Awake. ((Carson and Ezzie))

[Casey Allen G5]

Told from the eyes of...

Bradley Allen.

Two months and twenty-two days. Casey had been in a coma for two months and twenty-two days. Since her birth, not a month until now had gone by with Casey be completely silent. She had never been silent. Casey was loud. She was vocal and always made her opinion known. She was cute and ditzy and now, she was silent. Bradley didn’t know what to do. There was nothing he could do, but wait for her to wake up. The doctors said that it would take time. Over and over again they said this. Bradley wasn’t so sure. There wasn’t real proof that she could wake up from the. So, Bradley just had to have faith. What else could he do besides believe that his little girl would wake up? Bradley had tried several things to try and lull her from her coma. He heard that patients that were talked to and comforted had more of a chance of waking up than those that were not. So he played for her. Every day he got out his guitar and played for her. “Caterpillar in the tree, how you wonder who you’ll be. Can’t go far but you can always dream.” This was the song Bradley wrote for her when she was a girl. He talked to her too, but there was no chance. Casey Delilah Allen sat perfectly still in her coma. Bradley wondered if she could really hear him. He wondered if she missed him like he missed her.

After a while of sitting, Bradley always had to leave. It was hard for him to see her like that. Joel was better at it than he was. Joel was patient and didn’t mind watching her when Bradley had to leave. Bradley could only see her so long during the day until he felt completely hopeless, like nothing could save him precious baby girl. And maybe nothing could. Maybe the doctors had done everything they could and it was too late. But Bradley couldn’t believe that. As long as Casey fought this, they would fight it with her. They wouldn’t give up on her until she gave up on herself. And even then, it wouldn’t be easy. Bradley lied when he told people that asked that he didn’t think about Casey dying. He thought more about her dying than living. Living was what he wanted for her, what she needed. But dying was something that Bradley had to think about, prepare himself for. He knew that she could die. That possibility lingered and he wanted to try and face it. He had to face it because if he didn’t and she did die, it would make things that much harder.

Bradley walked down the all too familiar hospital hallway to go get some coffee. He nodded to the nurses he recognized. Now a days, things were calm at the hospital. Well more calm than they were at the beginning. At the beginning paparazzi and reporters crowded the lobby, looking for answers. Bradley apparated to and from so he didn’t have to worry about them. But, still, they were there. They just wanted their scoop, their story. Some of them really did wanted to know how Casey was doing and Bradley was grateful for them, but some just wanted their ‘pop princess in a coma’ story. Now only a few reporters were in the lobby. It had almost been three months and they had all given up hope for Casey and their story. But what they didn’t understand fully was that Casey wasn’t dead. She was still alive. They knew that much but they only saw the worst. Casey had a chance. She could survive this. She was strong enough. All she had to do was open her eyes.

Bradley took a long sip of his black coffee. Lately it had been his life-line, the only thing that kept him awake. “Bradley?” A weak voice asked from behind the coffee machine. Bradley recognized the voice. It was perfect. It sounded frail now, but it had always been perfect: high but not too high with just the right musical quality. Bradley turned slowly already knowing who was there. “Heaven?” He asked though she was right there in plain sight. This was Casey and Joel’s mother. This was the woman that left after battling cancer for years. This was the first time Bradley Allen had seen Heaven Allen in seven years. She left right after Casey’s ninth birthday. “What..” He couldn’t speak. He was too shocked. She looked the same. The exact same. She was an older version of Casey. Her hair was a bit darker but they had the same coffee colored eyes and the same lightly tanned skin with the same freckles. “I came to see her.” She said weakly. What was he supposed to say? No you can’t see your daughter? Under different circumstances, Bradley would scream at her. He would tell her that she had hurt everyone so badly. He would order her to stay away from the kids as to not hurt them again. But he couldn’t do that. There stood a mother wanting to see her possibly dying daughter. He couldn’t turn her down.

“Wait.” Bradley stood Heaven before they walked down the hall to Casey’s room. “Why now Heaven?” She looked at Bradley with confused eyes. “Casey is in a coma.” She said surely now. Bradley sighed. “Yes I know but, you come back now? You couldn’t come back years ago when Casey needed her mum because she was the only girl in a house of males? Or when she became Eden Sweden and become the most popular teen in the world? Or when she told the world her secret and became famous Casey Allen?” He asked angrily. “You came back because your daughter may die and I give you credit for that. But it is not fair to her Heaven! She may not get to see you! She needed you for years and years, but you couldn’t bear to be a mother anymore so you left. And now you come back when she can’t see you. She can’t hug you and tell you she loves you or yell at you and tell you to go away. You came because you love her in the way that you don’t want her to die.” He paused. “And I know you would never want that. But if you loved you. You never would have left her!”

Heaven’s eyes were shocked. Bradley was right. He was exactly right and she knew that. Bradley was always right. The tears built up in her eyes. Bradley couldn’t stand to watch it. She looked just like Casey right now. Bradley would let her see their daughter but after that, she had to leave. She couldn’t hurt any of them anymore. What was Bradley supposed to do about Joel? Maybe he could tell Joel the truth and then get Joel to leave. Bradley knew Joel would not want to see her. He had made that very clear in the past when the subject came up. Heaven’s eyes continued to tear up. “I’m sorry.” She was shaking all over. “Bradley I’m so sorry.” Bradley nodded, his eyes tearing now too. “I just have to see her. Just for a minute, then I’ll leave. Just let me see my baby.” Bradley was about to tell her she could when some began shouting. “Mr. Allen!” Someone yelled from down the hall. “Mr. Allen!” She was running now. It was Eliza, one of Casey’s nurses. “She’s awake! Casey just woke up! It’s a miracle.” She beamed proudly. Bradley looked at Heaven with shocked eyes. Heaven’s eyes looked the same. Casey was awake.

