Rita’s Rose

Opening her pale, blue eyes, she glanced around. Silence, something bright caught her eye and she aimed. Nothing, just a tree targeted. A bushed swayed near by, loading she turned fired and jumped behind a tree. Blast after blast sounded throughout the painted forest. Running from tree to bush, breathing hard she stopped to load her gun. Then something caught her ear. Not a gun shot, softer.
“Rose” a whisper faintly carried over the wind and reached her ears. She spun around and aimed directly at her twin’s forehead.
“Easy, easy!” the voice came from the bush where she was hiding. Rose lowered her gun and dove behind the same bush.
“Well, surprise surprise!” Rose said in a very hushed tone. She did a summer salt into the bush.
“Oh come on quit showing off!” Rita snapped in a motherly tone. She reloaded her gun and squatted and waited for the next gun shot to appear. Rose just sat and stared at her identical twin in a small giggle kind of way. Rita looked over to where her sister was staring at her and giggled softly.
“You, are just so weird sometimes Rita, just wanted you to know that”, Rose whispered in a matter-of-a-fact tone. They giggled for a little while. Then, Rita stopped and became very quiet. Her eyelids flickered and her head tilted to the right a little. Rose silenced her laugh, and watched her sister listen to the woods.
“Rita”, Rose spoke so softly she could barley here herself. Then her twin snapped her head back, and her eyes came into focus to see Rose staring and polishing her gun.
“Oh you decided to come back to reality?” Rose said in a joking kind of way. Rita silenced her and looked franticly around.
“Hey, hey would you just chill!?” Rose said grabbing Rita’s arm.
“I…I have to…stop” Rita’s eyes grew huge and she shook free of her sister’s grip.
“RITA!” Rose said as she lunged at her twin’s foot. Rita fell to the ground with a thud. Rita shook off and jumped up. Rose wrapped the gun around her shoulder and chased after her. Then with girls running in sight, the fire of paint began again. Rose took a running start flipped and landed on her sister. They both tumbled into a huge thorn bush. Rita rolled and came to a stop. Rose jumped up immediately and screamed. She fell to her knees and looked down at her thigh that was thorn the size of her hand jammed directly inward. Acting as fast as possible she pulled on the thorn, slowly it started to move out, the she couldn’t bare the pain and tore a piece of her shirt and wrapped it around the thorn and the rest around her leg. Slowly she limped over to where Rita wasn’t moving. Rolling over the lifeless body, Rose’s hand clenched her own thigh. Rita finally came around to see her twin’s face washed over in agony. Holding her head she sat up and looked around. With a sigh of relief Rose fell backwards and closed her eyes for a minute.
“R-Rose, your leg!” Rita said stuttering in shock. She crawled over to where the red hair was mangled and spread over the grass. Just when she was about to help her sister, she became dizzy, she stood up and wobbled around, looking down at where her sister didn’t move. Then everything became a blur, people came running, everything swirled and then she fell into blackness.
Soon Rose blue eyes flickered open to a bright shining light. A slow and steady beep reached her ears. She began to come to her senses, everything was coming to her. Then she realized she couldn’t feel her right leg. She flew up and looked down the bed at her motionless leg. Ripping off the sheets her thigh was wrapped in a cloth bandage. A wave of relief swept over her. Leaning back on her elbows she looked around at the almost empty hospital, two beds were beside her. One with a slow and shallow breathing motion, and the other empty. Then a worry and grief led her to tears. She slowly looked again to the bed where the girl breathed slowly and very shallowly.
“R-Rita, is that you?” Rose said in a horse whisper. Tears began to run down her cheeks as the girl didn’t respond. Then a nurse walked in and changed a bag of fluid.
“Wait” Rose reached her hand out and grabbed the nurse’s pants. The nurse stopped and looked down at Rose through her classes.
“Can I help you miss?” the nurse said in a bit of a harsh tone.
“This is Rita, right?” Rose said as her voice started to quiver and her finger shook as she pointed to the bed next to her.
“Yes, she is in a coma, the doctors aren’t sure how long she’ll be in there, I’m sorry miss” then the nurse turned and walked out of the small room. Rose turned and sat on the edge of her bed. With tears still staining her cheeks she desperately looked around the room for something to lean on. A wheal chair was parked at the end of her bed. Leaning on one foot she balanced and tried to hobble to the wheal chair. Her plan failed and she face planted right in the ground. Miserably she pulled herself into a hand stand and walked over to the chair. Slowly levering her body she plopped herself into the wheal chair. Now she wheeled her body over to the edge of Rita’s bed. Rita’s breathing was coached by a mask that pumped oxygen into her lungs. Rose stroked Rita’s black hair and the tears just kept coming. Taking Rita’s hand and whispered into her ear.
“Rita, I know you can here me, I’m sorry for pulling you down” Rose managed to say in between sobs. Pushing her chair away from the bed she rolled out into the brightened hall way.
All around her nurses and doctors walked quickly to certain rooms. Then in a chair next to the door, sat a woman with short curly brunet hair. Her head rested on her shoulder and her eyes were shut, but Rose could still read her expression of worry. Slowly and quietly Rose stroked the curls out of the woman’s face. She stirred and opened her eyes, and stared at Rose.
