Another short story...this one quite possibly WEIRD.

I stare at the mirror, wondering if my lipgloss is OK. I shouldn't have bought it, it's too bright...
My mobile rings. "Hello?"
"Jasmine---is that you?!"
It's Mum---and she sounds seriously worried. I sigh. "Yeah, it's my phone, who else would it be?"
I expect her to start going on about not giving her cheek, but...
"Jasmine, come quickly. We're at the hospital, Sinead has just been in a car crash..."
And she suddenly bursts into tears. "Mum?! D-don't worry, OK? It'll be OK...right?"
My voice is hesitant.
Her voice breaks.
"They don't know, Jasmine. She's in a coma and the doctors said..."
Fresh sobbing.
"Don't worry, I'll be there, OK?"
She doesn't answer, just sobs one last time and hangs up.
I feel brief annoyance, but then check myself. For gods sake, Sinead's in a coma! What do I expect?
But I can't help it.
I try to find my bag, but then realise it doesn't matter. I just need to get to my sister!
Sinead...
And slowly tears run down my face, and I collapse in a heap beside the sink. Why am I an hours drive from the hospital? Why? Why did I decide to go to stupid drama camp? We live right next to the hospital, I could be there now...
I rub my hand against my eyes, I need to stop and just get to my younger sister!
And then I'm running out of the bathroom, running to Julia's office. I reach it, and pund on the door, out of breath and sobbing. "Jasmine, just what---" she breaks off when she sees me. "What's wrong?" she asks, her voice hesitant.
"My---sister, she's in a accident---she needs, hospital right now, can you take me?"
I say fast, but somehow she manages to understand me, putting her arm around me and yelling to someone to look after things, she's going to the hopital. She leads me into the backseat of a range rover, and by now I'm numb, just thinking about Sinead.
What's wrong with her?
A coma?
How serious?
It can't be that bad! It just can't!
More tears run down my face.
She's my younger sister, and she's always hated the fact I got more attention. She won a certificate for acting, the very day I got the lead in the school play.
She was so happy when she got on the tennis team, but Mum couldn't go to her first match because I was in a tennis tournament.
Countless other stories.
Why did I do it?
Why couldn't I have let her shine, just once?
Why?
I cram my fist into my mouth, sobbing and sobbing. Julia is saying something, but I don't listen.
How did she get into an accident?
Was she in Mum's car?
Was she crossing the street?
Was she riding her bike on the motorway?
There's so many ways it could have happened, but why?
She never once got a chance to shine. Never once had a chance to be congratulated. She never smiled as she took an award, knowing her family were there, proud.
But she was always so nice about it.
She never lived, and my little sister...
Three years...
Why?
Oh, god, why?
Couldn't I have been the once to die?
My life has been happy, I've had so many chances, but Sinead never had any.
Why?
She's never had a life, while I have.
It's so unfair.
God, why couldn't have been me?
Couldn't you kill me?
But she's not dead, I remind myself.
But I know, I jsut know somehow that she is.
Kill me. Just let her live. Kill me instead of her, please...
If there's anyone listening?
Suddenly my head jerks back, I hear Julia scream. The car turns over I turn over pain I'm stuck in the seat belt my legs fly up...
Somewhere I hear someone screaming at me to take off the seat belt and I dimly obey.
The car turns over once more I go towards the glass I grab something anything, because I know if I go through the glass it's all over...
I grab the seat the car jolts again it's all over I fly through the class I hear something snap my neck hurts everything hurts...
I land on the ground I hear someone beside me some screaming for an ambulance I hear a siren everything hurts make the pain go away...
Maybe if I go to sleep the pain will go away yes that's right I close my eyes let the black envelope me...



In a hospital bed a girl opens her eyes.