Fallen Angel
Chapter 13
Carter was sitting up in his bed, watching the clock above the door. Counting down to the end of the hour. She was coming, she was all right, and this would prove something good in the midst of bad. He couldn't seem to smile, but he knew that just seeing her would make the pain and fear fade away if only for a moment, it would all be worth death.
He had been awake for almost seven hours and everyone he had ever met in the hospital seemed to come to visit as well as some he had never known existed. Police ran in and out of the room gathering and giving information. They learned everything they could from Carter before explaining to him that they were unable to contact Jennifer's mother. But they assured him that they would and there would be no reason to worry. Carter tried to believe them, but something kept him from the comfort he sought in their words.
Ticking away, the endless seams of uncertainty, what was to come with the next second that passed? Would there even be another second to see? Mind racing the clock blurring in and out of his vision as he stared at it hoping to see the hidden meaning but only watching the seconds turn to minutes.
He always watched the clock; it kept him wondering. Even when he was younger he would stare off lost in the clicking, the rhythm lulling him into submission. An escape from the unsympathetic reality he was learning of, but he learned of its greatness away from home only for the old thoughts to resurface through misery.
The door opened, pulling him from the clock. She walked in, one police officer behind her softly touching her shoulder she was directed to a seat alongside the bed. After excusing herself the police officer exited the room, but remained just outside of the door. She sat silently watching him as he had the clock only seconds before. Watching Carter, scanning him looking for him.
Just looking at Jenny lifted Carter's spirits; he couldn't help but smile. She cocked her head to the side trying to discover the meaning of his joyous look, wondering if it was real or pretend for her. She smiled back at him after straightening her head. Quickly standing up from the seat, if she had more room she would have been sprinting, she grabbed for him clinging to him, as she had not to long ago. A memory that seemed so distant but never to be forgotten.
Embraced for only seconds, seemingly and eternity. They pulled away but Carter kept a hold on Jenny's arm, loose and comforting. Tears running silently down her cheeks as she looked into Carter's welcoming gentle eyes. Carter took a light hold of Jenny's face and wiped the tears away with his thumbs running them over her face again and soothing her.
Her body shook as she let go of all the guilt she was feeling and all of her pain, her knees nearly buckling beneath her as she found an escape.
Carter moved up higher in his bed and carefully picked up Jenny and cradled her in his arms. Although the movement ran a shock of pain through him, he pushed it aside and just held her, succumbing to the past and crying with her.
She pushed up from him gently looking back into his eyes, now red and stung with tears. She smiled at him and wiped away his tears as he had done for her. Hi smile grew and he couldn't help but love this girl for all that she was. She rested her head on his chest, calming her breaths as she listened intently to the sound of Carter's beating heart, proof of life.
Carter closed his eyes for a moment, tears still forming behind. He opened his eyes and blinked away the warm tears. He caught site of the clock steady to the beat as always. Over twenty minutes had past, he wondered how long they would have before she would be returned to the foster home, soon to be relocated to Florida to live with her grandparents. At least she has someone he though to himself, thinking of all the amazing things this one girl was capable of and all she had already accomplished.
A new day came and she was gone, back to a place she couldn't call home, no family and no real friends. But soon she would go home; at least that's how Carter pictured it, a hopeful place that she deserved.
The picture she had drawn while a patient herself sat on Carter's bedside table. He looked at it over and over again as if reading her soul, seeing her beauty. Why couldn't they have seen it? Punishing her for their faults, their fear, their hatred, or however one could try to justify such acts.
He ran his fingers over the picture, over his wings. He compared himself to her; he wasn't an angel. Why would she think that? He wasn't special if he was why didn't his parents or family even come to visit him. They never came the first time why should this time be different? A phone call or so a year that was his family, but since the first stabbing he was able to rekindle a relationship with his grandmother, someone did seem care.
For some time family had a different meaning for Carter. He had a great family, just not a very conventional one. He worked with them, felt safe with them; they visited him, and helped him when he was in need.
But he never felt worthy of their love their companionship. Why couldn't he just be happy? It was never that simple for him, blame and pain surrounded his life; even in the place he felt safest. With the safety dwindling and threatening his life, how could he ever feel safe?
Note- I know it's not very long, but that's because the next chapter will be longer and it has a twist to it… So hope you enjoyed.