Letting Go Of Vickie

Beep… beep… beep…

The sound of the heart monitor filled the quiet of the room. Attached to it lay a young girl, only 15 years old, with dark chestnut hair and pale, unblemished skin. Beside her sat her two of her companions – a young boy sat holding her hand, his eyes ringing with sleepless nights and his hair unkempt and ragged. He glanced up to the girl opposite him and gave her a watery smile.

“You OK?” he rasped, his voice unused. The girl on the opposite side of the bed looked up, her unwashed hair scraped back and returned his feeble smile.

“Yeah, I’m OK. What about you? You sure you don’t want something to eat or drink? You haven’t eaten all day, Dave. You should eat…” He sighed and shook his head, gazing back down at the girl on the bed.

“No… no thanks. She could wake up.” She didn’t argue, she knew how he felt. She hadn’t slept in days, and the only thing she ate was chocolate brought from the shop at the hospital.

Another girl stirred in the armchair on the other side of the room and her eyes opened. She straightened her legs from underneath her, looking round sleepily.
“How is she?” Dave looked round,

“Same.”

“Oh.” The beep of the heart monitor filled the room again, until Lucy spoke again. “I’m gonna go to the loo then. Where’s Maz?”

“She went back to The Laurels with Pete, Izzy and Robin. Careful not to wake Alex though Luce, she’s still sleeping.” Lucy moved towards the door, tip-toeing around the sleeping women on the next chair.

“Oh, and you might see Mike on your travels – he disappeared somewhere a bit ago.” She nodded,

“Right. You sure you two don’t want anything?” Dave shook his head,

“No thanks.”

“Katie?” The blonde girl turned her head behind her to the doorframe, where yellow light flooded in from the corridor.

“No, I’m fine thanks.”

“OK… and Kate…” she paused in the doorway,

“Yeah?”

“Shout me if Amz wakes up, yeah?” They gave each other understanding smiles. They both knew the feeling of dread that accompanied leaving the hospital room; you rushed what you were doing, because that sense of impending doom, that she something without you there… that feeling followed you everywhere. Katie hardly knew how anyone could bear to leave that room, let alone go home.


The beeping carried on as they turned back to face their friend, unmoving on the bed. Victoria Martin… the liveliest, most vivacious girl anyone who ever met her had ever known. She was always happy and smiling, if slightly mad at times. She was so amazingly comfortable with herself, and amazingly lucky - the adopted daughter of millionaire. She had known how lucky she was and she had been grateful, that at the age of ten the Martin’s had saved her from the destructive cycle of care homes and foster parents. Katie was always amazed at how happy she was, after such a disturbed childhood. But now she had been reduced to this, a coma induced by the head trauma suffered in a hit and run. Some jerk in a fancy blue sports car, thinking he was so cool. All the days and nights she’d been in here, she couldn’t help thinking about the man in the blue sports car, and whether he was sorry for what he’d done. It’s a good job she was walking with Mike, her foster brother, or it could have been even worse. Katie’s grip on Vickie’s hand tightened, as she tried not to let the tears show on her face.


“D’ya want some music?” Dave’s voice broke her chain of thought just in time… she tried not to dwell on that. She sniffed,

“Alex might wake up… she deserves some rest.” Dave had already moved to the speakers, clicking the wheel of the MP3 player,

“Just quietly… Ammy never could stand silence for very long.” Katie nodded in agreement and the music hummed softly in the background. She found the words playing in her head, she’d listened to it so many times in the long nights in that hospital room… just waiting. The song changed… it was Vickie’s favourite… Whenever the girls had had a sleepover, they always sang karoke to this one – even though it wasn’t proper sing-a-long song. All melodic and alternative… but the words, the girl described in the song was just like Vickie; so they sung it anyway.


Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep…


Heads jerked up to the heart monitor, both hands tightening. The woman in the chair started at the noise, before registering what it was… and she started screaming…

“Nurse!! Doctor!! Anybody… Oh my Go…” Katie’s breathing got shallower, she looked around in despair – and it was as if everything was in slow motion… she looked up at Dave, who was stood, still grasping onto her hand, but he was leant over stroking her hair; talking to her…

“Vickie? Vickie? It’s gonna be OK, honey… I promise…” Then Vickie’s grasp tightened, she looked down in surprise, then to her face… Her eyes opened at she looked straight into Katie’s eyes… then her grasp slackened… and Katie began screaming too…

“Oh God! No… don’t let go… don’t let go… you can’t leave me… you can’t…”

She realised that doctors were all around – and two strong arms were pulling her backwards, away from her.

“No! No!” She struggled, “No, I won’t let you take me away… Vickie! Vickie!” Their hands disconnected and Vickie’s hung limp, as she was carried away screaming and the nurses filled in the gap, so she couldn’t see… and the door closed… Her muscles failed her – she feel to the floor like a rag-doll… and tears streamed down her cheeks. A boy knelt down beside her and put his arms around her, his voice teary and stuffy.

“We have to let the doctors do their job… we have to…” She heard Dave fall to the floor too, and she looked around to him,

“It’ll be OK, “ he said, his voice flat and monotone, “it has to be.” She turned to Mike, who still had his arms around her,

“Oh God…” Katie heard the patter of feet running down the corridor, then she heard Lucy’s voice,

“Katie! Dave! What’s happened? Has she…?” They all looked up and she saw the teary faces and she stopped, tears falling down her cheeks too… Katie stood, shaking off Mike, to wrap her arms round her friend.

“I’m sorry,” was all she said, and they all cried in each other’s arms… stunned by grief and shocked by the unfairness of it. They knew… they all felt – she was better than them… yet she was the one in that room, and they were out here mourning.