Through It All

Chapter 2

Willow woke up and groaned in pain, her head throbbing as if her brain had been replaced with millions of stones which were now knocking together and against the sides of her skull.

When she opened her eyes she was met by such a bright light she wondered for a second if she was in heaven.

Unfortunately, her eyes adjusted and she found that she was lying on a hospital bed, bandages wrapped around her body and stained slightly red.

She thought of Jason for a second and began looking around anxiously, her breath coming in rapid gasps and she suddenly felt a surge of heat.

In her panic she believed that Jason had taken one of his cigarette lighters and set fire the the air, watching from a hidden spot as she choked and burned to death.

"Hey! Hey!" Said someone. Willow turned and saw someone. For a moment she confused them with Jason and screamed.

"It's ok." The woman hushed her and held back her hair as she retched over the side of the bed.

Willow calmed herself and looked into the woman's brown eyes, crinkled at the corners with worry.

Willow fell back into the pillows, and glanced at the woman's dark blue name tag.

"SUSAN" It read in bold letters, a bright yellow smiley sticker fixed to the right, the corners peeling.

Willow gulped down the water the woman offered, rinsing the taste from her mouth. The bed creaked as "Susan" sat down on the end.

"What happened, dear?" Asked the woman. "It's fine, you can tell me anything."

"Anything?" Asked Willow in a small voice, looking at the woman's warm smile that made her feel so cosy.

"Anything." Promised the woman, taking her small hand in her big one.

Willow remembered the feeling of Jason's foot on her head and the black spots that danced the polka in front of her eyes.

His words, left unsaid yet branded into her mind. His hot breath on the back of her neck, lips up beside her ear. His hand gripping her arm so tightly she knew a bruise would form.

"It'll be our little secret"

She looked straight into the woman's eyes and knew that if she told her what really happened Jason would do worse things to her by far.

"I fell down the stairs." The woman looked sad for a moment, knowing that she was not speaking the truth.

"Ah." She looked searchingly into Willow's eyes but realised by her defiant stare she wouldn't get any answers. "Well ... it shouldn't be too long until we can have you discharged."

Willow nodded and didn't say anything further, fearing that if she did her voice would surely break and she would descend into a waterfall of tears.

The woman got up to leave and Willow suddenly remembered something. Grabbing the woman's arm she asked in a worried voice,

"What's wrong with my mother?"

"Your mother?" Susan looked down at the girl, searching for a suitable excuse. "Your mother ..." she repeated. "Well I'm sure if you asked her she would tell you. Now, I have other patients to attend to, if you'll excuse me ..."

.

Willow walked out of the hospital after a lengthy lecture on what do to if she experienced certain things.

Climbing into the small car her mother had barely been able to afford she turned to her mum, prepared to ask her questions.