Freed

46

Ethan's POV

I stood on the rooftop of the hospital, watching the city lights shimmer below me. From my height, they looked like a sea of stars, glittering amongst all the darkness. It was close to midnight, so the sky was pitch black and stars littered the ebony sky. The wind had picked up speed, and up here it was more powerful as it nipped at my skin. Cars drove along the narrow streets down below, looking like specks of light as they sped by. The city was alive and it was strange feeling knowing that just hours ago, this sense of tranquility that I was feeling had been replaced by feelings that had almost destroyed me.

I held the cigarette between my fingertips, taking the opportunity to ease the pressure I felt on my chest as I stood alone on the rooftop, high above the rest of the world.

I brought the stick up to let it rest between my lips as I took a long drag, leaning my elbows on the ledge as I stared off into the horizon. I exhaled slowly, watching the grey smoke turn the dark air in front of me hazy.

My lungs burned, and I promised myself that this was the last one before I tried to quit smoking entirely. One last time, and then I'd start working towards something better because today had changed something inside of my head.

My urge to be reckless; my urge to live without the fear of consequences had weakened after seeing my little sister fight for her life on that hospital bed.

She hadn't woken up yet. The doctors had taken over after Elijah had brought her back to life, and stabilized her enough so she was completely out of harm's way now. She needed respiratory support temporarily while she rested, but she was fine.

We didn't know when she'd wake up, but she wouldn't be allowed to go home when she did.

They were keeping her in the psychiatric department for seventy-two hours because she was considered a danger to herself. They'd asked Elijah if she'd done it to herself with the intention of suicide, and he'd told the doctors everything. He wanted her to stay in their care, even if it meant having to restrain her because she didn't agree.

Which was a possibility because no one knew what she would be like when she woke up.

Seventy-two hours was the time allotted by the state to involuntarily hold a patient in their facility because of the threat of self-harm or another suicide attempt. Until the hospital decided that Izzy was mentally stable enough and when she was no longer deemed as a danger to herself, she would be released. Until then, the rules here would be strict.

I thought that she needed to stay longer, but I kept quiet. Everyone already knew about how low she was mentally, so I didn't need to voice my opinion.

"It's cold up here."

I tensed at the soft voice, my shoulders turning taut as the cigarette froze in my hand.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Rose standing near the stairs that led to the rooftop, a small smile shaping her full lips. I flickered my gaze over her body once, noticing that the black oversized hoodie she wore once belonged to me. I'd lost it years ago, but had never cared enough to find it. Her curly blonde hair was up in a bun and she wore her glasses today instead of the usual contacts I knew she always wore.

"You stalking me now, Rosie?" I said flatly and turned back around, redirecting my attention out towards the distance beyond.

She scoffed. "Don't think so highly of yourself. My mom's shift is almost over, so I came to pick her up because she's too tired to drive home." She paused. "I was waiting for her downstairs when I ran into Caleb."

I didn't respond as I heard her light footsteps approach until she came to a stop next to me, turning her body so she faced me. I felt her dark brown gaze piercing into the side of my face as I brought the cigarette up to my lips.