Saving Ant and Sarha

Wakey Wakey

When Sarha woke up she saw her room was empty. She looked around before noticing Anne through the window, talking to the doctor. They made brief eye contact before Anne held up her index finger, asking the doctor to give her a moment, before walking into the room. The doctor followed.

"Good news. Doctor Richard said that Ant should be waking up any moment now and we can go see him." Sarha's face lit up.

"Great! Let's go!" She had already pulled the covers back and was about to get out of bed before Anne stopped her. Sarha looked at her questioningly.

"It's hospital policy that you be taken there by wheelchair." Just then a nurse came in pushing a wheelchair.

"I can walk."

"I know, love, but it's hospital policy." Sarha sighed but got in anyway. Anne took over for the nurse, pushing Sarha down the hallway, looking for Ant's room.

They finally got there and Anne took a deep, calming breath, before turning the knob at opening the door. The sight of him made her gasp and brought tears her eyes. Sarha sat with her mouth wide open, just taking in the sight of her brother. He had wires coming out of him, each hooked up to a different machine. He just looked so tiny and fragile laying in the hospital bed.

From what she could see, half of his face was covered by an oxygen mask, his face was littered with dark bruises and cuts from the glass embedded in his skin. His head was wrapped in a thick, white gauze. His right arm was covered in a cast, his right leg looking identical to his arm, his left ankle was wrapped in a bandage which was covered by a towel with ice resting on top of it. Both his leg and ankle were elevated with pillows at the foot of the bed.

Sarha got out of the wheelchair and walked to the side of the bed, taking his left hand in her right. Anne sat on the opposite and just looked at him, so many thoughts running through her head. Why him? Why did this have to happen to him? He had already been through so much. She wanted to touch him but she couldn't, afraid that would pain him more. So she just sat and watched as Sarha curled up in the chair, still holding his hand, and just watched him, silently praying he wake up soon.

********

Soon after making the phone call, Alph walked back into the room and saw Sarha fast asleep, Anne stroking her hair gently. She turned when she heard the door open and was relieved to see her husband.

"Why don't you get Dec from Mrs. Woodard's house? I'm sure he's worried, we just dropped him off without any explanation." she asked, Alph nodded and left the room.

When he got there he knocked on the door. Mrs. Woodard didn't waste any time opening the door. She led him into the living room. In front of the fireplace, sleeping on the couch was Dec, thumb in his mouth. Alph knew he only did that when he was nervous or scared. It was one of his bad habits, the other being Henry the Bear.

He walked in front of him and bent down, ruffling his hair he whispered, "Decky, wake up." Dec opened one eye, then two when he saw his dad kneeling in front of him.

"Dad?" he slurred. "What's going on?" The hard part was explaining to him what had happened to Ant and Sarha. Dec was off the couch and out of the door the moment he heard they were in the hospital. "Come on, dad! Hurry!" he shouted impatiently.

On the way to the hospital Dec was staring out of the window. He was so quiet, Alph thought he had fallen back asleep. He looked back at him and saw he was indeed awake.

"What's wrong son?" he asked, shaking Dec from his thoughts.

"He's going to be okay dad...right?"

"I'm sure he will Decky, you know Ant, he's very strong." he smiled at that.

"I know." he answered quietly.

**********

Ant opened his eyes, immediately closing them at the blinding hospital lights. He had no idea what happened. All he remembered was sitting in the car, drifting off to sleep, a loud crashing noise and the car rolling, then darkness. His whole body was killing him. He made the mistake of trying to sit but even lifting his head was too much of a task.

Anne walked out of the restroom. She looked at Sarha and saw she was asleep again. She looked at Ant and was surprised to see his eyes open, looking from left to right. His breathing was getting erratic and it showed on the monitor.

He was having a panic attack.

She sat down in the chair next to him and reached over him, grabbing his good hand and squeezing it gently.

"Ant, sweetie, calm down. You're in a hospital, you're fine. I need you to calm down, can you do that?" She would have told him to take deep breaths that would only pain him more, he did have broken ribs.

Ant didn't reply, he couldn't, he just focused on her, the monitor going back to a steady beep. Once he was calm Anne pressed the nurse button. A few minutes later a nurse walked in carrying a clipboard. Sarha woke up and moved to stand next to Anne.

"I see we're awake." she said in an overly cheery voice. She took off his oxygen mask and pushed a button on the wall to elevate his bed and helped him sit up. "We have this thing in your throat that helps you breathe. I need you to do something for me. When I count to three, I need you to give me the biggest cough you can. Think you can do that?" Ant slowly nodded. The nurse started counting and when she got to three Ant coughed as hard as he could. The nurse helped him lay back down and walked to one of the cabinets and opened it, pulling out a syringe. She injected it into his IV bag. "This is for the pain. It won't make you sleepy, but it will make you feel better." Ant nodded.

When the nurse left the room Ant turned to Anne and Sarha.

"What happened?" he asked in a hoarse voice. Sarha handed him the cup of water from the tray, holding it so he could take a few sips. "Thanks." he said looking at her and smiling, but it disappeared when he saw the band-aid on her head and a giant bump. He looked down at her hand and saw the splint-covered wrist. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" asked Anne in a concerned voice.

"I remember some, but not all." Just then there was a knock on the door before it opened. John walked in wearing a change of clothes and a sheepish smile.

"Hi, I asked the nurse if they were okay and she said they were awake." he said before Anne could ask him any questions.

"They're fine. May I ask who you are?"

"I'm the cab driver."

"Were you involved in the accident?"

"Yes. A drunk man ran the red light and crashed into us. The car rolled several times before landing on its side. I managed to get out and call an ambulance." he explained quickly. Something about the way Anne was looking at him made him nervous.

"Thank you." she breathed, hugging him. If it wasn't for him, Ant and Sarha probably wouldn't be alive.

"It was no problem, ma'am." he said, returning the hug. He pulled away shortly after and made his way to the door. "I just wanted to see they were fine." he explained before leaving.

"How did you guys end up in a cab?" Anne asked after the man had left. Sarha told her everything while Ant slept.

********

"I don't wanna live with her anymore." Sarha said with a pout.

"You don't have to go back." promised Anne. "I'll make sure of it." she cupped Sarha's face in her hands and smiled. "I'm so glad you guys are back." Sarha giggled.

"It's good to be back." she smiled back before going all serious again. "Is Kathleen in trouble?" she asked, Anne nodded.

"Big time."