Time & date: 3 pm on 26th June 2016
Mark's view:
Here I am driving on my way to the only hospital in this town. Smithford hospital. I want to visit Isabella at the hospital. I find myself driving down the same road Isabella did before she got hit by that semitrailer. Still no news about how it happened. The thought of Isabella not waking up has taken over my thoughts lately, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she isn't ok...
Driving down the road, there was a lot of traffic. Every time the light turns green only 5 cars would pass before it turns red again followed by a 10-minute wait, repeating itself until I cross pass the set of lights. I have my music blasting loudly as I drive down the streets passing a line of shops on one side of the street which was bustling with people walking up and down the street some even with their children.
I drive for another 10 minutes before reaching the hospital, I take a turn left lane waiting for a car or two to turn on the roundabout in front of me as I turn left now driving behind them. There were only now two cars infront of me waiting to enter to carpark. The carpark had a boom gate which you had to press the button and pay $2 an hour. There was a small screen which showed the number of parking spaces available.
As it reached my turn to enter there were no spaces left so I ended up having to wait at the boom gate till someone left to be able to go in. The carpark was a two-story carpark that had a ramp to allow cars to enter the upper floors. As soon as I was finally able to enter the carpark, I drive around the ground level seeing no parking spot as I now head to the next level up driving around that level as well nearly about to give up when I find the parking spot.
The sign on the concrete pole says to park the car front facing outwards back facing inwards but it'll take too much effort to park it like that so I just drive the car in rear outwards completely ignoring the sign of the correct way to park.
As I get out of my car, the keys in my hand pressing the button activating my car alarm I walk over to the stairwell walking down them reaching the ground level of the carpark, it is only a 5-minute walk from the carpark to the hospital's main entrance.
The hospital is a massive building built from beige bricks, it had multiple entrances, each entrance had a metal sign above them to tell the patients and visitors which part of the hospital they were entering. "Main entry" "emergency" "rehabilitation."
Outside of the hospital, there were benches where people can sit, a few patients were sitting on the bench in their hospital gowns, a nurse in blue standing next to them talking and laughing with the patients. Their laughter filling the air. Visitors walking to and fro, security guards pacing back and forth on the pavement watching the area closely.
An ambulance flying past lights and sirens coming to a halt in front of me back doors flying open as a stretcher gets taken out by the two paramedics, the patient yelling and swearing, fighting to get out of the stretcher. "Let me go, this is abuse. I want to go home" his screams fill the air all the laughter and chatter drowned out by his screams.
As I walk towards the main entrance of the hospital, the automatic doors open as I wander near it, the entrance as you enter is a huge floor, desks on the other end of the floor, a mini cafeteria on the right-hand side, people, patients and nurses walking here and there to get to their destination.
I attend the receptionist at one of the desks who had her dark brown hair tied back in a messy bun, dark circles under her brown eyes giving the whole I've only slept for 3 hours in the past 4 days look, a big black mole on her chin. "Can I help you?" She asked with a forceful smile.
"Yes, you can actually. I'm looking for a girl named Isabella, she's 17 and was admitted here a few days ago" I began to say giving her an equal forced smile.
"The last name?" she snapped rudely.
"Rose" I reply giving her a look. Whats this woman problem?
"Go up the elevator to the 3rd floor, go down the corridor 3rd ward to your right" she speaks eyeing me. If looks could kill I'd be dead right about now.
I thank her as I walk down the busy corridor making my way to the elevator, I press the arrow facing upwards and wait for one of the elevators to come down to ground level. I didn't have to wait long before the elevator on the far left-hand side opened up and a stream of people flowed out of it, I stand there waiting for the elevator to empty before I enter. I press the number 3 and wait for the elevator to arrive on the third floor.
As soon as a "ding" noise sounded the big metal doors open as I make my exit from the elevator before a swarm of people enter the elevator. I follow what the lady told me walking down the corridor entering the 3rd ward on the right. I make my way over to a lady with fair skin and short black hair on the reception desk who didn't seem to notice I was standing there. I clear my throat which makes her jump and look up at me with a polite smile on her face as she asks "Can I help you, sir?"
"Yes, you definitely can miss. I'm looking for Isabella Rose, where might I be able to find her?" I ask smiling at the woman using my politest voice
"Let me find out for you sir" she informs as she looks down at her computer tapping away at the keyboard in a fast motion. "Room i45, we're only allowing one visitor at a time to visit her, she hasn't woken up yet," she says looking up from her computer for a moment.
I thank her as I make my way down the hallway looking at the numbers on the doors... i41, i42, i43, i44. As I reach i45 I enter the room, closing the door behind me as I walk slowly towards the bed, seeing her lifeless body laying there on the bed. A life support ventilator helping her breathe.
"I'm sorry," I whisper a tear falling from my eye. "I should have protected you."
I watch her lifeless body not knowing what to do anymore. The door of the room opens and a man wearing a doctors coat entered the room looking at me with concern in his eyes as he asks "relative?"
"No no, her friend," I reply my eyes still fixed on Isabella's body then the ventilator as I ask "Is she going to be ok?"
"I'd rather not comment at this moment. When her parents come I'll explain to you all about her condition" the man replies walking out of the room.
My fingers tremble and legs feel like jelly as I take a seat on the chair provided near the bed. Eventually raised voices came from down the hallway of the ward.
"Where is she? Is she alright?"
"I need to see my daughter, tell me where she is!"
A man and woman burst into the room my teary gaze meeting their worried eyes. "Mark?" the woman asks.
"Yes, hello Mr and Mrs Rose" I greet standing up shaking the man and woman's hand.
"Please just call me Victoria," the woman says forcing a smile at me.
"Any news?" I ask worriedly.
"No, they haven't told us anything but have done a few tests here and there," Victoria says looking over at her daughter.
"What did she do to deserve this?" her dad says holding back tears.
"I'm sure it will be ok, don't loose hope Mr Rose," I reassure. Even I don't know if she will wake up from this. "Um, Mrs Rose" I began.
"Victoria" she corrects.
"Any word on the man who hit her?" I ask.
"No sweetheart, last I heard they were trying to find the guy who was driving the semitrailer" Victoria replies anger in her eyes.
The door of the room opens again and the doctor in the coat comes in again with a forced smile on his face. "Good evening, my name is Doctor Tinsel, could I word to you all outside for a moment?" he asks halfway in through the door.
"Sure" Victoria replies as we all walk out of the room, glancing once more over at Isabella before leaving. "How's my daughter?" Victoria asks eyeing the doctor.
"Her condition is very serious. She has broken bones on her right side of the body, shes obviously lost blood with some bleeding in the brain. We have to keep watch on her, once the activity in her brain stops there is no recovery from there. There is an eighteen percent chance of her living after this but it isn't for certain. She's in a very bad way" he informs.
"Isn't there anything you can do to... to..." I begin stopping myself finding myself crying, something I haven't done since I was a little kid.
"We've done everything we can, life support is our only option," the doctor explains.
"Not good enough" I hiss walking off across the corridor.