Mermaid by Max Ellendale

Author:Max Ellendale [Ellendale, Max]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2019-04-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

"Thanks for taking me today," I told Alice as she walked with me down the hallway to physical therapy. "Scarlett had to work and they wanted me to have a ride home."

"Are you weak afterward?" she asked, holding the door open for me.

"Sometimes. Mostly tired." I glanced at her and she nodded as we entered. "Scarlett took me to the doctor yesterday. He said I'm healing well and cleared this." I glanced to the door of the physical therapy room, and some nerves clunked around in my gut.

"I'll wait for you, okay?" said Alice, her gaze soft.

"Thanks."

As always, the therapists started me with warm ups and strength training. In the weeks of P.T. that I had, I felt myself improving and growing stronger. I hadn't had any episodes of collapsing, and my muscle spasms decreased greatly.

"Okay, Veronica." Gen walked me over to a machine with a bar overhead. "This one is new for you. Ever used a Lat Pull Down machine before?"

"Yeah, all the time." My hands grew clammy as he positioned me in front of it.

"There's no weight attached to it. It's the movement I want you to do. Let's get you set." Gen's cautious movements guided me in place in front of the machine. His hand rested on the small of my back. "I want you to pull the bar down to your chin and stop. Let's try."

"Okay." My arms trembled and a lump rose in my throat when I lifted my arms to grip the bar.

"Vee?" Gen gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Are you okay?"

"I feel like this movement is going to hurt me," I burst forth, my breath ragged as I let go of the bar.

"Okay, take slow breaths."

I shook my head, gripping my chest as tears streamed my cheeks. "I need to leave."

"I think you're having a panic attack." Gen's soft expression deepened the brown of his eyes. "Nurse?" he called out.

One of the nurses in pink scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck, hurried over to us from her post at the observation desk. The more attention he drew to me, the worse I felt. Embarrassment coated my fears and I wanted to run more than anything, but the notion that I couldn't made me feel trapped.

"What's going on?" she asked, her hand on my shoulder when my balance wavered.

"Can you get my friend?" I croaked, pushing her hand off me.

"I'll get her," piped Gen before he bolted from us.

"Come have a seat." She gripped my elbow, but I jerked away from her again.

"Stop touching me." I gasped, gripping my shirt as my legs twitched with the desire to run. I made to move toward the door, but saw Alice rush in with Gen.

"Vee?" She hurried over to me, her expression riddled with worry. "What's going on?"

"I can't breathe," I told her, but the moment she hugged me, I started to cry.

"You're okay." Alice's arms wrapped around me, her hand falling to the back of my head. I sobbed against her shoulder while holding on to her.

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