How To Save A Life

Chapter Ten: She Lived (id be a monster if she didnt)

Diem POV

I drifted in and out of light and shadow.

I opened my eyes and was greeted by a bright white room.
I looked down to see I was laying in a hospital bed, needles in my arms, along with lots of bandages.

Then I noticed something else, my hair. It was down, not even in braids. I went to lift my hand to tuck a piece behind my ear but I couldn't.
Race was sitting in a chair next to the bed, leaning on the edge of the bed, quite clearly asleep, holding my hand.

"Oh good you're awake." A woman dressed in a nurses uniform entered the room.

"Wh..wh..wh." I couldn't manage to form a full word.
She handed me a clipboard with a pencil and pad of paper.

Once again Race's habit of only holding my left hand pulled through, so I was still able to write.

"They all said you were a selective mute before, but now, you might not be able to talk at all."
I nodded grimly. Then pointed to Race.

"Oh he's been here for a while."
I scribbled out a question 'where am I?'

"The hospital. You were out for two days."
I sighed and looked at Race again.

'Has he gone home at all?'
"Yes. one or two times."
'What happened?'

"Well, you were beaten very badly. I'm told that after you were shoved to the ground. Your head hit the ground. Your brain suffered minimal damage, however we have reason to believe whatever amount of talking you were able to do before had diminished. You have some cuts,  and a few very large deep bruises. But you should be able to leave tomorrow or maybe even tonight."

Race started to stir.
"You can communicate through sign language, yes?"

I nodded.
"And he understands?"

I nodded once more.
Race sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Youse awake!" He mumbled excitedly.

"I'll leave you to it." The nurse said, exiting the room. 
Race looked at me smiling, I ran a hand through his hair, doing my best to mess it up.

"I missed you Perla."
'I missed you too'  I signed.
"I'm sorry." His face got dark.
'Why'

"I broke my promise. I didn't get to you fast enough."
'It doesn't matter. I'm still here, cause you got some of those guys off me'

He sighed "But not fast enough. You're still here."
I leaned forward the best i could and kissed his nose.

'Better here than dead in the street'
"I guess."
'What about the strike'

Race scratched at the back of his head. "Well. We had a day where Jack was gone, we got him back, but then a few hours ago, we was havin a rally and Jack came and. And he betrayed us. He's a sell out. Probably off on some train gone by now."

I let out a noise that is roughly equivalent to a gasp.
'No he he would not. Jack would not do that' I could feel tears start to fall from my eyes.
Race wiped the tears from my cheeks. "None of us saw it coming."

We sat in silence for a while before Race spoke again.
"I told the boys. bout everything, us, you. Cept Jack cause he was missin den."

I just nodded, continuing to rub my thumb over his knuckles.
We sat there for a while in silence.

The nurse came back in to check my  vitals about an hour later.

"There's a half dozen someones here to see you. Should I let all of them in or only a few at a time?"

I looked at Race, who shrugged.
'All of them i guess' I signed.
"She says all 'dem."

The nurse nodded and headed back out of the room.
"All of them?" He gave me a look.
I shrugged.

The door opened again and a stream of boys poured through. The room was flooded with noise.

All the boys were talking at me at once.
'One at a time please' I signed.

"Guys, one at a time. She cant answer a million questions at once." Race said.
Everyone stopped talking.

"Were you going to tell us?" Henry asked.
I shrugged. 'I figured you would find out eventually, and definitely not this way.'
Race spoke as I signed.

"Didja tell 'er bout Jack?" Spot asked.
Race nodded.
"What bout Crutchie?"

It was only then that I realized he was missing.
'Where is he'
"Snyder got 'im."
Of course.

All the boys started chattering at once again.
I rolled my eyes.
At least this time no one was aiming a million questions at me.

For a while I sat there listening to the talk, answering questions when I had too.
The nurse came back in.

"You boys need to clear out for the night. Visiting hours close soon."
There were a few words of protest as they began to leave.

"Not to worry, Miss Kelly will be released in the morning."
"How long till the visitin hours end?" Race asked.

"About 15 minutes."
He didn't move "I can stay till then right?"
She nodded and left the room.

'K-e-l-l-y' i signed.
"We had to say you was Jacks sister. Thinkin bout it we shoulda used Mush or Blinks name but it's too late now."

The door opened again.
Race and I were both surprised with who entered.

"Ain't you supposed to be off in New Mexico or somthin?" Race asked harshly.
Jack ignored him and moved over to my bed, hugging me.

Race stood up letting go of my hand, and shoved Jack across the room.

"I asked ya a question."
"Will ya gimme a minute Higgens? I wanted to see her, not youse."

I rolled my eyes.
How did I know this was going to happen?
'Can you both stop I would rather not have my boyfriend and my brother get in a fight'

Race sighed and sat back down.
"What? What she say?" Jack demanded.

"What she said was that we both need to stop, which is true. Oh and that she and Ise quotin would rather not have my boyfriend and my brother git in a fight. Her words obviously." 
"Her what?"

I sighed.
"You know maybe if you had been there instead of runnin away just to come back an betray us you woulda heard it first."

Jack turned to me.
"Ya with him?"

'yes for a couple months now, and you cant break us up, I love him, more than I've ever loved anyone' I knew Jack wouldn't understand but Race gave me this look.
Like he was slightly in disbelief but also like he knew it was already true.

'I love you too' he signed.
Then he turned to Jack. "You better have a good reason fa comin back here or I'll get Spot in here to soak your ass."

Jack started to tell us about a plan he had.
To get all the child laborers together for a city wide strike.

Now that was smart.
"Okay thats really good."

Jack nodded. "I'm gonna go tell the rest of the boys. Then we get to work."
He left the room excitedly.

"I feel like i shouldn't leave ya here."
'Its only another night. Just come and get me outta here for the full strike tomorrow.' I signed.

Race smiled. "Okay. Get some rest. I'll be here soon as I can. I love you Perla."
'I love you too'

He gently kissed my forehead and headed out of the room.
The nurse came back in shortly after he left, carrying a tray with some food on it.

"Your friends seem like very interesting people."
I nodded and grab the pad of paper 'they're idiots but they're my idiots.'

She smiled and set up the tray over my lap.
"That boy, with the curly hair that stayed here most the time, hes a good kid. He really cares about you."

I nodded 'That's my Race.'
She looked at the page and nodded.
"Just so you know, I think you guys are going to win the strike."