Split

The Hospital

Evelyn Shanon sat in her hospital bed. She was surrounded by what felt like hundreds of different machines that all either beeped, flashed, dripped, pulsed, or pinged...a couple of them even did all 5. She was so tired of it. A nurse came in, "How are you feeling dear?" she asked looking at Evelyn.

"I'm dying from cancer," Evelyn said turning to look at her, "How would you feel?" Evelyn shook her head. "I'm sorry," she muttered, "I feel better than normal."

The nurse nodded and scribbled something on the clip board that she was carrying. "Those are very pretty earrings." She said pointing at two sparkling studs that glittered in the warm sunlight.

Evelyn reached up and fingered the earrings. "Thank you...my family bought them for me." She said turning to look back out the window.

"I'll be back in a little bit dear" the nurse whispered as she left, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"Of course you will" Evelyn sighed, staring out of the window in her hospital room. Evelyn turned in the bed, causing one of the machines she was hooked to beep. Evelyn groaned, "God, is this your way of punishing me?" she asked looking around the room. "What did I do? Why is this happening?" Evelyn waited. "I knew you wouldn't answer." she whispered, she grabbed the remote for the t.v. causing another machine to ping loudly. Evelyn gritted her teeth and turned it on.

Flipping through the stations Evelyn saw so many people who weren't confined to a bed, they were beautiful. Their hair wasn't thinning from cancer treatments. They weren't as pale as ghosts, they didn't have dark circles under their eyes. They weren't hooked to a gadzillion different machines. "Lucky them." Evelyn muttered finally coming to a science fiction channel. "Star Trek, that'll work." Evelyn mumbled, as she settled into the bed watching. It was her favorite episode, it could always make her smile. "Is this your way of answering me then?" She asked looking up. She smiled grudgingly, "thanks," she whispered. She snuggled back into the pillows and watched. When Guinan stabbed Q with a fork, Evelyn giggled...immediatly a machine started pulsing.

"It's good to hear you laugh." a voice said from the door.

Evelyn turned her head and smiled, "Hey Nick," she said turning down the volume on the t.v.

Nick came in to the room. And sat on the edge of Evelyn's bed causing 2 more machines to go off. Evelyn fell back in the pillows. "I wish they'd turn at least some of those damn things off!" Evelyn said heatedly.

Nick laughed a little and readjusted himself. "Eves they're just there to make sure nothing bad happens." Nick turned his attention back to the t.v. "Star Trek huh? I should have known, your a Trekkie through and through....this is a really funny episode."

"Yeah, it is." Evelyn said nodding, "the only problem is when I laugh...an array of these things start yelling at me." She motioned weakly to several of the machines which started beaping and blinking. "See?"

Nick smiled and shook his blonde hair out of his face. He had been Evelyn's friend for a LONG time. He played guitar for their church worship band...and Evelyn played piano...at least until she had been hospitalized. They also sang on occasion....but....Evelyn normally got a little stage fright. Evelyn also happened to like Nick more than just a friend...but he didn't seem to notice.

Suddenly he grew serious. "Eves," he whispered, "You've got to fight this okay?" He slid off the bed into a chair that was next to it and grasped her hand tightly. "You can't let it win."

Evelyn looked at him in surprise "I'm trying," she whispered. "It's harder than it looks." she smiled giving his hand a quick squeeze.

Nick smiled. "I got you something," he said pulling a small box out of his pocket. He held the bottom part with one hand so that she could get the lid off with one hand and he could continue to hold her other. Carefully Evelyn raised her other arm and started to work the lid of the box. When she finally succeeded she dropped the lid.

"Nick, thanks so much." She whispered her eyes starting to tear up. "It's beautiful."

Nick set the box down and pulled the bracelet out of it. "Is there a spot on your arm not occupied by things linking you to a machine?" He asked, as he smiled up at her.

Evelyn smiled, "I don't know...they've got all that pretty much covered." Nick conitnued to look carefully moving wires and tubes.

"Aha," he said as he moved a slim wire back from Evelyn's left wrist, he slowly slid the bracelet on and tightened the cord. "Do you recognize the symbol?" he asked moving so he could sit on her bed again.

Evelyn nodded, she was beginning to get tired, and she was starting to hurt all over. "I-infinity," she whispered slowly.

Nick nodded, "That's right. This bracelet means that for infinity and forever, I'll always be here you Eves." Evelyn smiled, she felt her mind fading. "I-I-" she started before she slipped into unconsciousness and the machines around her started a chorus, that envolped the room with their eerie symphony.