To Elle, it seemed that every time she was healed, something new would tear her heart back in two. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
“Why…” was all she could manage to say under her heavy breath, trying desperately to hold back tears.

The rain began to fall harder as Elle stood just outside the hospital, trying to sever her hurting soul from her imprisoning body.

Her mother finally came out, her eyes swelled and her cheeks red from constantly wiping the waterfall of tears from her face.
“Want to see him before we go…?” she asked Elle.
Elle didn’t want to hear anything. She just wanted to be completely alone.
“Yea…” she answered, feeling as though she hadn’t said anything.

She followed her mother down the hallway of the hospital, feeling more and more light-headed with each step. When her mother stopped at their room, Elle nearly blacked out, but was saved by the cool tough of her mother’s hand.
“Let’s go…” she breathed to Elle.