Speak To a Girl

Chapter 8

Faith POV: 

I sit beside him another day, watching his chest fall and rise slowly. I look around, and notice there is not a soul around. Betty went home to sleep, and same with Kim. Mack stops by from time to time, but rarely comes in, in fears he'll get emotional. So, it's just me and Tim... 

I stand up, and curl into  bed beside him. I'm careful not to hit a scar, or tube, or sensor, and lightly lay over his arm, laying my hand on his chest. I listen to his heartbeat. It sounds so much more different than it did before, laying beside the lake in nowhere, Arkansas... It sounded easy, and firm in Arkansas... Now, it sounds harsh, and uneven, as if it were being forced externally. That's not the way his heart beats... 

I shut my eyes, trying to memorize the feeling of that night in Arkansas... 

I open my eyes after a few moments to find that I'm no longer in the hospital room. I'm at home... I can hear my step-father screaming from downstairs as I lie in my bed. I get up quickly and rush toward the door, locking it desperately, before dashing away from it. He could bust it down easily, but I just hope that he's not feeling like being destructive today. I rush to the corner on the other side of my bed, and slide down against it, forming a fetal position against it in hopes it'll all disappear. 

He beats on the door, growling and shouting. I jump as I hear the door give way. I hide behind my knees, putting my hands over the back of my head to try and protect myself. I feel myself grown tense as I feel a hand touch my shoulder. I let out a pathetic cry, feeling helpless and terrified. 

"Calm down, baby..." I hear a comforting voice let out. I slowly peak up from the darkness behind my knees to see Tim kneeling down in front of me. We are no longer in my room, but rather in a different house... a far nicer one at that. I look around the house and try to figure out where it is, but I just simply can't. "Honey, look at me." Tim says, placing his fingers under my chin. I do, and look into his brown eyes. He smiles at me, and wipes my tears away. 

"What's going on?" I cry out, making his smile fade. He sighs, as if a heavy weight were now smashing him. 

"I can't come back, Audrey..." He lets out, making my chest hurt. I stare at him for a moment, before shaking my head. 

"You're lying... that's not true... you're-" I begin to ramble before he stops me. 

"Baby, I'm not coming back... I can't. This is just me telling you that I'm sorry, and I wish that things were different." He says, as if he were uncomfortable with my denial. I stare at him again, and stand up, pacing a bit. "Audrey, listen..." He starts, seeing my emotion begin to develop. 

"Why?" I interrupt firmly. He looks at me, his mouth hanging open as he thinks. 

"Do you remember what happened?" He asks in response. I stand for a moment, trying to understand what he's getting at. "My head was in pieces on your lap... My neck was broken... Audrey, that's not just something you can come back from." He explains, sounding frustrated. 

"You could wake up... You could heal from it." I argue, feeling my chest grow tighter. He stares at me, a little surprised at my firmness. 

"Audrey... I-" He starts, before I interrupt. 

"You could fight through it. There's doctors, and... and rehabs... and different programs that would help you heal." I run on, causing him to grow angry with me. 

"Audrey, that's... None of that would do shit for me. Do you understand even the smallest bit what those injuries mean?" He throws back, raising his voice. "I'd be paralyzed... and if not paralyzed, then my brain would be in so many pieces that it'd be a godsend if I remembered how to move." He shouts, although I shake my head.