I Just Had to Lick the Cookie, Didn't I?
Hospital Beds
I did not choose him, he did not choose me;
we've got no chance of recovery;
Joy and hospital; joy and misery
Milo tugged me gently into the room. I stood baffled for a few seconds before he released my hand. My head whipped around to watch him as he walked to the back of the room, as far away as possible. The longer I refrained from seeing her, the better. After all, it has been a year.
"Annie?" a crackly voice asked. Tears already filled my eyes as I followed the floor patterns to the bed. From my distance close to the door I slowly lifted my gaze to the figure covered in pink blankets. "Annie, is that you?" I nodded.
My sister lay trapped in that bed. It's been a year now, and it's entirely my fault. Her small fragile body is gaunt and pale. Her honey eyes aren't as vibrant as they once were. Her perfect lips are cracked and blue. Faith is broken, because of me.
"Why didn't you visit with mommy and daddy?" How do I respond to that? What am I supposed to say?
The room remained silent for a while. In my daze I glanced helplessly around the room. Milo watched the world out the window: gloomy, grey, and, since moments ago, rainy; a day that looks the way I feel inside.
My hopelessness and helpless glances eventually landed on Faith, and after a few moments of staring through burning, blurry eyes, I spoke, at last.
"Do you re- re- remember?" I choked, averting my gaze and wiping my eyes on my sleeve. I heard her move, but when she realized I hadn't seen, she replied.
"Yes," she murmured, almost silently. That confirmation, the proof of my wrong doing... The verification killed me inside. Everything that had already been eating me alive grew worse.
All I ever wanted, the one thing I truly hoped for, was a chance to say 'sorry'. An opportunity to apologize; a chance to be forgiven, but now, once I've seen her, I know that that is the last thing I deserve.
"I forgive you," she croaked. Tears raced down my cheeks even more. They even flew to the ground as I shook my head. How she knew what I wanted would forever be a mystery; but forgiveness, I am saddened to say, I am not worthy of.
Faith coughed and I glanced up at her. She smiled meekly before cuddling in the blankets and closing her eyes. Her breathing became less labored as I watched her. She looked just like our parents. Both of them.
I felt Milo's presence behind me and turned to face him. He smiled warmly at me.
"I'm proud," he whispered. Already, Milo was like a friend to me. We've known each other for mere days, but I feel comforted with him. To make him proud of me was an accomplishment.
"I want to go home now," I said softly. He grabbed my hand and started to lead me out of the room. The door was measly steps away, but we both stopped dead. A change in our surroundings made my heart race: the heart monitor just flat lined.
Seconds later the door flew open and four or so people came flooding in. They ran to Faith's side and attempted to revive her. Milo gripped my shoulders and had his back against the wall. I blankly stared in the direction of the chaos, not paying close attention. Moments after a tall man wiped his forehead.
"Time of death," he sighed, "ten thirteen." I cringed as the medical staff exited the room. Not only for my sister's death, but for the time. The irony was not particularly entertaining.
"Excuse me, are you the family?" A doctor asked. I am far too distant to answer.
"She's the sister," Milo replied, wrapping his arms around me in a hug from behind. I am stiff and dead once more...
My head fell forward and my legs gave way. I became a loose object, dead weight. Milo groaned quietly and sank down to the floor with me.
"I'll get in contact," he informed the doctor.
"Let me know when they arrive." The doctor replied.
Milo's POV
The doctor left. Adriaan was slumped in my lap, which made it difficult to pull out my phone, but I managed. Immediately I called my mother.
"Hello?" she answered cheerily. I could hear Gabrielle and our fathers laughing in the background. It pains me to ruin the day.
"Mom," I took a deep breath, "the Rykers need to come to the hospital right away." Her breath caught in her throat.
"Logan, we just got here." Right then I heard laughing fill the hall outside the door. My mom looked through the window in the door and met my eyes. Behind her the Rykers were laughing along with my dad. My mother's expression saddened at the sight of Adriaan and she hung up her phone. I closed mine as well as she opened the door.
As soon as Gabrielle saw me and Adriaan her smile dropped. Cameron's did as well, and all four of them sulked in. Gabrielle kept her eyes on her daughter, but after ten steps into the room she meekly peeked at the hospital bed. Once her fear was confirmed she collapsed to the ground and broke into hysterics. Cameron lifted her into his arms and brought her to a chair. The mourning parents wallowed and my own stepped forward. My mother walked to Gabrielle and Cameron and spoke softly to them. My father on the other hand, came to me.
