Hayley
She walked back home, slowly, she needed time to think. She listened to the sound of the dark river rushing over the white pebbles. She remembered dancing with Lewis earlier that day. A smile danced on her lips. She was so lucky to have him. It was cold; an icy breeze blew wisps of her slightly damp hair across her face which obscured her vision for a minute. As she tried to pull the strands from her face she saw a bright, white light and heard a loud screech of car brakes. She collapsed to the floor, scraping the skin of her hands. Her leg was trapped under the tyre of the car. She screamed in pain, it was excruciating. Hayley tried to pull her leg free, and then everything went blank.
Black water swirled around their legs, clawing at them and pulling them over. As her head resurfaced she couldn’t find him, he had disappeared into the murky water. She dived back in, feeling desperately around for a sign he was down there, relying on her sense of touch. She couldn’t open her eyes. The water burned into them, like an acid. She came up for air and swallowed in large gulps of the pure air around her.
“Lewis!” she wailed. Where was he? She looked around. It was blurry; the water had obscured her vision completely. Far down the river she saw it. A pale, grey-looking object. It was floating above the surface, moving quickly along with the strong current. His face was almost unrecognisable. “Lewis.” She whispered.
White lights were the only thing she could see as she slowly opened her eyes, they sped past her, then only did she realise that she was moving. Her leg felt as if it was flattened and the bones had snapped. Her head fell to the side, she was on a gurney. She had been taken to hospital. She looked up to see nurses and doctors running with the gurney. One of the doctors spoke to her,
“Hayley, you are going to be okay, we are taking you into the E.R. now. Try not to move, it will only make you lose more blood.” The voice just seemed to echo in the hallway. As she lay on the gurney, one of the nurses put an oxygen mask over her mouth and told her to count backwards from ten.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six...” She felt her eyes closing and by the time she had got to one, she was knocked out.
Hayley could hear the sound of quiet sobbing next to her. She tried to open her eyes but she found she couldn't. Frustrated she tried to open them again but still she couldn't do it. She tried to lift a finger but it didn't work either.
“How is she?” She heard a familiar voice say, it was her father. Her mother sniffed,
“Still the same, she hasn't even opened her eyes yet. Do you think she will ever wake up?” Wake up? Hayley thought to herself. Was she? No she couldn't be.
“I have just spoken to the doctor and he said that the operation was successful but he is not sure when she will wake from the coma.” said her father. COMA?! She thought.
Her mother shrieked,
“Oh God! Please my angel,” she felt her mother take her hand, “please wake up. Please.” She sobbed.
“Angel, she probably can't even hear us.”
I can! I can hear you! Hayley screamed in her mind. She couldn't communicate with her parents, no matter how loud she tried to shout or even when she tried to move. Her parents came and left and so did the doctors and nurses to check on her, all of whom she could hear but she couldn't move or talk to them. She longed for Lewis to be by her side, maybe if he was with her she could recover.
Days went past where she lay limp on the hospital bed, she thought back to the night when she had got hit. Hayley remembered how she collapsed and couldn't pull her leg from under the tyre. It was horrific. Two weeks had gone by already and her parents had visited for the umpteenth time and each visit her mother cried at her side, holding her hand tightly. As her mom let go of her hand she heard a voice that she would recognise anywhere, he had finally come to see her. Hayley wanted to move so badly, she wanted to be able to touch him. Instead she did what she had learned to do best, just lay on the bed. Lewis lifted her hand gently and held it in his own, kissing her gently on her knuckles.
“Hey you,’ his voice was low, he sounded sick, “I'm so sorry I didn't visit you sooner. It’s just that, well I was in shock; I couldn't bear seeing you well, like this. Your parents told me that the doctors don't know if you are going to come out of the coma...” He kept silent, his hand slipped out of hers. No, please, don't let me go. She thought.
“I, I'm so sorry.” His voice caught in his throat, he cleared it. “I need to give you something. I didn't have the chance to give it to you two weeks ago.” She felt an unusual cold string touching her chest. His warm hands clasped around the back of her neck. He kissed her forehead and took her hand again.
“It’s a necklace, it's silver and has a heart-shaped locket on the end, I put a picture of us in it, I'm sure you will love it. It even has a secret message engraved.”
“Mmmh...” She mumbled.
“Did you just try and speak? Say something.” He was desperate.
“Thhh ou.” She tried her best to speak. Practically screaming them out, but sounded less than a whisper.
“Oh my, Doctor? Can we get a doctor in here? She's speaking!! Please, anyone?!” He shouted. There was an overwhelming buzz of excitement and disbelief.
“Is it true?” She heard her mother yell.
“Mm… Mom?” She pushed herself to say. She cautiously and slowly opened her eyes. There was a loud gasp and a harsh bright light.
“My baby, you're okay!”
