You're Already the Voice Inside My Head

I can imagine tears spilling out of his beautiful dark brown eyes, him shaking as he believes it’s true that’s he’s dead.
Jack...
“I said I knew I was dead but I still don’t want to believe it” he sniffs. It breaks my heart, I can’t even hug him.
Jack. I don’t know what else to say. I go back to looking at news story, maybe they’ll something there about where he’s buried.
‘Jack Bassam Barakat was driving along Dave’s Street on the night of the 3rd January when he lost control of his car in the terrible rain. The car skidded along the road before turning on its side.’
Jack... The dream I have of the car crashing, it’s you.
“W...What do you mean?”
That dream of a car crashing that was you!
“H...How could that have been me? You’d been having those dreams before you even knew me”
I don’t know Jack, how could I have not realised though? It’s so obvious! Ahh I’m so stupid.
“You’re not stupid ‘Lex, without I wouldn’t even know”
Do you want me to tell you exactly what happened?
“Yeah” I read him the first part of the story about how his crash crashed. “What about me?”
It says the medical services were quick on the scene, and able to get you to hospital within the hour. You were badly injured and they took you to St Margret’s Hospital... Where you’ve been in a coma ever since
“What?”
In a coma... Jack you’re not dead!
“I’m not?”
No, no you’re still alive! You’re just asleep.
“I’m asleep? How does that work?”
Sometimes the body shuts down, to save its self. Some people never wake up but other people do. 3rd of January... It’s the 9th March you’ve only been in a coma for two months, that’s why all your friends posts they miss you but not RIP!
“You mean I could wake up?”
Yes Jack.
A scream from downstairs snaps me away from Jack.
Mum. I run downstairs; she’s in the kitchen clutching her hand to her chest.
“Mum, mum what’s wrong?”
“I dropped the knife on my hand, a very stupid thing to do I know. Funny thing is I don’t actually remember doing it, it just kind of happened” I look out the window and she’s standing there, the woman with the auburn hair and piercing brown eyes.
“Just sit down mum, I’ll be back in a minute”
“What did you do?” I demand as I walk outside. She doesn’t answer.
“Answer me, what did you do to my mum?”
“You may be protected Alex, but your family isn’t” She spoke for the first time, her voice rich like velvet.
“Protected? What do you mean?”
“Don’t act dump with me, you and Jack! Your connection is protecting you, why do you think I couldn’t hurt you with the car? Or in your dream?”
“He’s protecting me...”
“Not for long though”
“What do you mean? What are you going to do to him?”
“I can’t hurt him on his own, you two are too strong for that but I can get to his family too. And who may I ask is in charge of those machines keeping him alive?”
“No, no you can’t!”
“Sorry Alex, but not everyone get’s their happy endings” And she vanishes. I stare at the empty spot on the lawn she was stood only a moment a go. She’s going to try and kill Jack... I’ve got to get their first, if it’s true we’re protecting each other with this connection then the medium must have been right. We’ll be stronger together, but does mean she was right about love? If Jack’s protecting me does that mean he loves me too? Alex a person’s life is in danger now is not the time!
“Mum, mum I’m going to wrap your hand up okay?” I do my best putting a bandage of her hand, the cut’s not that bad but I think it might need stitches. I tell her to have a drink and dad will be back soon, he can take to hospital.
Jack, get ready to fight. I ran up to my room, I change out of my ratty pjs and put on some clothes.
“Fight what?”
Her, she’s coming. She’s coming to get you, if I don’t get there first.
“How do you know?” I tell him everything she told me, as I grab my bag and shove anything it in I think might be helpful.
“We protect each other? How?”
I don’t know Jack, something to do with this weird connection we have.
“And how to do where to find me?”
The news article, remember? St. Margret’s Hospital
“Okay, what do you need me to do?”
Whatever happens, don’t give up. If I don’t make it, they’re going to turn the machine off that’s giving you alive, don’t let them.
“We go don’t together, or we don’t go down at all”
Exactly, now let’s go!
Having looked it up on Google I find that St. Margret’s isn’t even in Baltimore, and it’s going to take me over an hour to drive there... I don’t have a car, so I grab my mum’s keys (She won’t need them) and get into her old hatch back.
