Set Free

Set Free Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

I crept along the hall, cringing at every small noise I heard.

I'm never going to find his room. What should I do? I thought as I huddled in an empty corner, just waiting to be caught. So I decided to try something I had never done before. I decided to pray.

"God...I know you're listening." I whispered aloud softly. "So please, would you send me an angel to help me find my way to Nick...before it's too late?....Thanks." I knew that sounded pretty pathetic, but it was all I could think to say. I was desperate; I didn't have time to think of one of those long, glorious, poem-like prayers that seemed to last forever.

I sighed in anguish. Why would God answer a sinner like me's prayers, anyway? I wasn't, I couldn't be, that important to Him. Right?

I began to move along the desolate halls once again, my heart thudding against my rib cage loudly. I turned a corner quickly, and then I rand headlong into something small and fell on top of it.

Oh, you've done it now. I thought. You've finally been caught.

I looked underneath me to see a small girl in all white clothing, who looked to be maybe five years old. She smiled up at me through her long blonde hair. She looked familiar, but I couldn't think of from where.

"Hi!" she said to me entusiastically.

"Um, hi." I said back to her. I moved up off of her, and was about to help the little girl up, when I realized she was already standing up and brushing herself off. She looked up at me and gave me another wide, bright smile.

"I can take you where you need to go." She told me mysteriously.

"What?" I said, sure I'd misunderstood me, another result of my terrible hearing.

She simply smiled in response, and held out her little hand. I hesitated for a moment, but then I placed my fingers around hers, and she grasped my hand tightly.

"Don't let go." She told me, looking up to smile at me again.

"Why?" I asked her, but she never answered. The next thing I knew she was racing down the hall, dragging me quickly behind her. I was surprised at how strong this delicate-looking little girl was.

Suddenly, my eyes widened in fear as we stopped in front of a large group of people.

"They're going to see us!" I whispered to her.

Once again, her only response was a childish yet knowing smile, that somehow held more maturity than the wisest smiles worn by elder people.

"Don't worry, Amber, they can't."

"They can't what?" I asked, still mystified by her smile. I didn''t even noticed that she addressed me by my name, which I'd never given her.

"See us."

I gave her an incredulus look, and she only shook her head at me, and then yanked me forward. We kept running, to where I had no idea, but I hoped it was to Nick.

Moments later, she gave a happy little cry of joy, and sang, "We're here!" We were now at a hospital room door, with the number 717 on it. She opened the door, and bounced inside, leaving it open for me. I walked inside hesitantly, shutting the door swiftly behind me. Nick was lying on the bed, hooked up to so many machines. I could hardly count them all.

The little girl had went up to Nick, and now she was holding his hand gently, smiling at him brightly even thought his eyes were closed.

Then she turned to me, beckoning me forward with the hand she had left, and said, "Come, you don't have long."

Instead of questioning her this time, I moved forward and gave her my hand, which she joined with Nick's. His eyes fluttered slightly.

The little girl stood, as if to leave, and she headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked her.

I almost dropped Nick's hand as I turned to her, and she rushed over to me, clasping our hands together.

"It's time for me to leave. My job here is done. Don't let go of his hand, until he wakes up."

She turned to go again, and I asked, "Your job? What do you mean?" This time though, I kept firm hold of Nick's hand.

She simply smiled in return, and I knew I wouldn't get an answer, at least not the one I wanted. "Well....even if you have to go, at least tell me your name? I have to know who to thank for bringing me to him."

"You can thank God, Amber. But, just so you know.......my name is Anna." She smiled brightly at me again.

I furrowed my eyebrows in frustration. Where had I heard that name before? I looked over at Nick for a split-second, as if looking at him would bring me the answer. When I turned back to Anna, she was nowhere to be seen. She'd disappeared. I sat there in awe, wondering what I had just witnessed.

"Amber?" I heard Nick groggily say.

"Nick!" I cried, turning back to him and throwing my arms around his neck, being careful to avoid messing with any of the tubes connected to him.

"What are you doing here? I don't want you seeing me like this.....and I thought you hated me?"

"I'm sorry, but I had to come. I couldn't make the same mistake I made before. I realized....you never know how much time you have with the person you....love. And nothing should get in the way of that."

"You....love me?" He asked, his eyes widening as if he believed it was too good to be true.

I looked down at our hands in my lap, blushing. "Yeah...I do."

His free hand came to lift up my chin, forcing me to look into his deep brown eyes.

"I love you, too, Amber."

I smiled like an idiot at that.

"But why? I lied to you..."

"Yeah...I know...but that's okay. I've accepted that. No one's perfect, right? I love you...even if you did lie to me. It's all in the past now."

He seemed to be rendered speechless by what I said, and he somehow gathered me up in a bone-crushing hug. We stayed there for what seemed like only a moment, but I knew it had been much longer and I had to go before I was caught.

"I have to go." I told him.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" He asked, hope shining in his eyes.

"No...Nick, if you live, and if you still want me, I want you to meet me on the beach near my house this Friday. Deal?"

He nodded firmly, then said back to me, "I know I'm going to still want you....but deal."

I hugged him to me tightly one last time, knowing it could be the last time I held him in my arms.

"I love you." He whispered in my ear.

I smiled as I pulled back from our hug, and then I quickly leaned in to kiss his lips. It was....there are no words to describe how beautiful our kiss was. But it had to end, I had to go.

Nick looked dazed when I pulled back, and I was sure my face mirrored his. I backed off the bed, a smile still gracing my features. "I love you, Nick...." I told him as I opened the door and walked out.

I raced as fast as I could out of the hospital, and was surprised that I made it to my car without encountering a single person. I drove home in silent worry, but my soul was at peace.

All that was left now for me to do was wait.