A Cold Night (Caitlin)

I comforted Steve after he had to get his blood drawn. As brave as he is, he hates needles and gets very anxious around them. He is fine supporting me and making sure I don't faint too hard, but, when it is his skin getting pricked, he panics. Badly.

He was still shaking afterwards. I placed my hand on his arm trying to get it to stop. He pulled me closer and looked at me with the same pained expression I look at him with when I am hospitalized. Hospitals suck. The papery, insipid blankets are merely for modesty and are not warm at all. The bed moves at random intervals. People keep waking you up in the middle of the night to check your vitals and other whatnot. It's boring. I understood why Steve hated it here. He would much rather be conducting his band, duelling with skeletons, and planning our wedding. The conditions of a hospital did not allow for any of that.

I laid my head near his and closed my eyes. This would re-create a familiar, comforting sensation for both of us. Steve put his arm around me, whispered a promise to protect me into my ear, and his trembling lessened. His breath was acrid; but I didn't mind. He was alive and in relatively good condition. That I was infinitely grateful for. However, I began to feel sick. I took on his pain like a sack full of cobblestone. He kissed my cheek and I resumed my position in the chair. A flock of nurses took him away, presumably for testing. I could sense his apprehension.

I got up and left and, as soon as I had entered the main area, I saw Adrian depart from the hematology department. Sylvia, Emilia, and a man I presumed to be Emilia's and Adrian's father were with him this time. We ended up talking.
          "Oh, hi Caitlin! Are you out of the hospital?"
          "I'm visiting."
          "This is about Steve, isn't it? We've been missing him at rehearsal!" I suddenly clammed up and would not speak. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor and staggering back to my feet. I documented it in my purple notebook.

When I got home, I took out my bow and arrow and started shooting. I wouldn't let Steve come home to a creeper-infested cesspool. Alex came with a box full of chocolate bars.
         "Would you like some chocolate? They're two lumps of coal each. Creative Fun is raising money to aid in village repairs." I examined the selection. I ended up buying two caramel, two almond, and three crisp bars. I tried to help the villagers through purchases all I could. That and Alex was selling them. It was the least I could do as her vocal teacher. That and I just really wanted chocolate.

Emmeline to the door an hour later selling apples for the same price. She was raising money so she could go to the band trip. The apples were glossy, red, and firm. I bought six. After she left, I had two of the apples for dinner since I wasn't very hungry. I had a crisp bar for dessert. Shortly after eating that meal, I quickly made my way to the restroom. However, since I could not get my skirt off in time, I had an accident. I was wet already, so my diaper leaked quite a bit. It could have held a second minor wetting, but this was a full-on flooding. It was a good thing no one was around to see it, but I couldn't help feeling mortified. I changed and cleaned up to settle into a lonely night.

At about 2:00 in the morning, I woke up from a nightmare and instinctively tried to wake Steve. When I came to my senses, I wrapped a blanket around myself and sat there in the cold night air waiting for sleep to come. No such luck. Confusion and loneliness surrounded me like the cold night air.