Running Through Rivers

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen - Cassidy's POV

********************************************

Blake drove to the hospital, Alfie sitting in the back seat with me as I tried to not freak out. To be honest, I wasn't doing a very good job.

Austin wouldn't tell me what was wrong, only that I needed to get there as soon as possible. Of course, this meant that I jumped to the worst possible conclusions.

Maybe Sophie was attacked by rabid dogs.

Maybe she was in a car crash.

Maybe Dad found her and took her and hurt her and....

"Stop."

I looked up at Alfie. "I'm not doing anything."

"You were thinking of ridiculous situations and scaring yourself, I know you were."

"I'm fine."

I sighed, bouncing my knees up and down agitatedly as we stopped at yet another red light.

I'm fine.

I had to convince myself. I had to be strong for Sophie, at least until I knew exactly what had happened. I repeated it again and again, hoping that, if I said it enough, it would become true.

I'm fine.

I'm fine.

I'm fine.

"It's okay, Cat, we're almost there now," he soothed, rubbing circles on my back in an attempt to calm me down.

It didn't work.

"No, Alfie, it is not okay. My sister is in hospital. I don't even know why. I don't know what happened or when it happened or how she is or-" Alfie pulled me into a hug, cutting off my sentence, as tears began to fall down my face. I buried into Alfie's shoulder and cried silently, staying there until I felt the car slow to a stop. Wiping my eyes on the corner of my sleeve, I thanked Blake and quickly jumped out of the car.

I practically ran to the entrance and up to the reception desk, where an older lady was tapping away on a keyboard. She glanced up as Alfie appeared behind me.

"How can I help, dear?"

"Uhh, my...my sister...she's sick, or hurt, or....she was brought in a few hours ago...maybe more...I-"

"Sophie Turner." Alfie spoke over me as I tried to form a proper sentence.

I smiled at him gratefully, grabbing his hand as the woman searched around her computer screen.

"Ah, yes. Here we go.....room 206, Children's Ward."

We walked in the direction she was pointing, down a long corridor and up a flight of stairs, and soon found ourselves standing outside the right door. A sign with Sophie's name was stuck to wooden exterior. She was definitely here.

I swallowed and shakily gripped the handle, unsure of what I would see once I pushed open the door. I turned to Alfie, who was standing awkwardly by the plastic chairs that lined the walls. He probably felt like he was intruding, seeing as he wasn't family, but I didn't care; I needed him.

I held out my free hand silently. He slipped his into mine, squeezing it softly as I took a deep breath.

Here goes nothing.

I pushed against the door and stepped into the room.

The first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. There was only the sound of a heart monitor, accompanied by the soft ticking of a clock. A figure lay in the bed in front of us. I breathed a sigh of relief as I scanned her body for changes; no scars, no blood, nothing unusual.