As day turned to night everything seemed darker. More dangerous. Most people were returning to their home to rest for tomorrow. Others were wandering around trying to find shelter for the night. Everyone had some vague idea of where they should be or want to be. Our emo boy Eli Goldsworthy knew exactly where he should be and was driving there.
Eli raced to the hospital as if his life depended on it. It actually didn't and usually he stayed away from hospitals, but the love of his life was there and that was enough for him. As he drove like a maniac with an orchestra of car horns behind him all he could think about was her, his one and only.
He quickly parked his hearse, which he fixed a few months ago with Bullfrogs help, a little crooked and raced inside the hospital. He pushed people out of his way as he went down the white hallway. People yelled at him and one tried to grab his arm only to have Eli slap it away. He wasn't going to let anyone keep him away from her anymore. He already knew what room she was in and wasted no time getting there.
He opened the door labeled Room 19 to find his girlfriend for the last two months on the hospital bed. She was clad in a hospital gown and yet Eli still found his breath being taken away. Her wrists were wrapped in bandages and an IV was dripping a clear liquid to her veins. She was looking out the window next to her and turned when the door opened. She smiled when she saw who it was.
"Hello Eli."
"Imogen."
"In the flesh." She joked.
Eli crossed the room and dragged a chair next to her. He sat and gently took one of her hands like it was in danger of breaking. How can she be smiling? He wondered. He bushed a stray strand of hair from her face and noticed she didn't have her glasses and her eyes looked a little blank. She closed her eyes and sighed while leaning towards Eli's hand. He cupped her face and gave her a chaste kiss to her forehead.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He whispered to her forehead.
"Tell you what?"
"That you're schizophrenic?"
Imogen froze and opened her eyes. She looked at him and pulled away from his hand. She bit her lip and looked out the window again. "Who told you?"
"Your mom did. Imogen, tell me."
"I never told anyone because they would pick on me like people did at my old school. I wanted to tell you, but I was scared you would leave me. So I kept it a secret all this time." When she finished Eli grabbed her chin so she was facing him. He gave her a kiss and hugged her close.
"I'm bipolar and I you knew this before we even met. So what if you're schizo? I would never leave you because of a mental illness. Never."
She shook her head. "That's what Daddy said and he left! He couldn't take it anymore and left me and Mom alone!" She started to cry as she remembered her dad and when he left them alone.
Eli smoothed her loose hair and gently rocked her. He hummed her favorite song as she let it out. Imogen slowly started to calm down and Eli gave her a tissue. "It's okay. I'm not planning to leave anytime soon." She smiled at him and blew her nose. "So how did this happen?"
"The voices. They wouldn't leave me alone. They kept calling me names a-and told me I was better off dead. Th-they said the only way they w-would leave me alone was if I-I did this." She held up her bandaged wrists up. "I-I didn't want to, bu-but they wouldn't leave me a-alone!"
Eli caressed her cheek softly. "Don't cry. They're gone now."
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "No. They're bock." She covered her ears and started to rock back and forth. She muttered replies to the voices as her heart rate and voice increased.
Eli looked around nervously and started to panic a little. What was he supposed to do? He was never experienced anything like this! He finally decided to do the only thing he could do. He gripped her tighter and tried to stop her from rocking. He whispered sweet nothing sin her ear to calm her down. The heart monitor slowed down as Imogen relaxed. Tears slid down her face as she held back sobs. Her hands snaked their way to Eli's shirt and put a death grip on it.
After everything seemed back to normal, Eli loosened his hold on Imogen. He let out a sigh of relief and kissed the top of her head. He started to pull away, but Imogen didn't let him. She tightened her grip on his shirt and covered her face with his chest. She whimpered and shook her head. Eli chuckled and held her tiny hands.
"I'm just going to the bathroom, Imo. I'll be back really quick." She slowly nodded, but didn't let go. "You need to let go for me to go." She slowly let go and looked up at him. Eli laid her down on the bed and she watched him leave.
When Eli came back from the bathroom he saw doctors and nurses crowded around Imogen's room. Surprised, he stopped walking and just stared. He recovered and ran towards the room. He pushed past nurses and stopped when he saw Imogen.
She was being held down by two manly nurses since she was thrashing around. She was screaming and tears fell down her face. She screamed louder as a doctor injected something in her system. As Eli watched her calm down he decided it was a sedative. A nurse grabbed his arm and led him out of the room.
"What's happening?" He asked.
"Sir, calm down."
"What are you doing to her?" He yelled as he yanked his arm away. "Tell me!"
The scared nurse told him all she knew. "She started having a panic attack and tried to take the IV out! She fought with nurse and now they're trying to calm her down! That's all I know!"
As the nurse ran off, Eli sat down on a plastic chair. He put his head in his hands and messed up his already messed up hair. He let out a scream and punched the wall. I should've stayed! Why did I leave her alone? I should've stayed by her side no matter how full my bladder was! What kind of boyfriend am I?
The doctors inside Imogen's room managed to slow her heart rate to normal. Imogen slumped down asleep and the doctors started to leave. They were almost out when they heard a continuous beep. They rushed back to room and checked her vital signs. Eli rushed in the room when the nurses did and watched as they tried to save Imogen's life. He stood there as he watched his love fade away.
The doctors stepped away from Imogen and a nurse looked at the clock. "Cause of death: panic attack. Time of death 12:00 a.m. on March 19, 2012."
Eli slowly walked to Imogen and clutched her hand. He started to scream out her name and shake her. He began to cry and the nurses and doctors walked out of the room and left the broken man alone. Eli stared at his newly dead girlfriends face, but he couldn't believe she was dead. She looked more like she was sleeping instead of being dead. Eli hugged her to his chest as he screamed. He put her back down and stared at her some more to remember every little detail. Elli slowly bent down and gave Imogen one last kiss.
