entered the room and went to Cassie's bedside. She held Cassie's hands in her own, paying no attention to Annette. Gently examining the injury on Cassie's forehead, Jane shook her head sadly.

"What happened to her?" Jane's gaze turned angrily towards Annette.

"I don't know. I was just waking up when I heard her scream. I found her unconscious at the foot of the stairs," Annette explained.

Jane leaned in, whispering softly to Cassie, "What happened, little one?" She planted a kiss on Cassie's forehead before shifting her attention back to Annette.

"What time was it?" Jane inquired as she settled into a chair beside Cassie's bed.

"About 6, I guess," Annette replied, verifying the time on her phone. "Yeah, it was six."

"Hmm," Jane mumbled, her gaze lingering on Cassie with a sorrowful expression. Annette understood that Jane was hurting, but she was trying to stay strong.

"Jane, talk to me, please," Annette pleaded, her eyes fixed on her best friend.

"I'm still mad at you, but Cassie is more important right now. So tell me, what did the doctor say?" Jane turned towards Annette. "Will she be alright?"

Annette sighed in frustration, holding back tears that threatened to escape. "He said she needs $10,000 for surgery because she had a brain bleed from the fall," Annette managed to say, her voice catching.

Her shoulders slumped. "But where am I supposed to get that kind of money you pay for the surgery, Jane? Everything just keeps getting worse every day." Tears welled up in her eyes once again.

Jane's heart ached for her distressed friend, so she enveloped Annette in a comforting hug, murmuring soothing words until her tension ebbed. "We'll figure things out, Annette," Jane assured, breaking away gently from her tear-streaked face. It was difficult to stay upset with Annette's evident distress.

Annette's voice wavered as she spoke, capturing Jane's attention. "Jane, I never meant to hurt you last night. I'm truly sorry."

Jane's empathy prevailed as she responded, "I understand, and I'm sorry too."

Annette's expression grew serious, her eyes searching Jane's for any sign of resistance to what she was about to propose. "Jane, even though you're against it, we have no other option but to save Cassie. I need to accept the CEO's offer."

Jane's eyes met Annette's, her reluctance palpable. "I know, even though I hate the idea, we're backed into a corner. We can deal with the aftermath later."

Resolute, Annette nodded, her gaze lingering on Cassie. "Alright, I'll give him a call."

Minutes later, Annette returned with an inscrutable look on her face. Jane couldn't help but ask, "What did he say?"

Annette's voice was measured as she relayed the CEO's response. "He wants me to meet him in person."

"Go, I'll stay with Cassie."

"Thank you, Jane. I'll be back soon," Annette said, embracing Jane briefly before placing a tender kiss on Cassie's forehead. She left the hospital, heading to the CEO's residence, ready to accept the uncertain path that lay ahead.