Can't Run Away

P2C32

        I wake up, still feeling an inch from death.  My head is a ball of pain.  I scream and curl into a ball.  I must have tugged on the tube in my arm because next thing I know my arm's bleeding.  "Nnnmmmhh!!!!!!!!!!!!" I cry out from the continuous pain inside.  "How're you doing?" Penelope asks.  I start crying and holding my head tighter.  "I feel w-weak and s-sick!  M-my head is ex-ploding!!!!" I cry loudly.   

        "Jasmine, how bad is it, one to ten?" Penelope asks.  "T-ten!!" I cry as I roll away from her.  "Jasmine." she says sing-songily.  "Nnnmh." I groan.  She touches my arm gently.  I start crying harder, pulling away from her touch.  "Do you need to be sedated again?" she asks as she touches my arm again.  I nod, but cry slightly harder from the motion of my head.  "Alright, I'll be right back.  Is the IV still in position?" Penelope says sweetly.  I shake my head gently.  "Oh, why not  hun?" she asks.  "I-it go-t p-pulled out when I c-curled in-to a b-ball when I woke up b-ecause of the pai-pain!!" I say as I try to stop crying.  "Take a deep breath.  Just relax.  You're alright." Penelope says, not sure of what to do.        

        "I'll be right back." Penelope adds as she closes the door gently.  I feel my heart start to beat faster.  Penelope comes back in and she puts whatever she was holding down on the table.  "Alright, I'll start your IV, give you your medicine, start anti-biotic injections,  and something for pain." Penelope lists off.  I look at her fearfully, remembering my last anti-biotic shots.  "It's fine." she says.  I close my eyes and turn away from her.  "Okay, I'll start with the IV and pain medicine." Penelope says as she takes the arm closest to her. 

        She sticks me without even trying to find a vein.  She puts it in, sighing when she knows she's hit the vein.  I whimper and wait for the pain medicine to work.  It works five minutes later.  I sit up, pain free.  "I f-feel a little better." I say weakly.  "You aren't out of the woods.  You're still really sick." Penelope says as she hangs the anti-biotics from the pole and she lets it drain in.  She then cleans my leg for the injection.  She uncaps a needle.  I look at it and feel faint.  "No!" I cry.  "Sorry." she whispers.  Then, I notice she's humming under her breath.  "C-can you sing to me?" I ask as a tear falls.  "If there's a God up there, please hear my prayer!  I'm breaking down and I need you now.  I'm weak and afraid and I need you now." Penelope sings as she stabs my leg.  "It's too much for me to bear, I need you now.  Please hear me and help me through the storm!  I'm growing weak and tired, please help me weather the storm." she sings as she slowly puts the medicine in.  "Trials and tribulations, all a part of me.  You know what I need.  I'm breaking apart inside.  Help me hide." she sings as she bandages the hole. 

        "Thanks, but where did you hear that song?  I wrote it weeks ago and I've showed no one!" I ask.  "I've heard you singing it under your breath to help you get to sleep at night." she admits.  I nod and hug my legs.  "You aren't quite done yet.  I'm going to give you a pain shot to relax you and make that little dose stay strong." she says as she pulls my leg down.  She stabs me again, still singing under her breath.  I focus on that instead of the pain I feel.  "Thank you." I say as she squeezes my hand before leaving.  She smiles and continues to hum under her breath.  I pick up my journal and sing the song I wrote.  It's not the best I've written, but it's not the worst.  I'm glad that I wrote it.  I just don't understand why it calmed me down after everyone else made such futile efforts to no effect.  How does one person come into my room, sing while doing something painful, and me calm down entierly?  It's a strange effect, but I think I like Penelope more than anyone who cares for me.