I opened my heavy eyelids to reveal Daniel leaning over me. His eyes, unlike their usual clear, beautiful colour, were clouded with depression and worry. I tried to sit up and felt an immense pain shoot through my entire body.
“Riz, don’t. Just lay there. The ambulance will be here soon, I promise.” Ambulance? What is he talking about? I mumbled a response that was unable to be deciphered. Suddenly I heard distant sirens. I groaned in pain. Daniel stroked my face affectionately as if he were trying to reassure me that everything was going to be okay. Not long after that the paramedics were by my side. They took my pulse before carefully moving my body onto a stretcher. As they lifted me into the air I caught a glimpse of Ariana, her blonde hair caked with dark blood, her body covered in wounds that were oozing blood. Her ice blue eyes were hidden behind her closed lids and her skin was deathly pale. There was no sign of life left in her and no paramedics fussed over her.
“Ari…” I groaned. Daniel held my hand.
“Ari’s okay, Riz. She’s in a good place.” What did he mean? The emotions drowning his eyes flicked from worry to sorrow.
As the paramedics lifted me into the ambulance one held Daniel back.
“Family only, sir.”
“I’m her brother.”
“Are you sure you want to come?”
“One hundred per cent.” They both climbed into the vehicle. The ambulance roared to life. I could barely hear the constant hum of the engine over the blaring sirens. My head swum as words were fired from one paramedic to another and before long I felt my consciousness slipping from my grasp as darkness enveloped me for a second time. The blackness of my surroundings seeped into my soul. I was lost, alone and just wanted to go home. Unexpectedly a small box hung, suspended in the air, in front of me. I reached for the red cube and held it in both hands, observing every face, every edge and every corner. I could hear the beating of my heart grow erratic and it sliced through the silence that enclosed me. I opened the box and a blinding white light spread out of the box. I held my hand against my eyes, shielding it from the unwelcome brightness that erupted from the small box. As my eyes adjusted to the light I removed my hand from my face and moved it slowly towards to light. Just as my fingertips entered the inside of the box I felt my body jolt causing the box to slip from my tight grasp. As the box hit the ground it disintegrated and I felt myself coughing and spluttering. A thick red liquid that I recognised as blood spewed from my mouth, running down my chin and staining my white shirt even more.
“Book an OR, she needs immediate surgery.” All I could see was flashing hospital equipment and blurry figures before I was put to sleep.
I woke to the constant beeping of a machine. My eyelids felt heavy and I struggled to open them fully due to the bright light that filled the room.
“Riz?” I heard Daniel’s voice as he called my name in utter disbelief. “Oh my God.” He cried, hiccupping as he tried to hold back his tears. My sight then landed upon his face. His vibrant blue eyes were filled with unshed tears and I could see that he was struggling to stop them from spilling over.
“Daniel.” I whispered in a husky voice. That smashed whatever dam was holding in his tears and they rolled uncontrollably down his face, dripping off of his chin. He held my hand tightly, as if he would never let go ever again and at this point in time I honestly couldn’t care any less.
“Ari?” I ushered. I never heard her bubbly, motherly tone fill the room. I never saw her flounce through the door with a balloon from the gift store. She wasn’t here. I looked back to Daniel to see grief glazing his eyes. He slowly shook his head no and I choked on a sob.
“She can’t…no…it can’t be…I need her…” I trailed off and any words that I formed were forgotten and taken over by tears. My shoulders were shuddering with sobs as the tears flew down my face. I felt myself be enveloped in a warming hug. My tears were soaking Daniel’s shirt as his dampened my hair. I don’t know how long we sat in that curled up position for and I didn’t really care either.
Finally, after what was probably hours, Daniel pulled out of the hug. I looked up at him with watery eyes that were red and puffy from crying. He swept his dark hair that had grown longer over the past couple of weeks, up and out of his eyes running his hand through it restlessly.
“Sooo…” he said awkwardly, shuffling his feet on the dull white tiles. I looked up at him and blinked. He looked at me desperately.
“Please say something. What are you feeling?”
“Dad. Where is he?”
“I don’t know. I’ll call him and put it on speaker.” He punched the number into his phone and set it down on the table before putting it on speaker.
“What?” I heard my Dad’s familiar voice ring through the phone however, it was all slurred and stretched.
“Mr.Ditt you’re drunk.”
“No I’m not everything’s just a little bit blurry.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere dark and people.”
“That’s doesn’t make sense. I’ll be there soon.” He hung up the phone.
“I’ll be back soon, sweetie.” I nodded silently as he kissed my forehead before watching his retreating back.
