FRANKENSTEIN
43 | If I Die Young.

FOR Jolene Emery Carson, life was a complete oddball. From the second she opened her eyes spirits had gathered around her. She was a medium, someone who could help them pass from this life to the next. In the eyes of the dead, Jolene was considered something of a savior to them. They held high hopes for her, as she was one in three mediums worldwide. She was far more powerful than the other two.

Jolene was the youngest of the Carson sibling's, making her the 'baby' of the family. Naturally everyone was protective of her because of this reason. Jolene was a free-spirit by heart. She had chameleon soul, and was driven by ambition to help as many people as she could. She dreamed of traveling the world, that was the only thing she was sure of in her life.

Jolene was always an unusual girl, she had no fixed personality - her father swore that she changed every month. Every week she had a different favorite color, a different view of the world, and a different vision on what she thought about life. Sometimes, she swore life was a gift, while other's she would claim it to be a curse. A punishment from God.

Unlike most of her family she was not stubborn, quite the opposite. Her heart was too big, as Patrick would always tell her - she always seemed to see the good in people. Judgment never clouded her gaze, and her words were soft and loving. She almost seemed incapable of saying 'no', to strangers. Though, when it came down to her siblings, all she ever seemed to say was 'no'.

When Jolene died, it absolutely destroyed her family. First, they had lost their Maverick - to HYDRA. Then, their youngest member was taken away by the arms of death. Anthony never could forgive himself for sending her away, and he could never forgive his brother for what happened. This is the story of the birth and death of Jolene Carson.

~

Anthony bounced on his feet, nervousness etching his features. He scoffed at the idea of being nervous, he had already been in this situation three times prior. What was a fourth time?

'Everything.' An inner voice whispered in his mind.

That was true, this was everything to both Michelle and Anthony Carson. As far as they were concerned this would be their last child. They wanted to get everything right, like they had for the last three.

Currently Anthony's brother was out in the waiting room, watching Anthony's three children. Donica; who was six, Hadlee; the sassy-four-year old, and Maverick; the two-year old. Anthony paced the room, chewing his fingernails as his wife yelled.

"Get over here, Anthony!" Michelle whimpered, in between screams.

Anthony was over comforting his wife in seconds, soothingly rubbing her arms as she gave birth. Michelle took a breath, pausing as she panted. Sweat glistened her body, and her hospital gown stuck to her.

"One last push, the baby's almost here." The nurse informed Michelle, comfortingly.

"Come on, Shelly. This is the last time, no more babies after this one." Anthony joked, making his wife laugh through her pain.

That was what Michelle loved best about Anthony, he knew how to make her laugh even in the worst of times. With a final breath, Michelle clamped her eyes shut, yells of pain emitting from her.

Suddenly, baby cries replaced Michelle's pained screams. She opened her eyes, only to see the nurse standing with a tiny baby in her gloved hands.

"It's a girl." The nurse said, looking at the parents with a smile.

Both parents wanted the gender to be a surprise for their last child. Michelle brought her hand to her mouth, muffling a sob of happiness. Anthony looked at his last daughter with wide, awestruck eyes. His lips twisted into a beaming smile, as he proudly gaze at his infant.

"She's so tiny." Michelle cried, happiness engulfing her.

The nurse slowly rocked the baby, as she walked to the other side of the room - cleaning her up. The nurse smiled gently at the crying baby as she quickly wiped away any blood. She was fast at putting a diaper and clothing on her, and quickly ended it by wrapping her up in a pink blanket.

"Here she is." The nurse handed Michelle the baby.

Michelle took her happily, smiling as tears of joys fell down her cheeks. She sniffled while gazing over her baby. Anthony looked at his newest daughter with a soft smile.

"Hi, baby. I'm you mommy, and that goofball is you daddy." Michelle whispered gently, pulling the baby close to her.

Anthony chuckled, placing a kiss to the infant's forehead. Both parent's silently wondered if she had a mutant gene. As when Donica was born, she turned her her hair blue, Hadlee had managed to freeze a glass of water, and Maverick kept shocking them. So far, this baby had shown no sign of possessing a mutation. But then again, she was only two minutes old.

"Does she have a name yet?" The nurse questioned the parents, who looked to each other.

"It's your turn, I chose Maverick's first name." Anthony smiled to his wife.

Michelle smiled back, already having a name picked out. Her new baby's eyes shone a luminescent bright green, her hair would no doubt turn out to be red alike to her sister's, and her skin was an ivory color.

"Jolene has always been my favorite song." Michelle looked at husband hopefully.

"Jolene." He tested the name with a large smile. "Jolene Emery Carson." He picked out her middle name unconsciously and smiled approvingly.

"I love it." Michelle said, smiling at the baby.

"Hi Jolene." Anthony whispered, taking the the newborn from his wife.

The baby's crying ceased and she only looked to her father with curious eyes. Anthony chuckled at this, loving her green eyes. A few seconds later, Patrick walked in holding Maverick in his arms. Hadlee held his hand, and Donica walked beside the two.