"Logan, perhaps you should take Adriaan to the cafeteria. Your mother and I have things to talk about with the Rykers," he suggested. I nodded and pulled Adriaan up. She hardly weighs a thing, so leading her down to the cafeteria was barely difficult.
we've got no chance of recovery;
Joy and hospital; joy and misery
Milo tugged me gently into the room. I stood baffled for a few seconds before he released my hand. My head whipped around to watch him as he walked to the back of the room, as far away as possible. The longer I refrained from seeing her, the better. After all, it has been a year.
"Annie?" a crackly voice asked. Tears already filled my eyes as I followed the floor patterns to the bed. From my distance close to the door I slowly lifted my gaze to the figure covered in pink blankets. "Annie, is that you?" I nodded.
My sister lay trapped in that bed. It's been a year now, and it's entirely my fault. Her small fragile body is gaunt and pale. Her honey eyes aren't as vibrant as they once were. Her perfect lips are cracked and blue. Faith is broken, because of me.
"Why didn't you visit with mommy and daddy?" How do I respond to that? What am I supposed to say?
The room remained silent for a while. In my daze I glanced helplessly around the room. Milo watched the world out the window: gloomy, grey, and, since moments ago, rainy; a day that looks the way I feel inside.
My hopelessness and helpless glances eventually landed on Faith, and after a few moments of staring through burning, blurry eyes, I spoke, at last.
"Do you re- re- remember?" I choked, averting my gaze and wiping my eyes on my sleeve. I heard her move, but when she realized I hadn't seen, she replied.
"Yes," she murmured, almost silently. That confirmation, the proof of my wrong doing... The verification killed me inside. Everything that had already been eating me alive grew worse.
All I ever wanted, the one thing I truly hoped for, was a chance to say 'sorry'. An opportunity to apologize; a chance to be forgiven, but now, once I've seen her, I know that that is the last thing I deserve.
"I forgive you," she croaked. Tears raced down my cheeks even more. They even flew to the ground as I shook my head. How she knew what I wanted would forever be a mystery; but forgiveness, I am saddened to say, I am not worthy of.
Faith coughed and I glanced up at her. She smiled meekly before cuddling in the blankets and closing her eyes. Her breathing became less labored as I watched her. She looked just like our parents. Both of them.
I felt Milo's presence behind me and turned to face him. He smiled warmly at me.
"I'm proud," he whispered. Already, Milo was like a friend to me. We've known each other for mere days, but I feel comforted with him. To make him proud of me was an accomplishment.
"I want to go home now," I said softly. He grabbed my hand and started to lead me out of the room. The door was measly steps away, but we both stopped dead. A change in our surroundings made my heart race: the heart monitor just flat lined.
Seconds later the door flew open and four or so people came flooding in. They ran to Faith's side and attempted to revive her. Milo gripped my shoulders and had his back against the wall. I blankly stared in the direction of the chaos, not paying close attention. Moments after a tall man wiped his forehead.
"Time of death," he sighed, "ten thirteen." I cringed as the medical staff exited the room. Not only for my sister's death, but for the time. The irony was not particularly entertaining.
"Excuse me, are you the family?" A doctor asked. I am far too distant to answer.
"She's the sister," Milo replied, wrapping his arms around me in a hug from behind. I am stiff and dead once more...
My head fell forward and my legs gave way. I became a loose object, dead weight. Milo groaned quietly and sank down to the floor with me.
"I'll get in contact," he informed the doctor.
"Let me know when they arrive." The doctor replied.
Milo's POV
The doctor left. Adriaan was slumped in my lap, which made it difficult to pull out my phone, but I managed. Immediately I called my mother.
"Hello?" she answered cheerily. I could hear Gabrielle and our fathers laughing in the background. It pains me to ruin the day.
"Mom," I took a deep breath, "the Rykers need to come to the hospital right away." Her breath caught in her throat.
"Logan, we just got here." Right then I heard laughing fill the hall outside the door. My mom looked through the window in the door and met my eyes. Behind her the Rykers were laughing along with my dad. My mother's expression saddened at the sight of Adriaan and she hung up her phone. I closed mine as well as she opened the door.
As soon as Gabrielle saw me and Adriaan her smile dropped. Cameron's did as well, and all four of them sulked in. Gabrielle kept her eyes on her daughter, but after ten steps into the room she meekly peeked at the hospital bed. Once her fear was confirmed she collapsed to the ground and broke into hysterics. Cameron lifted her into his arms and brought her to a chair. The mourning parents wallowed and my own stepped forward. My mother walked to Gabrielle and Cameron and spoke softly to them. My father on the other hand, came to me.
"Logan, perhaps you should take Adriaan to the cafeteria. Your mother and I have things to talk about with the Rykers," he suggested. I nodded and pulled Adriaan up. She hardly weighs a thing, so leading her down to the cafeteria was barely difficult.
♠ ♠ ♠
... =]