Hours had passed. I've had spent my time sitting on the sofa watching a marathon of Tree House Masters. Seeing them build and restore tree houses feels so satisfying and the view of the forests, it's stunning. I used to want to be an architect, I really loved drawing structures but as you grow you tend to go different paths. Now its just a hobby of mine, probably because my parents discuss a lot about job opportunities since I was fourteen, it kind of changed my views. Oh how your past hopes and dreams fade. I mean they don't force me to change my future plans they just help me realize that somethings can and cannot make your life better—they're right, some choices won't improve your career as much as you think it would. I've directed my future to becoming a chemical engineer, I'm not that great with chemistry (yet) but I kinda like it, though I did blow up a beaker or two in the lab when I was fifteen. I look at the time—it's 9:55am, I'll be leaving later for the hospital.
I switch off the tv, go up stairs to shower and dress up in my bedroom. You know I've met the doctor who's managing Lara's situation, Dr. Frank Mulders, he noticed me always visiting Lara and asked me what were our relations. I told him she's my closest friend. We talked a bit, got to know him while he was free and he got to know me as well—he's a nice guy, very busy, can crack a joke or two, and a person you need to talk to if you have problems on your biology lessons, I'd ask him a lot of questions about it but currently I couldn't think of anything else other than the incident really. Plus it's spring break, let me not think about studies for a while, even if it involves my best friend attempting suicide and ending up in a hospital with a coma for two weeks. Yeah, hell of a start for a typical spring break.
Dr. Mulders told me more about Lara's situation each day I pass by to view her in the ICU—I learned that she had suffered a dislocation on her right shoulder, got some wounds and bruises at her sides, again mostly on her right. And that she has an inflation on her brain. To think almost all her injuries were on the right side, did she really attempt to kill herself? If she did, then why it only in one side? Shouldn't it mostly be on the center?
Doc also discussed about the swell on her brain, he told me when she wakes up from her coma there is a possibility that she might forget somethings temporarily due to that partial inflation. So is he saying she might not remember me anymore? Does adding the word 'temporarily' make people feel any better? But who to blame for all of this? Yeah it's me, I better check my place before commenting. I catch myself staring at the wall, I snap out of my thoughts and continue to dress up.
I finally topped off my casual plain indigo polo shirt and thick black jeans wrapped around by a long warm grey coat, looking through the window it seems to be cold, might as well warm myself up. I bring out a scarf, it's supporter's scarf actually—the Orlando City SC emblem embedded on the ends of it. I got it when my friends and I decided to watch the very first game of the club. Me, my friend Alex, and Lara travelled to Orlando, we bought three tickets to the Citrus Bowl Stadium—I managed to convince Lara to join us because we needed somewhere to stay and her uncle's place was the nearest, good thing her uncle allowed us to stay despite the fact that we just crashed in and asked if we can stay for a night or two.
Lara wasn't that fond with soccer actually, she's not at all that interested to it. I don't really know what made her say yes about my invitation but when we reached that stadium? Seeing the high structures? That perfect pitch? Her facial expression was priceless—gasping out of amazement as we got out of the tunnel. It was her first time to be taken to a stadium like this. The three of us sat in the left stand, section B. The stadium's aura was awesome, though there were some seats left empty the crowd's matched the intensity of the game, when Orlando scored against their opponents the people were wild.
As the crowd jump off their seats we three did the same, though Lara—in her first time watching a soccer game, actually knew how to celebrate with the crowd. I can really tell she had fun with us. The match finished two - nil. When we got out of the stadium we bought these scarfs as souvenirs for the game, Alex and I picked the purple while Lara went for white. It was a fun afternoon.
I look at myself in the mirror while I wrap the scarf around my neck, it matches the outfit. Though the color has faded a bit and some fabric have escaped their lines the scarf still looks fine. It's been a year since we travelled to Orlando, would like to visit that place again someday. I try not to look back at memories as I just get affected but I can't help it. I look away and go down stairs. I picked up the nearest pair of shoes I could find
"Mom, I'm leaving" I shout
"Sure, honey, stay safe" I could barely hear her through the ruckus of the washing machine.
"I will" I reply
I look at my watch, it's 10:12am. I head out to our terrace and feel the cold air sweep around. I step down to the soppy grass, slowly making my way to the front gate. The smell of the morning dew. Good thing I wore this coat, it's really cold outside. I got to the other side of the hatch and walked to the direction of the town, I try not to slip from the water soaked side walk.
I arrive at the hospital, I step inside through their retractable doors, the sun glares into the room as I enter. The smell of sanitized air and alcohol fills my nostrils. It's such a busy day, as always. Doctors and nurses rush left and right, the reception busy width some calls, and the waiting area filled with people. In the hospital you would always see a scene whether someone moaning in agony is rushed to the ER, a person with a fracture gets it cast on, a person sobs to the loss of a loved one, yeah I could name a lot—truly the people who work here have seen it all, how our world is filled with failures and accidents with a little bit of hope. A nurse with short ginger red hair walk by, it nurse Hermann. As she looks at the entrance and notices me
"Morning Johan" she waves
"Good morning nurse Hermann. Another busy day huh?" I wave back
"As always. You gonna check up on Lara again?" She smiles, her freckles and her green eyes become more visible as the sun's light passes
"Yeah"
"Alright then, you know the way" she says as she continues to her route.
Nurse Hermann is well, Lara's nurse. She, too noticed me that I come too often. She's a very kind nurse, very helping. Probably on her mid twenties. And very attractive, other guys look at her each time she passes, I still wonder why she's still single.
I go straight to the elevator. I enter the double door lift and I press the seventh floor button. It's very confusing really—from time to time the doors retract on the other side. People enter and leave as the lift elevates up through the building, it approaches the seventh floor—I walk out and head to the hallway on my left. The hallway looks quite empty for the moment—only a handful of people and nurses pass by, it was almost silent. I reach her room and see her through the window. She lies on the bed with some machines attached to her, checking her pulse rate and heart beat, a bondage is wrapped around her head, a thick cast covers her right arm, and a gas mask sits on top of her mouth—her eyes closed and her skin pale. I look at her, I become pensive and think about the dream—is there really a letter out there that I need to find?
I keep starring at her until I see a kid standing next to me. A little kid—a bit taller than my leg, tanned skin, dark hair, probably nine years old. He looks at me and asks "Is she alright?"
"She's okay" I paused for a moment "She's in a coma"
"What does coma mean?" The kid looks confused
"It means she'll be sleeping for a very long time due to her injuries" I softly explained, the kid didn't reply. I wondered what he was to Lara, so I asked "So what brings you here?"
"My daddy and I have come to check on the girl who saved my life"
YOU ARE READING
The 11th Letter
Teen FictionJohan Wolf puts himself in a depressing situation when he finds out Lara had gotten into a car accident, he visits the hospital only to find her in a comatose state. He starts to regret what he had said in a past argument they had knowing she m...
