The Day They Came (WATTY AWARDS 2016)

Chapter 1

Claire stood up slowly. After spending two days in that hospital bed, it felt good to stand up. However, her legs weren't having it and she flopped back on the bed. Sighing, she laid back against the raised bed.

"Not today..." She muttered to herself, her roommate fast asleep. With that lack of strength, she found herself sitting back, her earbuds in. Luckily a friend had thought to bring her laptop the day before when she visited. She logged into a streaming website and settled on one of her favorite movies. She'd seen it so many times that she could fall asleep and know exactly what had happened between falling asleep and waking up.

Unfortunately, she did not fall asleep. Her body needed the rest, since it was now almost six in the morning and she had yet to fall asleep. The stupid allergic reaction had left her itchy and in the hospital – with nurses checking in on her every other hour. She didn't not appreciate the help, if that made sense, but she would love some rest.

"Miss Davidson?" A nurse's voice cut through the noise in her head. She paused her movie and took her headphones off. "I just need to take your vitals." On went the blood pressure cuff and pulse ox meter. She watched as the nurse watched the numbers on her cart change. The cuff tightened around her upper right arm, letting her feel the pulsing of her heart. Slowly, the air let out and the pressure released.

Somehow, sleep managed to find her in the dull moment of getting her vitals checked. When she opened her eyes again, sunshine was streaming in through the window by her bed and her roommate was eating breakfast. A red tray sat in front of her, and her laptop off to the side of the little table.

"Breakfast is here, Claire." She and her roommate – a bright young man named Peter Sinclair – had become quite the pair since she was admitted. He had been fast asleep when she was brought in, but had woken up for breakfast soon after. With a light laugh, she readjusted in the bed and opened her tray.

A breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast stared back at her from the tray.

"Smells good." She laughed a little as Peter almost choked. "Sorry." He waved her off, wiping his orange juice up. She opened her own little apple juice and took a good sip. The banter continued as they ate. He had a blueberry muffin with orange juice, milk, and apple wedges. There was half a slice of toast with butter on his plate too.

She managed to open the jelly without her left hand. The IV was in her left thumb, and it was throbbing like crazy. Peter gave her a sympathetic smile, but he was not on an IV.

Breakfast was okay for a meal at the hospital. She's never particularly enjoyed hospital food, but the eggs weren't too bad. The toast and grape jelly was, in her opinion, the best part of the whole meal. The apple juice was gone too quickly, but she could always call and get another one if she truly wanted more. Being on the IV meant she already had to use the restroom every other hour anyway. One more thing of apple juice wouldn't hurt her.

"How much longer until your surgery, Peter?" He had told her why he was in the hospital. He was scheduled to have a surgery soon, and the hospital staff thought it'd be best he stay until his surgery.

"Should be tomorrow, if all goes according to plan today." He managed a smile. "I'm not looking forward to it. I'm always a hard stick when it comes to IVs and getting blood drawn." With a laugh, he showed off his bruises from getting blood drawn the day before. He had two on his right arm, one on his left wrist, and two on the back of each hand.

"Ouch." She laughed a little. "I'm sorry to hear that." He shook his head as he finished a bite of his muffin.

"You hear it a lot when you're in the hospital as often as I have been lately." He still wouldn't tell her why he was having surgery, but she respected his privacy. "Luckily this should be the last hospital stay in a long time."