Roxanne
"NOOOO!!" I woke up screaming, my breathing was heavy and I was sweating. Damn that was a terrible nightmare, but why'd it feel so real?
My bedroom door was being busted open causing me to breath harder, I realized it was Alessandro, mom, and dad.
"Honey, what happened? Are you okay?" My mom asked walking over quickly to me before gently grabbing my face. I had a hard time focusing on her.
"Mom, her body went through shock on top of blacking out at the mission. She's going to have a hard time focusing on things. The house doctor said to just keep things easy with her." Alessandro said.
"Where's Draven?" I asked with a very hoarse voice. My throat all of a sudden is really dry and sore. Everyone started looking at each other. "What the hell happened?" I was growing impatient with no one answering my questions.
"Roxy, rest I'll explain it when you wake up." Alessandro spoke softly, but I wasn't going to wait.
"No! Alessandro, tell me what the hell happened now!" I yelled at him while getting up out of my bed. I noticed everyone around me giving a shocked look.
"Everyone go to bed, I need to talk to my sister." Everyone listened to what Alessandro said. Once my bedroom door was closed again Alessandro went over and sat on my bed, I followed his actions.
"Roxy there's no easy way to put this. At the mission, you shot someone of the other side, our aunt shot Draven in the shoulder, he lost a lot of blood and they don't know if he will make it. They said he's in a medically induced coma right now but there's no guarantee he will make it out of it. You on the other hand, blacked out after he got shot and ended up killing everyone there. You were in and out of consciousness the entire ride home. When we were at the hospital, it actually took three of us to hold you back from jumping out of the SUV to go after Draven." Alessandro explained with his head down. I don't remember half of that.
"So It wasn't a dream?" I asked more calmly. Alessandro shook his head no. "Why don't I remember Half of what I did though?"
" You blacked out, your memory is hazy and only remembers the most tragic parts," he said with his head still down. " I was really worried about you Roxy, I know I'm ruthless, but I've never just up and killed close to 15 people at once." He looked at me this time while speaking, worry was filled up in his eyes. I sighed and turned my attention back to my hands which were placed in my lap.
"When can I see Draven?" I asked after a few minutes of silence. I heard Alessandro sigh.
"Get you some rest Roxy, I'll take you to see him here in a few hours, but I want to make sure you can handle it." I nodded my head in agreement and got myself situated back into my bed. Once Alessandro left my room, tears started flooded out of my eyes again. I continued crying until I fell back to sleep.
***
I woke up with a severe headache, everything that's happened within the past several hours came flooding back through my head making me feel miserable. Alessandro promised to take me to see Draven when I woke up again. When I sat up I noticed some water and ibuprofen sitting on my nightstand. I quickly took it, I got up and grabbed some clean clothes. I hopped in the shower, this time taking probably the longest shower I've ever taken. Letting the water run ice cold.
Once I was tired of being in the shower I got out and got dress. I put on a pair of dark blue jeans, a gray cropped tank top and my leather jacket. I brushed my hair, then brushed my teeth before heading down stairs. I walked into the kitchen, I noticed Eric standing at the sink looking out the window. I had a weird gut feeling Eric would end up blaming me for his brother being in the hospital so I didn't say anything to him.
I went into the cabinet and grabbed a loaf of bread, grabbing two pieces out and throwing them in the toaster. I was about to tie and put the bread up when I was stopped.
"Leave two pieces out for me please." I heard Eric say, he voice is very deep and hoarse. It's either from being really tired, from crying, or both. I grabbed two more slices of bread out, laying them out on a paper towel before putting the bread up.
Once the first set bread was finished I put the next two slices in, but I placed the plate of the first set of toast next to Eric before walking away. I waited until my bread was done before placing it on a plate and taking a seat at the island in the middle of the kitchen. I began eating my toast when I heard Eric speak up again.
"How are you holding up?" I gave him a confused look. He's asking how I'm holding up, but yet, his brothers in the hospital.
"Umm" I cleared my throat. "I'm, okay I guess." I saw Eric nod his head.
"Are you going to see Draven today?" Eric asked, I slowly nodded my head. "Just.. Don't get your hopes up on him waking up anytime soon. The doctor said it can be weeks, to months, to possibly never. He looks bad so don't be so shocked when you do see him." He said with his back turned to me.
