The Terror #wattys2017 #TNTHorrorContest

Heather

     It had been three days since I had gone to see Heather.  So many things were happening that she just got left out of the equation in my selfish importance.  My feelings toward her had changed as well, now that I realized what real love felt like. I'm pretty sure Heather had some idea about the crush I had on her and that's why she used to toy around with me. It was all innocent enough and most the time I didn't mind because mixed with the jokes, there was usually some percentage of closeness or even genuine intimacy. She was more to me than some girl I had a crush on, she was also my friend and I knew that she cared about me as well, maybe not the way I had once wished but there is a real affection between us.  As I rode up the elevator with my "Girlfriend," Michelle I was wondering what Heather would think.

She and Michelle had been friends longer than I had known either of them and I wondered if there wouldn't be just a smidgen of jealousy on Heather's part. She wasn't going to be able to play her sexy little games with me any more, at least I didn't think so.  I wondered how Michelle would react if she was a little off color with me, or wanted to get my opinion of her new under garments.  Then like a shot of electricity I realized...She would not likely want to be showing her once perfect body off to anyone anymore.  Before the elevator stopped I had a completely different idea about what our relationship was going to be with Heather.

I squeezed Michelle's hand and pulled her closer to me and kissed her on the cheek.  I turned her face to me so she could see that I wasn't happy.  I didn't want to start a conversation with the old guy with his walker standing there. The elevator dinged and stopped on our floor and we stepped out.

"What's the matter, baby?"  She asked concerned.

"I don't think we should tell Heather about us," 

'But why sweetie, I think she'll be happy for us?"

"Think about it for a minute, you know and she knows that I had a big crush on her, right?

"Well, yeah, but that's over now isn't it, I hope it is, it is isn't it, tell me it is?"

"Oh no Michelle, don't worry about that, you're my only girl and you've got me heart and soul. It's just that. well, I think she needs to think I still have the crush on her. Imagine what it must be like to be as beautiful as she was and now she's covered in scars and broken parts.  I just don't want her to think I switched teams because she's all fucked up. I'm just thinking she don't have much to hold onto as it is, maybe I shouldn't take that away as well, at least not just yet. You know what I mean?"

Michelle stood inches away from me and sort of stared into my eyes, I smelled her perfume and spearmint gum on her breath. I wasn't sure if she was going to cry or slap me, for a moment I thought I said something wrong. She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me so tight I could hardly breath.

"How does a man so young become so considerate? It never crossed my mind that it might hurt her feelings. I love you more every time you surprise me with your ....your kindness. I'm so happy you love me! Of course, this would be a bad time to tell her about us." 

"So I'm not crazy?"

She kissed me again, "No, crazy wonderful is all."

"It really just occurred to me as we were in the elevator."

"No wonder you were so quiet, well I'm glad you thought of it, let's go see how she's doing, I hope she isn't pissed we haven't visited."

Hand in hand we walked down the hall to her room but when we got there she was gone. In her place was some old lady full of tubes and wires.

"They must have moved her out of intensive care, she must be doing much better," I said. I looked over at my girl, Michelle was frozen, I saw that look on her face before. She was thinking something completely different than me.  Immediately I turned to her, took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"I'm sure she's fine Dove, we just gotta go to the desk and find out where they put her, OK?"

She looked at me with a blank expression and slack jaw, I took both her hands in mine and her arms were slack. I put her hands together in mine and kept my eyes on her face,

"Please baby doll, pull it together for me. Say OK,"

She took a second to respond but then she repeated, "OK,"

"Now let's go to the nurses desk and find out where she is, let's not jump to conclusions OK?"

"OK," she said back.

I put my left arm around her shoulder and held her other hand in my right. We walked down the hall to the nurses desk. Now she had me scared too, what if it was bad news, what if she didn't make it.  I tried to stay cheerful for Michelle's sake but now I was nervous about asking the question, man that was a long ass hallway.

We approached the desk and I saw one of the nurses we were familiar with. She was looking at a chart and talking on the phone, she looked up and saw us coming and I knew the answer already in the grim resolve on her face.

Just then Michelle's legs went out from under her and she went limp. It took every ounce of strength I had to keep her from banging her beautiful head on the hospital linoleum. She was out cold and the nurse was there before I could lay her down on the floor.  Tears were running down my cheeks and there was a lump in my throat the size of a turnip. I clenched my teeth so I didn't cry out and whispered to my sweet angel, "It's OK, It's OK, everything will be alright,"

Before I knew it there were two orderlies putting her on a gurney and rolling her down the hall. It all was happening so fast my head was spinning, all was  confusion and I was swept up in it.  I followed them down the hall to a room where there was a Doctor standing by.  He was holding her eyes open and flashing a light in them. The nurse had a magazine she was waving to give her air until another nurse put a oxygen mask on her face.

I just stood there crying...