The Forest

The Hospital

I ran to the hospital entry doors. I started screaming something, but it was inaudible. You couldn't hear a word I was saying. I'm sure that it sounded like I was speaking another language. I heard the familiar pitter-patter of footsteps coming from behind me. I saw Alex who had obviously just sat in the waiting room. His eyes were bulging; I could tell he was terrified.

"I'm so glad that you're here, Clove." Alex mouthed to me. He tried to talk but the words wouldn't come out. I nodded and pulled him close into a hug. I tried so hard to keep him from bawling as we waited on the status of our friends.

I moved to another spot in the waiting room, because I couldn't stop fidgeting. I heard a doctor in the background. He was talking to a nurse about Delilah, Autumn and Bishop. The nurse pointed the doctor in the direction of us so he could deliver whatever news he gave to the nurse. Alex and I braved for the worst as he came toward us with the same face he probably gives all of his patients and their family members. His face was emotionless, but it wasn't at the same time. You could see the look in his face like something went wrong, but it was faint. You could barely pick it out. But if you payed close enough attention, you could see it.

"Excuse me," the doctor said as he approached.

"Y-yes...." Alex barely mustered out.

"I'm so sorry but your friend, Delilah..." the doctor spoke with the softest tone, "We did all that we could do. But, she has passed. I'm so sorry for your loss."

Alex started to cry. I held him close as the doctor's eyes started to shift.

"There's more, and it's not bad news. I promise you," the doctor replied a little coolly.

"Just tell us doc," I replied, getting a little annoyed.

"Autumn and Bishop are in a stable condition and the likelihood of them surviving is a strong seventy-five percent. They are looking very well, but the police are coming by soon to do an interview with you all. I just wanted to let you know." The doctor said to Alex and I before he walked away.

"Alex..." I whispered into his ear, as I wiped tears from his face.

"I'm... I'm fine..." he said as he curled up next to me.

"Do you want to say hi to them?"

"Please..."

We got up from the waiting room and went towards the front desk.

"How can I help you two?" The nurse asked us as we approached the desk.

"We're looking for a Bishop and an Autumn."

"Ah yes. You can find them down this hall, and the third and fourth doors to the right."

"Thank you so much miss," I said as we went towards Bishop's room.

The hallway seemed longer than it was. I practically had to drag Alex down the hallway. We entered Bishop's room first. I ran to his bedside and grasped his hand. I held his hand closely as his eyes fluttered open.

"Hey beautiful," he said, looking at me with his beautiful blue gray eyes.

"Hey," I said, messing up his hair.

"Hai..." Alex replied while looking down at his feet, trying so hard not to burst out in tears.

"What's wrong, Alex?" Bishop asked, obviously puzzled.

"Bishop, Love..." I paused, holding his hand tightly. "Delilah... she passed"

"What?! What do you mean she passed?! Sh-sh-she's gone?!" Bishop stammered, tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes.

"She died, Bishop. We don't know the details. We just know that's he died. But you and Autumn are going to survive," Alex said very bluntly before running out of the room.

I looked at Bishop and said, "I'm sorry Love..." I followed Alex out of the room, and he was running up the hall to Autumn's room. He and Autumn have always been closer that he and were and I just learned to accept it over time.

Alex was out of breath as we reached Autumn's room. He had been running up the halls for twenty minutes before realizing that Bishop's room wasn't too much farther from Autumn's.
We entered the room and Alex immediately ran to Autumn's side. Her eyes didn't flutter open like Bishop's did. Her eyes stayed closed, however she wiggled her fingers to let us know that she was awake.

"Autumn..." Alex said sorrowful. You could hear the sadness in his voice as he said my sister's name.

"I'm here," Autumn said faintly.

"She passed," Alex said, not mentioning a name, but Autumn knew who he was talking about.

"And what about Bishop?" Autumn asked, tightening her grip on the sheets.

"He's alive, you both are. It was just her that didn't survive," I said, looking down at my shoes.

"I knew she wasn't going to survive, you know." Autumn said, scaring us a little.

"How?" Alex asked, very confused.

*elongated beep*

"Clover?! What's happening?!?"

"DOCTOR! HELP!" I screamed as loud as I could.

The doctor rushed into Autumn's room with three nurses and told us to get out of the room. We went into the waiting room and started to freak out. We paced around the room when the policemen came into the hospital.

"Clover, Alex, we need to talk to you pronto."