Blue Strawberry

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Doctor had tried to be positive, but I could tell he was only trying to raise my false hopes. The nerve roots of my spinal cord was damaged heavily by the crash, both my legs were apparently broken, but it didn’t matter I’d lost all ability to move them. I was now paralysed from the waist down and my lower limbs were now useless.

My Mum had been crying irrepressibly next to my hospital bed for what seemed like weeks, she had aged about twenty years over the last month what with my sister’s death and now this, grey streaks had started to appear prominently in her jet black long hair.

My Dad had been non-existence at the hospital, leaving all the decisions and consultations with the Doctor to my Mother. Mum had said he’d been busy at work, but he was only a courier who travelled up and down the country, making deliveries, surely he could have had some time off to spend with his ailing son. I knew the real reason, he just couldn’t handle all the upset and bad luck his family had endured, I could sense his distance from my Mum as well, he lacked the ability to comfort her in this most darkest of times.

I’d finally managed to get my Mum to go home and fetch me some clean pyjamas and a few of my favourite comics. This had finally allowed me some time to myself.

From under my pillow I pulled out the book I’d been trying to return to Elizabeth White that horrific day, why had she been in such a hurry? Why didn’t she help me once I’d been knocked down? And why had I been thinking of her almost constantly since I’d first laid eyes on her?

“Hello, Stranger.” Laughed Ryan as he poked his head round the corner of my hospital room

“Ryan, what are you doing here?” I answer shocked as I slide Elizabeth Whites book back under my pillow

“My Mums a midwife at the hospital remember.” States Ryan as he rushes up next to my bed

“Oh, I’d forgotten that.” I reply not really wanting any visitors, especially from school

“Damn, so it’s true then, your legs our useless.” Observes Ryan as he looks at my motionless limbs

“I see that you didn’t inherit any of your mum’s bedside manners?” I respond

“Well at least you’ve got me to push you around in a wheelchair when you get back to school.” Announced Ryan as he pulls up the chair which is supposed to be for visitors

“I can’t wait.” I glumly answer

“Anyway, I’ve got passed level twelve I knocked the knight into the sea and captured his magical sword. Now on level thirteen I’ve got to climb up the mountain before the tide comes in but I’m not sure if there are any monsters lurking in the sea, what do you think, Elliott?” rambles Ryan not pausing for breathe

“I don’t know Ryan.” I say uninterested as I see the same smartly dress man in a black suit that I saw after my accident walking past my doorway. He was still wearing his bowler hat and carrying his unopened umbrella.

“Yeah, Level thirteen will involve a lot of climbing.” Continues Ryan obliviously

“Ryan, did you see that man in the bowler hat?” I ask

“No, where?” replies Ryan as he scans the room

“Go and get him, he went down the corridor.” I order as I try to pull Ryan up from his chair with my hand

Ryan slowly wanders to my hospital room door and peers both ways down the corridor.

“No one here, the corridors empty.” States Ryan

“A smartly dressed man with a bowler hat, he’s carrying an umbrella.” I add

“No, nobody there, especially anyone with a bowler hat and an umbrella.” Says Ryan as he returns to the visitor’s seat. “Are you sure they are not giving you too much medication, my mum says they can mess with your mind these days, they could probably make you think you were chopping off a monsters head.” Laughed Ryan

“Never mind, how is the new girl getting on at school?” I inquire

“Not too bad, she’s still moaning at you though for taking her book.” States Ryan

“I was trying to return it to her.” I state frustrated

“Return it to her, you snatched it off her desk and pushed me into the door and ran, which I might add I have yet to forgive you for.” Responds Ryan angrily remembering

“She left her book and ran off.” I explain

“No, you snatched her book and ran off. She was in floods of tears on Mrs King’s shoulder after you bolted.” Puzzled Ryan

“But I was chasing Elizabeth?” I continue to protest

“Who’s Elizabeth?” States Ryan confused

“The new girl, of course” I say baffled

“The new girl is Lucy Bryan, and she wants her book back.” Commands Ryan

“No, the new girl is Elizabeth Wh….” I start to confirm as I pull out her book from under my pillow and in bold black letters at the top of the book it says ‘Lucy Bryan’

“There it is I’ll give it back to her at school tomorrow.” Says Ryan as he snatches the book from my grasp

“But how can that be.” I ponder

“I think you should lay off the medication, Elliott.” Concludes Ryan as he gets up to leave

“Maybe your right” I agree

“I’ll let you know how I got on with Level Thirteen next time I see you.” Mentions Ryan as he exits my hospital room