Hard to get? //Luke Hemmings #Watty2015

Chapter 36

Every second feels like hours as I watch the big hand slowly make its way to the top. No matter how much I wish these twenty four hours will go quicker, they seem to get slower.

I know I’m tired, I can tell. My eyes keep dropping and all my muscles are aching for sleep, but I refuse to give in.

I have to be awake till those twenty four hours are up.

I know it doesn’t mean she’s guaranteed to wake up and live, but it means she’s one step closer.

The doctor said that if she makes it, it’ll triple the chance of her survival and if no problems occur in those twenty four hours, means she’s recovering quickly.

Demi’s a fighter and I just pray she’ll not quit and keep fighting. I need her to. We all need her to.

Michael walks in and places his hand on my back. He gives me a small tug of the lips, but they quickly drop to have any effect. I don’t even make the effort to take my eyes off her to look at him.

“Only an hour left” Michael states and sits in the chair on the opposite side of Demi, facing me.

I nod slightly and twirl her hair between my fingertips. The strands are soft and it brings to the memory from when we shared class together; she’d sit next to me and all her hair would go all over my work on my side of the table. I’d try to push it away so I could write, and she’d retaliate by putting all her hair over the page, until she’d get told off by our teacher.

“She’ll make it Luke. She won’t let something like this tear her down” he comments and his fingers play with hers.

I nod again and glance back at the clock, 57 minutes to go.

“The others have just come back; they want to make sure these twenty four hours pass. I’m going to go home after because the nurse says we can’t stay for any longer. I asked if you could, she said yes, but no one can find out.” He says and rubs his thumb over the back of her pasty hands.

I nod again and give him a short thank.

“I’m going to quickly go get something to drink and a snack. I won’t be long” Michael stands, pats me on the back again, and leaves.

He’s been in here more than the others. He only left for a few toilet breaks and when Ashton and Calum came in. Both of them came, cried, said stuff that didn’t get past my ears, and left. It seems like neither could stay looking at her in somewhere she shouldn’t be.

Ashton looked torn because I think he thinks it’s his fault, I don’t, but from the words I heard through my thoughts, defiantly seemed like he was apologizing for not helping earlier.

I know I should have told him it wasn’t, comforted him, but I don’t have the energy to; not really a good enough reason, I know.

Michael returns and taps me on the shoulder with his elbow.

“I bought us a few cans of Red Bull and a few chocolate bars. I do think you should get something proper to eat though” he adds the last comment with a knowing look.

How does he expect me to think about myself when Demi can’t even breathe for herself? I can’t even think about eating, definitely not before these twenty four hours end.

I mumble a thank you again. I reach for a can and gulp down. The sweet fizzy drink doesn’t feel good in my empty stomach, but I’m too numb to stop and think about it.

“I wish he’d hurt me instead of her” I state my thoughts out loud.

I graze my fingertips over her nails; only a few specks of black nail varnish cover the long nails.