Broken Souls

Chapter One

Avery's POV

I walked into down the hospital ward that lead to Piper's room, I stopped briefly outside the room before gently knocking the door. Through the small window I could see Tanner sitting at the side of Piper's bed, his left hand incased hers and his right gently circuled her temple, I noticed his mouth was moving ever so slowly, as if he was praying. I quietly opened the door and walked over to Tanner, as he looked up I forced a weak smile and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Come on Tan, you look terrible, go back to bed. You need the rest" I whispered sympathetically. He looked at Piper and shook his head before looking back at me.

"I can't Ave...I'm not leaving her, I need to be here when she wakes up."

"Tanner, I promise... if there's any change I promise I will come and get you straight away" He nodded, turned to Piper and placed a kiss on her forehead before reaching out for his crutches. I stretched out my hand and helped him up, he smiled half heartedly before making his way out of the room.

I sat in silence staring at my sister lying unconscious on the bed in front of me, machines beeped continuously sending an eerie echo around the room. I noticed how peaceful she looked, she looked as though she is in a trance or a deep sleep, something that she shouldn't be woken from too quickly.

Then I wondered how different life would be without Piper, I realised how worthless my life would be without her, how broken it would make me. It was that moment that I realised I could never live without her.

I felt a tear slide down my cheek.

"Piper if you can hear me, know this. You are strong and you can fight this. So many people love you and it isn't your time to go yet. So please, if you can hear me, fight, with every last thing you have left fight because I know you can do this, and we need you to wake up."

I lifted up my arm and wiped away the tear that was forming under my left eye, I reached out stroking Pipers forehead.

"Please wake up....I need you." I weakly said as I gradually pulled myself up, I looked around the room listening as the beeps from the array of machinery mimicked the raise and fall of my sisters chest. I whipped another tear from my cheek, before making my way towards the door. As I reached out to grab the handle I glanced out the window, I noticed Tanner sprawled across the seats that were placed outside Pipers room. I opened the door slowly, a creaking noise erupted from the hinges startling Tanner as he abruptly sat up.

"Is she okay? Any changes? Is she awake?" He stammered, his eyes widening at the last one.

I shook my head "No she's the same"

Tanner cupped his head into his hands, shaking his head vigorously as he did so.

"Why won't she wake up?! Av! I need her to wake up!" I smiled weakly, carefully sitting down next to him, I placed my hand on his shoulder and looked up at him sympathetic

"I..I know Tan, we all do" I nudged him gently "Look, go get some rest, I'll stay here and make sure everything's good, I promise"

He nodded and started to stand up, he looked down and smiled

"Thank you"

With that he placed his arm in his crutch and started to make his way down the corridor, I watched him go until he disappeared into one of the rooms, once he was out of sight I dragged myself back into Pipers room, the beeping machinery hurt my ears and the smell of flowers that filled the room made my head spin, I wanted to leave, I wanted to drag Piper out of that coma and take her home and get us out of this god damn awful place. But I know I can't, I know that I have to stay here. I made a promise and I mean to keep it.

Tanner's POV

I pulled open the door to my room and dragged myself over to the bed. I dumped myself down. The room was silent, no beeping machines like Pipers room, no sickly smell of roses and pansies. No. Just pure silence and the smell of disinfectant that filled the air. The bed I was sat on was hard and lumpy and the sheets were crisp.

I pushed my crutch up against the oxygen machine, sinking into the bed, I closed my eye, letting myself drift off into some form of sleep.
Light flickered around me, flames? No I tried to reach out flinching.. screaming as I moved my leg.
"Piper!" I screamed, but no one came, more lights. Blue this time. An ambulance?
"Piper! Avery!" Again no one responded.
A hand touched my shoulder. "Hello? Can you hear me? What's your name?"
I didn't reply.. my vision was blurred, something pricked my arm, moments later the pain was gone. I'm on a stretcher, in an ambulance, where's Piper "Piper!"

My eyes darted open, sweat covered my body, the bed was drenched, my blood was pumping and my breath short.

I reached my arm out, waving it around my hand touched a crutch, I held on to it and swung my legs onto the floor,I wobbled before finally standing, I slowly breathed trying to regain my breath, I stumbled over to the door opening it and heading out into the corridor. I rushed to the room she was in and flung open the door, but she wasn't there, the machines had stop beeping and the flowers was gone. Piper was gone.

I made my way back into the corridor making my way from door to door "Hello?!, hello?, does anyone know which room Pipers in? Where's Piper? I need to find Piper!!" I shouted. I looked around, the corridor was silent except the shuffling of my feet. "HELLO?!" I carried on stumbling around the corridor screaming her name. I finally reached the front desk, I hobbled towards it."Piper, where's Piper!" I shouted as I approached the desk.

"What did you say her name was again son?" the kindly old woman behind the desk murmured

"Piper, her names Piper." I whimpered as I reached a hand up to my face and brushed it through my hair. "We were brought in together, the bus crash, you have to tell me where she is. She can't die. Please, tell me." The woman behind the desk stared at the screen and nodded her head.

"Piper.. hmm, Piper. Yes. Here" the old woman looked up at me "Emergency ward, room 3" she smiled.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" My eyes lit up, tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks as I walked away. I looked around for a sign for the emergency ward, glancing at one quickly I found my way to the lift and went up floor 2, emergency ward. Room 3 was directly opposite the lift and I rushed over to the doors, I pushed them open and saw her, lying there looking so peaceful. There was a nurse attending to the machines next to her, she spun around as the doors creaked shut and looked at me

"I'm sorry sir, you can't be in here. You'll have to leave"

"Please." I begged "I need to see her. She has to be okay, tell me she's okay"

The nurse looked at me again, noticing the hospital gown "she's stable, for now, she needed surgery. But she should be okay. You can have five minutes"

"Thank you" I smiled. I made my way over to the bed she was lying on, I slid onto the chair that had been placed next to her bed, placing the crutch against the wall. I stared at the cast that had been placed on her right arm and slowly slid my arm along the edge. Her legs were the same, confined in the cast that they had placed, unable to move. This time I noticed things I didn't notice before. Like the small shards of glass that cluttered her face and neck. The burns that had engulfed her whole upper body, ending as they reached her neck had left her skin red and blistering. I grabbed her hand and looked at her delicate once angel like face "Please Piper, if you can hear me. I hope. No I know that you'll be okay. I need you to wake up. Please. You're strong, you can fight it, just wake up. I love you. That's why I'm still here. I love you. Please, just wake up." I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

"Come on son, time to go" The nurse looked at me "I'm sorry I'm sure she'll be fine" Another man walked in pushing a wheelchair.

"Are you Tanner?" he asked, I looked at him and just nodded, "come on mate, you need to get back to you room." He reached out a hand and helped me into the chair. "Lets get you back then." I looked back at Piper once more.
"I love you Piper, you'll be fine, I believe in you."
As I looked away I felt my eyes fill with tears and my hands become clammy. Please make it. I need you.