Dreamcatcher (ONC 2020)

Epilogue

One week later.

The sound of my shoes making contact with the smooth hospital floor echoes around the hallway. I hurry past the various rooms, glancing every so often at the room numbers beside their doors.

206, 207, 208...

I stop beside Room 209 to catch my breath. As soon as Layla called me saying that they'd finally opened up the room for visitors, I made my way over here as fast as possible. But now that I'm here, standing in front of the door, I'm not feeling so sure about this. Will he even want to see me? Surely, he must have realized that, no matter how he thinks about it, everything that has happened is undoubtedly my fault.

I shove away these thoughts and reach for the door handle, pulling it to the side and opening the door. Then I walk inside as it shuts quietly behind me.

Liam's sitting upright on the hospital bed, looking out the window next to him. He turns his head toward me when he hears the door open. His hair is messy, he's wearing a hospital gown, and he looks exhausted, but he manages a small smile when he sees me.

"Dakota," he says softly. "I didn't think you'd come."

"I... I didn't think so either." I walk closer to his bed. "Not until this morning, at least."

He doesn't answer right away. After a few beats, he says, "I've been doing a lot of thinking these past few days."

"Really?" I say. "What thinking?"

"Just random things, you know," Liam says. "I've been thinking about you. About Layla and Vera, about the psychics. The people we lost." He closes his eyes briefly. "But I wanted to ask you. Why that phrase?"

"What?"

"I mean, 'Where do you keep the dreamcatchers?' Why that?"

"Oh." I breathe out a laugh. "It was my dad who thought of that. Dreamcatchers are actually these little feathered willow hoops, you know. They're part of Native American culture. Apparently, if you hang one above where you sleep, you'll remember your dreams better in the morning."

"Wow... I've never heard of them." Liam smirks, but it somehow looks sad. "Your dad sure is a smartass, huh?"

"Yeah," I say. "He's moderately smart, and can sure be an ass."

Liam laughs, and the sound rings across the room like music. "Sounds like a nice guy. Can I meet him one day?"

I stare at him. "What?"

"I said, can I meet him one day?"

"Um," I avert my gaze. "But you hate me, right? Why would you want to meet my dad?"

"What?" Liam gapes at me. "Of course I don't hate you. Where'd you get that idea from?"

"I mean, technically I'm the whole reason why you're here right now, and maybe if I were a bit stronger, then maybe your leg would still be okay and Vera wouldn't have had the chance to do any of that, and—"

"Dakota! Calm down." Liam shifts closer to me."Look, it was my choice to fight with you guys. And also, you could've done anything you wanted, and I still would've managed to find a way to get there and help. So, if anything, this is all my fault." He pauses, moving his left leg underneath the blanket that covers it. "You don't have to worry about me. I've already started to do some physical therapy, and I'll get myself a fancy prosthesis." He smiles sadly. "It's going to be fine."

"I'll pay for it," I say immediately.

"Pay for it? My prosthesis?" Liam laughs. "With what money?"