“Rose, babe you aren’t supposed to be out of your bed”, the woman said as she pushed herself upright in the chair. Rubbing her eyes she waited for Rose to respond.
“Mom, how long have you been here?” Rose asked and whipped her tear stained face.
“Well, since you’ve been here darling” she replied with kindness in every word.
“Go home, you need to rest, where’s dad and Lilly?” Rose asked as her eyes scanned the hospital around her.
“They are coming, you father said he would stay and watch Lilly until you woke up and then I could switch jobs with him. Yet still he can’t stay very long, he needs to work. I guess that won’t really be a problem since he works here at the same hospital.” Rose didn’t really pay attention to her mom. Then her mom pushed the wheal chair back into the room and helped Rose back into the bed.
“Rita why that should be me over there in the coma” Rose’s words brought tears to her eyes. Her mom held her hand and reassured her that Rita wasn’t put in the coma by the paint balling accident. Instead, on the way to the hospital the ambulance had wrecked and Rita who had woken from her knock out stood by Rose. Then she was thrown out of the truck when it had rolled down the hill. Rita’s head had been damaged badly and they forced her into a coma so she would live. Her mom’s cell phone rang and she walked out of the room.
“Rita, you idiot, why did you do that?” Rose’s voice became weak and her lip trembled. Then she could hear her mom talking to her father who had just walked in.
“Lisa, its ok, please, stop crying” a man’s voice coaxed the sobbing woman in his arms. He hugged her and she pulled away to so she could talk to him.
“R-Rose is a-awake” she managed to say in between sobs and sniffles. Then she heard foot steps and a man walked into the room.
“Dad, hey” she smiled and slid her hand across her face. He smiled a huge shiny white teeth grin and held something behind his back.
“You are hiding something from me?” Rose’s hand pushed the sheets back and sat up. Then he popped a teddy bear out from his back, and then she noticed something attached to the paw. Her ipod had been wrapped around the arm.
“I knew you would be missing you ipod, so I brought it for you” he said with the smile never leaving his face. He looked over at Rita’s bed; he sighed and looked back at Rose. She had smile spread across her face and she unraveled the ipod. A half smile stole at the corner of his lips.
“I got to get to work, but Lilly is here to see you” he patted her left leg and left. She took the ear phones and turned her ipod on to her favorite artist, Jack Mannequin and his new song “Dark Blue”.
An hour later she awoke again to see big brown eyes staring into her face. Startled she sat up and banged heads with her little sister. Holding her forehead she looked over at her littlie sister who was holding her own forehead and smiling at Rose.
“Rosey!” she said with the grin that stretched from ear to ear. She jumped onto the bed and waited for Rose to respond.
“Hey Lil” Rose said trying to smile, but her heart was in to much pain for it to be real. They hugged and Lilly’s smile faded as she hopped off the bed and stared at Rita.
“Is Ri-Ri sleeping?” Lilly asked with a puzzled look on her face. Rose’s teeth clenched.
“Yes, Rita is sleeping, don’t wake her up” Rose managed to hold the tears for her little sister. Her mother walked in.
“Lilly let’s let Rose get some rest, we can come back tomorrow after school” Mrs. Parker said as she reached for Lilly’s hand. Lilly smiled and refused to go wit her mother. Eventually Mrs. Parker picked Lilly up and said good-bye to Rose.
Two weeks later Rose’s recovery went as planned and she was able to leave the hospital on crutches and a provided wheal chair. Then one week passed and Rose began to attend school again. She wore a brace over her thigh to protect it for a little while. As she entered school she was bombarded with hugs and some tears.
“ROSE!” screamed a familiar voice; it was her best friend, Millie. They hugged and the rest of the group of friends ran over to great her. She had a lot of friends, but she had three who she loved more than anyone. Millie, she was the happy and peppy one, and Delilah who was the more conserved and quiet one, but in the attitude” you hurt my girl die!” Then there was Jayla, she was the “I’m sticking by you -- and “I know how you feel” kind of girl. Rose entered her classroom and her class mates were shocked and all offered to help her.
Throughout the day Millie and Delilah stood by her side and helped her carry her stuff and pushed back questioning bystanders. Then an unexpected visitor came to see her.
“Hey, Rose” a male voice spoke above the noise of questions and hubbub. Then she saw his face and recognized the face of Tyler. She had always had a huge crush on Tyler. Rose never told anyone until she was sure he liked her back. When she was about to meet him half way he was stopped by Delilah, she glared at him and pushed him back.
“Back off buddy” she said harshly. Rose rolled her eyes and limped her way over to Delilah.
“Dee, it’s ok” Rose said as she slowly and gently pushed Delilah’s arm down. Delilah gave a warning glance at Tyler. Jayla shot a look at Rose as she walked to where Delilah was standing.
“So, spill” Jayla pushed on with her little mischievous smile.
