Pan’s Whisper
Page 17
“You in the same crash?”
No, I attacked my face with a hunting knife. “Yeah, how’d you guess?”
He doesn’t have a sarcasm radar. “You do rehab too?”
I shake my head. Even though the rooms we pass are bathed in gloom, I can see the outline of cards, flowers and bunches of photos on bedside tables. We’re almost at the end of the corridor. Where is he taking me? Where is she?
He stops at the second last door. It’s closed. “I’ll just check.”
I stand there trying to work out what to say to her. It’s been so long – months.
Hey, Morgan.
What’s up, Morgs?
How are you, stranger?
You were right. Mum was nuts.
I stuffed up.
The guy opens the door. “All cool. Buzz me if you guys need anything. The control is on the bedside table.” I watch him stroll back down the corridor to the office, his stride bouncy as though the world is great.
I clench and unclench my fists and, copying his style, walk into the room.
“Hey, Mo …” It’s even darker in here. It smells of soap and hospital. I squint at the body in the bed. The chest rises and falls with each breath.
“Morgan? Morgs?” I edge closer. A machine makes a rhythmic sucking and blowing sound. I’m at the edge of the bed, staring at the face on the pillow.
Panic fills me. This isn’t Morgan. Where’s her beautiful hair? Why is her face swollen? Morgan never let her lips become dry and cracked. I’m about to run out and tell them there’s been a mistake, when I see the name tag above her bed. Morgan Harper.
I flick on the light beside her bed and study her in its golden glow. There’s a tube in her throat, pumping air into her lungs, and her hair has been cropped, but it’s still Morgan.
I pull the chair from the corner closer to the bed and look around the room. No flowers, no photos, just tubes, closed pale blue curtains, a table across the end of the bed.
I slide open the drawer in the cabinet beside her bed. My letters, all opened and stacked in a neat pile.
“I’m sorry, Morgs,” I whisper. I lower my head to rest on her arm and hold her hand.
Morgan telling me to brush my teeth for longer.
Morgan making me Vegemite-and-cheese sandwiches for school lunch.
Morgan walking me to the pool in summer, and splashing about the shallow end with me.
Morgan giving everything stupid names to make me laugh.
Morgan hanging out at the park with me.
Morgan, who I now know bought me presents and made out they were from Mum.
Morgan. My Morgan.
I bite my bottom lip as I read the words on the card stuck on the wall above Morgan’s bed. My eyes are filled with tears, but I can make out the words. It is that quote from Emily Dickinson – the one about hope being a thing with feathers, that sings a tune without words.
“Well, Morgan,” I say, forcing my voice to sound strong. “We need some light and fresh air in here, don’t you think?”
The chair screeches on the vinyl as I push it back. I stride across the room and rip open the curtains, allowing the light to flood the room. I crank the handle and the window opens with a groan. Outside, on the park bench under the oak tree, Hunter looks up from his magazine and waves. I wave back and return to Morgan.
First, I take the lip balm from my jeans pocket and apply it to her lips, then brush her short hair with my fingers. I kiss her forehead and take her hand.
“So Morgs, looks like it’s my turn to look after you.”
It’s feeble and it’s quick, but she squeezes my hand.
Special Thanks
Bruce and Courtney, for their love, patience and support.
AK, Mab, Melissa and all the black dog crew for their skill, encouragement, vision and coffee!
The Crannie’s Gang – KT, BK and CK – you know what for!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sue Lawson writes books for children and young adults. Her love for books began when she was a child on a farm in country Victoria where she spent her time reading, writing, listening to her father and grandfather’s stories and avoiding working with the cattle. These days, she’s added stationery shops to her football obsession and when not writing, teaches and runs workshops for young people and adults. Sue’s novels include Forget Me Not and Pan’s Whisper, which was short-listed for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and winner of the 2012 Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature.
Sue’s website is www.suelawson.com.au
First published in 2011
by Black Dog Books
an imprint of Walker Books Australia Pty Ltd
Locked Bag 22, Newtown
NSW 2042 Australia
www.walkerbooks.com.au
This ebook edition published in 2013
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Text © 2011 Sue Lawson
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the publisher.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Lawson, Sue, 1963– author.
Pan’s whisper / Sue Lawson.
For young adults.
A823.4
ISBN: 978-1-922244-70-3 (ePub)
ISBN: 978-1-922244-69-7 (e-PDF)
ISBN: 978-1-922244-71-0 (.PRC)
Cover image © Ganovsky Vladislav/Getty Images
To Andrew and Maryann
Thank you!
OTHER BOOKS
BY SUE LAWSON
Allie McGregor’s True Colours
Finding Darcy
After
Dare You
Forget Me Not
You Don’t Even Know