Forever and Always

Forever and Always - [2]

She got into her car, a red Volkswagen Beetle, in a flash. Her mind was completely detached from her body, which automatically took over, operating the machine mechanically. She didn't know how she got there, but she arrived in there in less than fifteen minutes.

Everything was dull. The brightly painted walls, the chattering of the people, the beeping of machines. (She wondered why a hospital had such bright coloured walls, but it was not important at the moment.) She was numb all over, she didn't feel anything when someone stepped on her toes by accident.

She walked up to the front desk. In the same room was a little boy with a lego block stuck in his nose, a middle aged housewife who had a huge burn on her arm and a man in a suit with blood dripping from his head. Her eyes took in everything, but her brain didn't absorb it. She tried not too think too much, in fact, she tried not to think at all.

"May I help you?" The nurse asked in an overly-perky voice, not once looking up from the computer screen in front of her.

"Yes, I'm looking for Will Torantsco." She said in a monotonous voice void of emotion. She couldn't say too much, she knew she would break down.

"Please wait for a moment."

"...Something's... happened..." Those words flashed into her mind once again. Dear God, please let Will be alright...

"Name, ID, relationship to patient?" The nurse asked in that cheerful voice.

Victoria gave her all the required information and necessary details, then waited patiently as the nurse keyed it all into the computer. Yet, in her mind, she was thinking that the lady should hurry up.

"He's in Level 2, ICU Ward 5, Room 1. The elevator is on your left. Thank you, have a nice day." That nurse smiled, a fake plastic thing, and gestured to her right.

Victoria's robotic legs did whatever she couldn't, and walked her to the elevator. Her fingers pressed the 'up' button, and her legs carried her into the elevator, where she stood there motionless and quiet. She was somewhat grateful for the empty elevator - she couldn't keep that emotionless mask for long. She relaxed for a moment and let the pain and worry engulf her face. Just one moment to release her turmoil of emotions. Then she tucked them all back carefully, making sure nothing slipped.

"Ding!" The elevator reached the second floor. The doors slid open, and she stepped out, following the signs on the walls. It seemed like a never-ending maze of halls and colourful walls, and it made her eyes hurt. After all the winding and turning, she finally reached a room. Outside there was a huge plate stating 'ICU Ward 5' in bold black letters.

There were a few doctors and nurses gathered outside the ward, two doctors and two nurses, to be exact. They were in a heated argument about Will's condition. She stared blankly at them, as they talked about "whiplash" and " subdural hematomas" and "unable to function", and about how it all happened, but she could barely hear them. Her mind was swimming with thoughts about Will, worrying and worrying and worrying. Will he be okay?

She took in a deep breath for courage, and braved herself as she pushed open the door. The doctors and nurses stopped their arguing for a moment, and instead gave sympathetic looks at her.

Everyone was there. Parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces, grandparents, friends... You name it all. She recognised a few faces, like the green shirted man and Will's parents and siblings, but the rest were strangers to her. It was disturbing how so many people, some strangers even, could gather in one room just because of a man.

But not just any man. She thought. My man. My Will.

Her Will was lying in the hospital bed, the thin cotton blanket barely covering his unnatural position. He was in a mess - no, he was a mess. His head was wrapped with bandages, and streaks of blood lined his face along with dirt and grime. His left arm was in a cast, as was his left leg, and he was covered with tubes. The long snaking tubes connecting him to machines were running with mysteriously coloured liquids. His eyes were closed as he breathed shallow breaths with the help of an oxygen mask. If not for the eyes that flickered open when she entered the room, he was unrecognizable.