eternity// 5SOS

32

Poppy

I knocked on grandma and grandad's bedroom door, my hands shaking a bit. It was dark, and I was really over heated.

I had been laying in my phone as I couldn't sleep, when suddenly the charger stopped working and the wifi turned off.

There had been a power cut.

Grandma opened the door and shone her phone light, squinting.

"What's up darling?"

"My legs hurt," I sniffed, "And there is a powercut. And I wanna go home,"

"You should go and lay back down, I will bring you some medicine and a drink. Kick Alfie onto the blow up bed if you need to,"

"I wanna go home," I said louder, my lip trembling, "Now,"

"How can I make you more comfortable here? It's the middle of the night,"

"I wanna go home!"

"I can take her," grandad said, coming to the door, "But we are gonna have to wake Alfie up,"

"Take me home,"

I began to cry and Alfie joined us in the hallway, tiredly rubbing his eyes; he wrapped his arms round me and I hid in his shoulder.

"Sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night mate but Poppy wants to go home. We can take you there or back to your place,"

"Um, I don't know,"

"We'll take you to Mike's house. Let me help you pack,"

Grandma took my crutches and helped me get downstairs, then she made me some water and rubbed my back.

Alfie came down with grandad, then we all got into the car and drove back home, Alfie cuddling me in the back.

I felt naughty waking mum and dad up but they might forgive me in the morning.

When we go home, I leant into dad's body and began to sob so hard that he took me out to the garden sofa with a bundle of blankets.

"Hey now, we don't want you to have a headache. What's wrong sweetpea?"

"Powercut,"

"There was a power cut?"

"Yeah,"

"That can be scary, can't it. Have you ever had a power cut before?"

"Lots,"

"Ah... does it make you think of bad things?"

I nodded and started to cry again, struggling to catch my breath.

"It was always so scary because I couldn't see things, and I didn't know what would happen,"

"Mhm,"

"Then I got scared and they got mad and made me sleep,"

"I am so sorry you had to experience that, Poppy. I understand why this is so upsetting,"

"Sorry I woke you up,"

"It's okay. Let's just cuddle for a bit and see if we can get you feeling a bit better,"

"The hospital won't have a powercut, right? When I am alone?"

"No, the hospital has backup generators. Mum and I are not letting you stay alone though, okay?"

"Okay,"

"I think you've got a lot on your mind right now and that you need some rest... shall we get you into bed?  Mum has probably sorted Alfie out on the sofa, it's big enough,"