Highway Part 45

Highway Chapter 22(continued)

Waiting was all we did. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours. Julian eventually got me to visit a room to be examined, with the promise to rush in if he heard any news. I sat impatiently as they looked over me, but I was relatively fine. They cleaned the wound I had gotten from the nail on my hand, and bandaged it. She also gave me some ice for my cheek and checked out my wrists.

After a bit, I returned to Julian’s side. We waited again. He had his arm around me now, a mix of comfort and restraint.

After three hours had passed, a doctor came in and walked to us.

“Are you the family of the man who came in with the stab wound?” he asked, and we nodded.

There wouldn’t be any record of him, or at least very little of one, and so he couldn’t use an actual name. He paused, and I was sure Matt was dead. But then, he spoke.

“The wound was very deep and jagged. He lost quite a lot of blood. But whoever cauterized that wound saved his life. It was messy to fix, and he’ll have a large scar, but he is still alive today because of it.”

Matt was okay? My heart exploded in happiness, my soul full of joy. When he saw me rejoice, he smiled.

“He’s not out of the woods yet,” he said, more serious, “He could still go into shock, or the wound could get infected. Still, his future seems pretty bright. If he makes it through the day, he will be home free.”

Julian thanked the man.

“Wait,” I called, “Could we see him?”

The doctor turned, smiling at my eagerness.

“In a few hours, yes. But he just got out of surgery, so you’ll have to wait just a little bit.”

I bit back an irritated reply, leaning into Julian’s shoulder again. We sat and waited some more. Julian got something to eat, but I didn’t feel very hungry. He made me take a roll, and I chewed on it absentmindedly.

After what seemed like an eternity, we were told we could go see him. Resisting the urge to sprint down the hallway, I followed the guide to his room.

It was quiet, and he was lying on his bed. Several machines were hooked up to him, and the constant beat of his heart sounded in the background. He was still frighteningly pale, but he had regained some color in his face. He had bandages across his side, and one on his face.

“Can I touch him?” I asked the nurse, worried I would accidently set off a reaction of some sort.

She told me I could, as long as I was gentle. I reached to the uninjured side of his face, placing my hand on his cheek. He wasn’t nearly as cold, and I ran my thumb over his smooth skin. He had made it.

“You’re too stubborn to leave, aren’t you?” I asked.

Julian chuckled, seconding the statement. After asking permission, we settled down into Matt’s room. I didn’t want to look away from him, but my eyes began to droop. I hadn’t slept since the kidnapping, and I was thoroughly exhausted. As my eyes fluttered and I fought the yawns, Julian informed me he would watch over Matt. I snuggled into the hospital chair, and fell asleep.

Julian woke me late afternoon, telling me that Matt was stirring. I rushed to his side, gently holding his hand.

“Veronica?” He asked as he saw me, and I nodded.

“I’m here, Matt. And I won’t ever leave you again”.

He looked around to see Julian there. Seeing the confused look on his face, he explained everything to Matt. After he finished talking, Matt looked tired. The nurse thought it would be a good idea for us to shoo, but Matt sleepily requested we stay. She warned us she would kick us out if we interfered in his recovery process, and we promised to behave.

I told Matt to sleep, giving him a kiss on the forehead. He slept for most of the night, and so did Julian and I. I didn’t realize I had missed so much sleep until now.

The next morning, the hospital deemed Matt as fit enough to be transferred out of the E.R. and put on a general hospital floor. Julian got our stuff from the hotel while I stayed with Matt, fussing over him. He complained, but I knew he appreciated the concern.

We spent the next few days in the hospital, and then they cleared him to go home. No hard physical activity for another few weeks, they said. I laughed, thinking how devastated Matt would be. Would we be able to go out on the road?

“If you try to travel despite the warnings, I will personally beat you up. Being in the hospital would be the least of your worries.”

He smiled at me, saying, “You wouldn’t hurt a cripple, would you?”

After he was discharged, we stayed at the hotel with Julian. Matt wanted to set out on the road again, but I threatened him into staying for at least a week.

The news reporters interviewed us several times, but we only told them that there had been a trade going on. Matt and I were reported as heroes, but we just shrugged it off. We told Julian about it, leaving out a few more personal details. But we told him most of the story, including the part about my brother. I had allowed Matt to tell him because I knew that I could trust Julian, especially after all he had done for me.

Matt and I discussed what we had wanted to say the night of the kidnapping in depth, often over corny westerns. He had come to like them after watching a few, and we always saw them together.

One day when we were watching one and Julian had gone out to run late night errands, Matt pulled me over to his side. I protested, worried about his wound. He scoffed and told me I was worrying too much. After several moments of struggle, I gave up. I snuggled into his neck, enjoying the feeling of his chest rising up and down.

I had thought I had lost him, but something, or someone, had given him back to me. He buried his face in my hair, and I breathed in his minty scent. We were at peace now, both basking in the glow of the sibling like love we shared. It was as if he was a brother, almost a father. He was still my friend. We didn’t question the nature of it too much, only enjoyed it.

After Julian came back and called us strange, we got ready for bed. Matt still had to be careful, but he was so much better.

I stuck Ozzie’s fluffy head through a crack in the door, and Matt chuckled quietly. I gave him a gentle hug before I left, and he gave me a kiss on the forehead.

“Goodnight, Veronica,” he said with a smile.

“Goodnight, Matt.” I replied.

As I snuggled into my bed, I reflected back on how my life had changed. I could hear Matt humming to himself as he got into his own bed. I realized with a smile that he was singing my lullaby, probably not even realizing it. Listening to the familiar and comforting melody, I felt my eyes close.

I dreamed of heroes and stars and nights. I dreamed of daytime parties, of dances and songs along the road. I dreamed my reality, but I didn’t mind.

For my reality was a dream come true.

Highway Chapter 23

 

            I was falling. There didn’t seem to be an end to the fall, and so I just waited. Was I dead? It didn’t feel as if I was alive. I looked down to my side, but there was no wound waiting.

Suddenly, I wasn’t falling, instead sitting on a bench. What?

The room around me was so bright, and I had to shield my eyes before they got adjusted. Once I could see again, I looked around. I was in a room that was entirely white, sitting on the bench, with nobody else in sight.

Well, I thought, if this is the afterlife, it isn’t anything like I had thought it would be. There were no windows, but there was a door.

Hoping I wasn’t violating some unspoken afterlife rule, I got up and walked over to it. I opened it, marveling at the sight in front of me.

Stretching out in front of me was a vast valley, one full of life. Small lakes littered the ground, full of beautiful clear cerulean water. Many types of plants grew, ranging from the tallest sycamores to the smallest wildflowers. Pinks, blues, red, yellows. Every color imaginable was spread out before me, and my eyes tried to draw it all in.

The birds were chirping, flying around with their friends and family. Butterflies flitted around my head, their colorful wings reflecting in the sunlight. I saw a mother deer stop to drink some water, her young fawn not far behind. He had a coat dappled with white, his little legs still shaking. Fish swam across the lakes, their glittering scales gleaming.

What was this place? It was absolutely beautiful, a place of peace and happiness. Nothing bad seemed to happen here. Not even the predators were attacking any prey. The sun’s shining rays came down across the valley, spreading warmth and joy. All the animals looked up to it, basking in its radiance. Right through the middle lay a beaten down dirt trail, looking inviting.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice asked.

I jumped, whirling around. But as I lay eyes on the figure, I froze. For standing there in front of me, a smile on his face, was my teacher.