My Country Paradise

Chapter 16: White Walls

A loud, droning beeping sound made my mind whir. I tried to focus on where I was, what I was doing, but I grew confused and settled uneasily for knowing nothing. I weakly managed to open my eyes, but my vision was blurred and made me feel dizzy. I began to panic, internally, only because my body refused to cooperate.

I began to have trouble breathing, all the sudden it was becoming painful, even, to breathe. I attempted to cry out but no noise escaped my lips. I could feel my body, uncontrollably, begin to shake violently and my muscles grew tired and seemed to cry out for it to stop. But I couldn't...I couldn't stop it.

The noise I had heard earlier grew to an ear-piercing wail. My ears began to ring and I could hear my heart thudding in my chest. It was erratic and strange. Help. My mind cried out. There was the crash of something beside me and a panicked voice could be made out barely above the wailing noise. It was higher than normal, probably from stress, but it didn't keep me from recognizing it.

It was Andrew.

All of the sudden I could feel my breathing returning to its normal and my body stopped shaking. His voice. The wailing sound grew quiet once more and returned to the droning sound I heard when I first woke up. I felt the presence of someone over me and then someone stroking my hair, over and over again.

"Alli," It whispered soothingly. I blinked rapidly, trying to open my eyes, and then I could see. Andrew stood above me, his face was soft with worry and his deep brown eyes held sorrow. He looked surprised to see me awake. I could see him fumbling with his words and all he managed was, "Alli."

"Andrew," my voice was weak and unrecognizable. A tear slid down my cheek without my permission. He reached to wipe it away, but not before I could see the look of pain cross his face.

"I should have caught you." It all came rushing back. Everything. I replayed in my mind, falling...falling. I remembered the painful hit of my head to the large rock that lay on the outside of the pond. And the snake...I remember seeing it near me. But I knew...I knew it wasn't his fault.

"Don't do this," I begged weakly. Andrew grew quiet, but the pain of guilt didn't escape his eyes.

For the first time, I glanced away and looked at the room I was in. Everything was white. The walls, the floor. Andrew was sitting on a plastic chair that was right next to the hospital bed. A small TV was centered across from my bed and I room, I assumed was the bathroom, was to the left of that. Flowers, large and blooming, were in a large vase to the right of my bed. It was a beautiful assortment of summer yellows and blues.

"Who brought the flowers?" I asked, trying to smile at him.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I thought you might like something pretty to look at."

"Thanks," my voice sounded like the croak of a frog and I desperately tried to clear my voice. "Where's Claire?"

"I told her to go home. It took a while to convince her. She refused to leave."

"How long have I been here?"

"A week."

"A week? Andrew, you better not have been here all this time." The dark circles that surrounded his eyes told her otherwise. "Go home. Sleep. I'll be fine."

"But I don't want to leave you."

"I don't care what you want, go home." I didn't leave him any room for arguing. He stood up and left, but not before he gave me a peck on the cheek. A faint blush was able to appear, despite how pale I was.

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After a few hours of sleep I heard someone knock at the door and turned my head to yell as loud as I could muster. "Come in!"