Saving Riley

Chapter 6

   The food made me retch as each vile mouthful hit my taste buds. My arms were weak still so I was being fed like a toddler by the nurse, who was kind but forceful. The room we were in was cold from the air conditioning and felt more like a prison cell I was stuck in, like the accident had somehow been my fault and I was been held captive until I had served my time. At this rate, I was going nowhere anytime soon.
     "You're doing really well." The nurse told me, with a sympathetic look in her eyes."You are getting a lot better. Soon, we'll be able to get you into physical therapy and you'll be in the mend for sure! How does that sound?"
    At this point, I was able to speak a little, but sentences were not well formed .

     "Good." I replied to the nurse" really, good."

      I found it difficult to stay awake for more than an hour at a time. The coma had made me regress, I could function well below my real age. I couldn't wait till I could gain the strength to return to my normal life, although I knew realistically it would never be the same again. I would be treated differently, I wouldn't be able to dance as well.

      "Can, will I be able to leave this room, anytime soon?" I asked the nurse, quietly. "I really want to get out and get some fresh air."

     "Oh sweetie. I'm not sure. Maybe I can ask the doctor and see if we can get you out sometime next week?"

    I sighed with dissapointment. I knew I was still really weak, but surely they could take me out for a while?

     Later that day, James came in to see me. It was lovely to see him again, to see his face.
   
     "Hey, my beautiful girl." He said, walking in in his usual laid back manor. He wrapped his arms around me gently and squeezed me tight. I felt safe in his arms.

     "James, I want to get out of here. Please help me." I pleaded desperately. "I can't stand it, I know I'm unwell, but I want to get out of here, even just if it's for a day."

     James had a sympathetic look in his eyes. I knew he wanted to do something to help me, but was there really much he could do?
       He looked around the room,  desperately trying to find a way to get me out, at least for a while. Suddenly, he spotted a abandoned wheelchair in the corner of the room.

    "I have an idea" he said, with a devious look in his eyes.
   
     He snuck over to the chair and wheeled it over to my bedside . Slowly, he lifted me out of the hospital bed. It was painful as I had not moved in weeks, but james managed to help my into the chair.
         James face dropped as soon as he heard a door bear by open with a creak. In a few seconds our cover would be broken if we didn't do something fast.
     He looked over to the coat stand and spotted a white doctors lab coat. He ran over, grabbed it and put it on over his clothing. I must admit, he looked incredibly hot stood there.

     "Oh doctor,"a nurse said as she walked in. James had his back turned to her. "I didn't know you were in here, what's happening with our dear Riley here?"
      
      "I'm taking her down for a short physio. The physio therapist thought a short session today would help her on the road to recovery, he thought she was ready to try it."James said in the most authoritive voice he could muster.

    "Oh, ok. Are you sure? An hour ago he wasn't sure she was ready for anything so drastic."

      "Yes. Yes well he changed his mind, she is ready." James said, determined to remain assertive.

    "I'll leave you too it then, doctor."said the nurse before leaving.

     As soon as the nurse left, James turned around on his heels and started to wheel me out of the head trauma unit, not stopping to talk to anyone. Within minutes, fresh air was filling my lungs for the first time in weeks. James looked at me and smiled.
 
     "We did it, Riles, we got you outside!"James said in excitement.

     "But what do we do now" I replied."What if we get caught? Someone will find us at some point."
   
       "Just enjoy now, Riles. Don't even worry about it..."