Subject Me To Love [Book Two]

Chapter Three

*Not edited* Not proofread*

Chapter 3– That's my business:

        I'd never been inside the walls of a hospital before in my entire life. I'd never needed to. I saw the outside of them in passing, but there was never a need for me to step through the doors. The ones I'd seen on the TV, though, made them seem chaotic, like everybody inside was in a constant uproar.

        But as it turns out, they're not like the movies and TV series perceive at all. At least the one local to Raven Hollow isn't.

        The waiting room we're in is simple and out of the way. The walls are a light grey, almost white, and the cushioned chairs a lime green. The atmosphere is calm around us. It has a funny smell to it, though, I'll admit— in fact, the whole place does. It's not a sterile, clean smell, like soap or sanitiser, but something more sour. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it smells bad and I don't like it. 

        Lilah's mom and dad stand in the corner of the room, and I try to avoid looking at them the best I can, although Mrs. Johansson's loud sobs are hard to ignore. Her husband tries to calm her and ease her nerves but it does little for her broken state.

        Landon paces the corridors outside, not wanting to be around the people in here— and I don't blame him. Zeke sits on the chair next to me with his head in his hands and Dakota resides in one behind us in the corner (staring blankly at the wall the last time I checked), and Gray, who came as soon as he heard the news from Landon, is somewhere around here punching walls and trying to fight anybody that gets in his way. Jace, on the other hand, isn't here; he offered to stay at home with Benny until the Johansson's got back.

        Lilah went straight into surgery the  second she arrived at the hospital with the paramedics. She had a collapsed lung and internal bleeding. However she should be coming out soon as she's already been in there a good four hours.

Her severed fingers were fortunately salvageable and a plastic surgeon will sew them back on after her lung surgery and once they've managed to stop the internal bleeding in her stomach. At least that's what I was able to work out in between all the long complicated words the doctors were spewing. They'd been coming in and out to deliver updates, so far all good given the circumstances.

        The police arrived a little after we did, asking the boys and I questions of Lilah's temporary disappearance. As Dakota and I were the ones who found her, we were interrogated longer. I didn't like the way the spoke to me and was threatened to be arrested a few times, but other than that I answered the questions smoothly. Only lying once when they asked me if I knew or had any idea of who could have assaulted Lilah.

        My answer was no.

        "Mr. and Mrs. Johansson?" The main surgeon in Lilah's surgery comes through the heavy-looking double doors in a set of dark green scrubs, and I perk up at the sight of him, as does everyone else. His eyes scan the area briefly before he see's Lilah's parents walk over. The three of them speak in hushed voices but by the way Lilah's mom slumps to the floor and let's out a sob of relief, I know the news is good. No matter what complications or how long the recovery, the fact of the matter is Lilah's going to be fine.

        Only family can go in and see her at this moment in time, but neither of us protest it. Mr. and Mrs. Johansson jump at the chance to see their daughter and follow the doctor out of the waiting room. Zeke excuses himself to go and find Landon and Gray so he can share the good news and put his friend's minds at ease.