Short Story Collection

Goodbye

"Could Caroline Hansen come down to the office," The secretary's voice crackles over the speakers.

I look up from my study of the tiled floor of my school after the sharp click of the microphone turning off. I quickly flip around and join the stream of students pouring down the hall. I make my way through the crowded halls dancing around people doing my best not to touch anyone.

I make it to the office and push the glass door open, I look around the little office and my eyes land on my Nana. I can feel my forehead crumple and my head tilt minutely to the right. I don't remember Nana telling me she was coming to get me early today. I shrug my free shoulder, the other one is busy supporting my black messenger bag that holds my school stuff. I walk over to her, as I get closer I can get a better look at her face. Her soft brown eyes are heavy with worry and I can tell that she's been crying.

"Nana?" My voice is soft.

She shakes her head slightly and focuses on me.

"Hey Carrie, come on I already signed you out we should get going," Nana says.

Okay that's strange but with another shrug I follow her out of the school building and to her grey Volkswagen Beetle. I slide the messenger bag off my shoulder and let it fall to the floor of the car as I slide in and buckle up.

"Nana what's going on. You didn't tell me I was leaving early today," I ask once we're on the main road.

"Sam was involved with a 5 car pile up on the highway today on his way to work," Nana explains.

"W-wait the one on I-95? I heard Mrs. Reddford talking about it. Apparently it was pretty bad, is he okay?" I can hear the panic in my voice. Sam is my older brother, he's the only person I have left other than Nana. My parents died when I was 8, and Nana is now taking care of us.

"Yeah that's the one, and I don't know. He was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and I was notified. A few minutes after I got there they made the call that they had to perform emergency surgery. I decided that I should come and get you so you could be there when he gets out of surgery." Nana answers.

We drive the rest of the way in silence, my head is swimming and my heart is tight. Sam has to be okay, he has to...right? We pull up in front of the hospital about 15 minutes later, I grab my bag and run into the doors. Nana isn't far behind me, we go and talk to one of the ladies sitting behind the desk and are ushered to a room to wait for Sam to get out of surgery.

I pull my phone out while we wait, my lock screen was of my and Sam last year, he had surprised me on my birthday by taking me to the Carnival. I open my phone and see I have a few missed messages from Lottie. I open the app and go into our chat.

Girl where did you disappear to? You were in Calc today. But when I walked into German you weren't there. What happened?

Hello?

If I don't hear back from you by the end of the day I'll be showing up at your house.

I quickly type out a response before stuffing my phone back into my bag. I impatiently stare at the clock hanging on the wall.

"Are you waiting for Samuel Hansen?" A nurse asks. Nana looks over at her.

"Yes, how's he doing?" She asks.

"He's waking up now but he's not out of the woods yet. He sustained some pretty bad injuries during the crash. We're going to be keeping him in the hospital for about a week. We'll reevaluate then." The nurse says.

We are left in the room a little longer until they get him settled into a room. The same nurse comes back and shows us to his room, we walk in and my heart tightens again at the sight of my brother lying in a hospital bed attached to all sorts of machines.

I sit down on a chair next to him, where I stay until a little past 6 when Nana told me we needed to get going.

"I'll be back tomorrow Sammy," I say leaving the room. We drive home in silence, once we get back home I silently make myself dinner and take it up to my room so I can get a start on my homework. I pull my laptop out of my bag as well as my Calculus and Chemistry textbooks.

Everyday for the next week I go to school, and then Nana takes me to the hospital where Sam and I talk or if he's asleep I'll do my homework.

Today was one of the days that I was doing homework. I was struggling with a German worksheet when I hear a shrill ring come from his heart monitor.

"We're losing him!" A nurse runs into the room shouting. Very quickly doctors are crowded around him, and I'm being ushered out of the room.

"NO! NO! Wake up do you hear me! Open your eyes Sammy! Please! Don't leave me!" I shout.

I'm pacing up and down the halls when his door opens, I snap my head up and my heart shatters when I see their eyes. Their eyes say it all. He's gone.