A Collection of Stories

Elementals II

Kyden

Mariana and I rushed to the hospital in Joe's rusty old ford. Mariana forced me into the passenger seat as she drove slowly to the hospital. As she parked, I jumped out of the truck and ran into the emergency room. The nurse's desk was right in front and I demanded to know where Nat was. The nurse said that she was in room one-hundred and twelve, but they were prepping her for surgery. I ran to the room and next to the bed she was on as the nurses finished prepping her. I laced my fingers with her as she tears formed in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," She whimpered. "I didn't think they'd find me." She squeezed my hand hard as she winced in pain. I pressed my lips to her forehead as her surgeon came in. She whimpered again as I pulled back and let go of her hand. "Don't leave me, Ky." She whispered. I pressed my lips to hers lightly to calm her down.

"Shh, I'll be right back." I murmured. I straightened and walked over to the doctor, shoving my hands in the front of my jeans. "Listen, Doc. I know only doctors and nurses are supposed to be in the room with her, but she's scared. I know she won't cooperate with you guys unless I'm there until she is knocked out." The doctor stood there, contemplating what I told him.

"I can let you stay until then and have you meet her in recovery before she wakes up." He said at last. I thanked him before returning to Nat, who was already hazed by all the drugs in her body. She smiled faintly as I took her hand in mine. I pressed my lips to her knuckles as she was wheeled into surgery.

~

The nurses wheeled Nat into her private room while she was still unconscious. Mariana sat at the foot of her bed as I sat on her left side and held her good hand, lacing our fingers together as I waited for her to wake up. We hadn't spoken to each other since we arrived; we were both pissed at each other for letting Nat get hurt. I looked at Mariana out of the corner of my eye as I squeezed Nat's hand.

"Did you call Sam and tell her Nat's alright?" I asked quietly. She nodded, keeping her eyes on Nat. "Doing that won't make her wake up faster, Mariana." She glared at me and chucked the keys at me.

"Stop it. You can't be mad at me for doing what she asked me to do." Mari started. "We both know Nat, from the moment she found us, Kyden; she made it clear that she was going to put us ahead of her. She made me promise to honor her wishes if anything were to happen to her. I had to do it!" I looked at Mariana as I stood, and she stood as well. If I stood up straight, I was a full five inches taller that my sister, so I used that to my advantage.

"Don't you even think of holding that over me, Mari, for Christ sakes! She told you that almost a decade ago when we took her in as family because she lost hers." I said. "She was scared and still is. Why do you think she left three years ago? She didn't want to lose us like she lost-"

"Don't say it," Nat mumbled, attempting to prop herself up with her good arm. Mari and I looked at her, unsure what to do or say. "Kyden, go take a walk, please, just cool off. Mari, help me up and we can go get lunch." She said, gingerly swinging her legs over the side of the bed. I grumbled as I stormed out of the room and out to the hospital garden. I screwed up with her, really big this time. She told me a long time ago that she thought she was the reason her parents were dead. I sat on a stone bench, next to a little old lady who seemed to be lost in the reflecting of the pond.

"Do you mind if I sit here, ma'am?" I asked, touching her shoulder lightly. The woman smiled at me, patting my knee gently.

"Not at all," She said. "I'm just waiting for my son to call me. He's in the maternity ward with his wife, still in labor. I never thought they'd have a baby, they always fought." She rambled. I nodded as I rested my head in my hands, thinking about Nat. The woman looked at me and touched my knee again.