The Girl In Room 417

Untitled Part 6

It's a couple days until I have the time to make a longer visit to the hospital, so I try and drop in for 15 minutes every morning and evening, but it doesn't feel right.

The last time I had been there had been Thursday evening and I had walked in on 417's infamous magic show.

It sucked, but the smaller kids enjoyed it.

I hadn't stayed for long, but today is Friday and I have the whole day to myself. Which, obviously means an entire day shared with Emily.

I pass room 417 and spare a passing glance through the window. She is propped up in her bed and staring into the distance. Her hair falls haphazardly down her shoulders and she looks almost ethereal.

Like a nymph trapped in a foreign world. I shake my head at the curious spectacle and move down the corridor and into Emily's room. I stop in the doorway and stare at the empty bed for a moment.

My head tilts slightly as I hear the taps in the bathroom run and I settle into my usual seat, my mind slightly more at ease.

She exits and peers up at me, shooting me a small smile.

"Help me back into bed?"

"You feeling weak again?" I ask, wrapping an arm around her and lifting her into bed.

"A little, better than last week though. That's a good sign."

"It sure is."

We settle into comfortable silence as Em flicks through different TV stations.

I mutter about the size of the TV under my breath.

"It's not that small."

I guess I wasn't as quiet as I had thought.

"It's a lot smaller than the one in room 417." I mutter again.

Emily snorts and rolls her eyes.

"You know she offered it? She offers it to everyone. She never uses it, but that room is the biggest so it's easier to store it in there."

"Why didn't you take it then?"

"I did for a little bit, I didn't like it. Hurt my eyes."

I nod and mull that over in my mind.

"Why doesn't she use it?" I ask.

Emily shrugs, not bothered and settles on what looks like a rom-com. I think Em has seen it before, but I'm unfamiliar with it.

I prop my feet up on the spare chair and watch it without complaint.

-

After an hour of sitting through decidedly the worst film in existence, I presume I have earnt myself a trip to the crappy cafeteria. I leave Emily with the promise of returning with some-what tasty snacks and a renewed interest with whatever we would watch next.

I shudder at the thought of another rom-com.

The selection consists of poorly packaged rolls and oddly bright looking crisp packets. I pick up a couple chocolate bars and decide to eat properly later. I had only promised snacks after all.

I pay the lady working the checkout, who looks far sorrier for herself than any of the inpatients I have seen, and work my way back to my sister.

I take my time, trying to buy as much freedom from the undoubtedly bad film that Emily was going to enforce on me.

I waltz through the main doors, separating paediatrics from the rest of the hospital and take a sparing glance into room 417. My eyes seem to wander to the door without my permission. Perhaps it's morbid curiosity.

She's still there, sat in the same position and hooked up to the same clear IV that I had seen the other day, only this stand is covered in shiny hearts and stars.

I prefer the Pokémon stickers.

She looks up and sees me there. She appears to be some-what happy to see me.

"Hi Ben!" She says cheerily and I huff.

"Hi."

"Just made a trip to the cafeteria? Did Doris look as depressed as she usually does on a Friday?" Her voice is light and breezy, as if we are exchanging words anywhere besides a hospital.

"Yes. Does she ever look any different?"

"Not really, but Fridays, I think, are the worst." She fiddles with her IV stand and gestures with her free arm.

She catches my glance at the stand and sighs.

"I prefer my other stand too. Tommy in 423 has a thing for Pokémon, so I let him borrow mine." She sighs sadly and flicks the stand, but there's a small smile on her face nevertheless.

"How are you so happy all the time? You live in a hospital."

I wince slightly. I could have worded that slightly differently. Maybe not have been so...sharp.

She shrugs, seemingly unaffected by my attitude.

"There's always going to be someone who has it worse. I'm surrounded by kids, really sick kids and they're scared, Ben. Anything I can do to make this experience less scary for them is worth it. Even if it's just a smile."

"Just a smile?"

She looks at me knowingly and grins.

"A smile can work miracles, Ben. You know that."

I think back to a previous morning where I had used a smile to sneak in a few minutes early. I suppose I do understand what she's getting at, but we don't use a smile in the same way. She uses hers to make people happy, I use mine to get what I want.

I nod, my eyebrows puckering slightly as I mull over what she said.

I abruptly turn and walk back towards my sister, who by now is surely impatiently awaiting my arrival.

How is it that 417 always manages to make me think?