Pattern

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three

// Avery //

Thursday night may have been the worst night of my life. My mother had died on a Thursday too, from the burns and the amount of smoke she'd inhaled in the fire.

But for this girl, no one could be sure if she was going to live through the night, and it was terrifying.

Madison eventually went home - after ten o'clock, having sat beside Prudence for a while, praying. I felt like praying too, even though I didn't believe in God. I wanted to do something.

The doctors had eventually told us that she'd needed several blood transfusions, and her wounds had been stitched up but needed a lot of time to heal. She had bruises all over, two cracked ribs, an infected cut on her leg and a long scar going down her neck and chest. The doctors had informed us that it was in the shape of the letter 'I'. I'd expected that.

The scar would also fade a bit, but mainly be permanent. If she woke up - and yes, it was an if - I doubt she'd have a positive reaction to that.

Myself and Robert had sandwiches from the café for dinner, and ate beside her bed. If she survived the night, her condition would be considered stable. Right now, it was just critical. The doctors told us there was every chance she wouldn't wake up, due to all the trauma she had been through, there was every chance she wouldn't want to.

I stayed by her bedside on a plastic chair, and though I tried to stay awake, I fell asleep about one, my head on the sheets covering her stomach.

Robert Knightley didn't sleep, though. I think he was afraid that he'd wouldn't be there in her dying moments, so forced himself to keep his eyes open.

In the morning, she was still alive, and now stable. Prudence wasn't out of danger yet, but she wasn't in the middle of it either. All she needed to do now was wake up.

--

I left the hospital on Friday for an hour and got some food and other things from my house, telling my dad where I was and where I would be for the next while. He'd grunted an "okay" and let me go.

I changed my clothes and packed more, then went back to the hospital. Madi was there, wide-eyed from lack of sleep.

"She's stable," was all she said when she saw me.

"Yeah," I agreed happily. "She's stable."

The girl eyed my bag. "Why do you have that?"

I shrugged. "I'm planning to crash here for the next while."

She looked surprised. "Wow. You're really going to stay here all day and all night?"

I nodded. "That's the plan."

Madison sighed. "If I hadn't gotten to know you a bit better, that would be major creepy. I don't trust you completely, Avery, in fact I barely trust you at all, but .. Without you, she wouldn't be here. So thank you."

I was taken aback, but I smiled. "Don't thank me, really. If we didn't save her in time, I .." My voice trailed off.

Madi looked at me. "Are you going to tell her?"

I shrugged. "I guess it's that obvious now, eh? Maybe one day."

"She hates being kept waiting." Her best friend then grinned at me, and left, probably for the vending machines.

Robert Knightley wasn't around either, so I presumed he was at work or sleeping at home.

I sat beside her bed for hours, as nurses came in and out. Some talked to me, some didn't.