Blanca Like Snow

Chapter 41 - Getting back on your feet

      Just to stay on the safe side, I don't get discharged until three days later and that already feels like too much. Like we are wasting too long and giving Laura a chance to get away with murder. Again. But I can't rush and be reckless, and we need to plan our approach properly.

We have the video and it is really indeed noticeable that Laura is the one savagely attacking me, and subsequently pushing me off the bridge. The video doesn't show the moment Nora jumps, because by then the drone is following me down the stream, chaotic, diving and coming out again. It's blackness, just like the one that wrapped me. It also shows the moment Nora finds me, dragging me back to the surface and then to the side, where she frantically did CPR until I'm coughing and coming back to her, curling to her as Nora rocks us back and forth, crying.

The video shows all that, even the moment the ambulance comes for me and we're taken to the hospital. And as I watch what happened from above, I can only hold Nora's hand tightly, knowing she's the one who fought so hard to bring me back from that darkness I had surrendered to.

The problem of the video isn't just seeing Laura's cruelty again and feeling every blow like it's happening, or the desperation that drives Nora to almost kill herself in her attempt to save me. The worst part is seeing how the footage affects Will.

Despite what we talked, he can't take watching the video and needs to leave. I give him a bit of time before I go out to find him. I don't need to think or actually look for him, now that I'm back in the Dream House and away the hospital (I hope I don't need to get admitted there. Ever again), it's easy to know exactly where he's gone: to see the goats.

I find him inside the corrals, sat on the ground with Heidi on his lap, holding her tight and his face buried in the fluffy fur. Carefully, I climb over the fence and walk up to him, sitting by his side. Of course he hears me and feels my presence, but he doesn't move or lifts his head, which is a bad sign.

Finding the words to break the silence and start the conversation is hard, I'm not sure how to approach this when it's such a delicate subject. Even if we talk, even if I help him a bit, it's not something that it gets fixed because I tell him it's okay. It doesn't work like that, it isn't easy like that.

"Heidi, do you think you could give me some time with my boyfriend?" I ask, trying to use a light tone that doesn't carry too much worry.

The goat actually bleats in reply and I'm pretty sure it means she's not moving.

"Oi! That's rude. I'm actually asking it nicely," I argue, glaring at the goat that's normally my favourite.

Not now, though.

Heidi doesn't even regard me, instead, she decides to start chewing on Will's hair.

"She's eating your hair, you shouldn't allow that. She doesn't listen to me, as you can see," I point out and this time I can actually hear Will's chuckles and see his hand raising to keep Heidi from eating his hair.

The boy finally lifts his head and I immediately look to meet his eyes, smiling but my heart breaks when I see his eyes are swollen and bloodshot. There aren't tears streaking his cheeks, but it's clear he's been fighting hard not to cry.

Or he cried a lot already.

I don't want him to look so miserable and broken, but I don't really have a way to fix it or soothe his pain, not in a truly effective way, at least. I can only offer some distraction and comfort, and for that I act childishly, pushing Heidi away and claiming the spot on Will's lap. This clearly surprises him and he stares at me with wide eyes, but I only smile in reply while looping my arms around him.