Tragic

Tragic Part 4

They say when you die you experience everything in your life over again in only seven minutes. And in those seven minutes, you relive every good and bad thing that has ever happened to you. From the moments, you were born to when you die. You see the happy kids you and your brother used to be. The days when you two would run around in the field and catch lightning bugs or watch the clouds pass by and find pictures in those clouds. You also remember the accident that took your little sister away from you and changed the way your parents viewed the world. They made it seem like it was your fault your sister died and that it should've been you instead of her. Eventually, after they've said it enough, you believe it. It shouldn't have been your innocent five year-old sister, Athena, it should've been you, the punk little ten year-old who can't seem to do anything right. You also experience all the pain and happiness of the drugs again. You remember how happy they made you, but you also remember how terrible it was to get over them.

You relive the moment your brother graduated from high school and promised he'd be back for you. Then you see the Christmas you spent without him and the birthday he didn't show up for. You remember the calls he'd never made. You kept wishing that he'd appear, so he could save you from this nightmare. You didn't want to realize it, but he was gone and he was never going to save you. It was another promise broken. The next thing you see is the boy who went out of his way to say hi to you on his first day at a new school. He didn't care if he ruined his high school reputation because he thought you were the pretty one. The one he could save and maybe he could've, but maybe he was too late.

There was a bright flash of light before everything went black. The darkness evened out to a baby blue; the color of the sky on a warm spring day. At first, I thought I was in Heaven. Then, there was a slow steady beep coming from the right side if where I was laying. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. I slowly pried my eyes open to look around. My vision was slightly cloudy and my motions were slow. I looked down at the bed I was laying in and I saw the three cords coming from my arms. Two I knew where IVs the other I didn't know what it's for. My head pounded and my body ached. I tried to sit up slightly, but pain shot up from both of my sides and I yelped in agony. Apparently, a nurse heard me and rushed into the room.

"You finally woke up sweetheart. People are waiting for you out there." The nurse smiled and injected something into the third cord.

"What's that?" I asked with my hoarse voice.

"Just painkiller, it'll help." She simply replied before taking the blanket covering my body and pulling it off. "I'm going to change your bandages and then I'll send your family in."

"Wait, my family?" My eyes grew wide for a moment and I could feel myself paling.

"Well, we tried to call your house, but no one answered. Then the boy who brought you here said you had a brother. We contacted him and he took the first flight here." She explained.

"Wait, if he took a flight from San

Francisco that means-"

"You've been in a coma for a week." She said before I could finish my thoughts.

"How? It was only internal bleeding, right?" I asked as she started to peel the bandages off of my body.

"Yes, but they had to open you up to stop the bleeding and when they did that you lost a lot of blood. Your body began to shut down so that only your vital organs could live. The wound on your head gave you a concussion and that's why you went into a coma. The doctor will be in soon and then he'll send in your family." The nurse spoke slowly so that I would catch everything and then left the room after finishing.

Shortly after the nurse left, the doctor came into the room. He was quiet as he checked my vitals and made sure everything was okay. Once he was finished he took a seat in a chair next to the bed.

"Ms. Tanner." He began.

"Would you mind just calling me Dylan?" I spoke up.

"Of course, Dylan, you came into this hospital with internal bleeding and fractured ribs. You also had a massive concussion from something being hit against your head. I'm going to assume that, because a young man carried you in here, you're a victim of physical abuse. Am I correct?" The doctor, who didn't bother to give me his name, looked me directly in the eyes. It was a moment before I felt pressured, looked down, and nodded my head slowly. "How long?"

"Since, I was ten. That's almost seven years ago." I spoke quietly, my hands trembling.

"Has it ever been this bad?" The doctor spoke slowly and calmly to keep my nerves low, but it wasn't working because my nerves were through the roof and my hands were shaking uncontrollably.

"No, it's been bad before, but nothing like this. I mean, I've gone to the E.R. because if it before, but only for stitches." My voice was a bit frantic, but still quiet.

"Okay, well, you do know we have to report this to the police, don't you?" He locked his eyes with mine and I wasn't able to look away.

"Yes, I know." My face was sad, that much I could tell because of the way the doctor's face seemed to drop after seeing mine.

"I'm going to let your family, or your brother, in now." The doctor stood from the chair and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. I anxiously waited as I watched the hand on the clock next to the door tick with each passing second. Only 17 seconds later, I heard the click of the door handle as it swung open to reveal my 22 year-old brother. He was taller and he looked a little more muscular. His eyes, the same color as mine, sparkled with what looked like a mix of excitement and sorrow. I wanted so much to jump out if this bed and leap into his arms, but I couldn't. Mainly because, the cords were keeping me there, but also because he deserted me. I can't forget that no matter how hard I try.

"Dyl, why are you crying?" My brother's forgotten voice snapped me out if my thoughts. Until Charlie mentioned it, I hadn't realized I was crying.

"I guess, I'm happy to see you, Char." I laughed as I wiped the tears away. I wondered if my brother was actually going to stay this time or not. I think that if he left again I wouldn't be able to handle it. It would kill me, literally.