Claire & I

Chapter Fourteen: The Girl and The Ladder

I awoke in a bed. This wasn't my bed, I thought. No one else was in the room. Suddenly, I remembered what had happened, and I started to panic. I gasped, realizing that I could breathe. I was...fine? I started to hit myself to make sure I was real.

Looking around the room, I noticed a pile of stuffed animals in the corner. One animal, a hawk, sat on the bed next to where I was perhaps sleeping. When I stood up from the bed, I was surprised to find that my legs weren't hurting. Abruptly, I heard a faint noise coming from outside.

Curious, I walked over to the window in which the noise was clearer. A small girl was playing with a tennis ball and racket by herself outside. She couldn't have been older than ten. Her hair was long and straight with the color of ebony. She also seemed to be enjoying herself, but it felt like something was missing.

I watched as the ball bounced too high, and her face went upwards as it landed on the roof. A small thump was audible from above. The girl looked sad, but then her face lit up like she had a brilliant plan. In a hurry, the girl ran away, out of my view.

I waited. After a few minutes, she came back with something weighing heavily in her hands. It was a ladder, and it fell back and forth like a noodle due to the imbalance. I watched at the window as the girl smacked the ladder onto the wall of the house. I flinched slightly when the metal made contact with the wood.

The girl didn't seem to notice me as she ascended upwards. I could hear her moving up and up until she was on the roof. I looked skyward as though it would help me see the girl. She was still on the ladder as it rocked back and forth, hitting the wall over and over again as though she was trying to reach for the ball but couldn't.

She's going to- I thought, but it was too late.

I watched the ladder fall backwards with the girl still attached.

***

Claire paced the hospital waiting room. Earlier, they had managed to receive an ambulance and Dr. Helminstein, and that was the last time Claire had seen Keira.

Claire remembered vividly the dazed face Keira possessed and the blood that splattered on the pavement. The haunting thoughts caused her to pace back and forth, forth and back. Questions also plagued her. Questions like why Keira was there in the first place, and what had caused this to happen.

She had lost track of time ever since the fourth hour mark as every second caused Claire more stress. Keira's parents were sitting down in the chairs. They were mostly quiet as time passed, and they hardly left each others company or separated hands.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Dr. Helminstein entered the waiting room. Claire's impatience released out all at once as she walked up to the doctor. Keira's parents were also up, and everyone stared at Dr. Helminstein with great intensity.

"Keira is stable at the moment," the doctor confirmed. The group let out a small sigh of relief, but their expressions were still grave. "Still, she must be sent back to Florida immediately," he stated, "I apologize that her wish is now terminated."

"Can we see her?" Keira's father asked. Dr. Helminstein shook his head, "Keira is still sedated. She will wake up in Florida."

"This is ridiculous!" Claire replied, "How could have this happened?!" "Claire, please calm down," Keira's mother told her. "No!" Claire objected, and then she turned to the doctor, "She was completely fine the entire trip. These things don't just happen!"

"I understand your concern, Ms. Stone, but we must run some more tests in her country of residence before we can be sure what sparked this. If you would like to find out, the plane is leaving in fifteen minutes," Dr. Helminstein stated. He exited the waiting room.

Claire and Keira's parents were riding the plane home in silence. Claire tried listening to music to past the time while she stared out the window, but every few seconds, she would remember the blood, and closing her eyes didn't help.

She turned to Keira's parents who were sitting next to each other behind her. "I'm sorry for, uh, bursting like that at the hospital," Claire apologized. "It's not your fault, Claire," Keira's father stated. Keira's mother was looking out the window, refusing to look at anyone.

Claire realized that there were tears in the parents' eyes. Were there tears in her eyes? No. It had been a while since Claire had cried. For a moment, Claire thought about forcing herself to cry. She was angry and devastated, but the lack of tears made her look emotionless.

"How can you deal with it?" Claire asked curiously, "How can you deal with Keira's condition? You guys have put up with it for a while."

Keira's father did the talking, "Keira is a strong girl. We've been through plenty bumps in the road, but it's Keira who goes through the most. She keeps us all together." He looked to his wife who was giving him a weak smile.

"We're glad that she met you, Claire," Keira's mother said softly. "Me?" Claire asked. Keira's mother nodded, "Growing up, Keira never had friends her age. It was just us and the hospital. The entire vacation, she just seemed so happy."

Keira's mother bursted into tears, and she fell into her husband's shoulder. Claire slowly turned back around to sit properly in her seat.

Keira, Claire thought.