Fences

I looked at Lily’s wound, the blood poured heavily and I grew frightened. I bit at my lip and went threw her bag for anything cloth. I found napkins from lunch and gave them to her; “This has to do until we get to the room.”

Lily’s green eyes were wide and she looked scared too. She squeezed her hand shut over the napkins and hissed, “It hurts.”

“I know, I’m sorry, Lil.” I patted her back, and thank God the bus arrived within a minute.

Lily held her hand up the entire trip, and the only thing I could think of was her health. I wondered if she would get sick, or need a hospital. Shoot, she did need a hospital! This was knife wound! I just didn’t know how we would go about this.

When we got to the room, I sat her on the bed and went to the bathroom, got a clean cloth and wet it with warm water. I went back to her, her face was starting to turn pale, and she was starting to get sweaty. I swallowed thickly, kneeling in front of her.

“Let me see it.” I murmured to her.

“Be careful.” She warned.

At that moment, I didn’t care. I was only worried that she would be okay.

I looked at her opened palm, seeing the deep cut surge with warm blood and I felt queasy. I tried to clean it up, but the wound wouldn’t stop gushing. I had such an uneasy feeling, “Lil, do you want to go home?”

She shook her head, “No. I wanna stay with you.”

I sighed, “This is bad.”

“Please? I just need my medication and I’ll be okay.” Lily almost begged me.

I gave in, “Alright, but if you get any worse, I’m taking you home.”

“Agreed.”

I could only wrap Lily’s hand in one of my old, ratty t-shirts. I ripped up my shirt and wrapped up her hand. By the time she went to sleep, she wasn’t sweating anymore, but she was shaking. Her hand was rested on her chest, sleeping soundly, and I felt terrible. I fell asleep next to her, hoping she’d be better by morning.

I was asleep, finally after watching for any discomfort, when the bed jolted. Lily started to moan, almost in pain and toss a little. I sat up and saw that the bed was soaked on her side; I turned on the light, I saw that the dingy sheets were darkened with either sweat or piss.

“Lily, wake up,” I shook her gently, “wake up.”

Lily tossed slightly, jolted up, hissing in pain at her hand. Her face was soaked with sweat, her hair matted to her face and her shirt was wet too.

“Lil, did you pee?”

Lily rubbed her eyes with her right hand and shook her head. She licked her lips and coursed her hair, “No…no, sweat. I’m sorry.”

I sighed, knowing that this wasn’t right for her to be here, “You’re all wet.”

“I’m sorry.” She repeated.

“It’s okay. Hang on.” I got up from my spot and went to my bag. I found another over-sized t-shirt of mine and went back to the bed. “Here, I’ll turn around.”

“Thank you.” I turned and let Lily redress in the shirt. “Finished.”

I turned back around, she was getting up from the bed and pulled the sheets back to lie on them. She sat on the bed and I too.

“I had a nightmare.” She murmured when I looked at her hand, “It has nothing to do with the cut.”

I shook my head at how brave she was acting, “A nightmare about what?”

She laid back, pulling a pillow closer to her, “I’m lost in a hospital. I keep screaming, but no one can hear me. My chest is heavy and my voice is gone. I even hit the people crowded around me, but no one felt me either.”

“You were scared?”

“Yes. I couldn’t find my mom either, and all I did was yell for her. It’s frightening.” Lily pressed her hand to her chest again, “It’s almost like I have no control and no sense of reality. It’s like…I’m dead.”

Those words, I’m Dead, they frightened me. I didn’t like that word, or any of it’s relations; died, death, dying, die.

“What makes you feel better?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know…something that makes me feel like I’m not dreaming anymore. A solid object…usually my old Teddy Bear.”

I got up from my bed and went to my bag again. I knew Lily was watching me confusingly, I didn’t bother to tell her. I got my plaid cardigan that was my favorite; it was somewhat of a good luck charm. I had gotten my first kiss in it, I found $20 on the sidewalk wearing it, and it was tied around my waist when I first met Lily.

“This is my cardigan.” I told her when I sat back on the bed.

“I know Frankie, but why--?”

“This is my good luck charm…in a way,” I chuckled, “I want you to have it.”

She raised her brow, “Why?”

“Because, when you have one of those scary dreams, you can just wake up, smell my cardigan and know that you’re alive. You can say why the hell am I holding Frank’s gross cardigan?,” I smiled at her.

I handed it off to her, she held it close, smelling the collar, “It smells like you. I love it.”

“You like my smell?” She nodded, “What do I smell like?”

“Like a boy; grass blades and tree bark, and your sweat.”

I couldn’t hide the smile, “You don’t mind?”

“No, it’s comforting. Thank you Frankie.”

“Any time.”

Lily reached out and patted my hand, she then pulled the cardigan around her shoulders and fell back into her pillow. I laid beside her, looking at her hand once more; it was still bleeding, but only a little now. I knew I had to get her back home, I just hoped she shouldn’t be angry.



Lily was white and sweaty and sick the next morning. She couldn’t talk and her lips were chapped. I swallowed the uneasy lump, and grabbed the hotel phone. I dialed out, calling Mrs. Romero.

“Mrs. Romero, it’s me Frank—“

“Thank god! Thank god! Where are you two?”

“In New York. I’m sorry—“

“I’m coming to get you two, tell me where you are.”

Surprisingly, Mrs. Romero wasn’t angry with me, she was happy. I just knew when I saw her, she’d be angry.

“Lil,” I shook Lily, she was leaning over in the bed, in my cardigan, “your mom’s coming to get us. You need a doctor.”

There was no protest from her, she simply nodded and sat up with my help. She had me help her to the bathroom where we cleaned her up. She was embarrassed, but her voice wouldn’t let her speak. Her chest was heavy, and I knew we had messed up.

When Mrs. Romero finally arrived, she took one look at Lily and began to cry. I had held Lily up as we waited outside in front of the hotel for her. Lily was drifting out of consciousness, and I was growing more scared by the second.

“Help me get her in the car.” Mrs. Romero’s voice was begging, like Lily’s had earlier.

“I…I’m sorry…” Lily’s heavy and scratchy voice made us flinch.

“It’s fine, baby, I forgive you.” Her mom had tears in her eyes when she looked back at me, “Can you drive, Frankie?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I answered.

“Drive so I can take care of her.” She wiped the stray tears from her eyes, tossed me the keys and got into the backseat.


The drive was quicker than I anticipated. Lily needed a doctor, and I knew that if I procrastinated that she would end up even more sick than was now. So, I drove like I had no sense, and made it back to Jersey without a speeding ticket.

“The hospital.” Mrs. Romero told me.

I nodded and took the route to Belleview hospital. My mind raced once it got into sight, and it felt like my world was crashing down. I knew that this may have been a bad idea.

I parked, helped Mrs. Romero get Lily out, and gave her, her keys. We practically carried Lily in and got a nurse. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Her hand…” Mrs. Romero started anxiously, “her name is Lillian Romero.”

“Yes, yes, we know Lily.” The nurse smiled, “We’ll get Dr. Brickman on the line.” The nurse called for a stretcher and within seconds Lily was whisked away.

“Honey, you should call your mother.” Mrs. Romero said, turning to me “I’m sorry, I have to be with Lily.”

“I understand.”

She gave me a small, gratful smile and rushed back to where they took Lily. I turned towards the waiting area, and saw the payphone. I was going to be so fucking screwed.