The Fall (Camren)

Her Words Destroyed My Planet

 

Camila's parents, Sofi, Lauren and Alex all barrelled into the room when the doctor cleared her for visitors a few minutes later. They all watch over her, waiting for any signs of alertness but Camila remained motionless for the next two hours.

The doctors had removed the ventilator when she started to come around and Lauren thought that without it Camila just looked like she was sleeping. She looked peaceful.

'Look!' Sofi exclaimed excitedly, pointing to Camila.

Camila's eyelids were fluttering, her head moving from side to side. She had a little frown on her face.

'Mija, can you hear me?' Sinu asked, grabbing her daughter's hand.

Camila made no sounds of acknowledgement; she just kept moving her head. A few seconds later she blinked her eyes half-open, slowly.

Lauren gasped at the sight of burnt copper irises; she hadn't seen Camila's eyes in weeks. It was startling and even more so when she noticed they were unfocused and dull, looking at nothing. Seeing nothing.

'Camila?' Sinu tried again but Camila gave no reaction. Her eyes blinked shut and she was asleep again.

 

It felt like climbing a mountain, celebrating at thinking you reached the summit and then turning around and seeing the rest of the mountain you didn't realise you still had to climb. She took a breath and sat back down in the chair she now called her own and waited.

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Camila continued to have these episodes of waking more and more frequently, but along with the joy of seeing her eyelids flicker open or her hands move there was the ever present worry of lasting damage to her brain. It weighed heavily upon them now, a constant shadow in the light of waking.

The doctors had always been clear that the true extent of Camila's accident would only become apparent when she was fully awake. They explained early on that the best sign that she had not suffered from any lasting cognitive damage would be if she acted on command, if she followed direction.

 

As yet, she had not.

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A few days later, Camila was taken for another CT scan to track her brain functions and Camila's family took the opportunity to get away from the hospital for a while.

Lauren stayed in Camila's room while she went for the scan. She enjoyed reading the cards sent by fans and friends that littered the window sills and cabinets around the room. They had received so may well wishes and cards and presents, too many to put in this one room. Alex was hoarding most of it at the hotel. Lauren was, once again, floored by the generosity of their fans.

The nurses wheeled Camila back in when Lauren was only halfway through the multitude of get well soon messages.

After the nurses finished attaching her back to the monitors and tubes, they left them alone. Lauren walked over and softly kissed Camila on the forehead and then brushed her nose against Camila's slightly colder one in an Eskimo kiss.

She pulled her chair up close to the bed and held Camila's hand; it was a familiar position now she had done it so many times.

'So, what shall we talk about today, huh? You're up to date with Pretty Little Liars and don't worry you haven't missed the new Gilmore Girls.'