The Girl In Room 417

Untitled Part 10

           

The next day I find I have a spring in my step and I check myself. Am I really so excited to see a glimpse of the girl residing in room 417?

It seems I was, as when I chance a glance into her room, it is empty and I feel the smile slide off my face. It is soon replaced with a frown. I shove my hands into my pockets moodily, ignoring the nurse's friendly smile which I am currently in no state to return.

Turning into Emily's room, I am met with the sound of my sister's giggle.

"Why the thunder-frown?" My sister pipes up, although my mood seems to dissipate instantly as my gaze falls on the glistening eyes of 417.

"Hey Emily, 417." I say, glaring at my sister for her unnecessary comment.

417 waves but slides off my sister's bed, gathering her things. I frown at that.

"You can stay." Emily says, pleadingly and I watch 417's face contort with discomfort.

"Really, Em, it's fine. I'm sure you want some privacy." She says dismissively, picking up a huge woollen cardigan.

"It's fine, really. My sister seems to enjoy your company." I insist.

"What about you?" She questions, still uncertain.

I shrug but offer her a small smile, which she seems to take as confirmation to stay. She hauls her things back onto the bed, settling herself again.

I decide quickly to fill the silence before it becomes uncomfortable.

"So, Emily tells me we have a lot in common?" I say, glancing at 417 who is absent-mindedly playing with a loose curl of hair.

"We do? I'm not entirely sure." She says, flicking her eyes to Emily who is looking particularly smug. She nods quickly.

"You're both nineteen, you both have the same favourite colour; blue, you both favour dogs over cats and you're both a pain in my ass."

"Hey!" We seem to protest in unison and I blush slightly whilst 417 just laughs.

"If you're nineteen, aren't you a little old for paediatrics?" I ask, trying to phrase it delicately.

417 looks immediately uneasy. She nods slightly, looking down at her hands.

"Yes, in any other circumstance I would be in the main wing of the hospital but, given my history and my condition, I'm allowed to stay here. Dr. Wells has been my doctor for a long time, he's very familiar with my medical records." She says, not going into a lot of detail. Her eyes flicker around the room quickly and I note Emily's 'Abort Mission' gaze.

I nod quickly and am relieved when Emily steers the conversation in a different direction. Talking to 417 is often very frustrating, she's very willing to answer questions, but her answers leave me with 5 new questions.

Another frustration being, what is her real name? I'm getting pretty sick of referring to her by a number.

I clench and unclench my fists in my lap, trying to tame my irrational rage at the most insignificant detail. Nicknames don't usually bother me this much, although perhaps that's because I always know their actual name.

I tune out of their conversation, trying to calm my inquisitive mind.

"Isn't that right, Benny?"

I look up at my sister before nodding my head. She looks towards 417 and collapses into peals of laughter. I roll my eyes and assume I should have been paying more attention. I try to ignore my warm cheeks, focusing instead on the warm laugh of 417 and the way her long blonde hair falls messily around her.

She really doesn't look sick, especially right now. She's a vision.

"What did I unwittingly agree to?" I ask plainly, dragging my eyes away from the bed.

"That you'd be my slave for all eternity."

I roll my eyes.

"Aren't I already?" I mutter and Emily looks thoughtful.

"Mmm, that is true, but you don't buy me enough chocolate."

"Get yourself a poor, helpless boyfriend to do that." I scoff and Emily gapes.

"You're supposed to be overprotective big-brother, not encouraging me to get a boyfriend!"

"Cause I know you'll never get one." I laugh at my own joke, before being whipped by rogue headphones.

"Ow." I rub my arm, feeling sympathetic to myself. I didn't deserve to be whipped with listening devices.

"Serves you right for being so rude." Emily huffs and 417 has a wide grin, watching the banter between siblings must be quite entertaining for her.

She glances down at her watch, concealed by her long sleeves and sighs. She jumps up and gathers her things in one arm.

"I gotta go, Em. I'll see you soon, nice to see you, Ben." She says, saluting us before ambling down the corridor.

"Where's she off to?" I ask, my eyes still following her as she disappears down the room.

"Don't know, I told you, she's pretty elusive." Emily shrugs and I frown. I wouldn't be able to stand not knowing.

"She doesn't tell you?"

"I don't ask, Ben." She says, exasperated.

"Why not?"

"Because it's none of my business! We're in a hospital, Ben! I don't ask because she's entitled to as much privacy as you can get in a place like this." She mutters the last part and I decide to prod further.

"What do you mean?"

"In here, everyone knows everything. You don't mean to, but gossip travels and the nurses aren't exactly concerned with our privacy. I've been here a couple weeks and already, everyone knows my life story. I hate it. 417's been here for years, so if all I can give her is a bit of space and her dignity, then I'm giving it to her." She says with a huff; her tone very final.

I hadn't really thought about the hospital dynamic, it's like a completely separate system, working adjacent to the real world. I have never even considered what it's like to live here, because I assumed that it wouldn't have any problems, but everything seems to have problems these days.

Everything in this hospital is temporary. The beds have thin, inexpensive sheets, ready to be washed or thrown as soon as a patient leaves, and another enters. All the technology, the furniture, all of it is temporary, so it doesn't have to be comfortable or pretty. But for 417, this place has become permanent.

I shiver at the thought. I could barely stand being here for a couple hours.

I nod slowly and Emily looks triumphant. She leans back and closes her eyes. I take this as a chance to really look at her. She looks very much the same, her hair a little longer and slightly patchy, but still there. Her skin is pale and mottled with bruises in some places but altogether she looks very much the same.

So how is it that she sounds so wise?