tell the tale. There were so many IVs and electrode leads hooked up to her.
I covered my mouth to prevent from making a distressed sound. I raced to her side and looked down at her. She seemed so... small? Frail? She had always been so strong and full of life.
I grabbed the clipboard hanging off the heart monitor and skimmed over it as I checked the monitors and the IVs. Months of training kicking in. She had a subdural hematoma, intracranial hemorrhaging from blunt force trauma. Open and basal fractures. One eye had fixed, unilateral mydriasis... a blown pupil. Various contusions and abrasions.
I paused when I reached some notes from the doctor that looked little more than chicken scratching, but I made out that she was conscious and aware.
I flipped through the chart to medications, they currently had her under mild sedation and on some pretty hefty pain killers. I covered a mouth as I fought back tears. That was an encouraging sign. I released the chart and grabbed Billie's hand and gave it a squeeze in mild relief.
I heard her voice in my head, whispering in a thousand tones, “I wish the world would stop spinning.” I almost pulled my hand away from her's. The need to do something was almost overwhelming.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she groggily turned her head toward me, wincing and slowing down. I patted her hand whispering, “Take it easy Bil, go slow.”
She stared blankly at me a moment, one eye blood red. I saw no recognition in her expression, just confusion. Then her eyes went wide, and she asked in a slurred, drugged out drawl, “Angel? Damn girl, you look hawt.”
I felt a tear escape my watery eyes and roll down a cheek as I smiled softly at her. I just nodded dumbly and said, “Yeah, it's me.”
She looked around at the monitors and IV trees and said, “I done got fucked up.” She gave a crooked smile.
Then she looked panicked as she asked, “Stacy?”
I just grabbed her hand between both of mine and shook my head solemnly. She closed her eyes and sobbed just once, trying to pull herself under control, fighting the medications, but failing.
Her good eye fixed on the deformity on my back and then Dorian standing at my side. She whispered to me, likely thinking in her drug induced fog, that if she spoke quiet enough, Dori wouldn't hear, “Are you ok, Angel? Your back. Who's this?”
I smiled. Here she was, laid up in the hospital with serious head injuries, and she was worried about me? I loved my friends so much. I shook my head. “I'm fine Bil. This is my friend, Dorian. She sort of saved me after those guys came after me.”
She grinned. Obviously, the drugs were doing their job there in loopy land, she lifted a hand weakly and spoke behind it to me, “And she's a cutie. You two... you know? Boom a chick a bow wow?”
I blushed from head to toe as I blurted out, “Billie!” I covered my mouth over my outburst and Dori, and I swung our gazes to the door, holding our breaths. We could hear Hailey's voice raising yet again. That was an obvious signal, time to go.
I leaned down and kissed Billie's cheek. “We gotta go, I can't explain now, but I'll be back. I promise.”
Billie was under the thrall of her meds already, as she just smiled sleepily, her eyes closed as she started drifting off again. Dorian asked the air as we reached the door, “Stacy?” We stood there a moment then she smiled and nodded thanks to thin air and opened the door. We snuck back out into the hall, then walked as normally as possible past the nurses station.
When Hai saw us pass by, she suddenly smiled at the two who were arguing with her and said amiably, “Well the rules are the rules I guess. Have a great day you two.” She turned to follow us, leaving two thoroughly confused people in her wake.
I had to bite back an inappropriate chuckle.
We navigated the twists and turns of the corridors in the sprawling
I covered my mouth to prevent from making a distressed sound. I raced to her side and looked down at her. She seemed so... small? Frail? She had always been so strong and full of life.
I grabbed the clipboard hanging off the heart monitor and skimmed over it as I checked the monitors and the IVs. Months of training kicking in. She had a subdural hematoma, intracranial hemorrhaging from blunt force trauma. Open and basal fractures. One eye had fixed, unilateral mydriasis... a blown pupil. Various contusions and abrasions.
I paused when I reached some notes from the doctor that looked little more than chicken scratching, but I made out that she was conscious and aware.
I flipped through the chart to medications, they currently had her under mild sedation and on some pretty hefty pain killers. I covered a mouth as I fought back tears. That was an encouraging sign. I released the chart and grabbed Billie's hand and gave it a squeeze in mild relief.
I heard her voice in my head, whispering in a thousand tones, “I wish the world would stop spinning.” I almost pulled my hand away from her's. The need to do something was almost overwhelming.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she groggily turned her head toward me, wincing and slowing down. I patted her hand whispering, “Take it easy Bil, go slow.”
She stared blankly at me a moment, one eye blood red. I saw no recognition in her expression, just confusion. Then her eyes went wide, and she asked in a slurred, drugged out drawl, “Angel? Damn girl, you look hawt.”
I felt a tear escape my watery eyes and roll down a cheek as I smiled softly at her. I just nodded dumbly and said, “Yeah, it's me.”
She looked around at the monitors and IV trees and said, “I done got fucked up.” She gave a crooked smile.
Then she looked panicked as she asked, “Stacy?”
I just grabbed her hand between both of mine and shook my head solemnly. She closed her eyes and sobbed just once, trying to pull herself under control, fighting the medications, but failing.
Her good eye fixed on the deformity on my back and then Dorian standing at my side. She whispered to me, likely thinking in her drug induced fog, that if she spoke quiet enough, Dori wouldn't hear, “Are you ok, Angel? Your back. Who's this?”
I smiled. Here she was, laid up in the hospital with serious head injuries, and she was worried about me? I loved my friends so much. I shook my head. “I'm fine Bil. This is my friend, Dorian. She sort of saved me after those guys came after me.”
She grinned. Obviously, the drugs were doing their job there in loopy land, she lifted a hand weakly and spoke behind it to me, “And she's a cutie. You two... you know? Boom a chick a bow wow?”
I blushed from head to toe as I blurted out, “Billie!” I covered my mouth over my outburst and Dori, and I swung our gazes to the door, holding our breaths. We could hear Hailey's voice raising yet again. That was an obvious signal, time to go.
I leaned down and kissed Billie's cheek. “We gotta go, I can't explain now, but I'll be back. I promise.”
Billie was under the thrall of her meds already, as she just smiled sleepily, her eyes closed as she started drifting off again. Dorian asked the air as we reached the door, “Stacy?” We stood there a moment then she smiled and nodded thanks to thin air and opened the door. We snuck back out into the hall, then walked as normally as possible past the nurses station.
When Hai saw us pass by, she suddenly smiled at the two who were arguing with her and said amiably, “Well the rules are the rules I guess. Have a great day you two.” She turned to follow us, leaving two thoroughly confused people in her wake.
I had to bite back an inappropriate chuckle.
We navigated the twists and turns of the corridors in the sprawling
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