Status: Complete
A Walk Through Hell
Chapter XXVII
The smell of antiseptic, the dying patients, coughing, blood, annoying nurses, ringing phones, hospital food, drugs, IV's, crash carts, gurney's, intercoms, Xrays, the talking, the crying, the death, this is why I hate hospitals.
"Zalex?"
"I'm fine."
"Liar."
"I'm not lying." Yes I am.
"It’s alright to be afraid."
"I'm not afraid." Yes I am.
"Don't lie to me."
"Look I'm edgy because I'm a sixteen year old father and it seems like every time I get slightly happy something happens to ruin all that. My best friend is the mother of my child, she's in a coma! I just need to see her and leave. I'll be fine." Poof doesn't believe me, but he knows better than to bug me. Doctor Mackintosh walks up to us.
"Zalex Scene?" I'm gripping the edge of the chair so tight that my knuckles are white.
“Zalex Scene?" Through gritted teeth I answer.
"That's me." I take a deep breath and stand up to face her.
"Follow me please. You can come to if you want." I look at Poof, he shakes his head at first but when then he looks at my tear threatened eyes he nods.
"On second thought, I will come." We walk for a short while. I keep my head down so I don't try to take a peek at the dying or sick people within the rooms. We stop in front of room 360, the doctor walks back the way we came.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I can't bring myself to speak, I take his hand and walk inside. The first time I've seen Francis in almost four months and I wish I hadn't. She looked gray, like there was no life in her. Her hair had grown past the length she favored, she lost weight. This girl is not my Francis. I walked over to her right side, Poof went to her left. An impulse took over my hand and it shot to her stomach. That was the exact moment I felt a kick.
"I'm a father." I could barely speak over a whisper, I could feel Poof's eyes on me but I didn't have the guts to look him in the eye.
"Zalex, say or do whatever you want I know this is hard for you." Thanks for understanding.
"I don't know if you can hear me but-" I'm choking back tears. "…but I want to say I'm sorry, I never knew you would get hurt like this, I'm so sorry." I feel the tears pushing their way out but I'm fighting hard, Poof is silent the whole time. "Francis I don't know if you know but you're pregnant, I'm sorry about that too. I'm with William now, I still love you Francis, I always will." I lean down and kiss her icy lips, as we walk out Poof stands behind me ready to catch me if my legs go weak. A young nurse walks up to us.
'Zalex-" She looks at her clipboard closely, "Scene?"
"Yes I'm Zalex Scene, unusual last name I know." She looks less worried that she might have offended me.
"This discussion is mainly about the baby and the options you have." I'm confused.
"Options?"
"Whether to abort or keep the baby in Ms. Amnell." My knees go weak at the word abort. Luckily Poof hold me up.
"Are you alright sir?"
"I'm not. I refuse to kill my son or daughter. I may be sixteen but I'm going to be a great father." The nurse smiles.
"Alright Mr. Scene, I'll tell Dr. Mackintosh your decision. The hospital will contact you if anything comes up."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"What do other fathers do? Teenagers and adults."
"Most of them abort." She walks away on that note. When we finally make it outside I crumble to the ground gasping for breath, Poof picks me up and carries me to my car.
"You're driving." He nods and I put my arms around his neck and say I love you in his ear.
"I know my love, I know." The drive home seemed endless, Andy was waiting for us by the door. When she saw my face she gave me a warm hug, I could feel her baby kick my stomach.
"Zalex your mom called." That's not what I want to hear.
"What did she want?"
"She misses you." I bet.
"She was crying. She had a miscarriage."
"Good. She doesn't need to bring another innocent life into this world." They aren't shocked at my statement. I bet they thought the same thing.
"I need something."
"What?" I give Poof my sorry look, he nods his approval.
"I'm going to take a nap." No I wasn't, I know they watch me walk to the room. I lock the door and take out a stained razor from my wallet.
"Zalex?"
"I'm fine."
"Liar."
"I'm not lying." Yes I am.
"It’s alright to be afraid."
"I'm not afraid." Yes I am.
"Don't lie to me."
"Look I'm edgy because I'm a sixteen year old father and it seems like every time I get slightly happy something happens to ruin all that. My best friend is the mother of my child, she's in a coma! I just need to see her and leave. I'll be fine." Poof doesn't believe me, but he knows better than to bug me. Doctor Mackintosh walks up to us.
"Zalex Scene?" I'm gripping the edge of the chair so tight that my knuckles are white.
“Zalex Scene?" Through gritted teeth I answer.
"That's me." I take a deep breath and stand up to face her.
"Follow me please. You can come to if you want." I look at Poof, he shakes his head at first but when then he looks at my tear threatened eyes he nods.
"On second thought, I will come." We walk for a short while. I keep my head down so I don't try to take a peek at the dying or sick people within the rooms. We stop in front of room 360, the doctor walks back the way we came.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I can't bring myself to speak, I take his hand and walk inside. The first time I've seen Francis in almost four months and I wish I hadn't. She looked gray, like there was no life in her. Her hair had grown past the length she favored, she lost weight. This girl is not my Francis. I walked over to her right side, Poof went to her left. An impulse took over my hand and it shot to her stomach. That was the exact moment I felt a kick.
"I'm a father." I could barely speak over a whisper, I could feel Poof's eyes on me but I didn't have the guts to look him in the eye.
"Zalex, say or do whatever you want I know this is hard for you." Thanks for understanding.
"I don't know if you can hear me but-" I'm choking back tears. "…but I want to say I'm sorry, I never knew you would get hurt like this, I'm so sorry." I feel the tears pushing their way out but I'm fighting hard, Poof is silent the whole time. "Francis I don't know if you know but you're pregnant, I'm sorry about that too. I'm with William now, I still love you Francis, I always will." I lean down and kiss her icy lips, as we walk out Poof stands behind me ready to catch me if my legs go weak. A young nurse walks up to us.
'Zalex-" She looks at her clipboard closely, "Scene?"
"Yes I'm Zalex Scene, unusual last name I know." She looks less worried that she might have offended me.
"This discussion is mainly about the baby and the options you have." I'm confused.
"Options?"
"Whether to abort or keep the baby in Ms. Amnell." My knees go weak at the word abort. Luckily Poof hold me up.
"Are you alright sir?"
"I'm not. I refuse to kill my son or daughter. I may be sixteen but I'm going to be a great father." The nurse smiles.
"Alright Mr. Scene, I'll tell Dr. Mackintosh your decision. The hospital will contact you if anything comes up."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"What do other fathers do? Teenagers and adults."
"Most of them abort." She walks away on that note. When we finally make it outside I crumble to the ground gasping for breath, Poof picks me up and carries me to my car.
"You're driving." He nods and I put my arms around his neck and say I love you in his ear.
"I know my love, I know." The drive home seemed endless, Andy was waiting for us by the door. When she saw my face she gave me a warm hug, I could feel her baby kick my stomach.
"Zalex your mom called." That's not what I want to hear.
"What did she want?"
"She misses you." I bet.
"She was crying. She had a miscarriage."
"Good. She doesn't need to bring another innocent life into this world." They aren't shocked at my statement. I bet they thought the same thing.
"I need something."
"What?" I give Poof my sorry look, he nods his approval.
"I'm going to take a nap." No I wasn't, I know they watch me walk to the room. I lock the door and take out a stained razor from my wallet.