Blown From the Hand of God

Emily felt her heart stop, surely she had just heard wrong.

‘I’m sorry.’ she stammered, ‘What did you say?’

‘I am doctor Thompson, your friend Corey’s has been in a car accident and he asked me to call you’ he replied calmly, Emily suddenly found it hard to breath, like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. Tears burnt her eyes as she fought to keep control.

‘Is he okay?’ she whispered.

‘I’m afraid I can’t disclose anything about Mr Taylor’s condition over the phone, I advise you coming to the hospital where we can talk more’ he replied gravely.

‘Okay’ Emily said, feeling a few tears falling down her cheeks.

‘Don’t worry, Miss Noble, we’re taking care of him’ he said, his voice was firm but not comforting.

Emily hung up the phone and a feeling of dread and emptiness consumed her.
How was she going to get to him without a car, her hands began to tremble, what was she going to do? Emily took a deep, calming breath, trying to sort her head out; she needed to call someone, but who? Steve was the first to come to mind, but he would be working.
Emily bit on her lip, someone would help her, one of the boys, she tried Joey first but he didn’t answer, Emily tired Jim next, he answered on the third ring.

‘Hey’ he answered.

‘Hey, I really sorry to bother you but I need a favour’ she gushed.

‘Sure what is it?’ he replied, Jim was a good guy, and had a soft spot for Emily because she seemed to make Corey so happy.

‘I need a ride to the hospital, Corey’s been in an accident’ she said, hoping that Jim wouldn’t ask too many questions.

‘Urm, yeah, of course. I’ll be at yours as soon as I can’ he said, she could hear the jingle of car keys at Jim’s end.

‘Thank you’ Emily muttered, hanging up, once again she stared out of the window. Dread continued to bubbling in her stomach. The last thing she wanted was for Corey to be hurt just because she had needed a lift to work.
Jim pulled up outside Emily’s flat 15 minutes later, she didn’t bother waiting for him to come to the door she rushed out to meet him. Jim was looking pale and harried.

‘What’s going on?’ he asked as Emily climbed into the car.

‘Corey was in an accident on the way over here, someone from the hospital just called me, they couldn’t tell me anything over the phone’ Emily said as Jim tore out of the car park and headed for the hospital.

‘Why was he coming here?’ Jim asked, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

‘I needed a lift to work, my car’s broken down’ she explained, starting to chew on her finger nails again.

‘Okay’ Jim mumbled, taking a deep breath. The rest of the journey passed in silence, Emily to too lost in thought and worry.

At the hospital Jim pulled up in front of the entrance, Emily jumped out and rushed inside while Jim found a parking space.
Emily strode up to the reception desk, fighting the waves of nausea that hit her as soon as she walked in.

‘I’m looking for Corey Taylor’ she said to the girl sat at the desk.

‘He’s upstairs, Intensive Care ward’ she replied, after tapping Corey’s name into the computer.

Emily ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, she burst through the double doors of the IC unit; she was greeted up a young man in a long, white coat.

‘Can I help you?’ he asked politely.

‘I’m looking for Corey Taylor’ she said, glancing around herself.

‘Are you Emily?’ he asked. She nodded.

‘He’s been asking for you, come this way’

Emily was lead down the corridor, following close at the young doctors heals, she was lead into a private room, were Corey was laying on the bed, his blond hair tucked behind his head and an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth, Emily whimpered, rushing forward and grasping his hand.

‘I’m here baby’ she whispered.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ Emily asked the doctor.

‘We suspect a concussion but we’ve not been able to discover the extent of that yet. He was knocked unconscious after his car veered off the road and into a ditch, he was conscious for a while earlier but he’s since then become unconscious again and hasn’t woken up since, I’m sorry I can’t tell you anymore’ he replied, his voice was very matter of fact, Emily gripped Corey’s hand a little tighter.

‘Do you know why he crashed?’ she asked.

‘No, sorry, we’re hoping Mr Taylor can well us more about that when we wakes up properly’ he said, before smiling and leaving the room. Emily dragged the chair from the corner next to the bed and sat down. She gently pressed her lips to his hand.
A few tears trickled down her cheeks.

‘Oh, what happened to you Corey?’ she whispered.

Jim arrived a few minutes later, panting.

‘Is he okay?’ he asked.

Emily just shrugged, not sure she would be able to speak without having a break down. Jim didn’t stay for long, he had other commitments that he couldn’t back out of, but Emily promised to keep him informed of what happened.

The nurses came in and out, checking on the machines that surrounded Corey, they all smiled politely at Emily but never spoke to her, until the young doctor came back in.
‘You know, it might help wake him up if you talk to him’ he said, smiling and taking Corey’s pulse.
Emily just nodded and bit on her lip. As soon as the doctor was gone Emily took a deep breath.

‘Corey?’ she whispered, kissing his hand again, ‘Can you hear me? You need to wake up’
Nothing, he didn’t stir, he must have been awake earlier, if he had been asking for her but now she was here he wouldn’t wake up.

‘Cor? Please wake up baby, I need you’ she pleaded. Emily stood and let down the side of the hospital bed, after a quick glance at the empty nurses’ station Emily climbed on the bed. She curled herself into Corey’s side, her head resting the crook of his neck and her arm resting on his stomach.

‘Corey,’ she begged, kissing his neck, knowing that he loved being kissed there. Tears started to fall freely from her eyes again, Emily felt like her heart was breaking, her hands trembled as she stroked his body.

‘I love you,’ she whispered, ‘I love you so fucking much’