Forgotten Spark

Chapter 16

We all slept for most of the afternoon. I was refusing to think about what happened the day before to avoid another panic attack. I would have to process it eventually, but now was not the time.

While Jack and Abi slept soundly, I was restless. My injuries were throbbing. I tried to lay still, but I could not sleep for long. I had also slept for twelve hours the night before so I wasn't very tired. I napped for maybe an hour here and there. I just stared at the ceiling and distracted myself by tracing the patterns in the texture.

When the sun was getting low, Jack finally woke up and announced that he would get some food. Either that, or he wanted a broom, I wasn't sure because of his muffled voice. I hoped it was food because I was starving! I tried to remember the last time I ate. It was pizza at the ranch, over twenty-four hours ago. I remembered because I had face planted in my food right after my 'episode' about Taylor.

Taylor.

I wasn't sure if she was even alive. Should I even give myself hope? I cringed that the last time I was with her was so embarrassing. That couldn't be my last memory of her. There had to be more to our story than that. She had to be alive. I wouldn't let myself believe anything else. I would see her again, if only to make her smile one more time. 

I stopped myself. This kind of thinking was stressing me out. Abi would scold me if I popped a blood vessel. I returned to tracing the ceiling. 

Jack returned after about thirty minutes. Abi still wasn't awake, so he gentle nudged her awake. She gasped and sat up. "Falling down the sheep??" That made no sense.

Jack rubbed her back. "All day. You beefed it."

I slapped my ears. I thought I could hear, but somehow it had gotten worse since this morning. I strained to understand, piecing together what they actually said. Abi was asking how long she had been alseep, and Jack was telling her she'd slept all day and that she needed it. I hoped my ears would recover eventually. This game was exhausting! 

I tried to sit up, but I must have grunted, because both Jack and Abi looked my way. Abi jumped to her feet and rushed towards me. I held up my hand. "I'm fine," I said. My lips formed the correct words, I was sure, but I heard "am fam".

Abi eyed me skeptically. "I can't always rely on you," I protested. She rolled her eyes and put a hand on my shoulder. Immediately I felt my whole body relax from relief. "You're kind of addicting, you know that?" 

Abi's muffled laughter sounded in my ear. "Stay away from my girl," Jack seemed to be saying with one eyebrow raised. Then he remembered the food he brought back. As he rustled the plastic grocery bags, the sound seemed to penetrate my eardrums and vibrate inside my head. I flinched.

"You okay?" Jack mouthed, his voice muddled. 

"Yeah," I replied. "It's just my ears, they're still ringing from yesterday." 

Abi's voice came from my shoulder. I derived that she was going to find some ear drops next time they went to the store. I didn't even know ear drops existed. It was such a strange concept to me. Would that even work?

Jack pulled out the food; he'd bought some fruit and sandwich ingredients. Abi scoffed something at Jack. She was apparently unimpressed with his choice of dinner. 

I didn't know what Abi was talking about; sandwiches were great! The only thing that would make it better was licorice. I loved licorice! I gulped my sandwich down in four bites and started making myself a second one.

It was then that Abi looked up solemnly. She said something and Jack matched her solemnity. He looked back and forth between me and her.

I was getting sick of being partially deaf. "Dude, speak up," I said, raising my voice a little.