The Hunted Royalty

Chapter 2

My heart beats faster then it ever has before. My body's aching like I just ran from California to Washington DC. With tears in my eyes I speed into the hospital parking lot. Slowly, I turn my head to look at me broken little brother. My once strong, brave brother now weak and pathetic. He's curled in a ball, his head tucked in his hands as if it would protect him from all the bad things being thrown at us. He's whispering something under his breath in between sobs. I bite my lip trying to think quick.
It takes all my effort to make enough strength to open my car door, then my brothers, and drag him by the arm to the hospital doors. It's feels like a slow motion movie. That time is slowing down to make this moment worse then it already is. I focus on my heartbeat.
Press elevator button. Beat. Grab Darian by the arm. Beat. Pull him to the waiting room. Beat. Go to front desk person. Beat. Breath. I swallow.
"White." I say our last name like it's a curse.
"Room 102" The nurse says. I nod. Darian is curled back up on a navy blue chair in the waiting room. I give him one last look. Beat. Breath. Beat. Breath. Slowly, I walk down the hall. My whole body aching with every step. I look up. Room 102.
I put my hand on the silver handle on the black hospital door. Beat. Breath. I push down. While walking through the door I wipe tears from eyes. My brown, blond hair gets in my face and as I push back the strands, I start bawling. It's . . . Awful. I try to wipe the tears from my ocean blue eyes but they flow like a river, so I give up.
I take his hand and whisper in his ear. "No. Dad, No. I can't lose you both." Repeatedly.
Slowly he turns his head and winces. "Meadow?" He asks. The name strikes me as if someone punched me as hard as they could in the chest. My mother's name. I grip his hand even tighter.
"No, No. It's Melina." My shirt is drenched in tears. He gives a questionable look as if he doesn't remember who I am.
"Who's Melina?" The worst question he could have asked at this moment.
"You-your d-daughter." I stutter.
"I don't have any children." I put my hand up to my mouth to muffle my cries.
The nurse comes up and puts her hand on my shoulder. "Maybe you should go home and get some sleep." I nod and slowly get up.
I take one last look at my father and push down on the handle.  I look over at where my brother sits and take a seat next to him. I open my mouth to tell
Him what happened but all that come out are my cries. I put my head in my hands. I try to stop but I can't because every time I think I've calmed myself down, I think of another problem in my life. I make a mental list: Mom, dad, Darian, Karson, grandma, grandpaw, all our aunts and uncles, all my old friends, my teachers, and all all my family members. What's going to happen to us if he dies. The one thought I keep coming to is that I can't and will not be separated from my brother.
Once we get home I lock he front door, run to my room, throw the keys on my bed, slam the door shut and cry. All I do is cry for what feels like hours.
I look over to my desk once the tears have left my eyes and I can see again. My princess crown from
when I was little sits next to my pencils. My mother and father gave it to me on my 6th birthday. They would call me their "Little Princess." When I got older I hated when they called me it. It thought it was a baby nickname. Childish. I told them to just completely stop calling me that by the time I was 13.
Now, I would give anything just to hear that name just one more time.