Go Away (#TheWattys2015)

Chapter 22: New Problem

The moment the bell rang I bolted out of school and jumped into my moms car, not waiting for Tasha or Zack. I sped off down the road silently praying that there were no cops around.

Bursting through the hospital doors I tried my hardest not to lose my mind. All I could think of was Bella. I had to get to her. She could've already been dead. I shook my head as if I could make the image of her pale lifeless body go away, but it blazed brightly in my head like a giant neon sign. "Where's Bella?" I asked the nurse at the front desk. She had worked with Bella before and knew exactly who I was talking about without needing a last name. "Down the hall, to your left, last door." I nodded and headed in that direction. When I reached the door I closed my hand around the doorknob and stopped, bracing myself for what could lie on the other side. I opened the door and gasped. Sitting up in her bed, Bella was casually watching TV and eating popcorn. Some color had returned to her face and she almost looked healthy, aside from the fact that her veins were colored an unusual purple. She turned to face me and her face exploded with so much joy that I could practically feel my heart melting. "Daija!" She squealed, setting aside her bowl of popcorn and throwing open her arms. I ran to her and swept her up in my arms, holding her fragile little body close.

"Hey sweetheart," I said softly in her ear.

"How ya doin?"

She giggled. Her soft adorable giggle and stared up at me with her big brown eyes.

"I feel better. I can't reewy walk very well but I thwink the nurse lady said I'll be okay. Oh! I lost a toof! Look!" She opened her mouth to show me a gap in the place of where one of her front teeth were. I gasped faking surprise as best as I could.

"Wow! That's awesome!"

She stared at me with an adorable smile glued to her face and her eyes sparkled with joy.

"I put it under my piwwoy so that the Tooth Fairwy can come. Do you thwink that she'll come?"

I smiled.

"Of course she will."

Her face lit up even more but the smile was wiped off of her face when a sudden crack of thunder exploded outside. The TV screen was now a blend of static and I turned it off. Bella screamed and grabbed at my my shirt. She looked horrified and tears started streaming down her face from her wide, panicked eyes as another loud boom erupted from outside. She let go of my shirt and slapped her hands over her ears. Rain started pouring outside and a flash of lighting ripped out of the clouds and struck something a long distance away. Bella was screaming again and again. I picked her up and sat her down on my lap and rocked her back and forth. "Shhh," I whispered in a soothing voice.

"It's ok. It's just a little storm. We're inside so it can't hurt us." She continued to tremble in my arms. "It's ok," I repeated. Another loud boom. Bella snuggled against me and held me tight, her little fingers digging into my sides. I stood up, carying her with me, and opened up the blinds on the window staring out at the rain and giant puddles forming everywhere. It was beautiful. "Bella," I whispered. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Thunder is just a sound, it's loud, but if you think about it, it's kind of cool. Like natures drum. And look at the rain." She kept her head tucked in my arms. "Bella," I tried again. "Look." She peered out and turned to look outside of the window. "Whoa," she whispered in complete amazement. Growing up, Bella never really liked to watch the rain. This was probably the first time she seemed to see its beauty.

"I want you to be strong for me okay," I said.

"I need you to be strong. Don't be afraid of anything. I'm going to do my best to protect you until the day I d-" I stopped realizing 'die' probably wasn't the best word to use on a little kid. "Until I can't anymore. When that time comes, you have to be real strong for me okay? Don't let anyone or anything scare you, or don't show it. Fear is a weakness." I felt her nod and I smiled, seeing as to how she was completely consumed in watching the rain fall.