Missing Martha

36

Martin's eyes winked open, he had no idea where he was.
He couldn't see the sky, nor a ceiling.
"You awake, sir?" Asked a voice. He didn't have the energy to figure out who it was.
"I think he's coming round." Said another.
The world was a blur, figures seemed to skip around his vision and smudge his sight. The only thing that was clear was this constant image of Martha in his head.
He felt hands on his neck, he tensed at first, but they weren't harsh or violent, in fact he could feel the thumb of the hands gently stroking his jaw.
He began to focus on his surroundings, his blurred and double vision seemed to settle as he looked up to see a familiar face.
"Zoe.." he breathed, looking up at her, trying to sit up,
"Don't move, Martin. Just relax." She said, "you lost a lot of blood, lucky Lucy was with you to call for us."
He was shivering and confused.
"Do you remember what happened?" Asked Zoë, "Martin, do you know whats going on?"
Martin shook his head, this inner feeling of shock surrounded him. He didn't remember what was going on, where was his daughter? Where was Martha?
"M-Martha.. where is she...?"
"Calm down, Martin. Just relax." Soothed Zoe.
For an instant both Martin and Zoe looked straight into each other's eyes. Their green eyes collided together and Martin looked down to his chest.
His once-muscular body seemed to have withered into a weak corpse. He had lost his energy and, in this stage, his mind.
"W-where are we?" Whispered Martin,
"We're in the van. We just pulled over by the side of the road." Replied Zoë, putting a hand beneath his neck.
"Where are we going?"
"I.. I don't know.." Sighed Zoë,
"I'll drive.." Moaned Martin, drunk with the loss of blood, he began to sit up,
"No. No please Martin.." began Zoe, putting her hands on his arms and resting him back down on the bed at the end of the van again.
"W-what happened to me..?" Breathed Martin, not used to himself being so helpless.
Zoe sat beside him, placing her hand on his cheek, "You collapsed." She said, "you've been unconscious for about seven hours; one of your stitches came undone."
"Does Bronagh know?"
"No." She told him, "we didn't tell her and she didn't call."
"Is my bag in here?" Asked Martin, looking over at the van.
"Y-Yeah, do you need something?" Asked Zoë.
"There's a... there's a green notebook in there." He pointed, "it's got the address of where we wanna go.. what time is it?"
"It's quarter to eight." Said Zoe, walking over to Martin's bag and finding the notebook before bringing it over to Martin.
Martin flicked to a page saying 12th May,
"We've got a hotel just outside Lyon." He took a breath, "There's the address and the reference."
"You're very organised." Complimented Zoë, putting the address into the satnav on her phone. Before lifting a water bottle, "here; have a drink."
"Oh a beer would be lovely right now.." Sighed Martin, "suppose H2O will have to do."
"Doctor said to try and stick off the alcohol for the next couple days."
"Gods sake.. these are gonna be the saddest couple days of my life." Muttered Martin, taking a sip of water.
"You'll be fine." Soothed Zoe, briefly kissing his cheek before standing up and walking back towards the driver's seat.
"Are you two a couple now?" Asked Ollie, his eyes moving from Martin to Zoe.
There was no response from the teachers.
"Take that as a yes?" Assumed Ollie, looking back over at Martin who was sitting up slightly in the bed, his hand running through his hair.
"You okay sir?" Asked Ryan, moving to the back seats beside Martin.
"Yeh.." Sighed Martin, looking up with dark eyes, "what about you?"
Ryan nodded, slightly traumatised after seeing his teacher a his worst, "keep safe, yeah?"
"Yeah.." Sighed Martin, taking a look out the window before looking to Lucy, "Luce?" He asked,
"Yes?" She replied with a hollow and indifferent voice, turning and looking at him, her eyes looked lost and distracted. The usual hazel hue to them had brightened to an electric red; it was like all the life inside of her was clenched together with pressure. Martin could see that.
"What were you gonna say to me earlier?" He asked, knowing that something was up.
"It's alright. It was nothing." She said, giving an absent-minded smile.
She was wearing black; the rain was pouring from the breaking sky as she stared out at the worn world, winding on.
Martin closed his chapped lips, knowing she didn't want to talk about it.
Quiet music chimed from the crackling radio, nobody spoke. Ollie and Ryan fell asleep beside each other, behind them, Jemma and Cloda slept. Adjacent, Lucy had a two-seater to herself, her back against the window and her knees to her chest as she covered her face with her fidgeting fingers.
Martin built up the courage to walk up to her and sit beside her. Trying to resist the pain, he looked at Lucy's broken eyes. He's never seen her this bad.
He put one arm around her shoulder as she burst into tears. They didn't even have to speak; Martin knew.
"Mum died this morning." She whispered through her tears.
Martin held her closer, rubbing her back.
"It's okay.." he whispered to her, "it's okay.."
Zoe looked in the wing mirror and made eye contact with Martin, but Martin didn't hold it. He listened to the rain crashing on the van as the car roared on down the road.

After several hours trudging through the late evening; they finally reached the hotel.
Though Lucy had fallen asleep in his arms, Martin remained fully awake.
"We're here." Said Zoe, tired. She turned around and looked over at everyone waking up gradually, but Lucy remained asleep.
"She okay?" Asked Ryan, immediately anxious, and feeling bad that he didn't realise that she wasn't okay beforehand.
"Just leave her be." Said Martin, still holding her.
"W-what happened?" Asked Jemma, standing up.
Martin looked down at Lucy, "she lost her mum."
Everyone stood in silence, unsure what to say. Cloda was the first to step out, "what can we do?"
"I think we just need to let her rest for now, I'll talk to her dad soon."
"You need to rest too." Said Zoe.
"Please, Just focus on Lucy." Martin told her, "open the door I'll carry her in."
"No you won't." Insisted Ryan as Jemma opened up the sliding door.
Ryan scooped his arms under Lucy's legs, holding her tight, her head rested against his shoulder.
"I've got you." Whispered Ryan, stepping out into the cool air of the night.
He carried her into the hotel and through check-in while Zoe supported Martin and Ollie held the backs of Jemma and Cloda.
Ryan finally reached the bedroom, placing Lucy gently on the bed. He was surprised that she was still fast asleep.
Anxious, he gently took off her shoes and wrapped the duvet over her.
Martin and Zoe walked quietly into the room, and looked at her.
"Thanks, Ryan." Said Martin with sincerity.
Ryan blankly smiled, standing up.
"You can stay with her if you want." Offered Martin, but Ryan shook his head.
"Nah.. it's alright I shouldn't." He replied, "wouldn't want her to wake with me there."
"She shouldn't wake up alone. You've been good to her." Said Martin, putting a hand on his shoulder, "it's alright."
Ryan nodded, "Where are you guys staying?" He asked,
"Just across, room 201." Replied Martin.
"What about the rest of them?"
"202." Said Martin, "you sure you're alright?"
Ryan nodded, sitting down on the bed beside Lucy, "if anyone asks you forced me."
"You're on." Replied Martin, smiling at him before backing away out of the door, "night."
"Night.." Replied Ryan, sitting down. Nervous. He slid off his shoes and sat on the bed beside Cloda and waded on through the long, long night.