oh snap! some stuff's about to go down! this chapter is really touching (i hope!) and leads into a whole new world...
We rushed to the hospital and met up with Garrett in the waiting room, his eyes were bloodshot red and his nail beds were torn and bloody from his nervous nail biting habit. Jared solemnly sat in the corner staring into space, "is he alright?" I asked Garrett. He looked over at Jared, "he's uh, he's fine, he's just a little freaked. He was supposed to be in that car with Pat and Kenny, but he opted for a ride with his girlfriend." I couldn't imagine how that must've felt, knowing you were supposed to be in that car. I searched the waiting room for anyone else familiar, "where's john?" I asked Garrett. Before he could answer John came running around the corner and out of breathe he called out, "Pat's awake, he's awake!" We all took off after John following him to Pat's room where he sat up in bed, one eye was bruised and swollen shut and he had about 6 stitches across his bottom lip. The doctor stood next to the bed and closely watched the monitors; laying his clip board down on the edge of the bed he asked "how are you feeling Mr. Kirch?" Pat looked around the room at everyone and finally replied in a weak voice, "I feel like I got hit in the face with a Mac truck." Everyone finally started to breathe, "Pat, what happened?" Jared asked his voice a little shaky. Pat closed his eyes and swallowed hard, "I, I was driving," he began, "and I was stopped at a red light, and, and when it turned green, I went. Then all I remember is a flash of white light, and I woke up here." The doctor shook his head and picked up his clip board, "you were hit from the side," he explained, "a drunk driver in a pickup truck ran a red light and collided with you. You're very lucky to be in as good of condition that you are, you're friend still hasn't woken up yet."
Kennedy. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten about him, he must've been in the passenger seat, and they got hit on the side…if Pat looked like this, how was he? "Where's Kennedy?" I asked the doctor, my voice cracking as my throat started to close, "Can, can I see him?" The doctor looked down at his chart and then back up at me, "Kennedy is just out of recovery in room A11, you can go see him if you'd like, but he's still not fully awake." Eric grabbed my hand, "do you want me to come with you?" he asked. "No, it's okay, you stay here with Pat," I replied, "I should probably do this alone anyway." I followed Dr. Saunders to room A11 and thanked him as I closed the door behind me. My heart fell when I saw Kennedy; he lay in the hospital bed with a bandage wrapped around his head, a neck brace, a cast on his right arm, and an air cast on his left foot. The monitor beeped slowly as it followed his heart rate, and as I approached the bed I felt the tears start burning again. Sitting down on the edge of the bed I sucked in a deep breath and reached for Kennedy's hand, "I know you're in a coma right now, but I, I have a feeling you can hear me. So Kennedy, if you can hear my voice, even just a little bit, just squeeze my hand or something." I looked down at Kennedy's hand in mine and watched as his pointer finger twitched a slight bit. "Okay, I'll take that as you can hear me," the tears started falling as I tried to speak again, "This is so you Kenny. We don't talk for almost 4 months, and finally when things start turning around and we actually become friends again, you go and get yourself almost killed." My arm started to itch a little and I gently scratched it continuing to talk to Kennedy, "I'm so sorry this happened," I began, "I have no idea what I'd do if I lost you Kennedy. I need you around ya know, I need someone to fight with from time to time, and you need someone who's some actual competition on Left For Dead 2." Without realizing it my arm started to itch more and more, "You know Kennedy; you were the first person I ever loved. Of course you know that, what am I saying? I wish you'd wake up, I just need to know you're okay."
I sat with Kennedy on the bed for a little while longer and watched as his heart monitor continued to beep, but he never woke up. Finally I broke down, "Kennedy I know you can hear me. You gotta wake up okay, you have to. Cause me and you, we need the chance to be friends again, I need you back in my life Kennedy. So just do me a favor and open your eyes, please!" I squeezed his hand tighter, "please Kennedy. I forgive you, for everything, please just wake up." Staring at the floor I realized my attempts were pointless, my arm burned and unconsciously I continued to scratch until blood started to rise up to the surface and get under my nails.
"Britta?" I heard a voice whisper behind me. I whipped around, Kennedy lay looking up at me, "Kennedy!" I exclaimed, "You're awake." His eyes fluttered, "where, where am I?" he asked confused. "Kennedy, you're in the hospital honey. You and Pat, you got into a bad accident driving home." Squeezing his eyes shut Kennedy tried to make sense of what I was saying, "What, we, were in an accident?" I brushed the hair away from his eyes, "a drunk driver ran a red light and hit you on the passenger side, and you got real hurt so don't try and move okay." Lifting his left arm he reached over and felt his cast, "this is crazy," he whispered, "how, how's pat? Is he okay?" I shook my head, "he woke up a little while ago, he's got some cuts and bruises but he should be fine." Kennedy exhaled deeply, "thank goodness." I rested my head on his shoulder, "I can't believe this," my voice muffled into his arm. Kennedy slowly patted my head with his left hand, "I heard what you said," he smiled. "Everything?" I asked. "Well bits and pieces," he explained, "but I heard you crying and I didn't know why." "Oh Kenny," I began to cry again, "I was so scared I'd never be able hear your voice again." "I'm not giving up this easy," Kennedy joked. I couldn't help but laugh, I was just so relieved Kennedy was okay. I lifted my head off his shoulder and crawled off the bed, "I should probably tell a nurse or something you're awake," I said whipping my eyes. Kennedy got a confused look on his face, "Britta," he began, "what happened to your arm?" Wrinkling my brow I looked down and asked, "what, what about it?" then I saw it in the light. All down my left arm were cracked and bleeding bright red hives, "oh my god," I whispered.
That type of rash ran in my family and I'd only seen it twice in my life. Once when my Aunt Jess was pregnant with my cousin, and twice when my mother found out she was pregnant with my little sister. And now it was crawling up MY forearm…