Billie and Brandon: Unpredictable Circumstances

26

Billie felt cold.

She felt sticky and cold, but it was like she was floating on air.

And then she was falling hard and fast, as if she was being sucked down, and her heart started beating wildly in her chest.

Letting out a short pant of breath in alarm, her eyes shot open, and she frantically gulped in air, jolting and trying to shake out the blurriness in her gaze.

It was a terrifying feeling.

Billie blinked, slowly coming to realise she was in a hospital room from the steady beeping of the monitor beside her bed. To her confusion, there were different cords and tubes connected to her arms.

Billie felt stiff and awkward and weak, her body not really moving the way she wanted it to. She slowly slid her gaze towards the slightly opened window, where the curtains were lightly blowing from the gentle breeze. It was dark outside, as if night had just fallen. There were flowers by the table in her room. Several flowers and cards and a whole set of stuffed animals. She stared blankly at the stuff, her mind unable to register anything or process what was going on. She blinked slowly, trying to figure out why she felt like jello.

There was a tingling sensation in her stomach, and Billie looked down.

And was alarmed to notice her abdomen was flat.

Though honestly, she couldn't figure out why it was so alarming.

Her brows furrowed with difficulty as she tried to come to terms with what was going on. Everything was scrambled and disorientated. Hadn't it been the afternoon when she had gotten to the hospital?

No. Something happened after.

What was it?

Her memory was a little foggy, but strangely, she could feel the weird fog and pressure in her head clearing. She brought her fingers to her throbbing head, surprised to feel bandages and gauze wrapped around it.

"Billie...Billie...Don't die..."

Billie's gaze turned towards the voice in bewilderment.

Drew was sleeping in a chair beside her bed, her head in her folded arms beside Billie's hand as she muttered in her sleep. There was drool coming out of her mouth and a track of dried tears running down her cheek.

"Billie...Wake up...Billie...Don't leave me...Billie..."

Billie tested her mouth, slowly trying to open it and work her jaw out of its tightness. It took a little bit, but she was finally able to open and shut it without the muscle fighting its movement.

Why was she so stiff?

"Dr..." Billie rubbed her throat when her voice cracked, completely hoarse. She was parched, her throat constricted and feeling scratchy. Billie tried again, clearing her throat roughly, though it was still dry. "Drew..."

It did the trick.

Drew's eyes fluttered open, and she slowly lifted her head, wiping her mouth as she gazed at Billie with wide, blue, doe eyes. She blinked a few times, staring at Billie as if she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.

"Hey..." Billie said, smiling as best as she could, though her face felt weak and it hurt to stretch the muscles.

Drew exhaled shakily, sitting up completely, her eyes going even wider as they brimmed with tears.

"B-Billie..." Drew's face contorted, softs sobs escaping her lips as a trembling hand went to her mouth, "Billie!"

She pounced on Billie, wrapping her arms around her neck and sobbing into her shoulders. Billie chuckled softly, struggling slightly to lift her stiff right arm, but she settled it on Drew's back comfortingly, rubbing it as gently as she could though she felt awkward in her movements.