(Un)Fortunate

Chapter 22

"We have to leave. Let's go. Come on Jen, get up!" I say, panicking.

"Ellie, we haven't even paid yet!"

"No, you don't understand. I have to see him, come on lets go."

"Arielle, calm down. Let me pay and then we can go. Alright?," Jen says.

"Fine," I sigh.

Jen pays and a few minutes later we are walking towards the car.

"Come on Jen, faster. We need to go faster!" I say, pushing her forward.

"Give me those," Jen says, plucking my keys from my hand.

"What? Why? No."

"It is unsafe for you to drive all anxious and stuff. You're going to get us both killed for sure," Jen sighs, crossing her arms.

"Fine, your right," I say, heading into the passenger door.

"How do you start it?" She giggles, poking at the dashboard with the keys.

"You put it in right here," I say, pointing.

"Oh, okay."

A half hour later, we pull up in front of the hospital.

"May I help you?" The receptionist says.

"Yes, I am looking for Caleb Morgan's room," I say, tapping my finger on the counter.

"I'm sorry, you are not allowed in there. Only family," She says, turning away from me.

"I am family, I'm his sister," I say.

"Mhhmmm, and I'm a giant squirrel. Try again," The receptionist says.

"No, I have an I.D. look!" I say, showing her my driver's license.

"Do you know how many driver's licenses I see with the name Arielle Morgan on there? Too many. Now go away, I have actual people who need my help," She says, turning to a lady who inquires about directions to the restroom.

"What are we supposed to do now?" I sigh, leaning against the wall.

"Why don't we sneak in?" Jen says, raising her eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"We just walk in to the ICU, like we belong. Then find Caleb's room," She shrugs.

"Sounds good enough to me," I say, shrugging as well.

We sneak down the hall by the receptionist when she is not looking. We then start to jog down the hall so we won't be caught by her too.

At the entrance to the ICU, we go in. Inside, a nurse is briskly walking by. She is carrying a tray of needles.

I wince at the sight and continue into the ICU.

At the desk, I ask about Caleb's room number.

"He has been moved to a room upstairs. Are you family?" She asks, clicking on her computer.

"Yes, I am his sister."

"Okay, I believe you. I mean, there are a lot of fans who pretend to be you, but I know it is the real you because I have seen you here before. Also, I am a huge Caleb fan," She smiles, leading us to an elevator.

"Thank you so much. I didn't know there was an elevator in here," I say, looking at it.

"Yeah, we mainly use it to transport patients from floor to floor without exposing them to the nasty germs in the lobby," She says, clicking the floor 4 button.

"Oh, that's neat." Jen says.

I almost forgot Jen came with me. Just like, sometimes, I forget I broke my wrist. Then I remind myself when I twist it a little and feel a sharp stabbing pain.

We stop suddenly, and the elevator shakes a little bit.

"What's going on?" I hear someone say.

"I don't know," Jen says. And I know it wasn't her who says it.

"Me either," The nurse says, so it can't be her either.

I said that? Wow, my mouth really needs to meet with my brain before it says something.

"Oh my gosh," I whisper.

"It is going to be okay," The nurse says, pushing the emergency button.

Jen sinks to the floor, holding her head in her hands.

My cell phone rings.

"It's my mom," I say, answering.

"Mom?" I say in a choked voice.

"Hey sweetie, where are you?" My mom says.

"Well, do you want the truth?" I ask.

"Oh my God, where are you?" She says, her voice growing thick.

"We were on our way up to see you guys, but now the elevator is stuck."

"Are you alright? Is Jen there too?"

"Yes, we are both here. As well as a nurse from the ICU."

"Okay, stay calm. I'm sure they are working on fixing it right now. Just talk to me and everything will be-" She says, and the connection goes out.

I look at my phone and see it is out of battery.

"My phone died," I say, sliding down the wall next to Jen.

"Oh great, what are we supposed to do now?" Jen says, taking out her phone.

"I get no bars in here," She sighs.

"I don't get to carry my phone since I am a nurse. They say it can distract us in an emergency," The nurse says, sitting on the opposite side.

"All we can do is wait," I say, burying my head in my hands.

Time goes by, and the air gets thinner and my face fills with sweat.

"How long has it been?" I ask Jen.

"A half hour," She replies.

What if I die in here? What if I never get to see Caleb again?

'Please some one help!' I thought to myself.

I close my eyes, and imagine my family. And I imagine Caleb when everything was okay, and before the crash.

A tear drop escapes from my eye, and I let it roll down slowly.

A moment later,  there is a ding. And before we know it, we are moving again.

"Thank God!" I say, wiping away the tear before someone sees it.

We all get up off the floor, and the elevator doors open. My mom is standing there, biting her nails.

"Mom!" I say, hugging her.

"Ellie, are you alright? Your phone went blank, I thought something happened," She says, pulling away.

"My phone died, I'm sorry to scare you," I say.

"No, Ellie. You have no reason to apologize. After all, I have my two babies back again!" She says, tearing up.

"Oh that's right! Caleb! Where is he?" I say, looking around her.

"I think you should thank that nurse real quick though," My mom says, nodding her head.

"Excuse me, nurse?" I say, tapping her shoulder.

"Yes?" She says, turning to face me.

"I wanted to thank you. For in the elevator."

"Yeah, me too," Jen says, putting her arm on my shoulder.

"Your welcome girls. Now, I better get going so I don't miss my break!" She giggles, turning away.

"Let's go see Caleb now!" I say.

Then, an alarm goes off.