Grape Juice from Lemons

CHAPTER XXIX

" Doctor McCarthy, we have a patient, female, age 17 with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Direct pressure has not been established and the patient is losing consciousness. The injury seems to be to the shoulder joint or it's a fracture. Pieces of the bullet are still inside, it made a clean cut. Sir, we need a paramedic stat and someone to hold back the boy."

Declan's yelling as my body is being shaken by the paramedics and doctors. We entered the hospital a few seconds ago as I was instantly ripped from Declan's arms. He hasn't stopped profoundly screaming and cussing out the doctor ever since.

Hospitals always smell clean, reminding me of the color white. It's sanitary and quietness scares me. The echo that runs through these halls, like a child that got cured. The small whispers and screams of despair, all muffled by the white. Sometimes I see the girl running through the halls, but I've never understood if she was cured or not.

I hate the familiarity of it all. I still vividly remember the day they brought my brother in, I can't get that view out of my mind. We ran from inside of the cherry red car, I was scanned over and after that, I sat behind his door for hours, days. And when I left he died. The one time, one hour I wasn't there, he left.

" Could you get your f*cking hands off me and dealing with the girl who actually has a bullet wound? Or would you like one too?" I hear him push and shove, and I wouldn't put it past him, to actually whip out a gun on them. I try to stand up before I'm being pushed back immediately.

" Miss, we will take good care of you. The injuries are unknown until you understand the seriousness of the situation. With your help, we can all get the bullet out safely and you'll be out in no time. " I breathe heavily, I feel dizzy and tired already on the ride here.

It didn't help with Declan's low rumbling voice that soothed me to the extent that I wanted sleep to overtake me. I still wish to sleep and the pain is overwhelming, but I'll manage until I know I can go to my house tonight.

The worst part isn't over yet. The excruciating pain is the least of my problems. They have to find all the fragments of the bullet and remove them from my shoulder. After that, they have to describe me with antibiotics that will help with the pain and swelling. If the bullet made its way to my nerve system, I might have trouble with moving my shoulder and or entire arm. It could result in further damages and I might be paralyzed from my left shoulder down.

I might lose an arm tonight.

" Right now we would like you to focus on your breathing and staying in contact with us, tell us about yourself." The nurse smiles down on me.

" F*ck you," I mumble.

They place me down, a doctor, I know as McCarthy, starts to operate on my shoulder.

I don't feel the numbness as they start to dig around my shoulder for the bullet fragments, my blood running down my side. I bite down on my jaw, the feeling of a metal rod against my skin and inside me is sickening as I think I will pass out at the sight of blood.

My blood.

" You can stand up now. But you can not put pressure on or move your shoulder. It has been fixated with a cast." McCarthy's smile fades into a deep frown when I flinch.

The numbness is really annoying, making me feel as if my entire left arm was paralyzed already. I don't dare to ask if it is.

" You'll still feel strings of pain. It will go away immediately. You're in good hands." I stay silent, knowing If I open my mouth I'll bark out a string of curse words or start a fight.

I was let out of the operating room with a scowl on my face and a white cast around my shoulder to hold back some of the blood and fixate my shoulder correctly. My shoes squeak as I see Declan leaning against the corner of the hallway. His hair in his face as he's reading?