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Always and Forever (Part 2)Chapter 5"Melanie!" a voice screamed, as she walked up the road to school. She stopped and turned around. It was her friend Carla, who was hurrying to catch up with her. As Carla joined her side, Melanie turned around, and continued walking up the hill. "Are you deaf or what?" Carla demanded. "I've called you at least three times!" "Sorry," she apologised. "I suppose I was thinking about other things." "Oh, come on, Mel! Forget Chloe! She's probably dead by now! And if she's not, then she probably won't know who you are, she would've been in that coma for so long! How old was she when she had that accident?" Carla asked, her eyebrows high and questioning. "Um, nine I think." Melanie frowned in thought. "And how old would she be now?" "Fourteen." "So there you are!" Carla said triumphantly. "Five years she would have been in that coma. Just for Christ's sake, Mel, forget her! She's probably forgotten you!" Melanie gave a weak unconvinced smile. "OK, let's change the subject," she said. Carla smiled in victory, and started talking about her oncoming holiday to Florida, but Melanie didn't listen. She knew she had something important to do that night. Chapter 6Chloe heard footsteps coming into the room. Although she was conscious, she couldn't move. She ached all over, but couldn't tell the nurses. Her arms, legs, fingers and head were all like lead. She didn't recognise the footsteps. They weren't quiet and tapping like her mother's or slow and paced like the doctor's or her father's. They were hesitant, and very quiet. She heard a scrape of a chair to her left, and someone sitting down in it. Who ever it was, was alone. "Chloe?" a female voice spoke, gently, so as not to disturb her. "It's Melanie." Melanie? Chloe thought. Was she that girl with whom she was friends before the accident, who stopped coming a few years ago? "You probably don't remember me, and I'm not even sure if you can hear me, but I'll talk anyway in case you can." Chloe longed to open her eyes and look at her former best friend. But it was physically impossible. Chloe felt Melanie take her hand, and she longed to squeeze it. She tried, but her efforts seemed in vain. She couldn't feel her hand move. "I know I haven't been to visit you in ages, and I know there's no excuse. I suppose I thought there wasn't much use in coming anymore. Well, anyway, how are you feeling? You know you've missed a heck of a lot of work. Five years work! Blimey, I wouldn't like to be in your shoes!" There was a pause as Melanie swallowed hastily. "Chloe, you're going to be alright! Chloe, can't you let me know if you can hear me? Squeeze my hand, open your eyes, anything! Come on Chloe, you can do it!" Chloe heard the pain in Melanie's voice, and without any effort at all, she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Melanie didn't seem to notice it. "Chloe? Can you hear me Chloe?" Melanie took her hand out of Chloe's, and touched her cheek. Chapter 7"Nurse? Nurse! Come here! I think Chloe's conscious!" Melanie cried in surprise. The nurse came running through the doors, and straight up to the bed. Melanie gasped, and told the nurse what Chloe had done. "Chloe? Can you hear me?" the nurse demanded. "I want to see if you can do what you did a little while ago. Can you cry for me?" There was a slight movement from Chloe's hand, so slight it was as though she were struggling. The nurse stared at her. "That was great Chloe. Can you open your eyes?" There was no sign of Chloe being able to open her eyes, so the nurse called the doctor, and went to contact Chloe's parents. Chapter 8Linda rushed into the hospital with Tony clutching her hand to try to slow her down. "Linda, love, she'll still be there in two minutes! Slow down!" "Tony!" Linda slowed to look at her husband. "My baby is conscious! She's been in a coma- unconscious for five years! For Christ's sake, Tony!" Linda got up her pace, and was shown to the room. She stopped at the door, and Tony caught up with her. Inside the room was a nurse, the doctor, and Melanie, Chloe's friend. Chloe wasn't sitting up and smiling at her parents. She wasn't even laying down and smiling at her parents. She looked the same as always. "I thought.." Linda drifted off. "She is conscious, Mrs. Springer." the doctor told her. "She has made some contact with us, although little." "Like what?" Linda asked frantically. "She has cried, and she has moved her hand." the doctor said calmly. "I sincerely think that she can hear us, and is beginning to respond to us. She could be awake fully in a couple of days.. or a couple of weeks. It is uncertain." Linda moved from the doorway, and walked to her daughter's side. "Chloe? I just want to tell you that I love you lots, and I want you to wake up really soon. We have a lot to catch up on, even though you probably know what's happened with me." Linda bent down and kissed Chloe on the fore head. She started to cry, and Tony led her away. Going up himself, he bent and hugged Chloe. "Get well soon, Chlo. You've been dwelling on this accident too long, haven't you? Get better, and when we get you home, we'll have one massive party, inviting all your old friends from school. Me and your Mum have to get going now, Chlo, so don't let the doctors boss you around too much. You'll be fine." He stood up, and turned to go. Tony walked a few steps, and turned round again to look at his daughter. "I love you Chloe."
Always and Forever (Part Three) |