Chapter 18: Feelings Wrenched From Your Heart
I flicked my eyes open. The lights dazzled me as I woke up. I stared out at Time Square. I turned around to see the rest of the crew. Nathan and Lucas were glued to the window and staring with awe. However, Cheyenne fixed her eye to the road and wouldn't look at any of the attractions.
We pulled up to a hotel and took our stuff out. We got 2 rooms. One for me and Nathan; the other for Lucas and Cheyenne.
Lucas and Nathan took off for the conference immediately. They were so excited that they dressed up and left fast.
Alone, I walked to Cheyenne's room. She was sitting in a wooden chair and staring out of the window. I slumped down next to her in another scratched wooden chair.
"Hey..." I said sheepishly.
"O... hi..." she said meekly.
"Whatcha looking at?"
"O just the buildings. It brings back all these old memories."
"huh... well do you wanna visit these buildings?"
"No not really... I think.... I think I'm ready now."
"For what?"
"To visit Chloe."
That took my breath away.
"Are you sure?"
"I have to... if I don't, then I won't move on..."
"Ok... do you want to go now?"
"Yeah, let me grab my purse."
She softly got up and grabbed a coat and handbag. Then she looked at me expressionlessly.
"Cmon..." I said as I pulled her into a hug and walked out with my arm dangling over her shoulder.
We had just pulled up to the NYU's hospital. Cheyenne was deathly pale, but determined. I admired her. Here she was taking a huge step, and going someplace where everything could go wrong.
When we entered the lobby, the receptionist greeted us without an air of concern.
"Who will you be seeing?" she asked.
"Chloe Biggins," I said. Cheyenne was too pale to speak.
"O really, she hasn't had so many visitors for a while. She's in room 215."
When we had arrived at the room, I let Cheyenne go in alone. The only sounds I could hear were muffled sobbing and blabber. Slowly, I walked away down the hall. Cheyenne had to do this without me by her side.
I continued to walk aimlessly. All lost thoughts drifted into my mind. I felt clouded with the memories of my own life.
When my grandmother died, I felt lost and lonesome.
When my father had died, I was a mere child, but the agony I felt was that of an adult.
When my little brother almost drowned, I felt torn. He was a pest that I needed in my life. We used to talk about the opposite sex, high school issues, and family problems.
When my older sister got into a car crash, I felt useless by her side. She was hooked up to a rattling machine and I couldn't help her. That must be how Cheyenne feels.
All these experiences just showed me how painful life is. Nothing could ever change it. We were meant to feel pain and joy.
My thoughts continued to swirl into a mist. Thoughts were spinning in my own mind. I didn't even notice the soft tears flooding my face. Gently, they dripped onto the floor and clouded my vision.
I sat down on a wooden bench in the hallway. I wiped away the tears and stared into the oblivion. The pure silence was interrupted by a loud echoing scream. I jolted in panic and ran towards room 215.
I saw Cheyenne outside of the room, wringing her hands. Her face was drenched in cold sweat and warm tears. Rows of doctors bustled into the room. Nurses rushed Chloe to a different room. I saw them push Chloe on a bed.
She looked like Cheyenne. I felt my heart rip when I noticed her eyes. They were empty. Like she wasn't anything. Heart-torn, I looked at Cheyenne. She looked heartbroken.
The true painfulness of the situation wrenched my heart and numbed my mind. What was going on?
All I knew was that something was wrong with Chloe. But what?
I couldn't even look at Cheyenne. This was my fault. I shouldn't have forced her. If I didn't, then this wouldn't have happened.
Guilt washed over me. It dulled the pain, but left me hurting more. What have I done?
We sat there for a long time. Time ticked away, but the pain stayed. In fact, it grew. It plagued me. It tormented Cheyenne.
Just then the head neurologist walked into the waiting room. He inched towards us in slow motion.
Why was Chloe affecting me like this? She isn't my sister, but I feel since I know Cheyenne, I know her.
When he did reach us, I felt the stabs of suspense slash through me.
"Biggins?" he asked.
We nodded our heads. The stench of the gloominess hung in the air. The pain thickened the air we breathed. My throat tightened with pain.
"Ms. Biggins has just been pulled out of her vegetative state. She is conscious. We have managed to regulate her oxygen levels and her heart rate. I have never seen such a miraculous recovery in my entire career. It was truly an amazing experience. We have some papers for you to fill out."
As he uttered those words, I felt the warmth return to my cold frail body. The dead tips of my fingers became alive. My spine tingled with relief. I dashed off the chair and pulled Cheyenne into a suffocating hug. Her body racked with sobs as she let out relief.
When the tears started to dry, Cheyenne looked at me.
"Haley, I'm so glad you're here," she whispered.
"What are best friends for, huh? C'mon cry baby, go visit your sister," I urged. I knew she was dying to see her awake.
She got up and smiled at me. Then she slowly walked into Chloe's room. I walked over to the receptionist and did the paper work.