"Children, meet you sister. Jolene." Anthony said, passing the baby back to his wife.

Patrick handed Maverick over to Anthony, looking at the baby in Michelle's arms, with a smile. Each child looked at the their newest sister, curiously. They already loved her.

It was later that evening when Jolene was sleeping soundlessly in the crib across from her mother. Michelle slept in her bed, Hadlee and Donica lying next to her - cuddled into her sides. Anthony slept on the chair next to the bed, holding Maverick tightly. It had to have been around three A.M., when Jolene randomly awoke.

Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, except Jolene herself - seven people stood around her. Some were in hospital gowns, others in fashions that looked to be from completely different eras, and one man even stood with only his underwear.

"Oh, look at our young savior - isn't she just adorable." A few woman gushed over the adorable looking baby.

"Eh, I ain't know, she look young to be a 'savior'." The man in his underwear stroked his beard thoughtfully - looking at the baby.

A woman who was wearing a bonnet, and looked to be from the 1800's, slapped his shoulder. "Don't talk like that." She scowled. "She is far too powerful, trust me she will be the best medium yet." The woman was sure of herself.

The spirits all stood around her cooing, and giving compliments. The baby gurgled in response causing a chorus of aww's to go around. Jolene loved the company she was receiving. Anthony awoke looking at his baby in confusion, when he noticed her gurgling form, focused onto something that wasn't there. He only shook his head going back to sleep, no clue at the fate which that little baby held.

~

Jolene sat in the guest room of her uncle's house. She didn't understand why her father insisted on her coming here. She was going to be sad either way. In her opinion it didn't matter where she was, sadness was sadness.

Silently she sat looked out the window, and into the setting sun. Her uncle was far to absorbed in doing the finishing touches of the Venitilium serum to come check on her. Not that she minded, she was enjoying the quiet for once. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate her family, but sometimes it was better to just be left alone to think.

She was not selfish as to think she was the only one hurting. She knew her entire family was grieving, and worrying about Maverick. However, a heavy ounce of guilt lay upon her shoulders. She should have done something more, anything more. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the shadow approaching her.

A muffled scream escaped her, as a large hand was placed over her mouth. The larger body forcefully pushed her into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He turned around, only to have his figure hidden behind a cloak. She knew for a fact that this was one of HYDRA's assassin's.

Jolene attempted to defend herself, she really did. Her fighting was clean, yet this assassin's strength outweighed her by the dozen. In any normal situation she would have used one of her medium talent's, yet she felt that she deserved death. If she could just sit by, and allow her brother to sacrifice himself for her, than she deserved to die.

She put up no fight as he filled the bathtub, and dunked her head under. However, as soon as she went under - reality struck. Her brother, sacrificed himself for her, and here she was not even a week later about to die. Her brother's kidnapping would be a waste, and therefore pointless. Besides, did she really want to die. Not even to mention the devastation this would put her family through. It would downright shatter them.

And so, Jolene began struggling fighting to be lifted from the water. For a split second she was able to get up, and breathe. In that second she yelled for her uncle. However, the man used her small form to his advantage and pushed her back under. Patrick Carson heard this, but only shook his head. He thought she was only having a fit, maybe another nightmare.

He was so close to finishing, he's check on her in a second. Jolene struggled against the man's hold, as memories of her life flashed before her eyes.

Donica trying to comfort her.

Her mother panicking over Donica, breaking an arm.

Hadlee playing 'dress up' with her.

Her father rocking out to AC/DC, in his metal suit.

Maverick questioning her virginity.

A multitude of memories flashed before Jolene as she tried to pull away from the tub. This only seemed to make her more tired, and soon she was giving into the exhaustion. Death couldn't be that bad, right?

Light footsteps sounded outside the door, and the assassin looked up frantically. Quickly, he jumped through the window, leaving Jolene's head face down in the tub. She was nearly dead anyway, there was no way she'd be alive for another five minutes. Patrick sighed opening the door, and toppled over screaming at the horrific sight.

He pulled Jolene from the tub, and called 911. He attempted to give her CPR, but nothing seemed to work. He would never be able to forgive himself, if his niece died while under his watch. He knew there was no way she'd survive this, so he made a plan.

He serum was practically complete, only a few more hours and it'd be perfection. At that moment Patrick made a life-changing decision. He stopped attempting to save her life, and allowed her to die before his eyes. She wouldn't be dead long though, if everything went accordingly, than he would be having a full conversation with her in a week's time.

And so, in that moment Jolene Emery Carson died at seventeen years old. It was peaceful, she saw Death appear in all his glory and carry her away from this world and onto the next. She had met Death before, as he was always curious of her abilities. It saddened him to see her go so suddenly, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Jolene allowed herself to be sucked into a world a peaceful darkness, with a faint light at the end of the tunnel. She had never felt more tranquil. One last vision of her holding her favorite weapon, a katana and turning her head to look at her brother passed. Then, she ran into the darkness.