Aubrey's hands slammed down against Lila's chest again and again, her palms slipping slightly against blood and sweat as panic made her movements uneven.
"Shit…shit…shit," she muttered under her breath, voice cracking as she tried to find a rhythm that made sense.
Nothing about it felt right.
She did not know where to press, how hard to push, or how fast to go. She only knew that stopping felt worse than doing it wrong.
"Come on," she said, louder now, her breath shaking. "Come on, Lily…don't do this."
The name slipped out without thought.
Behind her, Isabella's brows furrowed.
Lily?
She stood still, arms at her sides, watching Aubrey lean over Lila's body like she could force life back into her through sheer effort. The sound of palms hitting flesh echoed in the room, mixing with distant crying and murmurs from the others.
Aubrey kept going.
Her shoulders strained. Her arms trembled.
She did not stop.
"Isabella!"
The sharpness in Aubrey's voice snapped her out of it.
