Soul Mates

Ch8 - Walk Away

Chapter 8

                I woke up, the brightness burned my eyes a little and I had to blink a couple of times to clear my vision. I was in a hospital bed, a white sheet over my body. My mother sat across from where I was, her head was rested on Riley’s shoulder. They were both sound asleep.

                I was thirsty and my body ached. I tried to move my hand but only my fingers twitched in response.  I tried to speak, to call out to my mother and brother, letting them know I was awake, but no noise came out of my open mouth.

                The door to the right of my mother opened and my father stepped inside. “Rebecca!” he exclaimed when he saw me. His voice awakened mom and Riley and all three of them quickly rushed to my bed side.

                “How are you feeling?”

                “Are you hungry?”

                “I brought some donuts.”

                I attempted to talk once again but my throat was dry and my tongue felt heavy.

                My mom caught on. “Water?” she asked and I could only nod. After she tipped the Styrofoam cup over my lips and I took a few sips, I could finally get a few words out.

                “Why am I here?” I croaked out.

                The three of them looked at each other before my father answered. “You’re here because you experienced a ‘shallow water blackout’ which means that you hyperventilated in order to swim under water longer. It caused you to lose consciousness. Also, you had slight hypothermia.”

                Flashbacks of what happened came to me. The truck coming at us, the car swerving into the bridge barrier and out into the water, the look on Tanner’s face, a paramedic pulling me out of the water…

                “Where’s Tanner?” I asked. My family exchanged worried looks before bringing their attention back on me. “Where’s Tanner?” I repeated.

                “Hey, there,” someone said softly. A hand touched my shoulder and I gasped in surprise. I was so caught up on my thoughts that I didn’t realize that Heather had appeared.

                “Hey,” I cleared my throat, sat up straighter, and wiped the tears from my cheeks. I didn’t want her, or anyone, to see me like this. I stood up and ran my hands down the skirt of my dress, ridding it of any wrinkles. “We should go back inside.”

                She didn’t stand up. She stayed there on the bench, looking up at me with that look of pity in her eyes that mirrored everyone who caught me in this position.

                “Bec—“

                “Don’t start, Heather.” I said. I knew what she was going to say, she wanted me to talk about my feelings. I started to walk away, not wanting to start this conversation. She stood up then, and grabbed my arm, stopping me from going any further.

                “Talk to me, Becca!” she said, desperation in her voice. “I thought you were getting better here, away from home, away from all the things that could make you think of that night.”

                Nothing could keep me from having thoughts of that night. It haunted me in my sleep, in my dreams. It’s always in the back of my mind.