My eyes flutter open and I'm swathed in florescent light. My body feels numb, disconnected from my mind. The groggy hold of morphine still lingers over my thoughts.
"Ella," Dad breathes, hovering at the side of the narrow bed. He rests his hands on the stainless steel railing. "D-daddy?" I whimper.
"Shh sweetheart," he murmurs, smoothing my hair back, "You're OK."
Mum hovers on the edge of the hospital room. Tears cling to her lashes and glaze her eyes. "Hay honey," she breathes. She walks briskly around the bed and kisses my forehead. "How're you feeling?"
"Better I guess," I moan, "But I can't feel anything."
"That's probably a good thing," Dad murmurs, his dark eyes flickering over me.
"W-where's Nate?" I choke.
"He's just down the hall," Dad says.
"I-is he OK?" I ask. He hesitates and the corners of his mouth knot. "Dad is...is he OK?"
"He's very weak honey," Mum sighs.
"W-what?" I whimper.
"It's the epilepsy," Dad murmurs.
"H-he's had a seizure...hasn't he?" tears sting my eyes.
Dad nods, "He's had twelve."
"The doctors are saying he's lucky that he made it through the night," Mum mumbles.
My gaze flashes between the two of them. "I-is Cooper with him?"
"I don't know sweetheart," Dad shakes his head.
"I-I want to see him," I stammer.
"Ella you need to rest," Mum presses the back of he hand against my cheek.
"I want to see him," I cry.
"Ella," she breathes.
"I need to see him," I sob.
"Ella please. You need to rest."
"I-I can walk. It's just down the hall."
"Ella you've been through a lot. For now you just need to rest," Dad insists.
"No Dad please...I-I need to see him."
"Ella, honey you have to stay here," Mum says gently.
"H-has he woken up?"
"He's woken up twice but went into a seizure after about fifteen minutes," Dad murmurs.
"Did...did he say anything?"
"He just asked if you were OK," he shrugs.
"Please...I jus want to see him," I plead.
"I'll see what the doctor says," Dad sighs.
"Roy," Mum scolds.
"Joan she just wants to see the kid."
Mum suppresses a groan as he leaves the small room. She adjusts her grip on the silvery railing. "Ella," she breathes.
"He saved my life," I whimper.
Mum's dark eyes stare at my bandaged hands. I wind a thread of the white sheets around my finger. "What about Marissa?"
"She's fine. Though she doesn't like the idea of being stuck here."
"And Cristina?"
"She's upset. They can't find a translator so we don't really know. You're father's been trying to talk to her since she got here, try and calm her down."
YOU ARE READING
Salvation
Teen FictionShe's his prize, his beautiful, flawless prize. She's his trophy, a girl he stole from the world. He holds her captive in the harsh shadows of the basement and tortures her. He loves her, charishes her every breath and lives off her every scream. He...
