I Can't Breathe

Ch 5: Day One

Day One at the Hospital: 

I woke up to giggles and hushes coming from around my bed. I turned my head to look at the clock. It read 9:56 am.  I rolled over to see Jordanna, Morgan, Hanna and Alison, our other friend who lives in Jamesbrooks, three hours away, all lying on cots around my bed. I sat up a bit more.

"There's miss sleeping beauty, have a nice rest did we?" said Ali, still giggling from whatever Mo just told her.

"Alison!" I exclaim, just now realizing that she's actually here, " You're here!"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." She says

"When did you, how, what?" I ask astonished

"You almost died, of course I would come. Even if that means driving three hours in a tiny old car that smells faintly of cat piss..." She giggled in response. Alison had been our best friend since dippers. We lived and breathed in sync with each other. We did everything as a group, everything until five years ago her parents packed up and moved after her brother, Parker, died. Her family just picked up and left one night leaving nothing behind and not telling anyone where they were going. They took every single connection that Ali had to anyone here away. They said she was safer that way. After a month, Ali was given her phone back and she told us where she was and that she was ok. She's lived there ever since.

"Where's my family?" I asked wondering where they were.

"Oh, they went home about 10 minutes ago, to clean up and rest and stuff." Morgan said

"So, how do you feel?" Jordanna asked.

"Like crap, but I'm still here...unfortunately," I say sarcastically

"Don't even say that!" wailed Hanna, " You aren't aloud leave us... not now or ever." she continued

"I was kidding, Hanna, don't worry, I don't plan on... on..." I can't even bring myself to say it " I don't plan on dying any time soon." I insisted.

"Well, just don't joke about that, okay." Hanna murmured 

"So... what are we going to do now?" asked Ali, changing the subject.

"Not sure." responded Jordanna

"We could watch some movies." Morgan suggested

"Sure" I agree. Alison and Hanna simultaneously leaned over their cots, opened their bags and pulled out several movies.  In the end after what felt like hours of arguing, we finally agreed on an order to watch them in.

"Okay, so, in order, we have The Princess Bride, Paper Towns, Beauty and The Beast (original), Beauty and the Beast (with Emma Watson), Monte Carlo, Trains Plains and Automobiles, and the entire 10 seasons of Friends." Said Morgan with a laugh. She got up and put the dvd into the DVD player and our movie marathon began.

...

Around the part of the Princess Bride where the guy is being electrocuted, I decided that now would be a good time to go take a walk and maybe a shower. 

"I'm going to go see if I can take a shower okay." I said to the girls.

"Do you want us to pause the movie, or come with you?" Asked Alison looking worried.

"No, I'll be fine, I just feel gross." I continue

"Okay, we'll be here." Said Mo and they all turned back to the movie. I swung myself out of bed and stood up, reaching for the walker beside my bed. I pulled along my IV and walked down the hallway to the nurses station. The nurse turned to me with a warm caring smile and said