The Outcast

Chapter 31: Hope

Chapter 31: Hope

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope” –Martin Luther King, Jr.

Nirvana Evans

The drive to the hospital was torture. Will and I were both extremely anxious and the tension was practically palpable in the car. I was dying to know how little Collin was doing and he wasn’t even my brother so I couldn’t even imagine what Will must be going through at the moment. I wanted to comfort him in some way but I was a wreck myself and so there wasn’t much I could do right now.

When we finally arrived, Will double parked in a space and we rushed out to the sliding glass doors. Hospitals always managed to depress me. It seemed that people usually ended up dead or they mysteriously contracted some other illness when they checked into this place. It also happened to smell strongly of antiseptic and metal. I tried not to focus on all the sick people germs that must be swarming around here as we made it to the front desk.

“Helloo! How may I help you on this fine day?” greeted the chirpy receptionist. She must have had a bowl of cheerios this morning. What was wrong with this chick? How could she say it was a fine day when Collin was suffering God knows what? And how could she even manage to be this cheery working in a gloomy hospital?

“Hi. We’re looking for Collin Foster? He just got submitted a little while ago,” Will informed her. His nervousness was radiating from him like crazy. Oh Will.

“Oh yes. He was checked in about twenty minutes ago. He’s in room 402 but they are not allowing visitors at this time. However if you are family you can sit in the waiting room until visiting hours,” she offered.

“Yes, yes we’re family. When are visiting hours?”

“Well sir we can’t be sure it all depends on the patient’s condition. But the doctors will inform you and give you an approximation. Just go ahead and take the elevator down the hall to floor four and exit to your left. Room 402 should be on the right side of the hallway,” she indicated giving Will a flirtatious glance. But of course given the circumstances he didn’t even seem to notice. Her attempts were in vain.

“Thanks miss,” he called over his shoulder as he pulled me along to the elevator.

A nurse was coming up with us but she exited right before our floor. I felt a sudden anxiety crawl up my spine as I realized that I would be seeing Will’s parents today. I used to hang out at his house all the time but I hadn’t been over in forever and therefore hadn’t seen them in so long.

The elevator dinged as we reached floor number four and we walked out. I was about to tell Will that he was going the wrong way when I saw him go in the opposite direction of the waiting room but the brusqueness of his movements shut me up. He was up to something. Nurses and doctors rushed by us as we made our way down the hall until finally we reached our destination; room 402. We peeked inside to find Collin’s small body lay on the bed with wires and IV’s hooked up to every square inch of his frail self. I shuddered at the image.

Will was about to turn the knob when a stressed looking doctor warned us against it.

“Visitors are prohibited at the moment, sorry,” he said sounding anything but sorry.

“That’s my little brother in there. I deserve to see him!” Will shouted in agitation.

“Sir we are doing everything we can for him and we would appreciate it if you cooperated by staying in the waiting room. Besides he is unconscious for the moment so he wouldn’t know you were visiting. Rodriguez please escort these two young people back to the waiting room,” the doctor gave the orders to a latin looking nurse. He nodded and led the way.