A Free Life

Chapter 7 James

James slowly stepped out of the cop car. The horrible Saturday Evening had just got even worse. James felt like the world was in slow motion as he walked to the entrance of the hospital. He could feel Rain's tight grip on his arm as they walked closer and closer to reality. James could already hear the doctors yelling commands about what to do with Rebecca. He could already feel the tension in the air. The sadness of families losing their members. James slowly turned his head to see Rebecca's parents running towards the door. James could see their determined expressions as the ran towards the door. The tears streaming off their faces soaked their cheeks. James kept walking. He wanted the world to go as slow as it could for as long as it could. He didn't want to walk into his legitimate impending death. James looked ahead and saw Rain's mother Maria open the hospital door with his father by her side. Rain slowed her walk beside him. Clearly she had the same idea as James. Slowing down their doom ahead. James closed his eyes and opened them. Letting the world speed up in front of him. Rebecca's parents ran into the door as fast as they could. He father's firefighter outfit standing out as he entered the door. "Come on James" James could barely hear his father's words as he repeated them over and over again. "RAIN!" James felt his breath leave his body. Everything was happening too quickly. James didn't want to enter. He didn't want to see what had become of his beautiful friend.

"James," James hears the soft and beautiful voice he had memorized, "James stop," It was the most peaceful thing in the world. "James you need to breath," The angel's voice said softly. "Breath and everything will be fine."

James found a voice in his head to speak to Faith. It sound hoarse compared to hers. "W-why? It's not worth it,"

"James," She spoke again, calming his nerves, "Your friends and family need you," James imagined the beautiful angel in front of him. Holding his hand and smiling that sweet and beautiful smile.

James took a deep breath. He was steps away from the door. James could hear Rain sobbing on the ground next to him. Was she having the same troubles as he was? James slowly took a step forward. He took another deep breath. Then he took another step. Soon he was one step away from the entrance. His legs fought to lift up. His breath refused to breath. His mind refused to think. James fought as hard as he could to breath. He saw Faith. The Red-headed angel extending a hand out to him from inside the hospital. James reached his hand out and grabbed hers. She smiled softly then disappeared. James looked around. He was standing in the middle of so much commotion. He could she Rebecca's parent looking into the window of a room. James slowly walked over to them.

When he reached the parents they were staring so intently at the window they didn't even hear his loud footsteps. "How is she?" James asked slowly. His voice cracking in sadness.

Rebecca's mother smiled a long and sad smiled at James. A single tear dripping down her face. James extended his hand without knowing that he had. Amber Stevens gripped it tightly. James let the tears drip down his face. The last time someone had gripped his hand so tightly was when they figured out that his mother had cancer. He called it the sad grip. The Grip that meant, "I'm here for you as you are for me."

James looked over at Rebecca's father. He was still staring through the window. "Mr. Stevens?"

"It's my fault," Rebecca's father said quietly. "I kept thinking of her as my perfect little princess. I kept treating her in ways she didn't like even when she said stop. I thought of her a a little girl who couldn't feel deeply." James looked down after hearing the words of Mr. Stevens. Everyone thought it was their fault. What if it was everyone's fault that she ran.

"Can you please tell me how she is?!" James said. Surprising himself at how demanding he sounded.

"We don't know James." James felt his heart drop as he heard the words. "What we know is that the entire time she was missing she was in the river. For Four days James! She's lucky to have survived that. And She was crushed by wood! How would you be if that happened to you." James jumped at the words. He had never heard Rebecca's father so angry.

"Ethan! He just wants to know how she is." Mrs. Stevens said sternly. Rebecca's father shot James a rude look and looked back through the window. James rolled his eyes at the adult. He was acting like a teenage boy.

"I am so sorry about my husband James. We've both been through alot this past week." James nodded at Rebecca's mother. She was always the kind and sensible parent. "Rebecca was found covered in blood and mud and splinters from the wood, water and nails. She had her phone just above the water's surface. The police had been attempting to unlock the phone to see what she had last been on, but it hasn't worked yet. I'm sorry James, that's all we know." James nodded slowly. A tear slipped down his face. James turned away to see Rain. Her entire face was red. She was a mess. James sat down on the chair next to the door. He didn't want to leave until he knew how Rebecca was. James looked around the hall. He saw his father leaning against a wall Talking to Rains mother. There were doctors talking about patients. There nurses walked quickly to their next patient. No-one came or left from Rebecca's room. Who-ever was in there was meant to be in there. James felt Rains head on his shoulder. He moved his head a little to see her sleeping. It had been a long day. James looked at the clock across the hall. "7:30" James couldn't believe how long he had sat there. Just waiting for news. James felt his eyelids droop.

When he opened them again the clock read "8:30" He had slept all night. James stood up to see Rain staring at a doctor. Both joy and sadness in her eyes. James tilted his head to question what was going on. Rain looked him in the eyes and smiled the first smile he'd seen in awhile. "She's stable. And she can have visitors!!"