Taking Chances (Remember to Forget Sequel)

Chapter 35

Luke's POV

I'm in the backseat of a car, looking out the window. The sky is dark and the streetlights cast a yellow shadow on the sidewalk. The houses blur together as we drive by.

I recognize the area we're in. Something seems different though. I don't know what.

"We're almost there," someone in the front seat whispers. The voice sounds familiar, but I can't quite figure out who it is.

There's two girls in the front seat. It's so dark in the car that I can only make out their silhouettes. 

No music is playing. All I can hear is the quiet lull of the tires against the pavement.

"Where are we going?" I ask. It feels like we have been driving forever. I think I fell asleep for some time.

"Luke..." another voice says. I know it's Delilah. Knowing she's here comforts me. 

Where could we possibly be going? What time is it? How do I not know who's driving the car? Wait- I don't even remember getting into the car. Maybe I was half asleep when I got in the car. I definitely feel like I just woke up. 

"5 more minutes," the driver says, interrupting my thoughts. 

Before I can ask any more questions, the sound of the tires turns into a screech followed by a loud noise of metal being crushed. 

My head slams into the seat in front of me at a force I didn't know was possible. The pain surges through my body. I close my eyes tightly.

When I open my eyes, I'm no longer in the car. I'm at the hospital. 

Or at least I think I am. All I see is white. I can hear people talking around me. I hear what sounds like doctors. 

"heart off rate"

"TAC skull"

"broken not bones"

None of what they're saying makes any sense. The words are jumbled and their sentences are fragmented. It doesn't even sound like English.

I remember hitting my head. I remember hearing the tires screech. I remember nothing after. What if I have amnesia? What if I have aphasia? What if I'm blind? What is going on? 

I blink a few times. Still, only a white shadow is in my vision.

The confusing dialogue fades. The doctors probably left the room. I only hear the faint sound of machines beeping.

My vision slowly starts to return. It's fuzzy, but I can see.

I see a room full of beds. It must be the emergency room. Some are closed with light blue curtains.

I see Delilah. She's a few beds away. She's talking to a nurse.

I notice a scratch on her forehead and a sling on her arm. I remember she was in the passenger seat. 

I try to call out to her, but no noise comes out when I try. I can't speak. 

It's like old times, except I am literally incapable of producing sound. 

I clear my throat and try again.

Nothing.

I hope she's all right. I don't want her to be seriously hurt. I never want to see her in pain. I want to be next to her, comforting her. 

I look at the other beds around me. In my hazy vision, I can recognize two people.

My mom is across from me.

Was her surgery today? Did I miss it? I don't remember seeing her before she went in. What is going on? If she's here, that probably means something went wrong with her surgery. My dad probably had to bring her to the ER. I wasn't there to help. 

Maybe I was on my way to the hospital. That makes sense. I was coming here because my mom is here. I was in an uber, that's why I don't know the driver. Delilah came with me. We got in an accident on the way here.

I must have blacked out from an anxiety attack after getting in the car, which is why I couldn't remember getting into the car. That hasn't happened in awhile. 

I slowly piece together the possibilities. Everything starts to become clear.

My mom waves and smiles.

I look to my mom's right and see someone else I recognize.

Delia.

Her eyes are shut, and she's motionless in the bed. 

Now I'm more confused than I was before. How is she here? Maybe it's only someone that looks like her. It can't be her. My vision isn't great now, I must be seeing things strangely.

Her heart monitor starts beeping loudly. My vision is suddenly clear. I know it is Delia. She's the only thing in focus, everything else is blurry. 

I try to run out of my bed to help her, but I can't move. Doctors start running to her bed and pull her away. I try to yell out to her, but I still can't talk. 

I see more doctors running from the opposite side of the room. 

They're running to Delilah. A different machine is going off above her bed. Something is seriously wrong. I can't have Delilah leave me.

I start flailing my limbs like a toddler. I need to get to Delilah. Someone from behind starts pulling my bed out of the room. I have no idea where I'm being pulled to and the white is creeping back into my vision and soon I can't see Delilah and all I hear is a ringing in my ears and the pounding of my heart and I-

I sit up abruptly. My heart is racing and my breathing is heavy. I look around slowly.

I'm in my room. It's dark outside. I can see the shadow of the moon through my curtains. The clock says it's 1:30.

I look down to my left. Delilah is there, sleeping peacefully. 

It was just a dream. Delilah is still here. She is okay. I am okay. Everyone is okay.

My mom!

I quietly walk out of the room and down the hall. My mom's door is open slightly, and I can see her sleeping. She is fine too. Her surgery is in two days, it hasn't happened yet. I breathe a sigh of relief.

I haven't had a nightmare like that in a long time. It was so vivid and real. My heart beat is slowing down but I still feel the remaining anxiety. My veins are pulsing and my hands are lightly shaking. I keep reminding myself that it wasn't real and everyone is okay.

I never want to dream something like that again. I never want to see Delilah like that, even if it's just a dream. 

I head back to my room quietly and slowly get back into bed. I pull Delilah closer and gently kiss her shoulder. She stirs lightly and turns to me.

"Everything okay?" she whispers, still half asleep.

"Now it is," I tell her. "It was just a bad dream."

She smiles slightly but her eyes are still shut. She blindly searches for my hand and squeezes it gently. She sleepily kisses my knuckles.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks.

"No," I whisper. "I'm happy you're safe beside me."

"I'm right here. I always will be," she says. 

hiii!!! sorry this is super short but I kinda needed a transition chapter and I hadn't updated in forever so I wanted to get something up! thank you for being patient through my month of illness lol

I hope I didn't make you too nervous!

btw happy halloween :)

-ashley