女兒的第一篇小說（七）

Chapter 7

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“Childhood is naïve. Anything you do now can affect the rest of your life. When you grow and gain more wisdom, you wouldn’t make decisions such as trying to depart this life.

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Once again engulfed in the infuriating sirens and continuous monotone voices of the rescuers, Fred leisurely zoned in and out of focus. The appalling memories rushed back; his mind spinning due to the overpowering quantity of reminiscences. “Fred. Fred!” Suzie urgently shook him, but nothing could infiltrate his thoughts. “Fred!”

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…Fred…Fred…Fred… Suzie’s far-away voice rang indistinctly in his sea of seclusion. The noise was all too familiar. The ringing in his weary ears was overbearing. But he struggled persistently in order to regain consciousness. “Suzie?” An immensely unperturbed look settled on her face as he blinked, perplexed. “Can you take me inside the hospital?”

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          White. Nothing but that blinding transparency that wanted to make him gag if he stared at it any longer. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was sitting in the passenger’s seat in the back of his friends’ car. Suddenly, their car swerved dangerously to the right, narrowly missing a brick wall; and his head smashed onto the front seat. Blinking lights enclosed his view and impulsive shadows enveloped his mind. He blacked out…

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          And now he was here, in this horrible place where noises sounded from the far recess of his surroundings. Where was that dreadful beeping coming from? What was happening? What is going on? But the pain became too overpowering and once again, he faded into unconsciousness.  

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          “Where is Taylor’s room?”

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          “May I have his last name?” Suzie looked dumbfounded by that simple question and looked about her, as if something were to flick a part of her remembrance. But her attention was drawn to Fred when he spoke up. “The boy that was hurt in the car accident earlier on today. Can you tell us where he is? We’re close relatives.”

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          “Please,” Suzie urged when she saw the doubting look in the nurse’s eyes. “He could use our comfort right now. We may be his only family.”

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          Casting a knowing glance at his wife, Fred rolled into the room, aghast at the sight that laid before him. Taylor, what happened to you? He came as close as he dared, getting a better look at the desolation engraved on the young boy’s face. Wires and tubes entangled themselves all about him, looking as if draining his life instead of saving him. Sweat trickled down his brow, eyes shut tight as if in dramatic pain. Fred reached over and placed a comforting hand on his forehead. His cold sweat encrusted his face and Fred began to worry about whether he would make it or not.

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         “Taylor,” his voice shook with anxiety as he awaited his answer. When none came, he turned and prepared to leave when he caught a soft moan. Wiping around, his heart nearly leap for joy when Taylor’s eyes furrowed and then gently fluttered open; blinking in bewilderment. Fred softly chuckled. The way he acted reminded him of himself when he was in the same quandary so many years ago. But, he didn’t have anyone who cared for him, only Fred who only met him temporarily before. Where are his parents?  

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          In that instant, the door burst open, almost smacking Fred in the face. In the doorway was a tear-stricken mother who seemed to be drowned in her melancholy and concern. Moving out of the way as she rushed toward her son, Fred implicated that she really did care about Taylor. The hardships in their family were the thing that tore them apart.

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          I should leave, Fred smiled knowingly as he turned again to leave. However, he was stopped by someone asking him to stop.      

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