A Deep Sleep

[Hidamari]

Mrs Whitehall stood at the information desk alone, looking around slowly... Anxiously, waiting for the woman behind the desk to assist her in finding out where her daughter was. The woman finished with another visitor and Eva stepped forwards maintaining a brave face and speaking in her distinct Bretonian accent. "hello yes, um.. im here to see my daughter, i was informed she was here." the woman smiled at her, obviously seeing that Eva was worried, "alright what name is it please?" Eva spoke clearly, just wanting to see her daughter. "Whitehall, Tia" the woman turned to the screen and the name came up showing her condition and location in the hospital.

"whats your relationship to Miss Whitehall, please." Eva blinked a little almost stuttering, "Im her mother.. is she ok? she is here isn't she" the receptionists face momentarily dropped and then she smiled again pointing Eva in the direction she needed to go. "Its just down the hallway, you go down there and take a right, down at the end of the corridor, room 95" the receptionist said with a confident reassuring voice, Eva nodded and thanked the woman walked quickly down the corridor, some doors ajar and peoples families greeting their wounded siblings and spouses.

Eva reached the door to Room 95 and stopped, she shivered for a moment composing herself for what she was about to see behind the door, she took hold of the handle and pushed the door. The room was warm, the smell of disinfectant was as evident as it had been throughout the hospital building and the the ambient beeping sound of a BP monitor became louder as she entered. from behind the door Eva could see the foot of a bed, she imagined Tia being sat up and looking at the door as she walked in, smiling in that way that only Tia could, but deep inside she knew that would not be the case, and made entering the room all the more difficult.

the bed slowly came into her view, Eva gasped quietly as she finally saw the sleeping figure of her daughter, lifeless in the bed still, Eva swallowed momentarily and closed the door, she stood next to the bed taking her daughters hand into her own and trembled. Thinking about what she must have gone through, and how she wished she could have taken her place, or helped her daughter through whatever it was instead of this.

Eva could no longer hold her composure and she wept at her daughters side, holding her hand and pressing her cheek against Tia's, her tears running down her daughter cheek as she lay motionless in the bed.

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