Earlier that night...
After the severe cough attack their mom had, Axel left Diana and their mom after confirming that everything was under control.
For the rest of the day Diana tried busying herself with cleaning the house and fixing torn fabric that could be worn as clothes again to get her mind off the painfilled scene that happened today
She kept track of time while waiting for the next of her mother's medication.
Although it obviously wasn't helping, they all hoped that miracles would happen.
When it was time for her next dose, Diana left whatever it was that she was doing to help feed her mother the medicine
"Time for your medicine mother. I'm sure you'll feel so much better after drinking it." She smiled as if she was awaiting a reply but no reply came to her.
Her voice whistled in the empty room as she exhaled exasperatedly.
" You haven't been awake in hours and haven't eaten in over a day. " She thought deeply as she spoke to the sleeping woman.
" I can't feed you this soup or you might choke on it"
So she decided to feed her mother the soup when she woke up while hoping that she wakes up before the soup got bad.
Time flew and in the blink of an eye, it was time for another does of medicine. She took the bottle of medicine from the table and as usual tried to feed it to her mother but her lips were shut.
She used her right thumb to pull her mother's chin flesh in a manner that parted her lips.
She was about to empty the tube of gold brown liquid in the dropper when her mother's eyes popped open with her eyes looking livid.
Her body looked antsy as it shook as if she couldn't control her muscles.
She had a network of veins bulging around her eyes.
The veins Poppin out in her body made her look like a corpse.
"There's a box beneath the table" She looked desperate as she spelled out everything she wanted to say to Diana.
" what..."
" Get the box!" She yelled and twisted her neck as if she lost control of that part too.
"Mom what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong honey . Just get the box. There's something really important I'd like to show you"
She struggled to point her chin towards the direction of the table they kept their chest on.
Obviously there was a small box beneath the table which she normally touch.
She had been forbidden from doing so right from childhood by her mom.
Even though she had grown and things had changed, she tried to obey the rules set by her mother.
"The box Diana" She groaned as she held unto Diana's hands in a grip that's too tight for a sick woman.
In fact that grip was too tight for a healthy person.
Diana looked shocked by the strength of her mother's grip on her hands.
She peeled her hand of her mother's grip and saw the fingerprints that made her skin red.
" But you had told me not to touch the box."
"I said not to touch it because it wasn't time for you to know it's contents.Now is the time Ana. Get me the box" She grunted as she tried to gain control of her shuddering muscles.
Diana reached walked to the table with her eyes on her mother who was acting abnormally energetic after being weak and bedridden for weeks.
She got on her knees and searched underneath the table with her hands for the box.
When she touched the cold metal vessel with her hands, she grabbed it and pulled it out.
The box was a dark grey cube with sides that were cut with great precision.A palm print was visibly indented at the top of the cube.
She brought it to the bed and waited for her mother's next command.
"Give it to me" She spoke as she got off the bed in a sitting position, her movements looking jittery.
"Ok..." Her mother's behavior was starting to scare her but she tried to conceal her fear.She should he happy that her mother was up and able to engage in a conversation for so long but she knew something was wrong.
Her mother collected the box. Her messy brown hair coupled with her hollow cheeks and terrifying eyes made her look like the corpse of a lunatic.
She placed her right hand on the palm print and immediately a click sound was heard, a sign that the box was unlocked.
She watched her other try to pull the box open but before she did her shaky hands let go of it as they shook harder and blood dripped from the corners of her mouth.
"Mom!" She yelled as she tried to hold her mother's frail body that was about to collapse.
" No no no." She repeated the words as her mother convulsed uncontrollably.
Blood splurged out of her lips unto her face as she shook in the girls arms.
" Mom! Mom!" Diana was in tears as she tried to contain the situation. She tried to reach for the jug which contained a yellowish water by the bed, specifically reserved for their mother but pushed it down instead causing the contents to spill the on the floor
"Axel! Axel! Someone help! Help me!"She yelled desperately but no one came.
When she felt her mother's body go limp and cold she knew it was over.
" Mom! wake up! Please" She pleaded as she shook her mother's body.
"please wake up." Tears fell on her freckled cheeks as she tried to shake the cold body awake.
"No! " She yelled and broke down in sobs as she hugged the body and rocked back and forth.
Still stuck in her grief, her eyes moved to the box which lay on the floor.
Her mother was eager to show her the contents of the box.
She let go of the body and reached for the box.
After prying it open, all she saw was an ordinary piece of paper.