The High 5

Chapter 21: The Girl Who Lived Down The Lane

Cassandra Wiccan wasn't exactly dead, but after two weeks of still being in a coma, Aivie was beginning to think that she may as well be.

The Five had devoted much of their spare time throughout the past week to researching as much about comatose patients as they could.

A large number of comas didn't last more than two to four weeks, but the road to rehabilitation was typically gradual over time. The Five had discovered something called, the Glasgow Coma Scale, where much of those who scored between 11-15 had good odds to recover. They had overheard a doctor test the scale on Cassandra the other day, and she had scored a ten. There was a chance Cassandra would wake up without any sort of disabilities. There was a chance she'd have to relearn to eat, speak and walk. There was a chance she'd never fully recover, and eventually descend into a vegetative condition.

For the last two weeks, Cassandra hadn't lived down on Azure Lane, she had been 'living' in Maple Vue Hospital. Because no one was very much sure on whether she would wake up or not, she would continue to live there, until the certain end of her days.

Just two days ago, Mr. and Mrs. Wiccan had finally started allowing other people to come and visit their daughter. They were a little surprised to see that a number of students from Kalimity High had visited her. For perhaps the first time ever, none of them had anything bitter to say about her. Instead of seeing her as the girl that was almost never sober, they saw as the girl that they wanted to soon get better.

The Five had visited her once every day since being allowed to visit, and so today was their third day stopping by. On the day of their first visit, they had brought a barely used fish bowl, and each also had one mango lollipop. Every day they came, they would each place a lollipop in the bowl that they placed on a desk near the only window in the room.

Sun sat on the window's ledge as he gazed at the ceiling. The sun was out, and the blinds were open part way, but still a thin ray of light shone through. He had his back against the window so that the stream of light would only hit him. Despite always being nagged to wear sunscreen by Serena, he still enjoyed the feel of the sun on his bare skin. And if he had to have his clothes on, he'd make due with as much as he could feel.

'This isn't a movie, or a TV show, or some book,' Sun thought. 'This is real life. The odds are almost never in our favor. I guess time will tell, or whatever, I hope.'

Mace sat sideways in a stiff leather chair that was in a corner, and his legs were swung over the right arm. Since being grounded for a month, the three hours he was allowed each day to spend with his friends, he wanted to spend an hour of it at the hospital. He stared blankly at the pale-blue wall and let his feet hover just inches away from it.

'She always seemed closer to Sun, and even Aivie. I wanted to get to know her...want to get to know her better,' Mace thought. Maybe when she wakes...if she wakes up.'

Colette sat in a chair that was on the left side of Cassandra's bed. She had a leg crossed over the other, and she leaned back in her seat as she quietly watched Cassandra. No one had noticed when she stole a glance at each of them, before returning her silent gaze back to the comatose girl. Because she wasn't part of the Five, Colette had never thought much about Cassandra, and she was now realizing that she didn't quite understand how Sn and Aivie got to be so friendly with her.

'If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have to go through with any plan, and Mace wouldn't be grounded. Aivie wouldn't be stressed, Sun wouldn't be so miserable, Rion wouldn't have to get rid of his favorite fish bowl. And..." She thought for a brief few seconds, about Kite. 'Ugh...how'd we ever get sucked into her drama?'

Aivie anxiously paced back and forth near the foot of Cassandra's bed. It was slow pacing, and her head remained lowered, and her eyes closed. She was trying desperately to somehow communicate with someone or something out there above.