The Girl Who Chased Stars

VIII

"She's stable, for now. But I believe we should keep her overnight to run a scan. It's very... abnormal for someone as healthy as your wife to just have a seizure out of the blue like that. Um, I'm afraid it is a bit costly for patients to stay the night, but I believe it's best for her, in this situation."

My dad hovers over my sleeping mother, who lies in the the hospital bed with an iv attached to her arm. He's only half paying attention to the doctor who speaks to him.

Dr. Pillsterin is what's typed on his formal looking name tag. On any other occasion I'd probably laugh because his name sounds like a prescription brand for allergies, but right now nothing seems funny to me. I'm standing in the corner of the room, unable to tear my gaze from the heart rate monitor. I watch the line with unfocused attention.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"And it could honestly be a variety of things, but considering the health of the patient I'm not quite sure what may have caused the-"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Who's going to tell Paris? She has to know about this. It's her mom too.

"So for now we're going to prescribe her some Felbatol to make sure she doesn't have another episode. Now the prescription may have some side effects-"

How am I ever going to forget the twitching? Her arms flailing like she didn't even know how to use them? The foam coming out of her mouth like some rabid dog on the streets? I can't stop seeing it. Every time I look at her it's all I see.

" -may cause headaches, weight loss, loss of appetite, inability to sleep-"

"Dad?"

My father tears his gaze away from my mother to me. "Is she gonna be okay?"

My dad tries to smile at me. "I believe so, Amy."

The doctor, Doctor Pillsterin, smiles warmly at me. "Why, she's doing just fine now, um... I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch you're name."

"Oh, uh, Amy. It's Amy."

Dr. Pillsterin smiles again. I can tell that he's given this smile to probably hundreds of people. It's not genuine, it's practiced. A plastic smile.

"Well Amy, your mother is doing fine, her heart rate is stable and she's recovering nicely."

"Okay, great. Thank you. Dad? Can I go out? I need some air."

I don't mean to be rude, but I can't help it. I don't like people like doctor Pillsterin. People who pretend to always be happy and who wear stupid fake grins. People like him scare me.

"Yeah. Don't run off, though."

"Yeah, sure thing. No running off, got it."

I step away from my mom's bed, and leave the room. As soon as the door closes I pull out my phone and punch in a number.

"Hello?"

I push my tongue into the side of my cheek, and sigh.

"Fuck it." I mumble. I'm done being the good kid.

"What? Amy, Hello?"

"Hey, Skai, I'm at the hospital. Can you come get me?"

"What?! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just- I've got a lot going on. I'm thinking too much, and... fuck, look, can you just come pick me up? I need a distraction."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm on my way."

I hear the phone click, and I put my phone back into my pocket.

Pushing my way through the hospital's front doors, I whisper to myself,

"I need outta this town."