Our Presence - chapter 1

My head hurts and there’s an unbearable pain all over me. It feels like there’s a fire trying to burn me alive or someone had stabbed me with 70 swords.
But then again, I was in a car crash.
It’s hard to lift my eyelids, but I tried my best, and I’m still trying.
“Johanna, are you there?” I tried to sit up, but that failed, though I still didn't reply to him.
I didn't feel like talking. Either that or the accident damaged my throat, but more likely the first.
I'm just naturally not much of a talker.
Suddenly I felt a cold breeze by my side, normally I don't think I would find it cold, but I feel weak and the hospital duvet hardly kept me warm.
June and it’s already cold here. Coldness mixed with the sickening smell of medicine; that should be a great start to the summer holidays.
“Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that little head of yours. Do you know how long I've been calling you?” The guy standing in front of the door looked clearly older than me, but his physique looks more vulnerable than mine. Although I wouldn't say he looks weak, but definitely not fully healthy. Well, what kind of healthy guy would be a regular in hospital?
“Johanna Rayne! Stop dozing off and fix your eyes on me!” The sudden loud sound shook my eardrums causing my mind to blank for a second or two.
Without thinking I shouted back: “What the hell Red?”
There aren't many people I've shouted at, and my childhood best friend Andrew Roth is definitely not one of them. I never thought I’d ever lose my temper with him, until now.
He looked shocked, but luckily we soon laughed it off.
That’s the thing I like about him, he never makes a big fuss over things like that.
I should probably apologise. All of a sudden he seemed a little upset.
But I don't know how to.
“What’s - the matter?” I glanced at him but quickly looked away. I hope he’s not crying. I'm crap at comforting people, nor have I ever tried.
I've heard that boys don't like it we people see them cry. I don't know if that's true or not, but I know that if I was crying, I certainly wouldn't let anyone see. But Red didn’t seem like the crying type.
“Do you remember Anna? She died - a few months ago.” Anna is, was, a friend we met here at the hospital. I've heard people joking about how you shouldn't engage with ill people or you'll either end up ill or heartbroken. I never found it funny, in fact, now I feel the exact opposite of happy.
I wouldn't say I'm heartbroken; we weren't close, to be honest it was mainly Red who she liked, but weirdly I still felt a sensation of sadness. Maybe that’s what happens when people die. Even if you didn't like them you still felt the sorrow.
“What do you think happens when people die?” I don't know and I don't like to think about it, but I still answered anyway.
“Some people believe in heaven”, although neither of us do.
The room fell into silence. Normally I enjoy peace, but now I felt like I desperately needed him to carry on talking.
As if he heard me thinking, he gently whispered: "We should sneak out."
"You're right we should; I could die for some fresh air.”