Beyond Reality - Watty winner in Spanish

Chapter XXIII

It's been more than three hours since the seizure, and now I'm all alone with her. I'm not sure it's been three hours but that's what I perceive.

The Goodmans stayed here for the first two hours but then they went to pay the hospital's bill to a not so close bank.

I don't have a watch... But I'm ok with that.

They may be hours, minutes, seconds and everything will be the same for me. Besides, I think I've had nothing to eat since... Well, if I don't track time, even less I keep track of my eating. The basic food service in this hospital includes some bottles of water and cereal bars, if you'd like something extra, they charge you for it.

At first, when Alexandra was hospitalized, the Goodmans paid for the most expensive 'package' which included all four meals a day. As time passed, while Alexandra was being consumed by her disease, it seems it also worn out our apetite. We started eating four meals, then three and then just two. Nowadays, I just eat some fruit, cereal bars and free bottles of water. For now, I seem needless of anything else than that to keep me alive. Everything else is a luxury to me.

The cold metal bars of the stretcher makes me tremble. I watch her and caress her head. I show signs of saying something, but I restrain myself remembering things and smiling.

"You know what?" I say, placing my chin on the metal bar and drawing imaginary circles on her hand. "Do you remember that day when we were walking down the school's hallway as many other times? It was the first time we were having one of those amazing and unexpected chats... That was the day you escaped from Literature and started running down the hall without telling me. Do you remember that?"

Alexandra breathes and I like to imagine somehow that means she is following what I say. Sometimes, I think I'm crazy because I'm just speaking to myself. However, I know she is here too and she listens to me because she knows I'm by her side.

I wait for some seconds trying to remember every little detail of that memory. Oh, yeah...I almost forgot about it.

"You were in a hurry going somewhere..." I snort smiling and I focus once again. "So, we were finally walking together and I'll never forget about this: you were on the right and I was on the left. I don't know why I remember that, probably because it's funny... So, I asked you what was your favourite colour and you told me it was lilac, pastel lilac. That was the first time I noticed the variety of colours. To tell you the truth, I hadn't been aware of that colour or any other classification, and from that day onwards, I did. Do you know the Manchester house's curtains are exactly that colour? I'm not lying... I'm sure you would have said 'Oh, James, you are crazy!' if you had had the chance to see them. 'This is a caramel lilac' or perhaps 'this is a Burgundy lilac.'" I laugh and then continue. "I don't know if that even exists... So, you inquired about mine and to be honest..."

Alexandra hasn't moved so I change the way I'm caressing her. I'm sure it must be tiring feeling the same kind of rubbing in your hand... I haven't thought about that.

"I didn't have a favourite colour to answer to your question." I confess to her, lowering my tone. "But I was shocked by your question, so just to continue talking with you, I looked around and the first thing I noticed was that reddish colour of your lips. So peculiar and natural at the same time... So beautiful. Then, thinking about it, I told you my favourite colour was red."

Confused, I laugh covered up in an avalanche filled with odd emotions.

"From that day on, red became my favourite colour. I don't know why I'm telling you all this, I guess you'd like to know it... You've always liked knowing as much as possible about everything."

I glare at her with a big smile.

"I guess I could give you more information, the kind you like so much. For instance..." I concentrate, rummaging every corner of my mind looking for something she'd like to hear. "I know!" I finally say, finding something. She loves to hear details about that day in particular. "The first time I saw you at the hallway... Are you aware of how many moments we've shared there?" I don't know if that is something worth to be remembered but we did have many conversations there.