The impact of the crash must've immediately rendered me unconscious, because the next thing I knew, my eyes were closed and I was lying on a very soft material.
I felt pain radiating all throughout my body, and let out a soft groan as I fluttered open my eyes. I squinted through blurry vision, and attempted to make out where I was.
It didn't take me long to figure out that I was in a patient's hospital room. I looked out into the hallway, and saw a medicine cart, with the words Grady Memorial Hospital engraved on the side. A small smile made its way onto my face, and I almost laughed to myself.
"Dad? You here?" I called out weakly, looking around the room and peering out into the hallway.
"He's not. But, I am."
I knew the voice, and immediately recognized the beach-blond hair and baby blue eyes that rounded the corner into my room. Beth was standing at the foot of my bed, a child-like grin on her face.
The same smile spread across my face as she came over to my bedside and took me in a warm embrace, holding me tight to her. I grinned, and held her back, relieved beyond belief that she was there, alive and okay.
When she released me, she came and sat beside me on the hospital bed, but before she could even fully sit down, I asked her the question plaguing my mind.
"What happened to me?"
She then went on to explain how I'd ended up at the hospital. After the van crashed, I was in bad shape; unconscious, bleeding from glass embedded in my skin. My dad had known that the only way I'd have a chance was at the hospital, so he took me there in hopes that they'd help. On the way, he ran into an attending of the hospital named Noah. He had worked with Beth, and she had helped him escape so he could return to Virginia, his home. But, upon seeing me and my condition, he agreed to help Dad get me into the hospital.
They were able to sneak in the back entrance, and thankfully, Beth was there, grabbing extra supplies from the medicine room. She took me from Dad's arms, and he had told her these specific words. "Take care of her for me. All of us'll be back in a day or two, we're gonna get ya outta here, hon. I promise ya."
After she told me the story, I asked her how long ago that was, to which she responded a day and a half. They should be there soon, I realized, and got excited.
"We're gettin' outta here," I had said to Beth, nodding. "You're gonna get to be with Maggie."
She nodded and smiled at me, but I could tell something was off about it. It wasn't her normal, joyous smile; it looked like it had pain hidden behind it.
"Are you okay?" I asked her, becoming concerned.
Her fake smile faded away, and then she began to tell me another story; her story.
She told me about what the hospital was, how it was corrupted. She told me about the head police officer, Dawn, and the doctor, how he made her kill a sickly man by giving him the wrong medicine and then blaming her for it. In reality, the doctor just wanted to kill the man to save medicine, but to Beth and I, it was still a cruel action.
After she told me everything, I was more anxious than ever to get her out of that place.
"We'll get outta here, Beth, you and I both. When my dad makes a promise, he always keeps it," I told her in reassurance, nodding my head.
Then, she smiled her true smile, and nodded adamantly. "Yeah... he's a good guy. He doesn't know it, but he is. He's gonna be one of the last people standin', and you are, too."
"Only if you're right beside me," I said, grinning at her.
She smiled innocently, and nodded. Then, she inhaled a slow breath, and the smile, once again, faded away. "When we first got out, he was like a robot. He didn't feel anythin', didn't do anythin', just... existed. We got into a fight, after awhile. He was yellin', I was yellin', and then it turned into cryin'... he gets sad, too. He's sad when he thinks people can't see him, especially you. Back at the prison, after you lost your uncle, he'd look sad whenever you couldn't see him. Then, when you could see him, he'd put on a mask, block you from seein' what he was feelin'."
I stayed quiet for a moment after her testimony, and just took a deep breath. "Yeah, he's... he's always been like that. Not one to show much emotion, especially to other people."
Beth nodded. "He feels it, just.. doesn't show it. It's not healthy, holdin' it back like that."
I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know... I just wish he'd realize that it's okay to show emotion, get upset. All that stuff."
"Just... let him know it's okay. Tell him I said that. Tell him I said that it's okay to be sad, to be hurt, to cry. That I want him to, I don't want him to hold it all in. Because, emotions are a part of life; if you care for someone in your life, hurt is part of the package."
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, cocking my head to the side. "You'll get to tell him yourself soon enough, Beth. They're gonna come get us."
A look of realization crossed her, and she shook her head, as if dismissing what she'd previously said. "Oh, oh yeah. You're right, sorry.... I'm just... anxious for them to get here."
I nodded, still slightly curious as to what she'd meant, and said, "yeah, I am, too."
A moment of silence passed between us before she stood up, and smiled softly at me. "I have to go do my rounds, but I'll be back after while."
I nodded at her, smiling as she turned and began to walk out. But, before she could walk much further, she turned back around, and placed a hand on my head. She pulled my head forward and placed a careful kiss on my forehead, causing me to smile once again.
Then, she turned and actually left the room, her footsteps departing down the quiet hallway.
I let out a content sigh, reaching over to the nightstand beside the bed and grabbing an old magazine. Although, before I could even open it, Beth poked her head through the doorway once again, grinning like a child on Christmas morning.
"They're here!" she exclaimed, and my grin mirrored hers in an instant.