Short Stories

Wake Up

Wake up... Wake up... Wake up...
Leeah sat up in the dark. Why did she keep having this dream? There was always someone calling her. There were different voices, but they all told her the same thing. Wake up. Please we need you to wake up. The first few times she thought it was her parents trying to be funny but they had been downstairs the whole time.
She crawled out her window onto the roof. She had always liked being up high. For some reason she couldn't handle being on the ground. It was like some primary instinct kicked in and told her she didn't belong. She didn't fit with the people, she didn't belong in this place. But the small town was all there was. She never left, why would she? There was nowhere else to go was there? But she knew she didn't belong.
Wake up... Leeah I... I need you please.
"I am awake so what now?"
There was no answer of course.
A few days later there were more voices. It was strange. Leeah could never quite remember what happened in between hearing the voices at night. But obviously she had just gone through her daily routine. Breakfast, school, lunch, more school, bus ride, snack, homework, movie, sleep.
Maybe we should give up. She isn't waking up.
How can you say that? We can't just give her up.
This was new. The voices had never argued before. Leeah didn't like it at all.
"Stop it." She mumbled under her breath, and the voices were silent for a moment.
Did she just...
Well she never liked us fighting did she? Maybe it had an effect.
Aiden! Get in here, she spoke!
Aiden... No, she definitely knew that name. But from where? She touched her cheek to find tear trails. Why would she cry over someone she didn't know? Before she knew what was happening two hands shoved headphones over her ears and began blasting Journey. Her mind was stuck in thought about the voices, but her hands had had enough and took action.
IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON AND ON
Leeah...
STRANGERS, WAITING, UP AND DOWN THE BOULEVARD
Another, firmer voice came entered her mind. This one much calmer than the first two.
Leeah. You have to wake up now or we can't do anything to help you.
SHADOWS, SEARCHING IN THE NIGHT
Leeah.
STREET LIGHTS, PEOPLE
Wake.
LIVIN JUST TO FIND EMOTION
Up.
HIDING, SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT
Aiden I want you to try getting through to her, if anyone she'll remember you.
DON'T STOP, BELEIVIN, HOLD ON TO THAT FEELING, STREET LIGHTS, PEOPLE
DON'T STOP, BELEIVIN, HOLD ON TO THAT FEELING, STREET LIGHTS, PEOPLE
The voice hadn't stopped. It sang along. To her faborote song.
Her eyes snapped open.
Her favorite song.
Aiden. Her little brother. Her parents. The crash.
WAKE
UP
Blinding pain stabbed her in the ribs. Her head throbbed and she felt several needles in her arms. This wasn't her safe little world anymore. But she had always sort of known hadn't she? No clear details, no family, no friends, she didn't even know the name of the town. But it was so much easier than this. Nurses raced about, excited about someones heartbeat. The sound of breathing echoed in her ears louder than any song. But one thing drowned out everything.
Don't stop, beleivin, hold on to that feeling, street lights, people, livin just to find emotion, hiding, somewhere in the night
A little boy singing to her. There were tears in his words but he sang on. He didn't stopped beleiving.
But she couldn't do it. She couldn't open her eyes and face this new harsh world.
"She's slipping again!"
Just a small town girl
"No she can't we're so close"
Livin in a lonely world
"What can we do?"
She took a midnight train going anywhere
"You'll have to call the doctor"
Just a city boy
"No let me in! That's my neice in there!"
He took a midnight train going anywhere
"I'm sorry ma'am there's nothing we can do for you you'll have to stay outside"
A singer in a smoky room
"And if she doesn't make it? If she slips? What then?"
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
"The doctor should be here momentarily"
For a smile they can share the night, it goes on and on and on and on
"Thats not good enough!"
Strangers, waiting, up and down the boulevard
"For God's sake let the woman in she's family"
Their shadows, searching in the night
"What can you do?"
Street lights, people, livin just to find emotion hiding somewhere in the night
"We can try and make her comfortable..."
Workin hard to get my fill, everybody wants a thrill
"What the hell do you mean make her comfortable"
Payin anything to roll the dice, just one more time
"Well we can try but..."
Some will win, some will lose some of em just sing the blues
"Don't try, do. Save her."
For the movie never ends it goes on and on and on and on
"HELP HER DAMNIT"
Strangers, waiting, up and down the boulevard
"She's hysterical..."
Their shadows, searching in the night
"Get her out of here I need space"
Streetlights, people, livin just to find emotion, hiding, somewhere in the night
"What about the boy?"
Don't stop. Beleivin.
"No she reacted to his presence keep him in the room"
Hold on to that feeling
"I don't know what we can do..."
Streetlights, people,
"It's up to her now."
DON'T STOP. BELEIVIN.
She opened my eyes. It was so bright everywhere. She felt a crushing weight on my chest and two blue eyes bright with tears stared into hers. Connected to those blue eyes, was a mouth frozen on the chorus.
"She opened her eyes Mr."
The doctor nearly had a heart attack.
"AIDEN SHE HAS 3 BROKEN RIBS WHY WOULD YOU SIT ON HER STOMACH GET BACK IN YOUR CHAIR"
She groaned, remembering the car crash. Had it been her fault? Vague details flashed into her mind. She had been driving when it happened. Her parents had been drunk. She had a learners permit. She had to go on the highway. A Subaru came at her out of nowhere. The car flipped. There was a fire. She pulled Aiden out.
"Leeah? Leeah can you hear me?"
She nodded.
"Good. You gave us quite the scare a minute ago. I just want to say you're very brave for snapping out like that we've had some patients stay in comatose states like yours for months before they broke out."
She had been... In a..
"My name is Doctor Frank Weisfeild and I've been treating you here at New York Childrens Hospital for the past two weeks. It seems to me that you should make a full recovery from the incident. Do you remember what happened?"
"Kind of..." Her voice was cracked like it hadn't been used in a while. Well it hadn't.
"Your parents were killed in a car accident a few blocks away, you were coming for your brothers check up I believe? There was a collision with another driver and they didn't make it I'm sorry. Yoy were able to save your brother but you inhaled a lot of smoke which may cause some memory loss. How many fingers?"
She groaned and turned over to face away from the doctor, tears streaked down her face.
"No... No I remember everything. Can I just sleep now? I don't want to have to remember." The doctor stared at her irritated.
"You've been asleep for two weeks I think you've had your fill. We need you to identify the vehicle who hit you!"
"For God's sake leave her alone! Hasn't she been through enough? Let her be you bastard." Aiden grabbed Doctor Frank's arm and pulled him back.n .
"Aiden you have no right to even be in here you can leave. No, you will leave. Get out of the room wait in the lobby."
"I'm not leaving my sister but you should consider it."
The good doctor nearly slapped Aiden across the face.
"You little punk get out of here."
"Please just let me sleep." Leeah had indeed been through alot.
"Leave her alone!"
The doctor nearly growled at him.
"You have one hour before I kick you out if this hospital. Damn kid...." He stalked out of the room.
"Your gonna be fine Leeah I promise."
A silent tear ran down Aiden's cheek but he didn't dare cry until Leeah was safely asleep. She had been through enough without having to see her brother cry.