BROKEN WING, BROKEN CAGE

re of by the nurse and the doctor, the man held his head

ht, anxiously waiting for it to be turned o

ine from the accident was sti

had a small, open, waiting room and another nurse's desk. The nurses th

lone, waiting to hear news of the patient tha

e?!" A loud voice boomed from a

source of the raised voice. A middle-aged man, 50-some

blue eyes. A wide brow and a strong chin, his mout

rom the chair. The black-haired man grabbed

build. Taylor, slightly more slender than the man w

ly once more repeating his ques

rying to speak as his father pu

inger in Taylor's face, leaning over him. "What have yo

outside this hospital right now! I have lawyers on standby to swing

t 3 hours, Taylor thought bitterly, looking moro

He needed a cast, but he had refused, demanding to be shown to the operating room. He want

growled, his voice low, controlled, t

t his father w

oor to the operating room. "Did you do this? I

e accident, looked at his father h

back into Taylor's face. "If this pe

n the opposite side of the corridor leading to the operating room

sculptures are placed perfectly for guests to admire and make their bids. The artists are all in

e guests, who in turn are asking the arti

be heard, mixing well with gentle laughter, moderate conversati

veryone and making sure that

as she smiles at one guest and

enly notices that her cream dress has a tiny red smudge on it. She looks

t the smudge keeps growing and spreading; un

he guests have all but disappeared. Karen glances up and aro

spotlight. Her eyes dart around in desperation as she tries to peer th

overs that she cannot move. She cannot raise her hands to her face,

mouth to speak but s

tires and a loud crash, with the tear

lt. Her heart was racing and he

er arms, but they did not budge. She closed her eyes and

ospital. I'm...I'm

ed, trying to get a handle on the sou

heart-rate monitor and something she

er in the room. She could

window. She could see the bright blue sky and the clouds. It suddenly

remember! It was night and now it's..

nd I was heading...I was headin

gain and she could hear the

room. Was it a quick breath that was take

, and she held her breath, struggling to move he