Punching In A Dream
Artist: The Naked and Famous
A/N: Inspired by ramblings from the DTC. I dedicate this one to them.
"Code Blue! Code Blue!" a man in all black shouted. Eli's eyes were barely opened but he could see glimmers of his surroundings. All around him people rushed by. People spoke in hurried tones and Eli could hear the sound of heavy footfalls against the linoleum floor. He was moving quickly and Eli opened his eyes a bit wider to see what was going on. He was laying down. Instantly he was confused but his mind was far too groggy to attempt piecing it all together. He stared up at the ceiling as the medical crew raced him around the hospital. The overhead lights were far too bright. He winced and looked away. The headache he just noticed he had consumed him. He tried to reach his hand to his forehead but was restricted. He peered down. Eli was strapped to the stretcher.
"Sixteen year old, male. Car crash," someone nearby said as they slowed down. Eli groaned and closed his eyes. He could feel himself being moved. He was far too tired to keep up with the going ons anymore. He could hear voices but was unable to decipher the words. Eli felt a band go over his arm as his pressure was being taken. His eyes flickered open a bit. A man in a white lab coat and glasses sat by his bedside. The man seemed unaware Eli was watching him. His focus was on the screen a few inches away. Eli wanted to speak but his throat felt dry. He knew his voice was hoarse. He tried clearing his throat. It made a small sound but did little to nothing in way of changing his resolve. The doctor removed the instrument and jotted down his findings on a paper.
Eli's mind was still spinning. I'm in the hospital, he said to himself. He made a face as he thought back in his mind. Why am I here?, he wondered. It all played out like a movie in his head. He remembered sitting outside for hours. He watched the color in the sky change as he sat on their special bench. He knew she wasn't going to show but he still held out the hope that she would. He thought back to earlier. He and Clare had their share of issues as of late. He wanted to make things right between them. The trip was his masterplan to get them back on track. "I thought you'd be a little more excited," he had said when he presented her with tickets to a convention. "What more do you want, Eli? We're going." Her sharp tone brought him up short but he smiled nonetheless. Inside he felt panicked and scared but he wouldn't let that side of himself show.
As Eli still layed out on the hospital bed, he could see her blue eyes watching him. They held so much malice and irritation. He shook his head in a poor attempt to clear it. He allowed himself to recount his night. He told her where he would be. He gave her the time and everything, the rest was up to her. Eli sat anxiously, his eyes constantly scanning the area for any sign of her. She stood him up and Eli's heart sank. He needed to escape and show her that he in fact truly cared. Hearing her voice on the phone sent his mind into overdrive. He felt too many emotions at once. "I love you, Clare. And I know you love me," he spoke as he pressed his foot against the gas. He could hear her calling out to him as he set his phone aside. "Eli answer me!," she screamed. Eli simply closed his eyes and let Morty take control.
After that Eli drew a serious blank. He figured someone must have called the ambulance. It was the only way to explain how he ended up in the hospital. Eli looked around. He was alone now. He wondered when the doctor had left. He shrugged the thought off. Just then the door to his room opened. A smile flickered across his face as he saw her. He wondered why she looked so scared. Their encounter soon turned sour. "You're manipulating me," she spat. The words burned Eli. He reached for her but she simply turned and ran away. He watched her go, wishing he had the ability to get up and follow after. Growing frustrated, he closed his eyes back. He could feel his heart racing. It felt as if the room were spinning. Even as his eyes remained shut, his blood ran quickly. Eli jerked upright. He grabbed for his throat. He looked down. Gone was his hospital gown. In its place was his Dead hand tee.
"Eli, what's wrong? Are you alright?" Eli's eyes widened as he looked at Clare. His head whipped around as he took in his surroundings. Was he not just in the hospital? How did he get back home so quickly? And why was she there?
"Clare, I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean to. You have to believe me." He felt panicked as he tried his best to collect his thoughts. She put a hand on his face. Eli collapsed against her palm.
"Why are you apologizing?" She wiped his face. "You fell asleep during the movie, that's hardly a criminal offense," she mused.
Eli stared back at her. "Fell asleep?" he questioned. Nothing about the moment seemed right to him.
She let out a small laugh. "Yes, Elijah. You had a long day, it's alright." She watched him with cautious eyes as beads of sweat rolled down his face, his chest heaving. "That must have been one terrible nightmare you had," she noted with a frown.
Eli breathed out slowly closing his eyes. "You don't know the half of it." He shook his head. "But luckily it was just that: a nightmare. You're here now and that's all I could ever ask for."
This seemed to delight her. "And that's the way it'll always be."
[One shot totally just popped into mind, not my best but eh whatevs lol]