Number on me

13. Antares

'MAXINE! Open your door!'

Max slowly opened her eyes, the pain in her head magnified by the light.

'Max?! I swear to god open this door now!'

The banging on the door continued. Max slowly lifted her head a little bit. Her whole body hurt. It felt like someone hit her with their truck and then reversed over her. Her heart was pounding, her throat was swollen and her lungs were on fire. She was fighting for every breath, and while she didn't want to leave the person at the door waiting, there was no way she could even think about getting up.

Maxine was still laid in her bed, in the exact position she let herself fall on it this morning. She kit was still wet, and her entire bed with it. Maxine was extremely cold, and yet covered in sweat. Her breathing was staggered and she let her head fall down again.

As she struggled to get enough air she prayed that the people at the door, who were still knocking aggressive, would leave, and let her sleep.

The knocking stopped, and Maxine sighed, causing her to have an painful coughing fit. She was busy trying to ignore the absolutely terrible feeling in her body when she heard keys jiggle and her door open.

'Oy trouble, we're coming in. Where are you?' Maxine recognised Leah now, but had no idea who else was there, and it didn't really bother her, she still couldn't move.

Maxine groaned in pain and agony, completely ignoring the fact that some of her teammates just walked in, and turned her head in her pillow, trying to block out the sounds that were only worsening her already terrible headache. The door to her room was busted open.

'Maxine what the hell?' Okay, so Beth was here to. She didn't answer, still just trying to breathe and sleep.

'Are you alright? Viv! Le! She's in here!' More footsteps, and someone walked over to the bed now.

'Jesus! She is boiling hot. Max can you hear us?!'

Trying to give her teammates a soothing answer, Max took a breath, but immediately starting coughing again.

'Yeah alright, it will be alright. Viv can you carry her to the car? I think we better take her to hospital.' Normally, this statement would've earned Leah, who now was also sat on the bed, some form of protest. But this time, Max was in no shape to talk, let alone protest.

She felt herself get lifted of the bed like she weighed nothing at all. She rested her head against Viv shoulder.

'Le bring the car round please? And Beth can you please get like a blanket or something? Her kit is soaked for some reason.'

The car ride to the hospital was terrible, as she felt every single bump in the road in her bones. She was still struggling for every breath, with awful, staggering sounds to proof it. Her teammates kept talking to her, but Max wasn't registering any of it. She had never felt this bad in her entire life.

They arrived in the ER after what felt like hours, and Max was being carried inside by Viv, her eyes still closed.
Beth run a bit in front shouting down some nurses for help, and Maxine was put on a gurney and pushed to a different room. Nursed were shouting and Maxine was coughing. She wished everyone would just shut up, so her head would stop exploding.

A nurse put a needle in her arm, and before Max could be annoyed by the slight stab, she dozed off.

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