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Hugs & Horrors

Alternative
Chapter 7

I stepped out onto the gravel, gasping once I saw the beautiful view in front of me.

There was no longer a fourth floor, it looked like it had burnt down. In front of me was crumbled walls that hardly could stand much longer, metal-framed beds, and unsalvageable equipment.

I continued to walk slowly out, staring in awe of the beautiful sunset that paired beautifully with the sad burnt down hospital.

I couldn't imagine this being safe to walk on, but I didn't question Alan.

"It's so amazing, how did you find this?" I asked, finally turning around to him. He stood there smiling at my face, proud that he found something to make my eyes light up.

"I used to be on this floor, I was in that room right over there," Alan pointed across the roof to the corner room, the furniture was still sitting where it originally was. It was eerie, "it burnt down a week ago, that's why it's all still here. Nobody has gotten the chance to clean it up yet," he began to walk over to his past hospital room.

My heart was beating out of my chest. Even though I knew Alan could basically get away with anything, I was still really nervous.

"Aspen, they helped me. I'm perfectly fine now, I trust these people. They'll work with you even with the budget issue," I rolled my eyes immediately when he started to talk about this.

"Alan I don't want to do this. I know, but normally if I ignore my problems, they go away,"

"You think the tumor will just disappear?" This really caught his attention, Alan turned to me with a look of disbelief.

I shook my head, "Alan-"

"No, I'm not going to let you go home. You're staying here," the way he said it made me stop fighting with him, there was no way to fight him, "the survival rates are good, Aspen. They're even higher the younger you are and when you're female," Alan had walked back over to me and rested his hands on the sides of my arms.

"What happens when I start losing my hair? My family will know.."

"I think they can stand to know," He whispered.

I went and hugged Alan. I don't think he was expecting it, it took a couple seconds for him to wrap his arms around me too. My face scrunched up against his shirt and I started to tear up.

"I'm scared," I breathed out into his chest, Alan squeezed me tighter and rested his chin on the top of my head.

The thoughts running through my head were the looks on my family's face when I tell them I have cancer, the tears from my mother, the anger from my father, and the confusion from my sister.

Everyone would pity me now, the last thing I wanted was to be known as the girl who had cancer. People would clap, cry, and cheer me along the entire way. I wanted to be a normal.

"There's no reason to be scared, my dear," Alan held my head in one hand and my waist with the other. I felt him press his lips to my forehead for a few seconds before pulling me closer into him again.

I felt my heart starting to beat quicker again.

"I'm not going to let cancer take you,"

The two of us stood there for a long time, holding each other and thinking.

I had never felt more at peace in his arms.

•••

The next morning I woke up in my bed, me and Alan had stayed up on the roof for a while in silence. But after that we decided it was for the best to get me back to my room.

I had looked up osteosarcoma earlier this morning and found out a lot more about it.

The surgery was either salvaging as much of my tissue while still removing the tumor, or amputation.

I couldn't imagine having a prosthetic leg though.

Right when I started to think about my parents, I heard my phone starting to ring next to me.

It was a hard decision for me, whether or not to pick it up or just ignore it. I thought about what Alan told me, how they need to know sooner or later because they would just find out in the end.

I picked up my phone and set it down, screen side facing the covers so I didn't have to bother looking at it anymore.

I decided I was hungry enough to go get something to eat, I slipped on a jacket that Alan had left me. He knew I was uncomfortable with the hospital gown and the jacket was long enough that it hit the back of my knees.

The nurse had taken the IV out again for me to go for breakfast, so I didn't have to worry about dragging it around and accidentally hitting anyone.. again.

I turned right so I was walking next to the secretary, she was finally there sitting eating a bagel.

I smiled at her and she gave me a slight nod back.

Once I got in the elevator, I pressed the lobby button and leaned back against the wall.

I couldn't help but keep thinking this would be one of the last time I would take an elevator with both of my legs. Or the last time I would walk a certain hallway. The worst one that got to me was that I'll never go in my apartment again with both legs.

I let out a deep sigh and the elevator doors slid open, there were multiple people waiting to get in but they all looked at me and seemed nervous.

I hustled out of the elevator and turned around to see them all carrying on with their day.

I let it go knowing that most of those people were probably visiting loved ones and already shaken up. Seeing me just freaked them out more.

Once I got into the cafeteria, I looked around to see if Alan was anywhere.

I didn't spot him so I continued on to the line where I could get some food.

There was a pretty long line tonight, I had heard the secretary late last night saying that all of the rooms were full. After a couple of minutes I received my food, a bowl of fruit and a biscuit.

I sat down back at my table in the corner, I reached into the jacket and pulled out my phone.

For a second I was thinking to look up Alan, but I decided not to because it's kind of scary to stalk Wikipedia for one of your hospital friends.

I frowned at myself because I hardly touched my food, all I could really think of was this surgery. Even after the surgery I would have to continue with chemotherapy in order to keep any new cancerous cells from growing and spreading.

I slid my arms out of the jacket and just wrapped it around me like a blanket.

It smelled like Alan, fresh cut lumber and musk.

I tilted my head down so my chin was resting below my right collar bone, I inhaled the sent and realized I was tense once I relaxed my muscles.

If I was going to tell my parents, and I wanted to be able to tell them in person.

___

Thank you so much for reading! 😊 please vote and comment.

Lol shoutout to my 'editor' Nicole 😂😂 she reads over everything because I type FAST- lol she hasn't even edited this yet tho but I'm pushy and wanted to update.

ALSO if I'm not updating as much within the next few weeks it's because I'm in marching band, make fun of me I love it

but like I have camp for like basically two weeks all day long (1st week 8am-5pm Monday through Friday and the 2nd week 8am-9pm Sunday through Friday) so I'll be a busy gal, but I'm trying to get some chapters prewritten so I can update at least once a week

but for now I'm just chilling 🙏🏼🙏🏼 hmu if you're bored bc most likely same

adios love you