Safe & Sound

Chapter 7

I stay in the doctors office for a week until i'm moved to a hospital. The room I stay in is identical to the other one, except this one has a big IV machine beside the bed. 

I've had a therapist of some sort come to talk to me everyday. Telling me about how everything's going to be okay. Or something like that. 

I'm slowly becoming more and more dead. I don't see the point in trying anymore. Everyday I need to have a 'test' preformed on me, then I need to stay by myself for 3 hours. I usually read or watch TV in that time, but it's still real lonely. 

Mom can't bare to see me like this, so she often doesn't come to the hospital. She leaves her daughter to dry out in a hospital room alone. Sometimes I really hate her. My sisters rarely visit, and when they do, the usually only come into my room and watch Netflix on the TV for a bit then leave. 

The only people that visit who actually talk to me are the Doctors and Nurses. Sandy can't come anymore since the hospital is a hour and a half long drive from her house. Owen has come once, he told me about school, and how Mom has told the teachers that i'm away on a trip. Soon the school will have to find out that i'm not coming back. 

I have started what seems like millions of books, but I never finish them. I loose interest in them. 'Bridge to Terabithia' so far is one of the best books I've read yet- even if it is meant for people younger than me. I've gotten about halfway through, and so far it is amazing. The story line is great, and the characters are outstanding. I decide that Sandy and I are going to watch the movie once we've finished the book. There is 2 versions of the movie, but we decided on the 2007 one. 

Doctor Hannah tells me that I'll need more tests, but that's all I know.I'm the one suffering from this and I barely even know what I have.  

Life right now sucks.  

But I must get through it. There is a 4% chance I'll get through this, and I want to be one of those lucky 4%. I still have a chance of living. A chance of having a sweet 16 birthday. A chance of becoming an adult. A chance of having a family. A chance to live a normal life. All I need is a lucky chance to get through this. And I'm not going to stop fighting until I get that chance. 

"Hi, Macbeth?" Someone pokes their head in the open door to my hospital room. 

I look at them, wondering who it is. 

"I'm Jennifer, your counselor." She says, and walks into the room. "I'm going to be help to you on this journey." I look at her. She is about mid twenties. She has a brown bob, and dark brown eyes. She looks tired. Worn out. 

I just stare at her. What is she doing here? Why is she trying to help me? I don't want her help. "Please leave." I say.

"Macbeth, I know this is a hard time for y-" She starts, but I cut her off. 

"Hard time! Hard time! You will never be able to understand how terrible this is!" I scream, jumping up from my bed. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" I start to yell, but I end up crying. I fall to the floor and cry.

Jennifer wraps her arms around me. "You... You will never know!" I sob. "Never... never." 

 "I know how this feels. I now exactly how this feels." She says quietly. 

Jennifer comes and talks to me everyday. She is one of the few people I can talk to. She understands what this is like. I decide that I don't have to stay alone. People help.

I get up out of bed one day and walk around the hospital. I constantly see grieving family's walking in and out of the hospital, and I wonder what it would be like to have a actual family. A family that stays by your side. I go to the main floor of  the hospital, and sit down in the cafeteria. I've eaten almost nothing this past week. Someone comes up to me and sits down at the same table as me. 

"There's no selection here." He sighs. 

I turn to face him. Chocolate brown hair, blue eyes, familiar face. "Owen!" 

He laughs, and stands up. "Good to see you! I would ask how you are, but I'm pretty sure I already know the answer."

I look up at him. "Actually, I'm not bad." 

"Really?"

"Yes. Although they leave me to dry up in a cold hospital room, I'm not as bad as it seems." I say. I explain to him about Jennifer and how I occupy myself by reading. I decide that life isn't all that bad, even if I don't have much of it left. 

"You know, you probably should make the most out of this time." Owen says as we walk around the hospital. 

I turn to face him."Why?"

"There might not be much time left. If you survive this, life won't be the same for a while. Soon there won't be much free time left. Make the most of this time now." He explains. 

I nod. "Oh, God. What time is it?" I ask. I must have lost track on time. 

"1:30" Owen responds, looking at his watch. 

"I have my tests in 5 minuets!" I exclaim. If i'm late for a test, i'm going to get heck from the doctors. "I have to leave! Bye!" I call, as I run up the stairs to the second floor. I dash over to my room and jump of the couch. I look up at the clock on the wall. 1:33. 

I get up on my bed and think about what Owen said. I may only have months left. I need to spend every moment doing something I enjoy. I can't have any regrets. And that is why I'm forcing myself to go to the Stevenson High School Dance.