What Was Missing

Nine: -Madeline-

Note: Time moves on with no regard to the previous chapter.

Jacob's car slows to a stop, and the doors unlock with a click. I glance at the pitch-black sky for a moment, lost in its strange beauty, then shove open the door and hop out. To my irritation, my mom was talking to me earlier about how foolish this was and how much she regrets me getting in the car. During the whole ride she ranted, but now she's silent. Like she knows how close we are to her.

Lily and Max get out to the right, and the two front-seaters clamber out of the front and lock up the car. Now, we walk forward as a team.

Max finally turns to me, frowning. "Where can we find your mom?"

I have to think a moment, then reply. "Up the elevator, on the fifth door on the left." He nods, and looks forward. We're finally approaching it. The old Iss tower. The hospital.

Lily, looking concerned, turns over to glance at Jacob's guardian. Gus. "How are we gonna get her out?"

He shrugs. "We'll have to wheel her on a stretcher and hope we don't get caught." My eyes immediately widen. She's already on a mobile bed, I remember, but what if we rush so quickly that she falls off? Breaks a bone? Cripples her back? I glance worriedly at Jacob, about to ask about another plan, but he seems confident. I immediately relax a bit. Somehow, his calm disposition is comforting.

We finally reach the building, and I open the glass doors. Cool, sterile hospital air engulfs us, and as I strut in, I glance worriedly at the hours. It closes in 30 minutes; we'll have to hurry.

Briskly, I lead the way, and go straight to the elevator. It looks a bit small, but it'll have to do. It's the only way.

After a moment's struggle, we all manage to stuff ourselves in. So what if I have Lily's sharp elbow in my rib, and Gus's back in my face? We got in, and that's all that matters. The attendant at the desk glances at us, surprised. She stays silent, however, and the doors slide shut. Up we go.

The room is so quiet that you can hear the faint hum of the elevator through the metallic walls. Somebody shuffles, and I get bumped in the side, but I don't really notice. All I notice is the silence. Pure trepidation. The worry in the air is almost palpable.

For whatever reason, I'm really nervous about this whole thing. I know it's right to be, since I'm wheeling my mom away and escaping from a hospital facility, but that's not what I'm scared about. What I'm really scared about is the Iss. We're getting closer and closer to going into the unknown, from which no one has returned. Where my father is. My lost father. Dad.

For a fleeting second, I get a flash of his face: Round glasses, glinting as he smiles, holding out a hand to welcome me. Still wearing his work suit. The elevator rings, and with that, the memory's gone. The doors open in front of me, but I'm out last. Dad. I... I remember you.

Jacob's in the front, and as the doors shut behind me, he starts to speak. "We have to hurry. Gus, Max, and I will walk in front, while Lily and Maddy wheel the bed." I glance at Lily, and she nods. I know I can trust her not to hurt my Mom. Jacob continues.

"We'll have to put her in the elevator, and then rush her out the front door. Unfortunately, she'll have to lay down in the trunk."

I wince, thinking of the bumps on the drive, but I know it's the only way. Suddenly, Mom's communication comes back. I smile, still walking. It's such a relief to hear her voice, even if it's only in my mind.

"I'm glad you're here. I overheard the instructions, and I have to agree that that's the best option. I wish I could help, but I still can't get out of bed. I'm sorry, Maddy."

I have to redirect my attention as we get to her door, and I walk in behind the rest of them. I freeze at the doorway and double over, struck with a fit of nausea. White walls. White floor. White everything. I hate this place. I'm suddenly able to move again, and I take my place on the left side of the bed.

Lily turns to me, and asks, "Ready?" I nod. We begin to push, and my mom opens her eyes, a small flicker. She smiles weakly at me, then shuts her lids once more. I hear her voice in my head, wheezing and grateful.

"Thank you, Maddy."

I feel warmed inside, and as we pass the doorway once more, I look back for the last time. Goodbye, hospital room. I won't miss you. And off we go, the bed surprisingly light.

As we rush through the hallway, a nurse comes running after us. "Hey," she yells, struggling to keep up. She's quite obese, and she soon slows, hands on her knees. "You... need to... sign her out," she pants between breaths, and then starts running again. It would be comical if it wasn't for the situation I'm in. "Hurry!" I exclaim, and Lily speeds up her sprint. So does the fat nurse.

Hurry, hurry, hurry, is all I can think, until finally, we make it to the elevator. Pressing the up arrow, we wait impatiently for it to open, and when it does, Jacob pulls the man inside out and shoves him to collide with the large nurse. Arms windmilling, she tries to grab onto him to keep her up, but only manages to pull the man down with her. A string of curses comes from the struggling heap, and Max runs into the elevator.

"Go, go, go!" Jacob yells, and counts us one by one until we're all squished inside. He goes in last, and as the fat woman struggles to get up, the doors slide closed. The last thing I see of the hallway is her tripping on the man again, and falling flat on her face. I try and fail to hold back a laugh, even though Lily's staring at me like I'm crazy. Oh, well. That was totally worth it.

The elevator descends, and I tap my foot in anticipation. Come on, we have to go! There's not enough time! Finally, it opens up, and we rush out with the bed again.

We pass the woman at her desk, and she glances up and then rises to her feet. Pushing her glasses up on her nose, she yells over at us. "Stop, wait!" We ignore her, and she starts running towards the fire alarm on the wall. Smart. The only way to get the police in time...

Jacob looks back, and pushes the bed faster. "Come on! We can make it!"

Almost there! The floor blurs as we run, and for a moment, I feel pure happiness, a glimpse of joy. This is what it's like to be free.

We slam open the doors with the butt of the bed, and as the siren inside goes off, speed into the night. The parking-lot lights haven't turned on yet, and we're engulfed into the darkness of night as the glass doors slam shut behind us. Off into the darkness, the pitch-black and cold, with only the moon to guide us.

<> <> <>

When we get reasonably far into the parking lot, I can finally slow down. Lily, Max, and a few others are panting, Gus being the loudest, and as we ease up on our pace, I let out a long sigh. What have I done? We've broken the law, and the police are probably after us, and I'm going to jail, and what will my dad think when we get him out, and, and, and... Too much in my head. Even though it's late at night, I'm not even tired.

Oddly, now, instead of being scared, I'm exhilarated. I'm filled with a wanting to laugh and cry at the same time, and as we approach Jacob's car, I decide to laugh. It feels much better than crying would. Lily gives me another glance that probably implies that I'm crazy, but I don't care. This is it!

If this is being crazy, then why haven't more people tried being insane?