Californication

63. The Waiting Room

After you'd finished telling the others what had happened, you were pretty much at the hospital.

"So you spent just under 60 hours driving?" Dustin remarked, his eyebrows raised higher than you thought possible.

"Yep." You sighed, "It was horrible."

"That's because it wasn't in this beauty." Steve pulled out the keys to his car, admiring it and gesturing to it.

You laughed as Robin told him to shut up.

When you climbed out, the gravity of the situation hit you. It was so strange going from being so happy in the car to having that inescapable feeling of dread within you.

It was the hospital.

You'd finally see this 'Max' and see how bad the damage really was. I mean, she couldn't really be bleeding from her eyes, could she?

At this point anything was possible, I mean, your best friend literally had superpowers and you'd helped her contact another dimension, nothing would ever sound as crazy ever again!

As you walked into the hospital, you bumped into the others in the waiting room. Will, El, Johnathan, Nancy and Argyle were all sat on the chairs whilst Mike pleaded with the woman at the desk to let them in.

You watched as he moaned and groaned, until Robin's face lit up, realising she could do something about the situation.

"My aunt's mates with the receptionist, hold on." Robin announced, striding towards the desk.

Mike backed away, a little downheartedly, sad that he couldn't do anything about it. He looked as worried about Max as everyone else did.

Nancy, Steve and Dustin had already seen her, and they looked not only worried but almost mournful of the girl, like she'd already passed.

It was only Dustin who was holding out hope. You sat next to him as he kicked his legs back and forth, looking to you anxiously.

"You were close then?" You muttered, looking to him sympathetically.

"Yeah," He nodded, "You could say that."

You nodded along, looking down again. Then Dustin started talking..

"Me and Lucas both fancied her when she came to our school. She was amazing... She skated, she was funny and she actually put up with us. Of course, I love Suzie now, but Max is still my friend, and it hurts to see her like this. I can't imagine how it's like for Lucas."

"He goes out with her then?" 

Dustin nodded. "He's in there with her right now, he's been there for two days straight."

"Oh god." You looked down again.

You knew the people of Hawkins were suffering but you hadn't thought as much of it. You were so caught up with Will you never realised that people were actually dying, people were loosing family, people were loosing loved ones, and you were there worrying about a boy. It was pathetic.

Guilt swelled up within you as the others began to get up. Robin had bought you a way through to the ward, and now you were about to see the devastation you couldn't help prevent.