Hands
“Fuck, Fuck, Fuck.” David exclaimed as a hot searing pain shot through his fingers. His fingers that his other half, his wife Lilly had slammed the car boot on. His fingers no longer fingers but a mangled mess of flesh and bone. Blood running down his arms as he withdrew his hands. His wife’s scream echoing in his head. The shock. The pain. He fainted.
He dreamt a dream of people in green uniforms. Over him. Why green? A mask. Air. Voices.
“My god, how hard did she slam the bloody boot” a uniform said. “He’s out again. get him in the Ambulance”
He woke to feel a hand gripping his arm. His wife’s, he recognised the nail varnish. Silver and black. An unusual combination he thought but then she was one of a kind he had always thought.
“My hands “he said. The words slipped uselessly from his lips.
He attempted to sit up but a sharp pain shot through his arms and the drip inserted into his arm made it difficult to get a any purchase on the side of the bed. He collapsed back down into the bed. The effort too much for him. He felt his wife grip his arm tighter. He could see her shaking as she sobbed into a handkerchief.
He stared at her not knowing what to say
.
“I’m so, so sorry. It was an accident. I didn’t see your hands, I just.... ” Her beautiful painted lips mouthed the words he imagined were full of remorse. Her shaking, more violent and pronounced.
“Lilly don’t. It’s just my hands. It’s going to be all right, please Hun. I love you” he said to her but suddenly realising it was useless trying to console her or to even communicate with her.
He attempted to move his fingers beneath the swathes of bandages covering his... covering his...
“Where are they? Dear God, where are my hands? He held his bandaged arms to his face, his expression one of horror. Oh my God Lilly where are my hands?” His lips formed the words, but he knew they were not heard.
Lilly told him then that he’d lost both hands, the doctors had had to amputate. The damage was too great.
He stared at her incredulously as she told him this gesticulating with her hands. His beautiful, caring, and perfect wife who he loved so, so dearly.
He could never speak to her again. He could never tell her how much he loved her.
She touched his arm gently as he lay there in a stupor. The horror of his situation just sinking in.
Lilly was deaf. All she knew was sign language. They could never talk again.
A scream left his lips, a scream that turned the heads of everyone in the ward.
Except Lilly.
END