Summer Before Her (Completed)

30- And The Things That Keep Us Alive

Kirsten's POV

Talia was curled on one the cold, metallic hospital benches peering over her phone. Seth on the other hand looked pissed, he repeatedly kept asking for Fred's Identity, his foot tapping in a rhythmic manner on the floor as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. He looked scary and murderous. Every once in a while he would get up, stand in the other corner of the waiting area and make a hushed call.

"Damnit both of you, will you tell me who it was or will I have to bully some poor kid?" he asked with a frustrated sigh.

Before we could utter a word, the doctor walked out of the doors that we had been watching for the past few hours, "Mr.Bennani's family?" he called.

We were all on our feet anticipating the worst news, holding our breaths but then the doctor smiled and said," Mr. Bennani is going to be just fine, he
lost a lot of blood and that put his body in a state of shock, he is stable now"

At this we collectively signed in relief, my world felt a little bit brighter.

"But before you go and see him, we would like you to know that these gentlemen have a few questions for you as this is an assault and battery case" he continued directing us towards the two policemen standing behind him.

They led us into a consultation room and asked us to take a seat, and first, I was called to questioning.

"Were you present at the location during the assault?" he asked.

"Yes Sir, yes I was," I answered stoically.

"Do you know the assaulter personally?"

"Yes Sir, he used to be my frie—"

"THAT FUCKING BITCH, I AM GOING TO KILL HI—" his rage exit was cut short by the door slamming behind him.

One of the officers followed him to make sure he didn't commit the crime he just declared.

The officer who was questioning me returned back to his onslaught, "What according to you could be the motivation behind this assault?"

"I am not aware sir"

**

Twenty minutes later and we were done with the questioning, the officer had managed to bring Seth back to questioning.

We were finally allowed to meet Novak. He was supposed to be okay — I kept telling myself but I couldn't help thinking that it wasn't the case.

Our shoes squeaking on the hospital tiles, we walked through the hallways. Some had their doors open as the sick and ailing watched the passerby's, some closed as families grieved and celebrated in privacy.

Room 241. It was slightly ajar and we could see that he wasn't awake, despite that we knocked, waited for a response and obviously got none, then entered.

He looked blissfully asleep, his face had a prominent bruise on his right cheek from where Fred probably hit him. His T-shirt was missing, leaving his bruised ribs exposed. The rest of him was thankfully intact.

We sat there in eerie silence, the sound of his laboured breathing and Seth's feet bouncing against the floor being the only things we could hear.

**

It had been an hour and we were still sitting there, our postures slightly more relaxed.

"We should be going" Seth croaked.

Talia nodded in agreement. I looked at both of them and saw how uncomfortable the eerie environment of the hospital made them. I had spent one too many days here, it felt like a healing home to me, so I said: "You guys can go ahead, I will be staying here for a bit"