Fault

RESOLVE

Rubber soled shoes against the squeaky polished floor. Polish that smelled heavily of antiseptic made my eyes water, - was that the reason for my wet face? I wondered. Keeping my body still I slowly peaked through my eyelashes to find myself curled up on a small couch in a long hallway. A hallway occupied by an endless number of doors. A blanket had been tucked tightly around me and the bright florescent lights unforgivingly burned my retinas.

Clinching my eyes shut, I pulled the blanket, covering my head with comforting darkness. As the sharp pain in my head calmed the gears managed to turn. This wasn't the first time I'd woken someplace I didn't recognize. However if I gave myself a moment or two in darkness, I could usually put together some of the pieces.

"Lianne?"

Carol's soft whisper sounded like screaming. I yelped, clinching the sides of my head, ow ow ow ow. An even gentler hand caressed the blanket on top of my body.

"I have some aspirin and juice for you, sweetie."

There was something else in that whisper, something in her voice that didn't seem right. 'Probably just disappointment', I shrugged. First time the woman's caught me with a hangover, it made complete since she'd be disappointed.

Slowly pulling the blankets down I squinted at the light. I was able to make out the large cup of juice and two pills in the woman's hand. Silently I took them, lifting my head only slightly to take the offering. Yet as I put it back down, I managed to get a clear view of my surroundings.

Each door down the hallway had a mounted screen beside its lock. The matching doors slid open and shut behind people dressed in light blue uniforms. Simple and plain uniforms.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Carol's hand began gently brushing my unwashed hair from my face. "We're in the hospital sweetie, your father carried you in."

'Hospital?' I lifted my hands into view. They looked normal. I glanced down at the rest of my body. No cast. No cuts. The party had been epic but I didn't seem to be in need of hospital treatment. Plus, I wasn't in a hospital bed. 'What was I forgetting?'

Looking back into Carol's eyes I didn't see the disappointment I expected. I saw pain. Her chestnut eyes were swollen and red, and dark circles under that proved she's been awake for hours.

Jeff softly moaned as he woke up. "Is she awake?"

At the sound of Jeff's voice a foggy memory, on the tip of my brain, pushed to be remembered. Lifting my head the rest of the way, I saw Jeff sitting upright in the chair beside my couch. He stretched only briefly while looking down at me. His eyes relaying that same fearful emotions as his wife.

I pushed myself into sitting position. The world went black for a moment but as the scenery came back into focus I felt my body trembling. Someone was missing ... He was missing.

Involuntarily my eyes began to water. "Where's Cory?" I asked. I looked up and down the hall. There were plenty of strangers, all adults and no children. The trembling magnified into violent shaking, hindering my ability to breath. I threw the blanket to the ground. "Where's Cory?"

Jeff's strong arms wrapped securely around me, pulling me into his body. It was, possibly, the tightest hug he could manage without breaking me in two. "You'll get to see him. Breath Lianne, just breath."

I could feel his heart pounding as he held me, it's pace unable to match my own as my thoughts raced. 'Why not now? Where was he?' The tears came harder, "I don't remember! I don't remember! Where's Cory at? Is Cory okay? Where is he Jeff? Where is he?"