Aardvark's storie(s)
(This one is for you Anonymous, I almost forgot about this story. If you have any ideas where to go with this, comment away)
Hannah woke up slowly, but her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkened hospital room. As the remnants of sleep washed away Hannah began to panic and struggle, remembering why she was where she was. The bed shook with her efforts to get up as she thrashed around wildly. Hannah was completely tied down, like a misbehaving dog. Her situation came to her so fast she could hardly process it. Arms, legs, waist, neck, ankles, wrists, head. All held firmly to the coarse hospital bed. Hannah calmed herself as much as she could and tried to asses the situation. She started with her head, trying to look left and right. Only the ceiling, top of the door, and window were visible. As sleep cleared from her vision she began make out the dark leather that rested on her cheeks and covered half of her field of vision. She felt it taught against her cheeks and temples, where it ran behind her ears and around the back of her head. But why? There was a thick strap that covered her forehead and held her tightly against the bed. Again she found her neck in a brace, only this one was thicker, tighter, and more rigid than before. The neck brace extended up just past her chin and held it firmly in place. Hannah couldn’t see it’s hard dark leather face and the metal rings on it’s sides that attached to a leather strap that encircled the mattress.
9 comments | read more | 3393 reads
“I’m sorry you’ve had to wait so long to use the bathroom, I’m surprised you held out. There’s a commode, but honestly, I don’t trust you right now. Although there isn’t much you can do with out arms and legs. Frankly, I don’t feel like lifting you every two to three hours. As he finished talking David opened a drawer and pulled out a catheterization kit. Although Emily couldn’t see it, she knew what was coming. She tried to close her legs but it was no use, she was exhausted and the casts were so heavy. David quickly inserted and set up the catheter, completing Emily’s full immobilization. Now there was so reason for her to leave the bed.
16 comments | read more | 3847 reads
Although she couldn’t see Emily could hear exactly what was going on. She eventually heard the slosh of dishes in the kitchen and the vacuum being ran across the living room rug. Emily didn’t know how long it was until she heard the door buzzer. David hurried quickly to answer it and a rush of greetings and loud voices floated under her closed door. If there was any way out of this situation it had to be by alerting David’s parents. They had to be more sane than he was. Emily tested moving her bandaged stumps, finding there was quite a lot of mobility, but the amount of bandages and socks over her hands prevented her from ever escaping. Her legs were useless, even if she could get off the bed, she couldn’t crawl or maintain her balance without her arms, not to mention she was essentially blind. She felt like a living board. Emily strained to hear through the darkness and under the door to find out what was going on in the living room.
David woke Emily up at 7am and hurried her through breakfast and her shower. David didn’t tell her the plan until he had grabbed his keys and put his coat on.
“Listen, get your coat and shoes on.� He said opening the door. “I’ve got a friend in the casting department that owes be a big favour. It’s just before shift change and the hospital should be pretty quiet. We can be in and out in an hour or two.�
7 comments | read more | 2634 reads
“Okay here’s the plan, we need to make every look as authentic as possible. My parents may not be doctors but they’re not idiots. Get some paper, we need a list.� David smiled excitedly as Emily grabbed some paper and a pencil.
“I’m going to need some cast tape, stockinette, plaster. “ He paused, “Hmm actually I think I’ve got it covered.� He said, getting up quickly and retreating out her door.
"Emily, I’ve got something to tell you" David said softly as he walked into her room. He sat on the bed beside her and Emily closed her textbook she had been studying from.
"What is it?"
"I’ve lied to my parents to keep us here. To pay the rent." David said, his eyes becoming downcast and sullen.
"David? I don’t understand?"
"I told them that I took a job, taking care of you. That you were in a terrible accident and I was hired by your family to take care of you. Like a live in nurse for weekends and evenings."
2 comments | read more | 1384 reads
Hannah woke slowly as the last of the sedative washed away. As her eyes adjusted she began to take in her surroundings. From what she could see she was in a standard hospital room. Heavy tan canvas curtains were drawn across the window bathing the room in a dark brown and unwholesome light. She found herself still in the brace the doctor forced her into. She tried to move her head only to find the restriction of the brace surrounding her neck and forehead didn’t allow an inch of movement. When she tried to move her legs she found them strapped in leather cuffs to the bed. Hannah began to move sideways, trying to squirm over the edge. Her arms and hands, strapped tightly to the brace were of no use. Because she was laying down she couldn’t see the thick padded leather strap around her waist restricting her further. It was hooked into metal rings on the side of her brace, where it looped around the mattress, buckling underneath. Escape was impossible, she couldn’t even open her mouth to yell from the brace pressed firmly against her jaw. Hours seem to pass until the door opened, letting florescent hallway lighting in.
6 comments | read more | 1401 reads
“It’s been six weeks damnit and I know everyday she’s been taking that brace off the second she steps out the door." He boomed.
“I know it too, but what can we do? Nothing! She’s an adult now, she may live with us but her medical care is out of our hands." Hannah’s mother said softy, trying to calm her husband down.
“Not if I can help it, I know exactly what we can do"
Hannah pressed her body tight against the wall and slinked back up the stairs. Her parents had been arguing like this for weeks. Ever since they found out she hadn’t been wearing her back brace. It was less than a year ago the doctors found the curve in her spine. Scoliosis they said, but it was correctable with the aid of a brace. Hannah hated the idea of the brace. When it was finally ready she wore it only at home, but slipped it off at school and hid it in an empty cabinet in a bathroom. Her parents hadn’t known until a janitor found it and called the number inscribed on the inside. Since then her parents had been arguing. Only a few days ago Hannah visited the doctor again; her curve had become worse. To her parents surgery was not an option, it represented their daughters laziness and failure. For them this was just one more failure in a long line of them. Hannah’s first year at university hadn’t gone so well. Her anxiety about her brace had forced her to take it off, but by then everyone had already seen her in it. Once she stopped wearing it the pain in her back became increasingly worse, how could she bear it? Everything was coming to a T, if only Hannah had known where she would end up.
3 comments | read more | 1422 reads
Luke stood in Amaia’s hospital room doorway watching the early morning sun stream over her pale casted body. He had been coming to visit her faithfully for the past two weeks. Little had changed from the first day. He sat by her bedside, mostly silent, sometimes telling her quick things that came to mind. Amaia kept quiet, staring at the partially closed door.
Late in the afternoon a soft knock came at the door. In walked a short slender doctor carrying Amaia’s chart. "So how are we doing today?" She asked standing in between Luke and Amaia. After a quick check of her vitals she turned to Amaia, looking her straight in the eyes. "I think you’re ready to go home now" She smiled. Amaia turned her gaze from the wall and to the doctor.
2 comments | read more | 925 reads
Luke found himself once again in the long snaking corridors of Sacred Heart General Hospital. He stood at the edge of her doorway breathing heavily, almost mimicking her mechanical breaths. He slowly turned to the nurses station where the head nurse gave him an approving smile, then stepped closer towards Amaia’s room. The new nurse had heard his lie as well but her warm smile did little to reassure him. He felt like speaking as he entered her room, mouthing a short greeting but she greeted him first with only her image. He froze in the doorway staring intensely at her distorted body. Only a few patches of her flesh were exposed; her face, and the tips of her fingers and toes. He felt the nurse rest her hand on his shoulder.
