Post by Katrina on Aug 2, 2011 12:59:36 GMT 1
Part 21
“Immie?” Jack whispered. He wasn't sure how he had gotten to the hospital. He wasn't even sure why he had come. It was so strange to be here. Imogen looked so small and fragile in her hospital bed. Not the strong vibrant person he had been arguing with just days before. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Beside the bed was Zara. She was squashed up on the chair fast asleep. She too looked different. He remembered seeing her in bed but she had never looked like she did now. There was such beauty and vulnerability there. But he surprised himself. He no longer felt anything lustful towards her. He turned his attention back to his sister. She was blinking rapidly.
“Jack?” Imogen said softly. Jack sat himself down on her hospital bed trying to be as careful towards her as possible. He could understand why she looked so utterly confused. In a family room his parents sat together not really talking to each other. He'd thought things were getting better between them but this was going to set them back. He hadn't even been able to enter that room. He'd peered through the glass and watched them then he'd turned tail and come here to see his sister.
“Hi Im” he said quietly. He didn't want to raise his voice to loudly. He didn't want Zara to wake up. He wanted it to be the two of them just for a moment. Imogen gave him a small smile grateful for the friendliness from her brother.
“What's going on Jack?” She asked, sounding very young. His mind flipped through a million memories of Imogen asking that very same question. He smiled as a memory came to his mind. He was 12 and thought himself a big brave man and with some spurring on by his friends was watching the latest goriest scariest film. Little Imogen had snuck in to her big brothers room, and nestled herself on the floor against his chest of drawers. He'd hadn't noticed her and neither had his friends. Not until a frightened little voice whispered in the darkness “What's going on Jack? I can't watch but tell me what's going on”
“Your in hospital Immie – you know that right?” Imogen nodded at her brother. She wasn't stupid she could see she was in the hospital but her mind was foggy. Everything was blurry. She was aching all over. She had vague memories of trying to make her way in the dark. Of holding something tight in her arms.
“I'm scared” She answered him. She'd been scared that night with the horror film. He'd felt so guilty when he'd realised she was there. He was supposed to protect little Imogen. That was what his mum was always telling him. “She's your baby sister Jack – look after her” and now he'd probably scarred her for life. He told her a different ending. He had it so the killer got caught and brought to justice. The bad guy didn't get away. His friends had teased him mercilessly for it but he'd needed to make everything right for Immie.
“I know Im but you have to be strong” Jack told her. He couldn't make it all right for Imogen this time. As much as he wanted to protect her and save her he couldn't make everything better. He couldn't change the ending. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd done things wrong in the middle. Could he have noticed her bump or if he had asked the right question would she had told him the truth?
“I don't know what to do” Imogen said quietly. Tears filling her eyes. She could almost feel the weight of it in her arms. She could almost feel it pressing against her. Her throat was constricting as she tried to force the lump back down. Jack reached in to the bed and took hold of her hand.
“We'll get through this Immie” Jack said “We can get through anything me and you” he gave her a smile. Hadn't the pair of them trekked bravely through the field over to the mound behind which was the witches house? They had been such a good team that day. Holding each others hand. They had become heroes amongst their friends – the big brave Hollins' kids.
“I don't know” Imogen said sounding scared and unsure. Jack frowned. And squeezed her hand a little bit tighter in her own.
“We don't have any choice Im – the twins they need you” He took a deep breath not sure about this but he couldn't turn back now “And they need me too Uncle Jack”
“Immie?” Jack whispered. He wasn't sure how he had gotten to the hospital. He wasn't even sure why he had come. It was so strange to be here. Imogen looked so small and fragile in her hospital bed. Not the strong vibrant person he had been arguing with just days before. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Beside the bed was Zara. She was squashed up on the chair fast asleep. She too looked different. He remembered seeing her in bed but she had never looked like she did now. There was such beauty and vulnerability there. But he surprised himself. He no longer felt anything lustful towards her. He turned his attention back to his sister. She was blinking rapidly.
“Jack?” Imogen said softly. Jack sat himself down on her hospital bed trying to be as careful towards her as possible. He could understand why she looked so utterly confused. In a family room his parents sat together not really talking to each other. He'd thought things were getting better between them but this was going to set them back. He hadn't even been able to enter that room. He'd peered through the glass and watched them then he'd turned tail and come here to see his sister.
“Hi Im” he said quietly. He didn't want to raise his voice to loudly. He didn't want Zara to wake up. He wanted it to be the two of them just for a moment. Imogen gave him a small smile grateful for the friendliness from her brother.
“What's going on Jack?” She asked, sounding very young. His mind flipped through a million memories of Imogen asking that very same question. He smiled as a memory came to his mind. He was 12 and thought himself a big brave man and with some spurring on by his friends was watching the latest goriest scariest film. Little Imogen had snuck in to her big brothers room, and nestled herself on the floor against his chest of drawers. He'd hadn't noticed her and neither had his friends. Not until a frightened little voice whispered in the darkness “What's going on Jack? I can't watch but tell me what's going on”
“Your in hospital Immie – you know that right?” Imogen nodded at her brother. She wasn't stupid she could see she was in the hospital but her mind was foggy. Everything was blurry. She was aching all over. She had vague memories of trying to make her way in the dark. Of holding something tight in her arms.
“I'm scared” She answered him. She'd been scared that night with the horror film. He'd felt so guilty when he'd realised she was there. He was supposed to protect little Imogen. That was what his mum was always telling him. “She's your baby sister Jack – look after her” and now he'd probably scarred her for life. He told her a different ending. He had it so the killer got caught and brought to justice. The bad guy didn't get away. His friends had teased him mercilessly for it but he'd needed to make everything right for Immie.
“I know Im but you have to be strong” Jack told her. He couldn't make it all right for Imogen this time. As much as he wanted to protect her and save her he couldn't make everything better. He couldn't change the ending. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd done things wrong in the middle. Could he have noticed her bump or if he had asked the right question would she had told him the truth?
“I don't know what to do” Imogen said quietly. Tears filling her eyes. She could almost feel the weight of it in her arms. She could almost feel it pressing against her. Her throat was constricting as she tried to force the lump back down. Jack reached in to the bed and took hold of her hand.
“We'll get through this Immie” Jack said “We can get through anything me and you” he gave her a smile. Hadn't the pair of them trekked bravely through the field over to the mound behind which was the witches house? They had been such a good team that day. Holding each others hand. They had become heroes amongst their friends – the big brave Hollins' kids.
“I don't know” Imogen said sounding scared and unsure. Jack frowned. And squeezed her hand a little bit tighter in her own.
“We don't have any choice Im – the twins they need you” He took a deep breath not sure about this but he couldn't turn back now “And they need me too Uncle Jack”