"Well, is everyone all right?" Diana asked seriously. "I'll tell you
on the way to the hospital," the officer replied. Walker and Diana got
dressed and called a neighbor to watch the younger four. On the way to
the hospital, they learned of everyone's injuries. Everyone had
whiplash. Isaac had dislocated his hip. Taylor dislocated his shoulder
and had a sprained wrist. Zac had glass in his shoulder from hitting
the window. The glass had been removed, and now there were stitches
instead. Kate only sprained her ankle and Kristin broke a bone in her
foot. When they reached the hospital, Walker and Diana ran into the
room where everyone was waiting. They each gave everyone a teary hug.
"Oh thank God you're all right!" Diana exclaimed. "Where's Beth?"
Walker asked. "Let's go into my office," the doctor said, where they
saw a bunch of x-rays. "The car that hit you came at an angle and hit
the front passengers seat door, where Beth was sitting. This caused
the upper half of her body to shift to the right, dislocating her
shoulder and jamming her forearm. Then she hit the door with her body
and broke three ribs and broke her hip. She also hit her head against
the window, which caused internal bleeding around the brain. But,
lucky for her, she was buckled in so she survived. Any questions?" the
doctor explained. "Can't you do surgery?" Diana asked. "If we did
surgery, it would lower her chance of living," he answered. "What is
the percentage now?" Walker asked. "She has a 35% chance to live right
now, and we're hoping that that will rise." "Is she awake? Can we see
her?" Taylor asked. "Yes, and yes, but only two people at a time.
Since you have an uneven amount of people here, someone will have to
go in alone," the doctor answered. "I'll go in alone," Taylor answered
quickly. They all went up to the ICU. Walker and Diana went in first.
Then Isaac and Zac went in. Isaac was talking to Beth, and Zac was
playing with the buttons. While they were in there, another doctor
came in to check her heart rate and stuff. When he left, Zac started
mimicking him. Zac went over to the machines and pretended to write
something down. "Hmm...hmm...hmm...oh my! I think you will be able to
go home in two weeks," Zac said, talking with an English accent, but
then changed his voice to a mad scientist's, "But for now, let's take
a cruise! Ha ha ha ha!" He cockled as he took a nearby wheelchair and
started running into things. Beth started laughing, but then said
softly, "Don't make me laugh, it hurts." "Sorry." "Beth, we love ya
but we better go because Taylor's getting pretty mad," Isaac said.
"Kay, bye," Beth answered as they left. Then Taylor came in, sat down
by her bed and started talking, or trying to make conversation. "So,"
he said. "So," Beth echoed. "Sew my socks!" Taylor replied. Then there
was a while of silence, until Beth broke it, "I don't feel to good."
"I know, don't worry. You'll get better," Taylor answered, hopefully.
"No, Taylor. I really don't feel good. I think I'm going to die," Beth
said softly. "No! I won't let you! You still have to turn sixteen, and
get married. You're not going to die!" Taylor demanded, sobbing. It
was quiet. Beth whispered, "Good-bye." Her eyes closed and the heart
monitor made a loud, unending beep. "No. Don't die. I said I wouldn't
let you, so you can't, please," Taylor pleaded as a bunch of doctors
came in. One stated loudly, "Time of death, 3:01 am, March 10th."
"No," Taylor said softly, as a doctor escorted him to a chair in the
waiting room. Taylor just continued crying. "Taylor, is she dead?"
Kate asked. That just made him cry harder. "I never said good-bye. I
refused and never said good-bye," Taylor complained as his mother gave
him a hug. "Honey, I'm so sorry," Diana said. When they went back to
the Hanson house, they were greeted at the front door by Mackenzie,
Avery, and Jessica. "Mommy? Where's Beth?" Avery asked. "Kids, Beth's
not going to be here anymore," Diana started, but was interrupted by
Mackenzie, "If she's not here, when will she be back?" "SHE'S NOT
COMING BACK! SHE'S DEAD!" Taylor yelled as he ran up to his room,
locked the door, and turned the radio up all the way. He couldn't even
think the radio was on so loud, but that was the point. Taylor didn't
want to hear himself think.
Diana had to call Minnesota to tell Beth's friends what happened.
Lindsay asked if her father (the pastor at Beth's church) could do the
funeral, Diana had agreed.
The next day, Taylor still hadn't come out, or let anyone into, of his
room. The radio wasn't on anymore, but probably would've been if the
speakers hadn't blown out. Isaac and Zac were getting mad at Taylor.
They were banging on the door yelling, "It's our room too! At least
let us come in to get a change of clothes!" Taylor un-locked the door,
opened it, and threw out clothes for his brothers. Then he shut the
door and locked it again.