3,000 Miles

Chapter 6

I rushed into the bathroom to find Wesley staring at his thigh.
"What's wrong?" I asked, panic in my voice. "Wesley?" He said nothing, just turned his leg so I could see what he was gaping at. There was a large lump on his leg. it was colored blue with streaks of purple and yellow running through it. It was swollen to the size of a baseball.
"What is that?" I asked.
"I..I...think it's a spider bite. I can't feel my leg." I tensed up.
"Sit." I instructed him. I ran my hands through my hair, trying to figure out what to do.
"The hospital, Anna, we need to go to the hospital." my mouth opened but no words formed.
"Anna, this is kinda urgent. If that thing was poisonous we don't have much Tim-"
"Don't talk like that!" I shot back. "get your clothes I'm driving you."

The ride was silent, only the sounds of heavy breathing and beating hearts filled the air. Wesley winced in pain, and I looked at his face. He usually lights up a room with that smile of his, but that smile had faded long ago. It was now replaced by a twisted expression that made me break inside.
When we arrived we were met by someone with a wheelchair. I held Wesley's hand as they wheeled him down the hallways.
"Wes, I'm gonna call your parents later."
"They went on a..um..business trip." he winced again. "They won't be back anytime soon." He kissed my hand and smiled. "I'll be alright." he released my hand as they wheeled him through the double doors that they wouldn't let me pass through. I felt defeated with nothing to do but wait.
I paced and paced, wearing down the soles of my shoes. The hospital was dark and eerie, the kiss of death loomed in the air, ready to strike at anytime. I finally took my seat and stares at the walls. The walls were decorated with happy pictures. How strange of a place to put them; happy hippos with balloons, and giraffes with cotton candy. The thing I noticed the most was the smiles on their faces. I stared at they hard, almost wishing that their smiles could translate to my lips. I turn my attention to the toddlers playing in the corner. I wonder why they are here in this cold stolid place. Was it a sick grandmother, a sisters broken leg? A little girl who looked to be about four waddles over to me. Her long Brunette hair is pulled into two neat ponytails.
"Hello. My name is Sandra."
"Hi Sandra, I'm Annabeth." I flash the best smile I could muster up.
"Why are you crying?" She asks. I hadn't noticed I had been crying until now. I reached up and furiously wiped the tears from my face.
"My friend got hurt." I frown at her.
"You mean like my daddy?" She says cocking her head. "Mommy says he's sleeping but he's been asleep for a very long time." My mouth gaped open and my heart broke. when I said nothing she shrugged and continued to play. She was so young and innocent, so unaware of the depth of her words.

The double doors swing open and someone called to me. I was distracted by the little girl. I wished for her to stay young and innocent, always hoping for the best, and never having to be exposed to the truth of the world. I wished that she would stay unaware of the evil of the world. I prayed she would always stay hopeful, that maybe one day her dad would wake from his sleep, his deep deep sleep. I wished she would never have to feel this pain I feel. The truth is, he's not waking up, but she doesn't have to know.
"Annabeth!" Someone yells again. "is there an Annabeth here?" A young doctor yells and I raise my hand and stand up.
"That's me." I respond. "How is Wesley? Is he gonna be okay?" I asked impatiently waiting an answer.
She places her hand on my shoulder and I know it can't be good news.
"He's stable. The effects of the venom are wearing him down. we have yet to determine the type of spider it was, and until we do that we can't treat him properly." I sighed and say back down, my head in my hands.
"I came to get you." she whispered.
"What?" I looked up.
"He keeps asking for you. Your welcome to stay the night with him, although you'll have to sleep in the recliner."
"I'll do it." I shot up.
"Alright follow me and I'll take you to him." she placed her hand on my back and led me toward the doors. I turned one last time to look at the girl. She was gone. We walked down hallways that seemed long, lonely, and cold strangely cold. The door read 346 and I stood before it unable to will myself to open it, unsure what I would see. A nurse pushed past me into the room and I saw him. I couldn't control my feet as they pushed me closer to him.
"Wes?" I choked out. I touched his hand. Cold. lifeless. Yet warm and Alive. He look pitiful. the color had left his cheeks and veins could be seen through his pale skin. His body was still aside from the surge of twitches than ran through him every few minutes. I held his hand and his eyes fluttered open. They looked tired and droopy, unlike their usual piercing self.
"Anna." he spoke low, barley in a whisper. "don't cry Anna" a frail and gentle hand reached up and wiped a tear from my cheek.
"I'm gonna stay here tonight." I said as I settled into the recliner. We exchanged a small tired smile.
"How do you feel?" I asked.
"Tired." he barley formed the word.
"Wesley?" I asked
"Mhm" he barley hummed, eyes drooping lower.
"I love you Wesley." I said, but he had already drifted to sleep.