Insufficient

Chapter Sixteen - I Missed You

Juliana's POV 

Hospital's suck.

Like seriously, there is nothing to do around here. Especially when you're not allowed to get up or do, virtually anything.

I've been here for eight days exactly. I've only been conscious for half of them, but it is still a cruel type of torture. Especially, when no one wants to be around you. For the past three days, my room had been a dead zone, the exception being the first evening I was awake, when Justin and Hunter, who had both been at summer school, came to visit me with Elijah as he did a final vitals check for the night.

The most company I got these days seemed to be from the nurse who came in every 3 hours for vitals but refused to acknowledge me. Or the physical therapist that came in every day at 1pm exactly to poke at my ribs, guide me through stretches, and take me for a short walk up and down the small, nearly deserted hallway.

Did it make me feel slightly like a caged animal? Yes. Did I care at this point? No.

I'm currently staring at the TV, not fully aware of what I'm watching, nor do I care. I cared three days ago when I got sedated for being "uncooperative" when they were trying to shove random pills down my throat. I cared two days ago, when they put the restraints back on me after I "unnecessarily" got up to use the bathroom out of boredom. I cared two days ago when they stopped answering my call light. I cared two days ago when I was refused access to my phone. I cared two days ago when they stopped bringing me food. I cared two days ago, when my mind hadn't shut itself down in an act of survival.

I was a little surprised when my door finally opened at 5pm, and I saw Elijah enter out of the corner of my eye. Ignoring him. I continue not watching the TV, noticing that it was on this kids show with a blue puppy that they named Bluey.

"Good evening Juliana." Elijah greeted me brightly, but I am in no mood to be bright and happy. He could go shove his happy up his -

Elijah sighed, seeing that I wasn't going to acknowledge him, he moved on. He started checking my vitals, and I didn't fight him, but I also wasn't much help.

He spoke again to me as he typed into the computer.

"How are you feeling?"

"..."

"Juliana," He repeated, thinking I must not have heard him. "How do you feel?"

When I didn't say anything, I saw Elijah take in a deep annoyed breath, before he tried again.

"Juliana, I can not take you home if you are unresponsive. How. Do. You. Feel." He said in a clipped tone.

This got my attention. I turn my head, almost mechanically, to face him. When Elijah gets a full look at my face his gaze turns from annoyed to something else. Concern? Confusion?

"I feel fine." I reply in a similar tone to his.

"You sure aren't acting like it." He muttered as he typed something more into the computer.

I watched him take out the iv, disconnect me from all the other machines they had monitoring me. I still felt as though I was watching some sort of movie or show when I put on my shoes, got sat in the wheelchair, and wheeled through the hospital. Which I learned was the actual hospital they owned, not just the clinic at the house.

I watched myself be helped into the backseat of the car, and I watched as we drove for miles. I watched the city line quickly disappear as woods slowly developed all around us. That's when the car slowed down and eventually stopped.

We sat in silence for a few moments before the confusion hit me.

"Why are we just sitting here?" I finally broke the silence, confused, as I could see the turn off for the front gate only a few yards ahead of us.