Maple

Ch9

Sorry for the late update, school started again so they'll all be at about this rate from now on.

Enjoy, don't forget to comment or vote if you like it, or tell me how to make it better if you don't :)

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Maple

"That should do" said Dr Lisa, studying the wrapping around my foot carefully "it's not too bad, could have been much worse. A ligament was torn and it’s sprained at the ankle, but if you keep off of your foot, it should heal nicely in about two weeks!"

Beside me, David gave a sigh of relief. I was glad he was here. He saved me, and then refused to leave my side except when the police asked to question him. He was more than I could have ever asked for. I don't deserve him as a friend.

The police had questioned him first and, since I needed medical attention, they said that they'd question me tomorrow. David was allowed to go home, his car was parked outside, but he didn't. Chloe stayed by our side too, to make sure that we were ok, even though her shift was over at 11.30. But after I was warmly wrapped in a blanket, a cup of hot chocolate in my hand and Dr Lisa tending to my foot, we finally managed to convince her to leave.

"Here, take these" Dr Lisa said, snapping me out of my thoughts. She passed me a pair of crutches "And don't over use your left foot, seriously! Last time you got hurt falling down the stairs and I told you to rest for a day, then I get a call from Hannah Ray saying that you showed up at work!" I smiled at her sheepishly.

"Ok, ok, I'll try. I already apologized far that, you don't need to bring it up every time!" I said, taking them from her and trying them on for size. I still can't believe that Mrs. Ray had called my doctor. I didn't even know that they knew each other.

"Okay, that will be all for now, but come see me if anything else happens." She said after adjusting the crutches' height. I assured her that I would and we said our goodbyes. I owed a lot to Dr Lisa. She not only helped me when I was hurt on my body, but on the inside as well.

David and I sat in silence for a second and I was just about to suggest we go home when a nurse passed by and waved at me. I think her name was Bella.

"Here again, I see!" she remarked with a smile. I smiled and waved back. David was very confused.

"How come everyone here knows you? Even the receptionists were nice to you, and their nice to no one!" He pondered. It was true. I knew almost all the staff that worked in this part of the hospital at least by name, even some of the janitors.

"I come here all the time. Almost every two days actually" I said in response. He was the first in school to know so much about me. It was a nice feeling to finally be able to confide in someone.

"Are you okay? Is it because of the bullying?" He asked quickly, concerned.

"What?" I was slightly confused, then I realized what he meant and jumped to clarify the misunderstanding "No! It's not me who's sick, I come to visit someone." He calmed down visibly.

"Who?"

"My little brother" I spoke before I processed what I was saying. I clamped my mouth shut quickly, but it was too late, he had already heard. I sighed; there was no point in hiding it now.

"Do you want to see him?"

David

I followed Maple down the white walled hallways of the hospital. Everything smelled like chemicals and antibacterial. Maple didn't seem to mind, she was probably already used to it. She walked through the maze of hallways expertly and led us to an elevator. We went up to the third floor.

I was slightly nervous, watching as Maple hobbled ahead of me with her crutches. What would her brother say when he saw her injured?

"What's your brother's name?" I asked as we passed through a bridge like passage that linked one building to the next. The floor here was covered in grey and blue carpet, unlike downstairs where it was all white tiles.

"Alexander" She replied "but you can call him Alex or Al for short, doesn't really matter."

We walked further still, the eerie silence of the hospital enveloping us. Occasionally, we would pass by some doctors, nurses or even other visitors, and they would all greet or acknowledge Maple in some way. It made me wonder how long her brother had been here, and what kind of disease he could possibly have.

Eventually, Maple came to a stop at a door. The number read 36D. She motioned for me to enter after her as she turned the handle and entered without knocking. It was cold inside, and the lights were dimmed so I could barely see. Maple reached instinctively and turned on the lights.

The room was small. Well, at least it appeared small because of how much was in it. On a bed that looked too large for him, lay a young boy with brown hair only a shade darker then Maple's. He was no older than nine and his childish features resembled Maple's slightly. His eyes were closed and he didn't rouse at the sound of our entering.

Around him were large machines that all had some sort of display, like the ones I see in movies all the time. They were connected to him with needles, wires and straws. I recognized one. It showed the rhythm of his heart beat, a green line rising up and down steadily. Everything seemed to be beeping quietly.

"Hey Al! I came again" said Maple, uncharacteristically cheerfully "I brought a friend who wanted to see you" I noticed that she hesitated slightly at the word 'friend', but dismissed the thought quickly. She abandoned her crutches by the door and limped her way to his bed side.

"Al, this is David. David, this is my little brother Al" He still didn't stir. I panicked; was he ok?

"Maple, why is he not getting up?" I asked, dreading the answer. There was a long pause. Maple studied Alex's face before she slowly held his hand in hers and answered the question.

"He's been in a coma for fourteen months now"

I was stumped. I looked from brother to sister. How much did I not know about Maple? How much has she been through? This was the second time I was completely lost for words in front of her. First her parents, now her brother, I just didn't know what to say. I was about to apologize again, like I did for her parents, but I stopped myself. An apology will do nothing for her.

As she gripped her brother's hand, her face was serene, but her eyes were determined. She was waiting for him to wake up, I realized. I suddenly knew what to say. I moved to the bedside next to her.

"He'll wake up soon" I promised and she nodded, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

"You're the first to say that." She looked to me and added "He has to wake up, he's all I have left." her voice was calm, but deeply laced with a pain beyond my understanding. The pain of losing your parents, the pain of waiting for your only family left to return to you. The pain of being left behind.

Maple sat down on an uncomfortable chair that she pulled up right next to his bed. In one corner of the room was a small armchair, which I sat in, and in the other were four wrapped presents. Maple caught me staring at them and smiled.

"I bought them for him" she explained, walking over to them "this one was for his eighth birthday" she said, pointing to the largest of the four "this one was for Christmas" she pointed to the rectangular one, "This one was when I got my first pay-check" it was the smallest out of the four and slightly oval shaped.

Finally, she studied the last of the four presents. For a long time, she didn't speak. Her eyes flickered with an emotion that I couldn't read. She picked up the square present, wrapped in blue paper that said 'Get Well Soon'.

"This is an apology" she said finally, her voice strained. I realized what the emotion in her eyes was now…Guilt.

"An apology for what?" I pressed on, hoping the subject wasn't too personal. She looked up at me. Her expression was conflicted, as if deciding if she should answer the question or not, but when she spoke, her voice was firm and resolute.

"For making him like this" she turned to her brother "and for killing our parents."