Aquaphobia

Chapter 13

[SCOTT VOORHEES]

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THREE DAYS LATER

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Grandmother was checked into the hospital early Monday morning. They told me she was having critical heart conditions, and that they were moving her to Intensive Care for 72 hours at minimum. It's been 24 since then, and I think I've cried at least once for every one I've been awake. I haven't hung out with anybody in half a week, and the one day I went to school I avoided everybody. Thankfully I didn't have Trigonometry that day, so I was able to stay away from Walker and Ian. I know they'd try to find out what's wrong. Matter-of-fact, they already have.

Every day for the past three days I've been getting texts from the both of them asking where I was and if I was okay. I haven't responded to a single one. This is partly because I don't have time, and partly because I don't want to. All I've been doing with my hours is trying to go to the hospital when I can. They won't let me into Intensive Care, so sitting out in the living room and trying to hear Grandmother's voice over my tears is all I've done. Whenever I'm at home though, I get deep into thought.

Over the past three days, at least once every few hours, Alice Angler's words keep ringing in my head. The entire story about Matthew Cayuk is still there, but it isn't as repetitive. The part that gets me every time are the fifteen words she said at the end of her sentence.

"...it's always important to never let your fears get in the way of your life."

Whenever I think about fears, all I see are the smiling faces of Mother and Father looking back at me. I can barely remember their faces, but I'm sure that whatever better place they're in now, they remember mine. I really don't want Grandmother to join them up there. I don't want the only person I have left to be taken from me, too.

At the 22nd hour of Grandmother in Intensive Care, I inquired about her condition. They said they couldn't reveal much, but it didn't look any better, if not worse. They told me to relax and give it time. Giving time was the last thing I wanted to do. It'd been nearly an entire day and they wouldn't even tell me what was wrong with her. All I know to this moment is that she's suffering from "critical heart conditions." I wish I knew what these were, and more importantly how to stop them.

I lay down on my bed and stare out the window at the frightful ocean below. The sounds of the waves crashing makes me shiver. I stare silently for a good hour or so, before I hear the doorbell ring. After a few minutes of hesitation, I force myself to go out and answer the door. Unfortunately for times like this, our door doesn't have a peephole or side windows to look through. The only way to tell who's on the other side is to open it. With a huge breath in, I grab the knob and open the door.

It's Walker and Ian on the other side, and they're both smiling. They're both holding fishing rods in their left hands, but Walker is holding something in his right. He holds it out in front of him, and I try to see what it is more clearly. It's rather small and shiny, and it dangles back and forth as he holds it from the top. Within a second of staring, I'm able to see that it's a set of keys. While too small to be car keys, I wonder what they go to. Needless to say, they look more or less like vehicle keys.

"I thought we'd find you here!" Walker laughs as neither of them break posture.

"Where've you been, Scott? We were so worried about you! We'd been hanging out every day for almost a month and suddenly, you stop. You stop hanging out, you stop coming to school, and you even stop replying to our messages. What's the matter?" Ian adds.

I just stare at them in silence. I can't find the words to respond with.

"I think a little dock fishing might cheer you up! Come on, Scott! Let's go to Lake Iaz for a quick catch! There's a lot biting today! I bet you can even catch a Crucian Carp! What if today is your first catch?" Walker asks as he tries to cheer me up.