Soon I’m putting my foot down and shooting down the highway.
“Do you know how to drive Alex?”
I passed my test. I change gear as we hit nearly 80mh.
“Just don’t get yourself killed okay?”
Don’t worry Jack, I’m not as bad driver as you!
“Hey!” It goes quiet, now would be a perfect time to tell him. Tell him that I’m in love with him but I can’t do it. I’m not ready to admit that to myself, what if I lose him?
Ahh traffic jam! I’m never going to make it. I’m going to have to rethink this plan.
“Huh?” I wiggle my phone of my jean pocket and dial a familiar number.
“Hey Zack, yeah I know it’s early but I need a favour”
“What’s up man?”
“I need to you to get me to St. Margret’s”
“The hospital? Is something wrong?”
“It’s a long story, I need to get to someone and I need to get there now!”
“Okay where are you?”
“Turn off 3 of the main highway”
“I’ll be there in ten”
“Thanks man” Zack hung up.
“Alex what are you doing?”
Hitching a ride.
“I thought you said you could drive”
I can drive a car, but I can’t ride a motorcycle.
“Oh”
Zack pulls up on his shiny red motorcycle not even ten minutes later, we leave my mum’s car in a lay by thinking we’ll come back for it later. I put on Zack’s spare helmet and we’re off, with my arms around his strong waist. He can dip and drive through the traffic, getting evil looks at every car as we pass. I try not to think about what I’m going to do when I get there, I have no plan. Zack pulls up the Ambulance parking lot barely twenty minutes later.
“Are you going to tell me what this is all about?” He asks, as I get off his motorcycle, my legs shaking.
“I can’t, it’s a really long story and I don’t have time”
“Just... Call me when you’ve done whatever okay?”
“Okay” He puts his helmet back on and zooms off, leaving me standing outside the front of the hospital.
I’m here Jack, just hold on okay?
“I’m okay Alex”
“H...Hello I’m here to see Jack Barakat” I say shakily to the woman behind reception.
“Mr Barakat’s in a coma, only his family are allowed into see him I’m afraid” Fuck!
“Please, can’t you make an expectation? Just this once”
“That’s not my job”
“Please! I have to see him”
“I’m sorry, his family are here you can speak to them...”
“Yes please I just have to”
She picks up the phone and says a few things into it I can’t hear.
“His sister is coming down to see you”
“Thank you”
I notice her as soon as she walks in, she has the same dark brown almost black hair like Jack’s and the same eyes. Expect she looks older, and tired they’re dark rings under her eyes.
“You must be May” I say, I remember reading her name somewhere.
“They said you want to see Jack” she says.
“Yeah... My name’s Alex....”
“You’re Alex?” she cuts me off.
“Yeah, why? Do I know you?”
“No, but Jack does. Every time he has come close to waking up he has said Alex, he’s been calling out for you”
“D...Does that mean I can see him?” She nods.
She leads me back through the hospital and in to an elevator, she doesn’t say anything as we go up. I awkwardly bite my lip as I wait. Outside the room sit five chairs, all but one are occupied all with what I assume is Jack’s family.
“This is Alex” says May.
“The Alex?” Asks an older woman, with an accent I guess is Mrs Barakat. I nod my head. She begins to cry.
“I’m sorry” I say. May takes my hand and leads me away from her crying family.
“You came just in time, they said there’s nothing else that can be done. We’re going to turn the machines off”
“No you can’t”
“I’m sorry Alex”
“Can I go see him at least?” She nods again, and opens the door to the room.
Tears are running down my face before I even see him, I lost. He’s going to die, I’m too late. I see him lying in hospital bed, wires everywhere, and machines beeping. He’s pale and his dark hair lying limp across his forehead, he’d laugh at the state he’s hairs in now, his eye lids are closed and I can’t see the beautiful brown irises that lay beneath. I sit down beside him, for the first time I rest my skin against his. He feels warm and soft to the touch; I run my fingers along his hands, his fingers tips ruff. I smile I remember him saying about playing guitar.
“I’ll see you in my dreams, waiting to say I miss you I’m so sorry” I begin to sing. “I’m so sorry Jack, I lost”