I Am The In Between
Stitch These Wounds With Me Tonight
Andy’s POV
“Andrew? Andrew can you hear me? Open your eyes, son… Whoa, whoa there! I’m gonna need you to keep still okay? Get me some morphine for this kid, please John…” The man’s unfamiliar face gazes down at me, while holding my shoulders down to stop me from moving. I nod sheepishly at him and he lets me go, adjusting the collar of his black Paramedic uniform. It registers that I’m still in the living room of my house, my ribs still on fire & with my mom, Colton and another paramedic in the room. Mom rushes towards me, kneels down and strokes my cheek.
“Andy… Honey what happened? What did they do to you?” her voice cracks as she speaks a single tear rushing down her face.
I simply shake my head in response, unable to summon the energy to speak. The first paramedic takes her hand and leads her to the couch, persuading her to sit down, while the second, John, re-enters the room, preparing the painkillers for me to take.
“Ma’am I promise you he’ll be fine… it seems he blacked out due to the extreme pain and low blood sugar. Our main priority right now is keeping him still, getting him to hospital and getting him checked out. And definitely get him something to eat while we’re there, okay?” his voice buzzes in my ears, gradually waking me up from my groggy daze. Wait… hospital? I can’t go to the hospital, they’ll see everything. Everything. They’ll see the cuts, the scars… every bitter memory of the dark nights that I endure. I begin to attempt to prop myself up and say I’m fine, only to be met with needle in my arm and John simply saying ‘Sharp scratch… and done.’ The drugs engulf my system in mere seconds, making me giggle at the odd sensations while being lifted into the back of the ambulance. The relieved sigh of my mom and the simple laugh of the paramedics fill my ears as I continue giggling… at nothing at all really.
“Told you he’s gonna be okay.”
~
I stop giggling like a maniac just as we pull up to the hospital & the paramedics begin to wheel me out on the stretcher. The morphine in my system’s still providing me with a warm buzz, taking away the pain as the stretcher rattles over the sidewalk towards the side entrance of the hospital, taking me right to the kids priority ward to get my ribs x-rayed. The colourful decorated walls provide some comfort as I’m approached by a small group of doctors, explaining what they need to do. My moms hand squeezes mine, reassuring me as the doctor, who’s name tag read Dr. Carson, says ‘I’m gonna need to see and possibly feel your ribs to assess the damage before x-raying okay?’
I grit my teeth and go to pull my long sleeved black top up over my head but I’m stopped before I can even grab the hem of it. I look to the doctor in confusion.
“What?” I question him slowly.
“No need to put yourself through any more unnecessary pain, I’ll just cut up the right side of your shirt and sleeve and take a look… if that’s okay with you?” he smiles down sympathetically at me as he voices his question.
“Oh yeah… that’s great, thanks.” I inwardly let out a sigh of relief, as long as my left forearm is covered I’m safe… well, relatively safe at least. The cold metallic feeling of the material scissors gliding up my hip snaps me out of my trail of thought and I shiver slightly. Dr. Carson chuckles slightly at this, apologizing to me and speedily taking the metal away from my skin & cutting the shirt with one precise motion. He pulls the right sleeve off and reveals my ribs. Bruised and bloodied, it hurt to even look at them, but I couldn’t look away.
“Wow okay. I’m gonna arrange an x-ray and overnight bed for you Andrew, this doesn’t look too good.” Dr. Carson nods lightly at me and my mom before going back out of the small curtained cubicle we’re in. I sigh in sync with mom & she smiles down at me.
“Well since you’re gonna have to stay here overnight I’m gonna go and get some clothes for you, anything you want in particular? I’ll be back before you’re x-rayed I promise…” she strokes my hair down while taking her phone out with the other hand.
“Um… my alkaline trio hoodie and a few other shirts like this maybe? All of that is in a pile next to my bedroom door I think; I didn’t get a chance to put it away…” I hold my tongue from saying what I’m really thinking… ‘I didn’t get a chance because Colton was making me clear up his shit instead’. She makes a note on her phone & nods at me before moving my bangs out of my face, kissing me on the forehead & saying she’ll be back soon.
The bright lights make me see random blobs of colour as I stare up at them and listen out for anything outside of the curtains that isolate me from everyone else. I hear Dr. Carson’s voice, a low hum until I tune into it.
‘No I don’t care. That Andrew kid is unnaturally slim. You can practically see where his ribs are broken because he’s that skinny. I’ll ask his mom about it after we’ve patched him up…’
F u c k. They’re onto me. But I mean I’m not that skinny. There's still fat around my stomach that I need to lose… anyway. Hopefully I can spill some shit about being naturally skinny & my mom should follow along because I eat pretty normally while I’m at home… I just don’t keep it down all the time.
And with that thought, Dr. Carson opens the curtain and comes in, telling me he’s gonna take me up to x-ray now to see how badly my ribs, cheekbone and nose are busted. I almost forgot about the damage to my face until he just said & instinctively put a hand up to my nose. Dr. Carson must have read my mind because he assures me that they deal with cheekbones & noses like this all the time, and that I’ll be fine. I nod & lay back in the bed, allowing him to wheel me to x-ray.
