Meet me under the Willow Tree

Chapter 5: Cassie

"There was a time in my life that I lived freely. I loved how I wanted. I loved who I wanted. I was proud to be who I was. Until you.  

    In every book I've read (which is not many, by the way), the main character who's in the hospital wakes up to blinding lights. The beeping sounds of a room that seems alive. I'll admit that's what I expected. But as I woke, I heard something different. Very different. No beeping. Instead, I can hear the wail of angry storm winds hitting the walls and making a horrible moaning sound. As I open my eyes, I realize that here is no light in the room around me. The crash of what I think is thunder hurts my ears and I jumped slightly at the sound of the boom. I feel the warmth of a hand in mine. "Cassie? Cassie, it's okay, I'm here," My mom says frantically. "What's... happening?" I ask, speaking slowly so that I could piece the words together. "It's just a little thunderstorm, nothing serious," Maeve says gently, "Don't be scared. You love thunderstorms." But I am scared. Not of the thunderstorm, but of how disoriented I am. I can barely even register 'Cassie' as my name. "Why are the lights out?" My voice sounds breathy, panicked. Nothing like how I usually am. Are the lights out, or are my eyes not even open? I... don't... know. "The power is out, honey," Said a voice. This voice, though, I don't recognize. I look up. There's another woman in here, one I don't know. I didn't know she was there until a blinding flash of lighting illuminates the room. Her name tag reads 'Isabelle.' "I'm Isabelle and I'm going to be helping you tonight," She says, but I'm not really paying attention to her. I guess that's one thing that's still normal about me. My attention span is still annoyingly short. I nod in greeting at Isabelle and she asks if I want water. Not really, but I say yes anyways because I want to talk to Mom and Maeve alone. "Where's Dad?" I ask, though I sort of know the answer. I remember what happened, but it feels more like it happened a year ago than it happening tonight. 

     "Don't worry about it, Cass," Maeve says, looking at her hands. I can tell it's an uncomfortable topic for her. My mom takes over the conversation. "You have us, and we're right here. Hopefully you'll be out by tomorrow. Isabelle says your vitals are looking stable and healthy. But... a bleeding head is never a good thing." My mom says, and I note a sense of deep worry in her voice. She buries her forehead in her hands. "I'm... fine, Mom," I say, though I don't really feel fine. I'll just say I do and try to take all the attention and worry off of me. I kinda hate this whole hospital thing. "Where's Mateo?" I ask, alarmed. Surely we hadn't left my brother? "Mateo is with Dante. He's spending the night over there. He's going to come here and see you straight away tomorrow, but I just... I want to protect him from this. I want him to not have to worry. Sadly, I cannot protect you anymore, either of you. Your childhood's been robbed of you, Cassie. And I have never helped you. I have never saved you." My mom said, starting to cry. God, I hate to see her cry. Maeve and I both close her in a hug. I think I'm telling her that it's okay, that me and Mateo were okay, but it's empty words. I'm lying. "Hey, um, I know there's a crashing thunderstorm out there and the power is completely out and we're kinda in a hospital right now, but... I think I'm gonna stay the night here, so at least we'll still have a sleepover, right?" Maeve said, and I almost laughed. This is not in any way what I want to consider a sleepover. But I guess that's what it is, so I force a smile. "You've got a tv in here, too. We can watch some tv when the power is back on...?" Maeve asks. I can tell she's worried, too. But nobody has to be. If you want someone to be worried about, think of my mom. My poor mom, so undeserving of the horrible things she's been given in this life. But I won't say anything. I don't even think I have the strength right now to talk in sentences with more than a couple words in them. "Sure," I say simply. 

     My words sound a little slurred. Isabelle walks inside with the glass of water I'd asked for. "Are you hungry, Miss Vina?" She asks, handing me the cup. I think about it for a moment. I can't really feel anything. Hunger, pain, emotion, anything. But I guess I could eat. I think, sadly, about what had happened to my mom's mac n cheese. Was it still on the stove at home, as if tonight were a normal night? As if someone would be coming home to eat it anytime soon? "Uh, kinda," I say, "What kind of food do you have?" "A lot of things! I could go down and get you anything. Our cafeteria has great food. What are you feeling? Chips? A burger? A sandwich? Pudding?" I can't find any of those things particularly appetizing right now, but I ask for a burger and an apple juice. "What time is it?" I ask Isabelle before she leaves. "9:15," She says. Woah. I didn't know it had been so long since the whole incident. Isabelle leaves, and I zone out at the door as she goes. I hear a little click and suddenly the lights are back again. I can hear the excited yell of other patients and their families. I blink in the light. These lights are, like, 1000 times brighter than any regular light. "Yay. Light," says Maeve, smiling. She doesn't tell anyone about this, but Maeve is pretty afraid of the dark, ever since she had a nightmare when she was younger about a tall man in the corner of her room. She always has to sleep with her back facing the wall, or else she feels like there's gonna be someone behind her. And she can't sleep with lights on, so it's always been Maeve's dilemma. "How are you feeling, Cassie?" Mom asks. "Um, pretty okay," I say, not lying but not telling the truth, "Just a little groggy from all the sleep. With all the sleep I got, I'm not gonna be sleeping at all tonight. Ready for an all nighter, Maeve?" Wow, look at me, talking normally. I guess I really am okay. She yawns in response. "No all nighters tonight, girls. Just remember, I'm going to be in the same room and I know when you're awake," She says, half jokingly but half seriously. "I know, I know, I was joking. Maeve isn't up for it anyway," I make a fake dirty look at her and she laughs. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better, Cassiepeia," Mom says. "Lucky you, I brought the snacks I got at the grocery store earlier," She says weakly. "Thank you, mama," I say, and give her a big bear hug. I can't believe my mom went through all that trouble and abuse just for me to be able to hang out and have fun with my best friend.