Strive

Chapter 9

SARAH’S POV

            Sitting upright and staring blankly into the busy hall, I clenched my hands on the blanket, releasing them shortly only to regrip. As I slept before, my needle in my hand had been removed and replaced by a bandage similar to the one that Dr. Ellis had put on. My hand stung immensely, though I soon became unaware of the pain. I was too busy. Watching. Everyone walked past my room, as if I weren’t there. They were all in a rush with somewhere important to go, none taking the time to slow down and take a breath. What’s he making them do? I wondered, noticing the many tired faces and pale uniform of most of the people. They all wore white or light blue uniforms, well, most of them anyway. It was hard to see through the crowds around them, but every so often a cart would rush through with people swarming it. If I were lucky I’d catch a glimpse of the person on the cart. More often than not there was a lot of blood and tubes attached to whoever it was. I cringed every time, though I still sought for more of a view. My curiosity was getting the best of me, making me wonder more and more where they were keeping Justin. Why won’t they let me see him? I wondered sadly, dropping my gaze from the busy crowd and becoming lost in thought. Did he look like that when he arrived? Imagining the image of Justin strapped to a cart with blood pouring from the hole in his side. Slamming my eyes shut to hold in tears, I curled down, pressing my palms into my eyes. So much blood. So much pain. Justin I’m so sorry! Slowly I dragged my head up and looked around.

Finally it hit me that I’d been away from Daddy for probably about two days. Two days without Daddy. Two days without the darkness… Two days without Justin. It was the longest I’d gone without either of them and honestly I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to know that Justin was okay, and I needed him with me. If I never saw Justin again, I wouldn’t know what to do. I didn’t even remember how I lived before I met him. I mean there were bits here and there in my memory of me at the zoo or walking somewhere, but I was always alone. The people around me including my parents had been replaced by dark, faceless figures years ago. I never had the heart to admit it to Justin. After the day I asked him the point of it all, I never spoke of it again.  I think it gave him something to hope for that I’d remember everything, so I played along. I didn’t mind though. I liked repeating words I’d memorized even if they meant nothing to me. It made him happy and that’s all I cared about. After all he was the only person I has for years on end and I was thankful for him everyday.

A light knocking sound invaded my thoughts, snapping me back into reality. “Sarah?” A woman spoke from my doorway. I didn’t recognize her and she certainly wasn’t Dr. Ellis. She had darker skin and really short black hair, making her glasses stand out even more. She too wore a white outfit, but unlike the others outside she was calm. I nodded timidly, keeping myself prepared to fight. She walked towards me; her dark bangs bouncing against her face as she walked. When she was less than a foot from my bed, she stopped. “I’m Dr. Bennett.” She introduced herself, sticking out her hand. When I flinched away and refused to shake it she pulled it back and stuck it in her pocket. Pushing the incident aside, she adjusted her glasses. “You know there’s someone who has been asking to see you all day.” She said softly with a smile. I cocked my head to the side, but didn’t speak. “The boy that arrived here with you, Justin.”

My heart stopped along with the world around me. The busy blue and white people became nothing more than frozen statues, waiting for me to return to reality. Justin. “I can see him?” I asked, digging my hands tightly into the covers in excitement. “He’s alright?” I mumbled.

She nodded. “He’s doing fine. He’s going to need a lot of rest, but you can visit him now if you’d like.” She offered. I nodded in awe, releasing my grip. Cautiously, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the cold strike my bare feet against the tiled floor. Taking a deep breath, I followed Dr. Bennett out of my room and into the busy hall. I shuddered each time a body drew close to me, stumbling into various people to avoid others. As my anxiety grew along with my fear, I had to push forward. I had to see Justin. Holding my hands tight to my chest, I could feel my heart race. With each step, each glance a person shot me; I was ready. Ready for an attack, ready for pain, ready for anything. Yet my fear wouldn’t subside. The knowledge of being ready meant nothing as I’d learned. It didn’t mean that I could fight them off; it didn’t mean I knew the method in which I’d be hurt. All it meant was that I had the knowledge that I could be hurt, which did more harm than good. “You’re going to be alright.” Dr. Bennett soothed quietly from her position in front of me. Nonchalantly she dropped her hand behind her as she walked, as if asking me to take it. “I won’t let them hurt you.” She assured me again. Her words meant nothing to me. They were as worthless as any other. People lie. I reminded myself, holding my hands tighter.

Finally after walking through halls and halls of a crowded maze, she stopped. Turning to my side, I peered though the tiny window of a door. Inside the room looked a lot like mine, but with more tubes and metal object. Someone, a boy, was laying in the bed, with the covers pulled up to his mid-chest, which rose and fell evenly. Squinting my eyes past the tubes, I noticed the familiar face traced by the mop of brown hair. “Justin.” I sighed relieved, tears forming in the back of my mind. He’s alive. 

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