This is gonna be a long night…
Ashley’s POV
~ Just keep going Ash, Mason will call it off soon and you can apologize. Just keep going… rather them than you and this can’t be you. Not again… Just keep going... ~
I awaken from my nightmare shaking & with sweat coating my body. The memories of my past mistakes always come back to haunt me but tonight is different. It’s like I’m talking to myself in my dreams… if you can even call them that. ‘Keep going’… keep going with the bullying, keep going with my ‘alter ego’, the false me… Well no longer. Today changes everything. Just on cue, my alarm clock bleeps, telling me its time to start getting ready. My feet hit the cold wooden linoleum and make me shiver as I shuffle to the bathroom to shower. Waiting for the water to heat up, I ruffle my hair up a bit. Since I’m not a jock any more why not go back to the old me; the badass Purdy that I once was. I grin slightly to myself as I step into the shower, allowing the warm water to cascade over me. Not looking forward to Mason and his gang, but totally looking forward to being me again. I wrap a towel around myself as I get out and dry & flat iron my hair, teasing it & spraying it as I go along. Almost instinctively I go to grab blue jeans and a white tee but stop myself & pick out items that I’d wear on the weekends, while I’m alone. Black ripped skinnies, a Mötley Crüe tank top, my leather jacket & trusty cowboy boots. I wink at myself in the mirror before rushing down the stairs to make sure I’m not late. I grab my bag, keys and everything I need & I’m ready to head out until I hear my aunt calling from the kitchen.
“Ashley? I’m in here, come, you’re not late yet.” I shake my head at her ability to read my mind and stroll to go see her before I leave.
“And there’s the Ash I know and love! Where have you been, I’ve missed you!?” she chuckles at me.
“No seriously though Ash, you already look so much happier. I’m not even gonna ask why or what… but I’m glad you’re you again” I grin at her approval and kiss her on the cheek before saying goodbye.
One task down. Now to find Andy.
~
I quicken my pace up to the Music block & towards the classroom, Andy and I would usually share a lesson here first thing, and he was always here early from what I could gather. But today… nothing. Even our music teacher hadn’t seen him since… since what happened. I thank the teacher anyway and walk straight back out of the school. Looks like he’s not coming in today and I’ll just have to play the waiting game. I just hope I’m not waiting forever…
“Andrew? Andrew can you hear me? Open your eyes, son… Whoa, whoa there! I’m gonna need you to keep still okay? Get me some morphine for this kid, please John…” The man’s unfamiliar face gazes down at me, while holding my shoulders down to stop me from moving. I nod sheepishly at him and he lets me go, adjusting the collar of his black Paramedic uniform. It registers that I’m still in the living room of my house, my ribs still on fire & with my mom, Colton and another paramedic in the room. Mom rushes towards me, kneels down and strokes my cheek.
“Andy… Honey what happened? What did they do to you?” her voice cracks as she speaks a single tear rushing down her face.
I simply shake my head in response, unable to summon the energy to speak. The first paramedic takes her hand and leads her to the couch, persuading her to sit down, while the second, John, re-enters the room, preparing the painkillers for me to take.
“Ma’am I promise you he’ll be fine… it seems he blacked out due to the extreme pain and low blood sugar. Our main priority right now is keeping him still, getting him to hospital and getting him checked out. And definitely get him something to eat while we’re there, okay?” his voice buzzes in my ears, gradually waking me up from my groggy daze. Wait… hospital? I can’t go to the hospital, they’ll see everything. Everything. They’ll see the cuts, the scars… every bitter memory of the dark nights that I endure. I begin to attempt to prop myself up and say I’m fine, only to be met with needle in my arm and John simply saying ‘Sharp scratch… and done.’ The drugs engulf my system in mere seconds, making me giggle at the odd sensations while being lifted into the back of the ambulance. The relieved sigh of my mom and the simple laugh of the paramedics fill my ears as I continue giggling… at nothing at all really.
“Told you he’s gonna be okay.”
~
I stop giggling like a maniac just as we pull up to the hospital & the paramedics begin to wheel me out on the stretcher. The morphine in my system’s still providing me with a warm buzz, taking away the pain as the stretcher rattles over the sidewalk towards the side entrance of the hospital, taking me right to the kids priority ward to get my ribs x-rayed. The colourful decorated walls provide some comfort as I’m approached by a small group of doctors, explaining what they need to do. My moms hand squeezes mine, reassuring me as the doctor, who’s name tag read Dr. Carson, says ‘I’m gonna need to see and possibly feel your ribs to assess the damage before x-raying okay?’
I grit my teeth and go to pull my long sleeved black top up over my head but I’m stopped before I can even grab the hem of it. I look to the doctor in confusion.
“What?” I question him slowly.
“No need to put yourself through any more unnecessary pain, I’ll just cut up the right side of your shirt and sleeve and take a look… if that’s okay with you?” he smiles down sympathetically at me as he voices his question.