[Casey Allen G5]

Lights and colors swirled around. Black. Blue. Red. Purple. Orange. It had been like this for months. The same colors swirled around Casey’s head over and over. She wasn’t sure where she was. Every time she seemed to recognize her location, she would be someplace else. She could hear something, it sounded like cars honking and voices. She could never make out any of the sounds or tell what they were. They were so loud. She tried to shield her ears but it never worked. At first, this had been fun. The lights were pretty and the sounds were soothing. Over the months, this weird world became like a hell specifically designed for Casey. Every now and then, she could hear a word or two from her father and Joel, from Ezzie and Carson too. But she would never understand what they were saying or what was happening. She wanted to break from this world. She wanted to go hug Carson and her dad. But she didn’t know how. Was she stuck here forever?

‘Out, out, out!’ Casey screamed but the words never left her lips. She was always silent. She sulked, resting her chin on her hands. She hated this. She wanted to go back to her world. She couldn’t remember much of it anymore. She could remember a loud sound and screaming, that was it. Just as she remembered this flashback, something happened. Memories. Memories were gone. Carson’s face was gone and Ezzie’s face was gone. Casey felt different. The only faces she saw now were her dad’s, her mum’s, and Joel. Heaven had left years ago and never came back, but Casey didn’t know this anymore. It was as if her memories were clearing up, but clearing back. She could remember more, but they were old thoughts, old feelings. Why was her brain doing this to her? Casey rubbed her forehead this was confusing. Where was she? And when was she going home? She wanted to go home!

‘Casey.’ She knew this voice. It was crystal clear now. It was her mum! Casey tried to call out to her. ‘mum! I’m here!’ But her voice fell numb as usual. Something was different now but she still couldn’t say anything. She wanted to scream so badly. She wanted to leave this world. How was she supposed to do that? ‘Casey.’ She heard the voice again, crystal clear. She wanted to run toward the voice, but she wasn’t sure where it was coming from. Casey pushed her wavy locks behind her face and stood up. She had to do something. She had to get out of here! Casey found herself running. She wasn’t sure where she was running to or what she was going to do when she got there. All she could hear was Heaven’s voice. It was getting clearer and yet, Casey wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. In real life, Casey would run away from Heaven’s voice. She would want nothing to do with her mother. But this was different. Casey felt differently about Heaven. She loved her.

The voice was getting louder. It wasn’t just mum now. Casey could hear Joel laughing and Bradley singing. So loud. She covered her ears tightly with her hands. ‘Stop.’ She mouthed. Casey was in pain now. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t feel numb anymore. She felt sharp pains around her head. She twisted trying to turn away from what was hurting her. Casey sat down now. She couldn’t do anything. Now a bright light shone on her. She flinched away from it but it didn’t help. Everything was getting lighter. The voices were next to her now. They were talking to her. Things were clearing up. Then, in an instant, Casey was out of her horrible nightmare. She felt no pain, saw no bright lights. She was awake. Casey saw them now. Her family was sitting, right next to her, talking to her. Casey shook her head lightly, blinking her eyes. “Love you.” She said in a small, weak voice. She was awake.

She was awake, finally. There were no more colors swirling around her. She felt no more pain. She actually felt kind of numb. She felt like a kid again, a child. “Can we go home now?” Casey asked numbly. She just wanted to go home to Newport with her dad, mum, and brother. She looked at Bradley’s face for the first time. It was lit up with relief before, but now it was lighted by concern. “Umm, Case...” Joel began to say but Bradley hushed him. Casey made a confused face. Heaven sat silently in the corner looking strangely out of place. Why did her mom look as if she didn’t belong? “Joel, why don’t you go get the doctor.” Bradley suggested. Joel nodded and took another strange glance at Casey. “Okay.” He nodded. Bradley came closer to his daughter. “I missed you so much, Casey.” He told her sweetly. Casey gave a puzzled look. “How long was I out for?” She asked expecting for her dad to say a day or two. “Sweetie, you’ve been in a coma for three months.” Heaven spoke for the first time with a haunted look on her face. Casey’s eyes widened. Three months? “What happened?” She asked anxiously. “You were in a car crash with some of your band friends and Ezzie. Don’t worry, Ezzie’s fine.” Casey made another face. “Ezzie? Who’s Ezzie?” She asked curiously. That was an odd name. She’d never heard it before. Bradley gave out a frantic glance. “She’s only your best-friend. Well, she and Carson are.” Another unfamiliar name. “Carson?” She asked. What were they talking about? “Casey what do you remember last?” He asked. Casey thought for a moment. “I remember you and mom arguing behind a door after one of her chemo treatments. But, I’m not sure why.” Bradley and Heaven exchanged glances. “That happened when you were nine.” Bradley told her. Casey nodded. “I am nine. I just had my birthday, remember?” Bradley’s mouth dropped wide. Heaven left the room. Casey could hear her say something muffled to someone outside the door. “What is wrong with her? She think she’s still a child!”