A Boy Called Noah

Chapter Fifty-Three

Noah James

Noah's head throbs and his eyes are blurry with sleep. He blinks a few times and his eyes focus on the dark sky. He slides his hand down his chest and stomach. Tears prick his eyes and a single one runs across his cheek. His fingers very gently run over the unwelcome tube. He blows air out of his nose from the pain of the growing infection. 

Spots start building up in his vision but he blinks them away and very slowly sits upright. He holds his hands before his face and his breath catches at how shaky they are. They tremble without control and nothing he does seems to be able to calm the movement. 

He drops them into his lap and his eyes scan the room for his wheelchair. They land on the black chair and he sighs in utter frustration when he fails to lean far enough to reach it. He measures the height from the floor to where he is and estimates that he'll make it with only a few bruises. 

He crawls forward with his legs dragging behind him. Something tugs him back and he yanks the blankets cocooned around his legs off of them. He throws them to the bottom of the bed and focuses his attention on the main task at hand again. He slowly slides his hands down the side of the bed and he slips his back and hips onto the floor. A hiss of pain escapes his lips and he growls in frustration when he struggles to turn his body right to pull the chair closer.

He stretches his body to the limit and his fingers luckily brush the one wheel of the horrid chair. He stretches a tiny bit further and pulls the chair closer. He blows an annoyed breath out of his nose and glares down at his chest, "Stop it. Not tonight. Jess has been through enough today." He takes a deep breath and pulls himself into the seat of the chair. His legs drag behind him and he quickly turns himself around to sit right and pulls his legs into the right footing position.

His head throbs worse than it did when he woke up but he ignores it and silently wheels himself down the hall. His ears are ultra-focused to listen if he maybe woke someone else up. Nothing but the house breathing and his own labored breaths. 

He leans forward to unlock the patio door and gently eases the door open. Freezing cold air cools his burning skin and he revels in the amazing feeling of freedom. He takes a few deep, unsteady breaths before wheeling himself to the edge of the balcony. 

His mind wanders as he stares out into the open night. A dark, clear sky greets him and the stars wink at him playfully. He tries but fails to smile at the moon with as much enthusiasm as it's smiling at him. He blinks in surprise when he realizes the date. December third. Jess's wedding is in three days. Noah mentally face-palms. How could I forget that? He quickly wheels himself back into the house and hurries back to his room. 

He stations himself at the desk with his laptop and starts his search for the perfect gift.