Aisling Cuthbert Chapter 2

World War IV breaks out then. (World War III was when I was told that we had to leave our nice house and move to this dump)

“NO!!!” I scream. I kick my school bag at the coffee table, littered with toast crusts and apple juice from breakfast. “Seriously, no way. I am not going to England to live with him. Or them!” Rebecca and Taylor, A.K.A the replacements for mum and me.

“Aisling, I have no option. What are you trying to do? Get expelled from every school in Australia?”

I laugh out loud. “There are hundreds of schools that we haven’t even heard of, mum. Don’t be bloody stupid.”

“Aisling.” Mum sighs. “This is a fresh start. Your last chance. England is a place where no one knows about Aisling Cuthbert. You can start again – be the girl you used to be.”

“I don’t care. England is just some crap-hole where the people are addicted to tea, scones and crinolines. I’m not going. No frieking way!”

There is a knock at the door, and Mr. Delkos, the man from the flat next door steps in. “Is there a problem? I heard an awful lot of crashing and screaming. It woke Hayley.” (Hayley is his two year old daughter). I just stomped off to my room. I flung onto my bed and cried. Tears for Louise, for me, for the life I had.

Only three quarters of an hour later, mum walks into my room and flops onto my bed.

“Aisling, please tell me, why shouldn’t I send you to England?” She asks.

“Because dad has a new wife, you know, Rebecca. She has a daughter from a previous marriage, her name is Taylor. He replaced us, mum. Now he doesn’t talk to us because in a different continent he has the perfect life!” I cry.

“Azz, What about Louise? I know that upset you more than anything,”

I pause. Louise’s story is not something I want to talk about. Two weeks before our fifteenth birthday, we were coming home from having lunch with our aunty Jayne. We were laughing and singing along to the radio, when some drunk driver drove right into the left side of car – were Louise was. She had massive head injuries and was rushed to hospital for life-support. Aunty Jayne had a few bruises and scratches so she was taken to hospital by her husband and given the all-clear. Me? I waited on the side of the road, next to the car, with Louise’s picture fresh in my head. Her Brunette hair drenched in blood, screaming as I faded out... Next thing I knew, I woke with a tube up my nose. The doctor told me I had broken my arm in two places, my leg in one, as well as having a blood transfusion. Mum asked me if I wanted to see Louise. The tears in her eyes, as well as dad and the rest of the family said it all – Lou was going to die. All I could do was nod and allow myself to be lifted into a wheelchair and taken to Louise. When I saw her, I cried. She was swamped in tubes and her face was pale as a sheet, but she looked peaceful. I was told that she was brain-dead and wouldn’t live without the machine. Dad said that they waited until I woke up and said goodbye.

“Could I please have a moment alone?” I asked everyone. The nodded and left the room silently. “So, Lou. I’m sorry that it happened. That I can live and you can’t. That you die so young. All I did was see sparkles and hurt a lot. Louise, you have to let me know that you have gone to a better place, OK?” I asked.

I left my flashback and answered mum. “ It was upsetting. I understand now. I’m sorry for yelling in the car about her but there is a massive hole in my heart and you don’t help me, no one will!”

“Aisling, I’ll tell your dad you’ll be there on Tuesday.”