Liberty Star

Did I Just Die?

I hit the ground so hard it knocks the breath out of me. I see him looking down at me, he's mouth is moving but I can't hear him, then everything goes black.

I feel him touching me, I try to wake up. His hands are soft on me, against my cheek. I can hear him but his words are muffled like I'm under water. I open my eyes but every thing is so blurry. I try to push myself up but hands are on me holding me down. I see them all fuzzy and looks like they are talking to me but I'm just not understanding anything. What happened?

Then suddenly Mrs. Shaw runs up to me and kneels beside me. She keeps  mumbling something and then gestures ok with her hand. I guess she's trying to tell me everything is going to be alright.

Within minutes I see red lights, then red and blue, blurry lights flashing all around me. I hear a faint siren but I know it should be screeching loud that close to me. Suddenly paramedics are all around me. One of the hands put out three fingers then two. I don't respond. They lift me onto the stretcher and roll me into the ambulance. Inside the back compartment they are hooking me up to machines and once they place the mask over my face I'm out.

I don't know how long I was out but when I wake up I'm in a room with dim lights and everything is so freaking white. I look around and see a tv on the wall across from me. There is a light blue curtain pulled shut on the left side of me. I look over to the chair on the right side of me and someone is sleeping. I can tell by the hair it was him. I try to move just a little but it startles him awake.

The look in his eyes, that look I will never forget, although I could see past the crystal blue, I could see and feel the worry behind them.

"What happened?" My mouth is super dry and the cup over my mouth muffles out my voice.

He reaches up and takes the mask off. "Hey, how you feel?"

I ignore the question and ask again, "What happened?"

"Babe you slipped and fell off of the roof, it happened so fast, I couldn't catch you." His eyes glisten with tears, but none escape.

"I fell...I remember I saw you looking down at me and then blackness, pure blackness."

He reaches closer to me and kisses me on the forehead.

"Am I ok?" I try to look down at my body to see if I have anything broken.

"Yes just a few bruises they said. They ran several tests, everything came back normal. They are keeping you over night though to make sure you are alright. God you scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry." I just can't think of anything else to say. I never meant to scare him.

He jumps up and says, "You want something to drink?" I watch as he grabs the water pitcher before I can even say a word.

I just nod.

"Here is some cold water." He pours the water into a plastic cup with a straw and hands it over to me.  "I'll go let the nurse know you are awake."

I take a quick sip and practically gasp, "Wait!"

I like the way he comes back over to my side and takes my hand. "What is it babe."

"Thanks for staying here with me."

"I couldn't leave you babe, I wanted to be here when you woke up, I knew you would be scared waking up in a place like this all alone."

"Thanks for caring about me." I smile.

"Of course, I will always care about you." He leans down to kiss my check. "Ok so I will only be gone a second alright." And he lets go of my hand and sure enough he returns just as fast.

The nurse comes in introducing herself and chewing gum.

"Well, nice to see you awake dear, I'm Evelynn and I'm the day nurse. Everything seems to look good, how do you feel?" She walks around to check out all the machines.

I groan just a little, "I kinda hurt all over; then again I hear I fell from the second floor."

"Would you like me to give you something for the pain?" She taps her arm on the bed rail.

I think about it for a few minutes.  "No, the pain lets me know that I'm alive."

"Alrighty then, sure you don't want anything just to take the edge off."

"No I'm fine really, I've been through worse."

"Star honey, you had a very big fall and you got to be in massive pain."

I close my eyes and hear Hayden talking to the nurse then. "She said she will be alright, if she changes her mind she or I will let you know ok."

"O-Kay!" She drawls out.  "But you tell me, I'll be here till seven then the night girl comes in alright."

"O-kay" I reply back.

A little after the nurse leaves the Shaw's walk in.

Mrs. Shaw's facial expression shows it all. "We were so worried about you sweetie, you alright?" Asks Mrs. Shaw as she hurries over to my side.

"I'm sure I will be; I hurt a little but nothing I can't handle." I attempt to smile.

"You're a strong girl." She leans over to give me a tender hug.

"I've been through worse." I look over at Hayden.

"So what were you two doing on the roof?" Asks Mr. Shaw.

I really have no idea what to say. I could easilylie but for some reason I just can't.  "I go there practically every night. I feel close to the stars and I just feel at peace there."

"It's dangerous, you could have died and besides you can look at the stars from the backyard."

I sigh, "It's not the same."

He looks over at Hayden. "And you, you sit on the roof with her?"

Hayden slowly nods his head. "Yes sir, I sit with her. She's right it's like being in another world, it's nice and quiet and you just don't get it until you try it."

He grunts, "Well when we get back home, I don't want the two of you on the roof again."

Hayden starts to protest, but Mrs. Shaw cuts him off.

"We are just looking out for the both of you. Now the roof is just not a safe place, so promise you won't go up there again."

I interrupt them, "Look, it's my fault alright. I was on the roof crying one night and he came out to me to check on me. He was only making sure I was alright, nothing more. I like being up there and I don't want to get him in any kind of trouble so we won't go back again I promise."

"Thank you" she smiles. And they leave it at that. They stay and chit chat for another hour and then visiting hours were over. They all leave me to get rest for the night. Yes, they make Hayden leave as well. So it's just me all by myself. Hopefully I will actually get some sleep and the nightmares will stay away.