“Chill Jay, Rose will spill when she’s ready, besides he’s kind of cute any way” as she nudged Jayla. Rose smiled at Tyler and he hooked his arm and she took his elbow and they walked to a quieter place in the room. The bell rang and Tyler escorted Rose down the hall to her first class, she smiled as he spoke.
“So I heard about your leg, I’m sorry” he said with a tender smile. All Rose could do is blush sweetly at his sparkling eyes. He spoke again.
“So I guess you don’t talk to strange boys?” he said and laughed softly. Rose giggled and grinned with her shinning teeth.
“All right you got me,” Rose said in a very shy way.
“Cool, then do you answer questions to?” he asked and waited for her to respond.
“Ok, shoot,” she said and her heart began to beat faster and faster.
“So would you mind if we hung out sometime, I mean just you and me?” he asked with some hope carried lightly in his words.
“Yeah, I would like that, just you and me” she said with her smile never leaving her blushing face. They came to her class, and they turned to each other.
“So Friday night then?” he asked. Rose breathed deeply and nodded. After regaining her confidence she smiled and kissed him ever so softly on the check.
“Thank you Ty, you’re the only boy who’s been nice to me” she told him and hoped he wouldn’t be weirded out by her. Instead he blushed a little and smiled as she walked away.
After school, Mrs. Parker picked Rose up. As they down the road Mrs. Parker spoke.
“So how was your first day back?” she asked with her eyes never leaving the road.
“It was, pretty good actually” Rose said a little surprised.
“Well this out to make your day perfect, you dad called me today and he said that, Rita is starting to come through, now its not final she’ll come all the way, but the doctors think if she can come far enough they can help her come out of the coma” she said with a smile and some enthusiasm. Mrs. Parker waited for Rose to speak. When Rose never said a word she looked over at her daughter’s face. Rose was in shock!
“Rita, she’s going to make it?!” Rose asked with a lot of excitement in her voice. Her mom nodded and smiled a grin that Rose thought would jump up and down.
“Mom, we need to go to that hospital, NOW!” rose almost screamed as she saw the exit. Her mom took a sharp turn and slowed at a red light. Rose breathed a sigh of relief and flopped back in her seat.
Arriving at the hospital, Rose jumped out of the car and ran through the spinning doors. Her mom walked quickly after her. Rose ran straight to where Rita slept. In the door way Mrs. Parker stood and watched Rose hold Rita’s hand and stroke the damp mangled red hair. Then her mom sat in the chair outside the room and waited.
“R-Rita, you’re going to come through, right?” Rose knew that people who are in comas could still hear.
“I need you to come through, because people at school miss you, and Tyler Smith asked me out on Saturday, and you and Evan need to come with me, like a double date, Rita, I need you” Rose held her hand and spoke into her hear. Then she noticed that the heartbeat on Rita started to go up. Rose’s thoughts raced. Then a nurse came in, she glanced down at Rose, then she noticed the change, and had an expression of confusion written all over her face. She checked a monitor and then turned to Rose.
“Miss did you do anything to this machine?” she asked as her hands slid up on her hips.
“No ma’am, all I did was talk to her” Rose said innocently. The nurse sighed and walked out of the room to find the doctor.
One month later, and Mr. and Mrs. Parker received a phone call from the hospital. In fifteen minutes the whole Parker family rushed to the hospital. The news was so overwhelming to Rose she had to be the first one to see Rita. She ran all the way to the room. She stopped in her tracks at the edge of the door way and saw Rita. Rita was sitting up right in her bed, her eyes were sparkling green and she was sipping on a soda.

“RITA!” Rose nearly screamed in excitement. She ran over to the bed side and hugged Rita. Then she pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. They giggled they were so happy.
“Oh my god Rose!” Rita said in a voice that Rose could barley hear, but she didn’t care, it was good to hear her voice at all.
“So, so I heard, Tyler huh?” Rita raised her eye brows in a flirty way. They laughed, and her parents walked in.
“RI-RI” Lilly shrieked as she jumped on the bed next to Rita.
“Lilly, I’m so glad to see you again!” Rita was so happy to see both her sisters.
Three weeks later Rita felt the same bombardment of friends as Rose did. Rose and Rita shared the same friends and the close ones as well. Though she was excited to see her friends, she couldn’t find the one she cared about most, Evan. Suddenly from behind came a bouquet of white roses. She spun around to see Evan holding the bouquet and smiling down at his girlfriend. She was so happy to see him all she did was squeal and jump up and down. He hugged her and kissed her so she would stop squealing. Rose walked over to see her over happy twin with Tyler by her side. When she met up with Rita they smiled and hugged.
“Glad you came through sis” Rose whispered in Rita’s ear. Then Tyler spoke.
“So you girls are twins I see, that’s pretty awesome, I guess you share everything huh?” he said just to break the silence. Rita responded with a smile on her face.
“Yeah, this is my Rose”. Just then the bell rang, but not a school bell, a fire alarm. Everyone started to panic and run out side the building. While they were running Rose turned and saw Rita standing in front of the flames. They weren’t burning her. Instead she seemed to be holding them back. Rita stood her head turned to the roof, and her arms and legs spread out.
“Rita” Rose whispered and ran to where the flames started to swallow Rita……