Shifted #Wattys2016

LXXXIV

OKAY so this is the last chapter and that's kind of crazy. I don't think I've written a book that's been EIGHTY STINKING FOUR chapters. Like WOAH.

Thanks Ian.

And Izzy I guess (even though Ian was more of a part of this than you were this time)

UHH

BUT THANK TO MYSELF FOR FINALLY COMING UP WITH A HALF DECENT ENDING

HAHAHAHA

I'm sorry to interrupt your reading. Enjoy!!

Maxine

Ezra left flowers while I was asleep. I was able to move my fingers, just barely, mid-morning the next day. And as for the voice, I can s moan and groan. No words yet.

Another few days passed, and Ezra came in for a visit while I was awake.

"Doctors said you're able to move some,"

I nodded. I think I can speak, but I don't want to. Not yet.

"That's good. You're healing." Ezra paused. "They ran a tox screen. You were legally drunk when the accident happened." I rolled my eyes but Ezra pushed on. "Max, it's one thing to drink under aged, it's a whole 'nother thing to put yourself or someone else in danger but drunk driving."

Ezra took a breath. "Max I'm not going to enable you after this. If alcohol was what caused that accident then you don't need it. I don't know why you started drinking in the first place but whatever it was it's not worth almost ending your life over."

I looked out the window, starting to cry. "I wanted to kill myself." My voice was hoarse and the words came out strangled. But they were out there. "I tried to kill myself."

"What?"

"I shut my eyes, floored it, and hoped for the best."

"Max,"

"And now I'm fucking here. Alive. Breathing. Lucky to survive."

There was a knock at the door and my doctor, Dr. Armstrong peeked in. "Are you talking?" There was such hope in her eyes.

I looked at Ezra. "Please leave."

He looked at the doctor. "Dr. Armstrong, a word?"

"Don't."

I watched the two go into the hall and I knew what Ezra was telling her. I'll be moved into a different room tomorrow, one without any sharp objects, where someone will be watching my every move.

Why couldn't I have just died?

I was right. Transferred to the mental hospital side of things. One of my casts came off today, though, and that was exciting. My mother is like a ghost. Doctors will tell me she's been by, but I never see her. It's been a couple months since the accident, and they say I'm healing pretty fast. It doesn't feel fast.

Mom finally came in while I was awake, she yelled at me about how I was a disappointment and a waste of money. She kept yelling at me until a nurse led her out.

I slept hard that night.

The man, the shadow that I hadn't seen in so long, stood over my bed. I looked up at him. "Who are you?"  The first words I've truly spoken to him.

The figure didn't answer.

"Why are you here?"

Again, there was no answer. I didn't expect one. I stared at its face, right where its eyes would be. This was strange, normally the figure is gone by now.