Murder my Care

Chapter 3

Author's Note: okay guys, here's the next chapter. Again, I don't know what goes on in a real hospital, so this is just my version of one.

I hope you like it!

----------------------------------------------

I was moved to the recovery area of the hospital. The nightmares don't occur as often as they used to. The doctor is letting Josh visit a lot and sometimes even stay the night. Mom and Dad stop by once a day and bring me things, like notebooks, pens, and pencils. I spend most of my time here writing. I write about the nightmares, and why they happen, and what can stop them. I hardly sleep. Who can with all of the beeping of the machines and the cries of others suffering things much worse than what I'm going through. I can sit up in bed now, so I don't feel so completely helpless anymore. A few times a day the curtains dividing the beds are pulled back and there is a little girl on one side of me. She looks maybe twelve or thirteen with reddish blonde hair that goes a little past her shoulders. Her injuries are much worse than mine. She has stitches above and below both of her eyes, a bandage over her nose, more stitches on her chin, and her arm is in a cast. I can't help but wonder what, or who, put her in here. A nurse comes over and slides the curtain back. I look over and see the girl is watching me.

"Hi." She says.

"Hey." I respond.

"I'm Emma. What's your name?"

"Tyler. I'm Tyler." I tell her. There is a minute of silence and I decide to ask the question that's been on my mind. "Why are you here, Emma?"

"Well it would appear I'm in need of some medical attention." She says. I smile at that. It takes a lot to laugh in the face of pain.

"What happened? If you-if you don't mind telling me."

"I don't remember, exactly. I think I was cornered by a group of boys who didn't appreciate my humor. They took me down pretty easily. What about you?" She asks as I'm still trying to process why a girl like Emma would be treated like that.

"I was cornered by a man who didn't appreciate my kindness towards his girlfriend. He took me down pretty easily." I tell her and we both laugh. It feels good to laugh again. We pull it together as Josh comes around the corner.

"Hey, Tyler, it's good to hear that laugh again." He says.

"Josh, this is Emma. Emma, this is Josh." I wave my hand back and forth between them.

"Hi." Josh smiles at her.

"Hi. You must be the Josh that Tyler is always calling for at night." She responds. I tense up. I didn't know she could hear that.

"Must be." Josh glances at me with a worried look. "Are you still having nightmares?"

"Not-not a lot." I rub my finger across my arm. "Just occasionally, when you don't visit at night."

Josh sighs, runs his fingers through his hair, and sits on the edge of the bed.

"I'll see if I can stay over night. Do you think that would help?" He asks.

"Yeah." I mutter. "Where would you sleep?"

"Well...I could find a chair." He looks around.

"The bed is big enough." I say.

"Wouldn't that be..."

"Awkward?"

"Yeah, kind of."

"Dude, it's not like we haven't slept together before." I nudge his back with my knee and the look he gives me shows how uncomfortable he is with it. "They pull curtains on the sides." I point to the sheets hanging down. He's not even making eye contact now. "I'll ask for a chair."