"Thank you," I paused for a moment, "for the heads up." I saw him nod his head. I got up to put my plate in the sink, before I could leave the kitchen, Eric stopped me again. I turned around and I noticed him holding a vase full of red roses. I gave Eric a weird look.
"Relax, they're from Draven. He was going to give you these last night, but things happened." He said handed the vase to me before walking out of the kitchen. I took on last look at the roses before taking them up to my room.
***
I'm currently waiting in the SUV for Alessandro, he's finally taking me to see Draven tonight at the hospital. He was suppose to take me earlier but ended up getting an important business call.
Alessandro finally walked out of the mansion and joined me in the SUV. To say I was nervous for what I was about to see is an understatement. I closed my eyes until we got to the hospital to calm my nerves. I felt Alessandro grab my hand so I peaked one eye open.
"Everything will be okay." His words helped me relax some. I just my eyes again until we got there.
The SUV finally came to a stop and I knew we were at the hospital. Alessandro helped me out. As we walked to the entrance a Knot formed in my stomach. I hate the unexpected, but I need to see him.
We stopped at the front desk, Alessandro asked for his room number and the lady behind the desk started typing away at the key board. She finally told us the room number, we got onto the elevator up the the 4th floor. The knot in my stomach continued to grow tighter the closer we got.
Once we got to the room Draven is in, Alessandro knocked on the door. After a minute he walked in with me not far behind him. When I came from behind Alessandro I thought my legs were going to buckle beneath me at the sight.
Draven's usually tan skin was now almost ghost white, he was hooked up to endless cords and machines, there was cuts and bruises all over his body. It was a sore sight to see. Alessandro walked out of the room, I'm assuming to give us time together. I took the chair in the room and brought it closer to the bed. I gently grabbed his hand a lightly rubbed my thumb over his hand. He was just so, cold.
"Draven, you promised that you wouldn't let anything happen to me, but I didn't think you'd do anything along the lines of stupid to protect me. I swear if you were awake and okay right now i'd beat your ass for what you've done." I took a minute to breath and wiped the stray tears leaving my eyes.
"Draven, you can't leave me, not now, not ever. I haven't been able to cry for years since my accident, but for me to cry over what's happened to you, you must be damn special to me. Eric gave me the roses you were suppose to give me last night, they're beautiful." I sniffled and wiped more tears. "Please, Draven, please don't leave me." I gently laid my head on my and his hand that are laced together.
A moment after me just sitting there, unusual beeping started happening. Next thing I know, nurses and doctors were rushing in. Alessandro snuck in and grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. I didn't fight or say anything, I simply just stood there crying in Alessandro's chest.
What felt like an eternity later, a doctor came out and me and Alessandro stood up immediately.
"He's stable, he does have a small infection where the bullet wound is which caused an issue with his heart rate. We injected some medicine, so it should clear up within a few days. I still can't guarantee an exact time he will wake up, if he does wake up." Alessandro nodded to the doctor before turning back towards me as the doctor left.
"You want to go see him again?" Alessandro asked.
I nodded my head, I walked into the room again and grabbed his had. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I'll try to come as much as I can, please come back to us soon, I don't know how long I can last without you." I turned around to Alessandro with tear filled eyes before hugging him and crying again.
Alessandro lead my out of the hospital and back into the SUV. I'm not sure if its always like this or its just how I feel, but the sky tonight just seems so dark. The ride back home was very much silent besides a few sniffles from me.
Once we got back home, I went straight up to my room, locking the door. I laid in my bed for awhile before getting up and taking my clothes off to just put my silk black robe on. The entire time I was staring at the roses.
I walked over and grabbed one out of the vase. I walked out to my balcony and leaned over the railing just looking at the rose. I turned behind me and noticed a lighter sitting next to a candle. I walked over to grab the lighter and went right back to leaning over the railing. I took a quick glimpse down and noticed the pool just below my balcony.
I turned my attention back to the rose while slowly lighting the lighter and placing right next to a pedal on the rose. I watched the rose erupt slowly in flames. I admired how the flames slowly, but quickly turned the rose from a beautiful red, too black, to ashes.
After sometime I dropped the burning rose into the pool below me. Watching every last second of the live flames burning the rose. I turned around and walked back into my room opening the window letting the wind blow through the curtains.
I crawled into bed staring at the open windows, watching the wind blow the curtains around. I looked back at the balcony door, replaying the visual of the burning rose and relating it to everything that's happened.
Such a shame the most beautiful things tend to to suffer the most.
~ Roxanne Knight
The End