The Sea Dream

Chapter 2 - I don't understand

I awaken to see a bright light. But I am so drowsy that I fall back asleep. A few hours later, I can't really tell in this room, I start to look around. I found the source of the light, it's those horrible bright white clinical lights that you usually see in the hospital. I stop myself. That's where I am. I am in a hospital, I feel an ache in my arm and look down to see a needle attached to a drip. I hate needles. There are no windows in my ward and only two other people; a sleeping old man who seems to be missing a leg and a blonde, sharp middle-aged woman, who has a greenish bruise on her cheek. The woman notices me looking at her, and glares at me. She obviously doesn't like kids. Other than that, there are no other people around me.

Wait. Why am I here, I thought. I begin to retrace my steps. I was going to my dad's house, I recall a bleeding woman. I shiver. I don't feel like I could ever forget that. There was a mysterious man in black... I felt like I had seen him before. And there was so much blood, so much blood... . I remember running and... that's where the memories end. After a few minutes of staring into nothing, a nurse pokes her head into the room. She looks around and is about to leave until I speak. "Hey!" I shout. The blonde woman shoots me a sour look. The nurse looks at me and walks over.

"Yes?" she asks me in a soft voice. "Ummm... what am I doing here?" I question her. "I don't know...", the nurse starts. She pulls out a folder titled PATIENTS and she asks me my name, age and birthday. "Liliana Waterdale, 12 years old and my birthday is 30th April," I report. She finds my file and I watch as her face turns into one of shock, and then slowly transitions through a mix of emotions; sad, pitiful, worry and then it looks as though she isn't going to tell me. "Please," I beg her. She looks at me again and sees the pleading note in my eyes. "Okay then," She begins with a sigh, "You were hit by a truck, but were very lucky and escaped with only minor injuries; a fractured wrist and a bruised back. Oh, and dear..." She starts. What could she be saying? "Have you seen anyone since you woke up?".

"No," I reply questioningly. She breathes a heavy, shaky breath. "So you haven't heard about your mother?" I freeze. I don't understand, but the nurse looks to be in pain, like the news she is about to share is worse than I could possibly expect... which is pretty bad. The nurse breathes again, and begins to sob. "Your mother died in her operation", she whispers. I laugh. She is talking to the wrong patient. What a sad mistake on their behalf. "Haha, oh no, don't worry miss. My mum just went to an appointment, she wasn't having an operation or anything," I chuckle. She looks at me with sad eyes and hands me a note. It's from my mum.

Hey Sweetcheeks!

I wish that I didn't have to be writing this letter right now, but I figure that if this operation doesn't work out, then you should know. I have heart cancer. But it's alright. I'm getting a transplant in less than ten minutes. But... there is a chance that I won't make it. And in that case, I wanted you to know from me, because I should have told you. All of those nights that I was too dizzy to walk straight, or struggled to breathe whilst lying in bed, and you nearly calling the ambulance... they're all because of my cancer.

So I hope I make it. For you.

But if I don't, then I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

All the best, I'll always love you,

Mum xoxo

I held my breath. This couldn't be true. I looked up and waited for the nurse to start laughing or telling me that it was a joke, or even that she actually had gone to the wrong patient. But she didn't. She just sat there looking at me with sorrowful eyes. I waited for mum to come running through the doors of the ward telling me that she was sorry to be late, or that she was the only one who knew about this god-awful joke.

But she didn't. So I spoke to the nurse, the only thing that I could say at the moment, with tears streaming down my burning cheeks.

"I... I don't understand."

The end of chapter 2

Thank you again for reading the second chapter of The Sea Dreams, and I hope you enjoyed it just as much as the first. But this is only the beginning. Tune in next week to find out more.

Love, Jess xx