I flicked my eyes open. The lights dazzled me as I woke up. I stared out at Time Square. I turned around to see the rest of the crew. Nathan and Lucas were glued to the window and staring with awe. However, Cheyenne fixed her eye to the road and wouldn't look at any of the attractions.
We pulled up to a hotel and took our stuff out. We got 2 rooms. One for me and Nathan; the other for Lucas and Cheyenne.
Lucas and Nathan took off for the conference immediately. They were so excited that they dressed up and left fast.
Alone, I walked to Cheyenne's room. She was sitting in a wooden chair and staring out of the window. I slumped down next to her in another scratched wooden chair.
"Hey..." I said sheepishly.
"O... hi..." she said meekly.
"Whatcha looking at?"
"O just the buildings. It brings back all these old memories."
"huh... well do you wanna visit these buildings?"
"No not really... I think.... I think I'm ready now."
"For what?"
"To visit Chloe."
That took my breath away.
"Are you sure?"
"I have to... if I don't, then I won't move on..."
"Ok... do you want to go now?"
"Yeah, let me grab my purse."
She softly got up and grabbed a coat and handbag. Then she looked at me expressionlessly.
"Cmon..." I said as I pulled her into a hug and walked out with my arm dangling over her shoulder.
We had just pulled up to the NYU's hospital. Cheyenne was deathly pale, but determined. I admired her. Here she was taking a huge step, and going someplace where everything could go wrong.
When we entered the lobby, the receptionist greeted us without an air of concern.
"Who will you be seeing?" she asked.
"Chloe Biggins," I said. Cheyenne was too pale to speak.
"O really, she hasn't had so many visitors for a while. She's in room 215."
When we had arrived at the room, I let Cheyenne go in alone. The only sounds I could hear were muffled sobbing and blabber. Slowly, I walked away down the hall. Cheyenne had to do this without me by her side.
I continued to walk aimlessly. All lost thoughts drifted into my mind. I felt clouded with the memories of my own life.
When my grandmother died, I felt lost and lonesome.
When my father had died, I was a mere child, but the agony I felt was that of an adult.
When my little brother almost drowned, I felt torn. He was a pest that I needed in my life. We used to talk about the opposite sex, high school issues, and family problems.
When my older sister got into a car crash, I felt useless by her side. She was hooked up to a rattling machine and I couldn't help her. That must be how Cheyenne feels.
All these experiences just showed me how painful life is. Nothing could ever change it. We were meant to feel pain and joy.
My thoughts continued to swirl into a mist. Thoughts were spinning in my own mind. I didn't even notice the soft tears flooding my face. Gently, they dripped onto the floor and clouded my vision.
I sat down on a wooden bench in the hallway. I wiped away the tears and stared into the oblivion. The pure silence was interrupted by a loud echoing scream. I jolted in panic and ran towards room 215.
I saw Cheyenne outside of the room, wringing her hands. Her face was drenched in cold sweat and warm tears. Rows of doctors bustled into the room. Nurses rushed Chloe to a different room. I saw them push Chloe on a bed.
She looked like Cheyenne. I felt my heart rip when I noticed her eyes. They were empty. Like she wasn't anything. Heart-torn, I looked at Cheyenne. She looked heartbroken.
The true painfulness of the situation wrenched my heart and numbed my mind. What was going on?
All I knew was that something was wrong with Chloe. But what?
I couldn't even look at Cheyenne. This was my fault. I shouldn't have forced her. If I didn't, then this wouldn't have happened.
Guilt washed over me. It dulled the pain, but left me hurting more. What have I done?
We sat there for a long time. Time ticked away, but the pain stayed. In fact, it grew. It plagued me. It tormented Cheyenne.
Just then the head neurologist walked into the waiting room. He inched towards us in slow motion.
Why was Chloe affecting me like this? She isn't my sister, but I feel since I know Cheyenne, I know her.
When he did reach us, I felt the stabs of suspense slash through me.
"Biggins?" he asked.
We nodded our heads. The stench of the gloominess hung in the air. The pain thickened the air we breathed. My throat tightened with pain.
"Ms. Biggins has just been pulled out of her vegetative state. She is conscious. We have managed to regulate her oxygen levels and her heart rate. I have never seen such a miraculous recovery in my entire career. It was truly an amazing experience. We have some papers for you to fill out."
As he uttered those words, I felt the warmth return to my cold frail body. The dead tips of my fingers became alive. My spine tingled with relief. I dashed off the chair and pulled Cheyenne into a suffocating hug. Her body racked with sobs as she let out relief.
When the tears started to dry, Cheyenne looked at me.
"Haley, I'm so glad you're here," she whispered.
"What are best friends for, huh? C'mon cry baby, go visit your sister," I urged. I knew she was dying to see her awake.
She got up and smiled at me. Then she slowly walked into Chloe's room. I walked over to the receptionist and did the paper work.