A huge Thank You to all who read, reviewed, followed, and favorited. This is a story that has been floating around in my works for a while. As the chapters progress the characters may seem a bit different than the movie, it's an attempt to bring out more of their personalities. I hope you enjoy it :)
The trip to the hospital had seemed longer than before. Sarah walked down the halls blindly. She had spent the first day with her brother. She knew the halls better than she had ever wanted to. Only after the nurse had insisted she get out for a bit and get some rest had she gone to the park. Now she felt guilty for being away so long. She hated to admit to the helplessness, but inside she knew it didn't matter if she was there or not. Not really. All she could do for him was keep him as comfortable as possible.
Sarah paused outside the door to Toby's room. It was dim inside. Sarah thought it made the room seem cozier. As if it was early evening in a bedroom. She only wished it would help to bring Toby out of the coma. She knew the state of the room did little to affect the chance of Toby waking. But still she hoped. Looking around at the room Sarah sighed, realizing that even though she was doing all she could for her brother she would never be able to really help him.
Sarah walked into the room with a heavy heart and dropped into the chair next to the bed. She had sat in that same chair only hours before. Yet she couldn't seem to focus on the time she had spent away. Not that it mattered, not now. Sarah gingerly reached out and grasped Toby's hand. He had grown into a sweet faced child but he looked so small and fragile in the bed. She squeezed gently, half holding her breath. But nothing happened. She wasn't sure if she expected him to suddenly wake because she was home, but she could do little else.
Sarah wasn't sure how long she sat there, staring off into space, when a young nurse walked in. Sarah pulled herself together and smiled at the nurse. The other woman nodded and quickly checked the machines then bustled out. Sarah sighed and rubbed her temple lightly. She could feel the dull ache in her body from sitting in one position for so long. Pulling her hand back from where it rested on the bed she stood and stretched. She could feel cramps in her legs and arms but she ignored them. Instead she walked over to the window and pulled the curtain aside.
The sun was setting. Sarah watched the rays of the sun play over the buildings. The hours spent sitting in the dark room washed over her. Rubbing her eyes she stifled a yawn then glanced back at the bed. Toby lay just as she had left him. Sarah turned back to the window, unsure of what to do. She felt lost, alone. She fought the roil of emotions that threatened to surface. She wanted to scream, shake Toby till he woke, anything that would end the nightmare that seemed to play each day. As she looked out the window Sarah saw a white owl perched in the shadow of a dark window of the next building. She hadn't noticed it before. She almost dismissed it but something seemed familiar. And yet there was something different.
Sarah blinked and looked again. The animal was gone. Had it ever really been there? Sarah couldn't be sure. She shook herself and turned to the bed. A small rueful smile graced her lips as she noticed the small stack of books next to the head of the bed. They weren't much, just a few the hospital kept on hand for entertaining children. She crossed the room and picked one up. Walking to the chair she opened the cover and began to read aloud.
It was late when Sarah left the hospital. Her hair whipped in the wind as she walked, her thoughts swirling though her head as if the wind had caught hold of them. She couldn't seem to focus on any one thing. Confusion and exhaustion mingled to further muddle her thoughts. Sarah shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She didn't want to think about the accident, or hospitals, or goblins. So she focused on the weather. A storm was on the horizon, bringing a cool wind with it. It would turn the summer evening chilling. Sarah welcomed the change in weather. It suited her mood.
The walk home passed without incident and Sarah suddenly realized how empty the streets were. As empty as the house she approached. She mentally chided herself and walked up to the door. She had to get used to the quiet. She had to face the truth. Turning the key she listened to the sounds of such a mundane action. She walked inside and closed the door behind her, listening again as the lock slid into place. Somehow the simple actions gave her a sense of normalcy. Something she hadn't felt in too long.
Frustration gnawed at Sarah and she turned away from the door. She wasn't sure what to do with herself so she walked to the kitchen. She had spent an hour reading, putting off the inevitable. As she looked around the kitchen she admitted that she would rather be at the hospital. Pushing the thought aside she went to the fridge. It wasn't well stocked, holding only the few items she had purchased when she had arrived. Scanning the contents she frowned and grabbed the milk. She wasn't really hungry but it kept her busy, so she poured a bowl of cereal.
Sarah walked into the living room and perched on the arm of the couch. She ate absently at the cereal her mind whirling. She could still see her father walking through the living room, ruffling Toby's hair as he walked by fixing his tie. Her step-mother standing at the foot of the stairs, babbling about how she should have a life, as she put her own earrings on to go out. Toby would look up at her with wide eyes and a smile as she made faces behind her step-mother's back. They weren't exactly happy times, but they weren't all bad. And suddenly Sarah missed them more than she had ever imagined possible.
The sound of her spoon against the bowl pulled her from her thoughts. Sarah looked down startled. Her bowl was empty. Standing, she went and rinsed it out, leaving it in the sink for later. Leaning against the sink Sarah stared out the window at the darkened sky. She could see the gleam of stars in the distance. And not for the first time she wished she could forget herself and just stare at the stars. Sarah gazed up, feeling as if the world around her was slipping away. If she focused she thought she could almost reach out and touch one of the stars. Pushing herself away from the counter Sarah sighed and turned away from the window. She didn't have time to reach for stars. Not anymore. And maybe never again.
She walked through the darkening house. It felt lonely. Sarah wrapped her arms around herself. She wished she could breathe life into the house. But she knew that no matter how many lights she turned on, or how much noise she made she would never fill it with the energy she remembered. Instead she pulled a blanket from the closet, glad that it wasn't one she remembered, and curled up onto the couch. She wasn't sure if she would actually sleep. But she couldn't think of anything else to do.
The hours passed slowly. Sarah, having fallen asleep some time before, tossed and turned on the couch. Images flashed through her mind as she dreamed. The thoughts, pieces of her past and memories, danced around in broken distorted scenes. Sarah moaned and thrashed out, as if living the dream. Suddenly she sat up, her eyes scanning the room. Dark shadows loomed against the walls and Sarah couldn't be sure of what she saw. Groaning she put a hand to her head and laid back, staring up at the ceiling.
She could hear the wind howling. The storm had moved in after she fell asleep. Vaguely she wondered where the lightning was. Or the thunder. Instead she could hear the scraping of what she could only guess was a tree branch scraping somewhere on the side of the house. Creaks sounded from somewhere deep inside the house. Sarah took a deep breath. Her nerves were on edge.
A strange noise sounded from somewhere close. Sarah gasped and sat up, gazing around quickly. She couldn't see anything moving. She released the grasp she hadn't realized she had on the blanket and let out a breath. Standing she walked over to the table and flipped on a lamp.
"Scared, Sarah?"