Save Me.

"What's it like?"

Oliver's voice was soft and calm. He sat moitionless in his chair: hands clasped in his lap, head bowed, staring at the floor, like a scorned child in church. The room was cold, the hair on his arms standing on end.

"Static"

Turning his head slowly towards the voice, frowning a little, not completly understanding the answer he had received.

"What does it feel like?"

What he had caused. He was determined to find an answer. To grasp anything to understand.
Stricken by guilt he could feel his life crumbling around him. Crashing down.

"Lonely"

Nothing was said for a while. Everything in the room was still. Quiet. A faint rythmic beeping forcing its way into Olivers thoughts the only disruption.

Oliver felt sick to his stomach. No one knew where he was. He wouldnt have been aloud if he had said. No one believed him any more. He hadn't spoken to any of his friends or family. Why would they have wanted to hear anything he had to say. Even he didn't want to know his excuses. He was a coward. Plain and simple.

"Where did we go so wrong, that we couldn't see that we lost control?"

A question he would never know the answer to.

Nothing had gone to plan. Everything had got complicated and messy. Situations he had obseverd growing up, vowing he would never end up like his peers. He never had. Somehow it had gone worse. Worse than anything he could have imagined. The start of the year he had had the world in the palm of his hand, the rest of his life planned out and in control.

Now, nothing.

Standing suddenly, the metal chair legs screeching acoss the hard flooring with the shift in weight, Oliver paniked. Not knowing what to do, he stood still, the chair crashing to the floor behind him.
Hyperventilating, his body shock. Mind racing he struggled for breath.

*****

"I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't wake up"

Sue Searle forrowed at her sons words. He was no longer the little boy she had raised into a charismatic young man.

Dan was never the one that was worried about. As soon as he was able to walk and talk his parents knew he was going to turn out fine with little help. One of those people that life seemed to warm to.

Tom on the other hand was differnet. His mother worried constantly. He was missing that air of self assurance that his brother posessed. It was always in the back of her mind that he would eventually get left behind.

"You know Georgia sweetie. She'll be up and have you all back to your overprotective ways in no time" Even she never believed the confident words to leave her mouth.

Tom looked to his mother doubtfully. As much as it broke his heart, as the weeks dragged on his faith in Georgia waking up was fading. He would visit her as often as he could. If no one forced him to leave the hospital to go home and rest, he never would. But things were starting to look hopeless.

"The doctor said yesterday that even if she does wake up theres a huge chance she wont remeber anthing. She'd have to learn to do everything again. Make new memories. Like a baby. She might not remeber her family."

Sue watched her youngest carefully, patiently waiting for him to make any sort of movement. He never did. Just sat staring at the framed photos aligned neatly on his desk.
Slowly she made her way over to him, sitting by his side on his bed, taking a gentle hold of his hand. At her touch, he focused his attetion to her aged face. His eyes bloodshot and desperate.

"What if she's not my Georgia anymore?"

*****

Lydia Carter smiled half heartedly at the sight which was before her when she entered her kitchen. Sam and Ali were busying themselfs at the stove, maraculously managing not to burn any of the wonderful smelling pancakes they were making, while Dan washed up at the sink, his attention focused on something going on in the back garden.

Lydia's heart swelt in her cheast at the familiar bussel of noise and movement in her house. Recently the building had become just that; a building. No longer had the rooms come alive with music or bosturos conversation. Something was missing. Even the old walls knew that.

"Mum?" Sams intrusive voice brought her from her daze. "You alright?"

"Of course" she said quietly. Through blurred eyes and trembling lip< she smile at the three boys who were now eyeing her carefully. "Just shocked to see you cooking without..."

The atmoshpere changed at the unfinshed sentence. It's written over each of their faces, yet no one acknowledges it.

"Grab a seat" Sam motions to the dining table that had ben layed out for five people. A glass vase of dasiys sat perfectly in the center. Lydia's breath stopped at the sight, her heart couldnt take much more. Her angel missing but ever prescent.

"I didn't realise your father was coming back so early" Lydia spoke softly as she took a seat at the table. Her husband had left that morning for the hospital and still not returned.

"He's not" Sam mummbled as he and Ali made their way to the table, each laden down with plates full of food.

Each took their seat at the table, fillin their plates with food as they made queit conversation. Dan disappeared outside only to return moments later, face sullen and sighing heavely.

"Where's Tom?" Sam asked watching Dans stalking motion towards them. Dans heavy gaze met his own before he sat down, dissmissing the question. "He can't sulk forever" Snapping, throwing down his fork only to have his mother chastise him.

"We're alll in the same stupid boat, why should he get to act like a dick when the rest of have to be.."

"Sam!" It was the first time since the accident that any of the boys had herad the older woman raise her voice. They had grown used to it over the years, the Carter children always cause chaos, but recently it had become a rare occurance.

The house phone shrill ring stopped any further argument. Lydia removed herself from the table to answer the phone, leaving the boys to sit quietly.Their attetion quickly became drawn to the patio doors when Tom trugged his way in. His bloodshot eyes made their way around each of his friends faces a forced smile offering a silent apologie.

Before Sam had a chance to stand and scream every obsanity and profanity that was racing through his mind., his hands were shaking, leg twiching, foot bouncing of the wooden floor, Lydia stumbled back into the room, breathing heavy as sobs wraked her small body.

Never had any of them moved as quickly as they had in that moment, each were on their feet and halfway across teh kitchen before the phone and fallen from her hand and clattered against the floor.

No one could speak, breath, even think. The worst was assumed. That was the only thing going on in any of their minds. Nothing was ever goin to be the same.

"Georgia's awake"