Evanescent

One

Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep.

I wake to the unmistakable sound of a hospital room. A scent of clean air rushes into my system. Sending shivers down my body.

Faded voices get louder and louder along with rushed footsteps. The door opens and a woman in a blue uniform and glasses enters. Her eyes get wide and she calls out the door to however she was talking to on the way here, "Tell those young ladies she's awake!" My friends. Did they come?

Sure enough, my three best friends rush in, Grace, Jaclyn, and Annie. I expected them to rush to me with huge smiles, but at first they just stand there with eyebrows raised and little soft smiles of relief. Annie finally breathes my name and rushes towards me. The others follow. I hoist myself into an upright position, ignoring the slight pulse of pain in my side.

"Vanessa, please don't try to move too much. You're not ready," the nurse says to me. But I don't care. These are my best friends in the whole wide world, I think they deserve a proper hug.

"Nessa! Omg I was so scared!" Grace says.

The confusion I feel is too intense too ignore. I waste no time getting to the subject. "Why am I here?" I ask, my tone of voice demanding an answer.

They all look away at once. Then at each other. "Nes-"Jaclyn starts but I can tell she doesn't intend to tell me.

"Why am I here?" I say even sterner this time.

The silence unbearable. I get ready to scream at them. But I think they see that in my eyes because Annie immediately says, "You fell, Vanessa."

Really? I fell? Had to be some kind of fall to have this kind of impact on my body.

"Off of what?" I ask.

"A window," Grace replies.

"Oh," I raise my voice in shock.

The silence spreads around the room like water. My friends quietly hand me my favorite chocolates, sea salt caramel, and leave.