Two Days Later.............

"Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep."

This irritating short high-pitched din has been twisting around my senses for what feels like forever.  It was the first audible noise I registered after coming around.  Other than that there have mostly been stretches of silence interlaced with the occasional muffles of unrecognisable voices. 

I have been in and out of consciousness for a period of time that I cannot quantify.  The only way to describe my current state is a feeling of floating amongst falling feathers. Thoughts are muddled inside my mind and my body is a contorted vessel that does not feel like it belongs to me.  However, it is my head that bears the most weight of confusion.  A dull pulsing ache echoes through it that I know is there but I am unable to grasp.  Each time I sense a movement or sound around me I attempt to lift my heavy lids but so far my brain has not permitted me the reward of fully prizing them open.

Now the muffled voices are back again and I perceive more than one but cannot be sure as I whir in my dreamlike state.  A warm soothing touch on each of my hands spurs me on to force my lashes apart to see who is beside me. 

Dancing lights appear like streamers behind my lids.  A streaking array of multi-coloured particles in my very own 'Aurora borealis'  Finally they spring open into a dimly lit room.  The pretty colours dissipate into a blinding white flash in front of me.

I appear to be in bed.  I carry out a quick stock-take of me and the list is not good.  My head rattles with pain tick, my cheek bones ache tick, my jaw is stiff tick, my throat feels like it has been scratched with fingernails tick and my lips are cracked and dry tick.

The first expression that comes into focus is my father's concerned frown that slowly turns up into a small smile filled with love. 

"Hello sweetheart, you're awake at last."  My dad gently lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses the back of it then holds it tightly against his cheek.  Tears pool across the surface of his fatigued eyes. 

My head is too heavy to move but my eyes flick to my other side. My mum.  Teardrops stream down her cheeks halting their flow at her jaw then teetering on the edge before freefalling down and soaking the front of her cardigan.  "Hi my precious girl. You're ok, we're here."

Another familiar voice joins my waking up party.  "Thank god."  My gaze shifts towards the darkness at the end of the bed. My sister is here and she has her arm around my brother.  Both look forlornly worried.

"Where am I?" Rattles hoarsely out of my throat as I stare up at the square white ceiling tiles. 

"Lily do you remember anything?"  Dad's voice chokes out a whisper. 

"It was wet, something hit the car, I lost control." My breathing picks up and spikes the irritating beep on the monitor as I recollect the something that I remember but cannot recall in detail in my spinning head.

"Lily, you were in an accident but you are safe now."  The grip on my hand from my mum tightens. 

"Harry?"  I need him here with me.

"Harry's not here sweetheart. Not at the moment."  My dad looks across at my mum. I feel a frown pull over my brows but that hurts like hell across my cheekbones.  They know about him.

"What about Percy, is he ok?" I attempt a smile thinking about my gorgeous puppy and how I can't wait to cuddle him.

My mother's eyes flick back to my father's across the bed.  I catch the quick shake of his head towards her.

"Tell me."  Spontaneously, waves of stabbing pain inflict each sore muscle in my body that is raw and tender and suddenly utterly exhausted.  

"You're going to be fine sweetie." Mum pats my arm gently.

"That's not what I asked.  Percy. What are you not telling me?"  My voice spikes in apprehension.  

Still the room remains silent and my brother lets out a whimper from the corner.  The silence is deathly.

"Tell me, somebody tell me, why isn't anyone telling me he's ok?"

The effort to speak is increasingly an effort. My skull is trapped within a pressured vice, squeezing it so tight the palpitations in my head increase spreading tingles across my chest and down my arms. 

"Lily I'm sorry."  This is all I need to hear.  My face contorts as a river of despair spills from my eyes.  The tears hit my skin like pinpricks as they fall then drag a prolonged sting as they rip down my flushed cheeks.

"No, no, no, not my Percy, please tell me it's not true, no please, please, no please, no no."  A paroxysm of wretchedness restricts my chest.  My breathing gags erratically and the monitor alarm pierces like a stake through my heart.  I can't breathe and my body begins to uncontrollably vibrate.

My father is on his feet immediately. "She's having a panic attack, get the nurse Nathalie."

My usually stoic sister remains rooted to the spot eyes wide panicking until my dad's booming voice brings her out of herself.

"NATHALIE GET THE NURSE NOW!"

I am struggling in the bed tossing and twisting, my hands thrashing berserk through the air trying to push the pain in my head and my heart away.  Everything agonisingly hurts. 

Within seconds my world is black again.