From the Ashes

[41] When the Firebird Falls

"The homefront has calmed down a bit, though Roman's mom is pretty anxious."

"Alright... What did you guys tell them?"

"That a bunch of kids were playing soccer at The Gazebo, and it was an awful accident."

"Okay, good. His lip is torn to hell... Do you know how painful it was, Maize?"

"I know, Allie... I can't even imagine. He passed out from the pain at the match, not the blood loss. How's he feeling?"

I glance up from the corner of a dimly-lit hospital room, where I hold the curly-wired phone, to look over at Roman's sleeping form tucked into the neat blankets of the hospital bed.

"He was feeling alright before he fell asleep. He's all numbed up, he can't feel a thing in his face." My brows knit as I continue to gaze at Roman. The dark, ruffled hair that falls over his closed eyes and thick lashes. His pasty skin, his swollen lips that I love to kiss, now cross-hatched with temporary black stitches like some horrific patchwork monster.

"That's good, at least," Mazie says, her voice heavy. My heart has been aching nonstop at the thought of Roman's pain. He has suffered enough. "Is he just gonna need stitches?"

"No, fortunately. If he doesn't want any bad scarring, he'll need surgery. And there's no way to save his piercings, but that's the least of our concerns."

"Of course. I doubt he'll want to get them repierced after this."

"I can't imagine," I agree, taking another sorrowful glance at Roman's unconscious form. I untangle my fingers from the curly cord that I had been playing with absently as Mazie's static sigh floats through the phone.

"I'm glad he has you there with him, Allie," she says softly, “He really needs someone like you." My eyes travel to the floor at her words, my heart stirring curiously.

"Absolutely," I whisper. I hear her yawn on the other end of the line, and I take a glance at the circular clock that ticks away above the door beside the bed. My head almost spins in exhaustion at the time.

3:12.

"I'm gonna get going. Bennen's waiting eagerly for an update. I'll be here at my camp all day tomorrow, so call me with any news, alright?" Mazie says. I nod involuntarily.

"I'll definitely get ahold of you. Goodnight, Mazie."

"Goodnight, Allie." I hang up the phone with a gentle clack, rubbing my eyes with the heel of my hand. My legs ache to sit down, my eyes beg for rest, and my head throbs for sleep. Walking over to the side of Roman's bed, I sink wearily into the chair I had moved to rest beside him. I lean forward across the bed to slowly sweep Roman's dark hair back, running my hand through it over and over as I take his hand in my other one. I hum gentle tunes to him as he sleeps, pausing periodically to kiss the back of his hand. My voice is rough from all the screaming and cheering at the match earlier.

The sound of a gentle knock floats from the doorframe behind me, and I pause to glance over my shoulder and see Wim standing there with a cardboard drink holder in his hands.

"May I come in?" He asks in a whisper. I give a tired nod.

"Of course."

He pulls up another chair beside me, his eyes continually flickering to me while he does. Taking a seat, he pulls one of the three styrofoam cups out of the holder to offer it to me.

"I picked up some coffee from the Starbucks in the cafeteria. Do you like caramel macchiatos?" He asks in a whisper. The enticing smell works its way to my nose as I take the drink.