Keep Beating

Chapter 5: Sticks and Stones may Break my Bones, and even the Silent Words Hurt

Chapter 5: Sticks and Stones may Break my Bones, and even the Silent Words Hurt

(POV: Keyon)

Miranda and I were sitting at a coffee table in the cafe, finishing up dinner. It’s been so fun seeing her, and it would be sad to see her go.

Miranda and I have been great friends since the beginning of med school. Since she is so short, many people thought Miranda was my age, or younger. But truth is Miranda is two years older than me.

I had been failing one of my classes first year, and I couldn’t catch up. I was in a bar one day when I met Miranda, and I learned she went to the same school as me, but was two years ahead. I told her how I was failing one of my classes, and she offered to tutor me.

And that was the beginning of a great friendship. People say we act so much like siblings. She’s the mature, serious, older sister, and I’m the annoying pain in her ass, always causing trouble, little brother.

I laugh, as Miranda tells one of her funny stories. Once we calm down, she glances at her watch, “oh it’s 7:00, don’t you have to go check on your patient right about now?” she asked me.

“You’re right. I almost forgot,” I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck.

“Jeez, Keyon, I know we’re having fun but she is your patient,” she sighed. “You can’t just miss checking on her when she is as sick as she is.

“I know, Manda, I know.” We go up and brought our trays back to the counter, then walked out.

As the day had died down, so had the chaos. Things were relatively calm in the halls now, so Miranda and I could take the fast route to Charlotte’s room.

Poking my head in, ready to scare her, I was surprised to see Charlotte wasn’t there.

I looked around inside, to see if she was maybe in the bathroom or something, but Charlotte was no where to be seen. I walked back out.

“Can’t find her?” Miranda asked me.

“No, that’s weird. I don’t think I saw her in the cafeteria either,” I mumbled, walking over to the Nurses Station.

“Have you guys seen Charlotte around?” I asked Nurse Ellen.

“I don’t think so, not for a few hours at least. I’ve been busy. I think I saw her heading outside, but that was awhile ago. It’s been raining since then, so she must be around here somewhere,” she stated. She turned to talk to some of the other nurses, and they gave similar stories, and I got progressively more worried.

“How about we make a call for her to come over here?” I suggest. Nurse Ellen agrees, and calls Charlotte over the intercom. We wait about 5 minutes, and she calls again.

After 15 minutes since the first call, Charlotte has not showed up, and now I’m worried.

“Call a search for her,” I state. Ellen nods, and she goes to the nurses.

“I’ll go look around upstairs, you go outside in the back,” Miranda explains. I nod. Damn, if I had been around today, she wouldn’t be missing right now.

Shit, I am such an idiot.

(POV: Charlotte)

My hands linked around my legs, as I curled into a little ball, trying to keep warm. I must look like an idiot, it would be smarter to go inside.

I shivered, back against the wall of the roof, as I softly sang little lullabies to myself. Great, I look stupid, and mentally insane.