“Oh yeah… that’s great, thanks.” I inwardly let out a sigh of relief, as long as my left forearm is covered I’m safe… well, relatively safe at least. The cold metallic feeling of the material scissors gliding up my hip snaps me out of my trail of thought and I shiver slightly. Dr. Carson chuckles slightly at this, apologizing to me and speedily taking the metal away from my skin & cutting the shirt with one precise motion. He pulls the right sleeve off and reveals my ribs. Bruised and bloodied, it hurt to even look at them, but I couldn’t look away.
“Wow okay. I’m gonna arrange an x-ray and overnight bed for you Andrew, this doesn’t look too good.” Dr. Carson nods lightly at me and my mom before going back out of the small curtained cubicle we’re in. I sigh in sync with mom & she smiles down at me.
“Well since you’re gonna have to stay here overnight I’m gonna go and get some clothes for you, anything you want in particular? I’ll be back before you’re x-rayed I promise…” she strokes my hair down while taking her phone out with the other hand.
“Um… my alkaline trio hoodie and a few other shirts like this maybe? All of that is in a pile next to my bedroom door I think; I didn’t get a chance to put it away…” I hold my tongue from saying what I’m really thinking… ‘I didn’t get a chance because Colton was making me clear up his shit instead’. She makes a note on her phone & nods at me before moving my bangs out of my face, kissing me on the forehead & saying she’ll be back soon.
The bright lights make me see random blobs of colour as I stare up at them and listen out for anything outside of the curtains that isolate me from everyone else. I hear Dr. Carson’s voice, a low hum until I tune into it.
‘No I don’t care. That Andrew kid is unnaturally slim. You can practically see where his ribs are broken because he’s that skinny. I’ll ask his mom about it after we’ve patched him up…’
F u c k. They’re onto me. But I mean I’m not that skinny. There's still fat around my stomach that I need to lose… anyway. Hopefully I can spill some shit about being naturally skinny & my mom should follow along because I eat pretty normally while I’m at home… I just don’t keep it down all the time.
And with that thought, Dr. Carson opens the curtain and comes in, telling me he’s gonna take me up to x-ray now to see how badly my ribs, cheekbone and nose are busted. I almost forgot about the damage to my face until he just said & instinctively put a hand up to my nose. Dr. Carson must have read my mind because he assures me that they deal with cheekbones & noses like this all the time, and that I’ll be fine. I nod & lay back in the bed, allowing him to wheel me to x-ray.
This is gonna be a long night…
Ashley’s POV
~ Just keep going Ash, Mason will call it off soon and you can apologize. Just keep going… rather them than you and this can’t be you. Not again… Just keep going... ~
I awaken from my nightmare shaking & with sweat coating my body. The memories of my past mistakes always come back to haunt me but tonight is different. It’s like I’m talking to myself in my dreams… if you can even call them that. ‘Keep going’… keep going with the bullying, keep going with my ‘alter ego’, the false me… Well no longer. Today changes everything. Just on cue, my alarm clock bleeps, telling me its time to start getting ready. My feet hit the cold wooden linoleum and make me shiver as I shuffle to the bathroom to shower. Waiting for the water to heat up, I ruffle my hair up a bit. Since I’m not a jock any more why not go back to the old me; the badass Purdy that I once was. I grin slightly to myself as I step into the shower, allowing the warm water to cascade over me. Not looking forward to Mason and his gang, but totally looking forward to being me again. I wrap a towel around myself as I get out and dry & flat iron my hair, teasing it & spraying it as I go along. Almost instinctively I go to grab blue jeans and a white tee but stop myself & pick out items that I’d wear on the weekends, while I’m alone. Black ripped skinnies, a Mötley Crüe tank top, my leather jacket & trusty cowboy boots. I wink at myself in the mirror before rushing down the stairs to make sure I’m not late. I grab my bag, keys and everything I need & I’m ready to head out until I hear my aunt calling from the kitchen.
“Ashley? I’m in here, come, you’re not late yet.” I shake my head at her ability to read my mind and stroll to go see her before I leave.
“And there’s the Ash I know and love! Where have you been, I’ve missed you!?” she chuckles at me.
“No seriously though Ash, you already look so much happier. I’m not even gonna ask why or what… but I’m glad you’re you again” I grin at her approval and kiss her on the cheek before saying goodbye.
One task down. Now to find Andy.
~
I quicken my pace up to the Music block & towards the classroom, Andy and I would usually share a lesson here first thing, and he was always here early from what I could gather. But today… nothing. Even our music teacher hadn’t seen him since… since what happened. I thank the teacher anyway and walk straight back out of the school. Looks like he’s not coming in today and I’ll just have to play the waiting game. I just hope I’m not waiting forever…
Notes
Bleh, I'm sorry this is so short and sucky. Forgive me guys, it'll pick up soon I promise. I have some epic ideas for this. Love you all :D
I hope maybe you get around to updating this. It's truly amazing.
6/16/15