Nerve

=~2~=

When they got back up to the large house, the half-a-dozen carers filtered away, leaving Jonathon, Maria and Oli. Maria and Oli were the girl's main carers, but for the trip they had called in favors and gotten a cheap trip to the seaside funded. Hailie was grateful, but a nagging part of her mind told her it simply hadn't been worth it. Stare at the sea that had taken my body. Cheerful Sundays all around.

Jon took a seat on the armchair across from his friend's cushy wheelchair. The back pressed against the base of Hailie's skull, and straps criss-crossed her torso to keep her from toppling off.

Maria carefully checked the ventilator, and sat down.

"So-o-o-o..." Hailie drawled, dragging the syllable out as long as possible with an iron lung. Jon winked at her and picked up a book, burying his face in it. Not for the first time, Hailie felt a pang of guilt - Jonathon had given up so much for her. Surfing, college, basically all social life... Just to take care of his quadriplegic best friend.

"My-y saviour," Hailie abruptly told him. He looked up and grinned, glancing at the IV drip. The Morphine must have been kicking in, to ease the persistent pain, as she felt a drowsy giggle swell from the back of her throat. Oli shook his head in exasperation, leaning over to adjust the drip.

And so they sat.

She drifted in and out of sleep, dreams twisting her mind.

Hailie was wondering in the city. Her black hair was long again, and she lifted her hand to push it back.

She stared at her hand. Something in the back of her mind told her that was not right, but she didn't care. Tall, dark buildings blocking out the sunlight. But that was OK, because Hailie had friends with her – Oli, Maria, Jonathon They were chatting, but their voices were on mute. The four strolled along, but, two inches from the curb, Hailie's right leg collapsed. She sprawled on the road, chin bouncing off the tarmac, and her arms felt heavy with exhaustion. She flailed, tried to call for help, or to see where her friends were.

They just kept walking, oblivious to her fall.

'Get up!' Hailie screamed, shrieking at herself. 'Up! Up! Now! Get up, you idiot! The cars are-'

Hailie woke up with a jolt of her neck, and cried out in pain. Her rasping voice hitched onto the ventilator and she screamed in pain as her neck snapped back.

"GET UP!" She shrieked, and her neck thrashed in pain and panic. Jonathon was at her side immediately, hands on either side of her neck. Maria calmly reclined the chair, until the sobbing girl was horizontal in the restraints. Hailie cried out, her neck spasming. Jonathon

clamped hard on the sides of her neck till the jerks calmed.

"Lee," He said, and her eyes swivelled to him. The pupils were blown up, her breathing raspy and desperate.

"She's having a spasm," Oli said helpfully, but he worked professionally, and carefully put a mouthguard in place between her teeth.

"Lee," Jonathon repeated, shushing her quietly but firmly. Her neck was screaming in pain, the tendons strained. Tears streamed down her face, but her eyes were wide and confused.

She was trying, trying so hard, to move. To buck upwards, roll out of the strap-gurney, and press her heated face to the cool floor. None of her body was cooperating. Her neck twitched and thrashed, but and her face was contorted in pain, but nothing was aiding her.

Finally, Oli leaped forward with a needle and gently pierced the skin of her arm. Hailie did not see or feel it, and the effects of the Morphine were slow, but she eventually stopped thrashing and lay back, dazed and exhausted. Jonathon collapsed in the chair and watched her carefully till her eyes fluttered closed in exhaustion. 

A/N
I am aware that these chapters are only 500-600 words long! This is a short story, and I couldn't live with myself if I published it in ONE chapter.
Toodloo