My Brain and Other Things I Don't Understand

Six

Alex

I'm here now.

At the hospital.

I sped past the white, near empty halls of the place, in search for Room 801, but when I knocked, no one answered. 

I stood outside and knocked multiple times after, since I didn't want to seem rude and just barge in without invitation. 

I probably looked stupid just standing there, in front of a white door, knocking every three minutes or so. Imagine my embarrassment when young nurses pass by, giving me weird looks. 

It was only when a nurse stopped a distance away from me, shaking her head as she sighed deeply. 

"She's not in her room again, is she?" she said as she swiped her thick, curly hair away from her face, her dark skin glistening with a little sweat, presumably from work.

"Cassidy?" I asked, turning to look at her.

She nodded and sighed, walking a bit towards me to point the nameplate placed in front of the door.

"Well, who else's name is that? Of course it's Cassie's." she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I felt a bit embarrassed for even asking. Cassandra Dianne Watson was written all over it.

"Is she in?"

The nurse shook her head.

"No. She's a runner, that girl. She's told to rest, but instead, she's off frolicking somewhere around the hospital. It's like she does the complete opposite of what we tell her to do. Always gives me a headache." she said as she placed two fingers on her forehead and started massaging it in circles.

I felt kinda bad for her and the other nurses who keep an eye on Cassidy. I knew Cassidy doesn't technically follow the rules and what's deemed as normal, but this is different. It's a hospital, and people here take care of people. No one should just run around without telling the nurses where they would go. 

"I'll find her. I'll get her back as soon as possible." I promised the nurse.

"You'd better be." she said, before walking past me to continue doing her rounds.

I started walking away from Cassidy's room, and thought to myself, 'If I was Cassidy, where would I go?'

I didn't know the scope of the place, and this was only the third time I visited our town's local children's hospital. The first was when I broke my leg when my dad tried to teach me football, then the second was when I had a really bad asthma attack. 

I think I went to almost all the places Cassidy could possibly go to; the NICU where all the babies where at, the kid's playrooms, the canteen, the lobby, everywhere.

I couldn't find her.

There was only one last place to go, and that was the rooftop.

I initially didn't think of going up here since you need to get past through stairs to go up. I don't know if Cassidy's capable of going up stairs with her mobility aid, but anything is possible at this point.

I walked up, went out, and almost instantly, in the corner of the rooftop was Cassidy.

"Found the jackpot, haven't you, Al?" Said a voice so familiar to me, it almost felt like a reward just to hear it again.

I turned my head towards the voice, and saw her sitting with her back pressed against the wall, playing a game on her phone.

"Cassidy." I muttered. At that moment, I couldn't help but smile. I was so relieved she's okay.