I sat in the empty, cold, fluorescently lit waiting room wondering how much longer it would take. My head was still processing what had happened, how quickly it had happened and why it happened. A man in a pristine white coat approached me.
“Millicent Pickett? I’m Doctor Mark Wilson. Your friend Anna, she’s awake. She can’t remember what happened though, so I was wondering if I could ask you some questions, if you don’t mind of course.” The man’s voice was hush, as if not to disturb the empty room.
I nodded and stood up slowly, still trying to work out what had happened myself. The man led me into a dark room. He flicked on the lights and there Anna laid, her face bruised and scarred. I stumbled towards her barely able to keep back my ice cold tears. I grabbed Anna’s hand and knelt down next to her.
“Millie, when you’re ready, I’d like to ask you those questions.” The doctor said, still hushed.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and spoke, slowly and unevenly, “Anna, I’m so sorry. This is my entire fault; I was stupid for thinking that was a short cut. If we’d walked along the road you’d be at home now, drinking hot chocolate and watching re-runs of ‘Friends’”
I sat waiting for an answer. Eventually she spoke.
“Millie, do not blame yourself. I could’ve said no and gone via the roads but I didn’t, I was irresponsible. Please don’t beat yourself up about it. There is no need.”
I stood up and walked towards the doctor, without me saying a word he understood and followed. He led me to another dark room, except this one smelt less like a hospital. The light came on suddenly, making me jump. He gestured towards a wooden, splintered chair on the other side of the room. I slowly made my way towards it. He sat opposite me and took out a tape recorder.
“Now, Millicent, what relation do you have to Anna Carl?”
“She is my best friend, we have known each other for ten years, since year one.”
“Okay, can you explain, in detail what happened just before and during the ‘accident’”
“Well, we were on our way back from dinner; we’d been to watch ‘Harry Potter’ at the cinema. It was a decent hour, nine fifteen, but we were in a rush to get back to Anna’s house because she always watches ‘Friends’ at nine thirty on a Friday night. So we decided to take a short cut through the woods because she lives right next to the woods. But as we were walking we heard a rustle in the bush and suddenly, appearing from nowhere, a wolf darted towards us. I tried to pull Anna forward to run away but she seemed stunned and wouldn’t move. I yelled at her to run but she just stood there like a statue. The wolf threw her to the ground, ripping her clothes. Then two more wolves came and I panicked. I knew she had a safe house near in case something happened at home and I could see it so I rushed there and phoned the hospital and police. When the police arrived the wolves had gone and I thought she was dead, but when her hand twitched I had hope.”
