Things are slowing down. All around me...days seem to get slower and more spaced out. Time seems to linger and moments seem to elongate. I can't seem to figure out why I feel like this at the moment...I don't really feel like I'm quite here.

Maybe that's because I am so tired. I spent all evening at the hospital yesterday. Will was conscious and getting better. He was understandably exhausted and rather 'out of it' but on the whole, he was getting better...slowly.

As I arrived, I was taken in to his room. This was the first time I had seen him since it all happened - and I can't deny that I was shocked when I saw him. His face was a mess. his familiar brown eyes were puffed up and squashed behind serious swelling. His trademark button nose had been dis-jointed and seemed to bend to the right alot more than it usually did. His lips were dry and chapped and his high cheek bones were buried under bruising and cuts. Will had been ruined.

I walked up to the bed and he turned his head around to face me. There was a brief silence of about 3 minutes but actually felt 3 days, whilst he was trying to figure me out - I guess it's hard to see anything with your eyes so swelled up. Eventually, a distant smile appeared across his face and he uttered the words...
"Annie Ball. Here you are..."

My eyes filled up with tears. I just couldn't help but to feel shattered that I hadn't contacted Will for about 2 weeks after my date with Nick. He had been such a good friend, just waiting for me at the pub, but then...

I sat down and calmed down...2 things that I no doubt needed to do. The silence descended once again, much to my annoyance. I hated silence. It made me feel awkward and uneasy. So, in my usual manner, I decided to break it...I asked him who did this? Nothing. I asked him if he was in pain? Nothing. I said he was a clumsy bugger for letting himself get attacked...this provoked something! Finally.
"What? I'm a clumsy bugger? It wasn't my fault someone sprung me late at night, was it?"
No, but it was his fault that he was walking back home so late through the quiet streets of London. I mean, I had told him so many times to catch a taxi home, but he just insisted that walking was a better thing to do - greener, or more relaxing or whatever. But, nevertheless, if he had caught a taxi, then he wouldn't be here now.

"Thing is, I did catch a taxi, Annie. I got one from work to take me home, but as I rolled up to the park, I noticed the moon was out, and I just fancied walking the rest of the journey. You know how close I am to the park? I thought that if I just walked the last couple of yards, I would at least get to appreciate the nice evening. Turned out to be the dumbest thing I've ever done."

Will continued to talk me through what happened. It was really quite an ordeal. The way Will described it - it was almost like I was there.

"I got out of the cab and had 2 routes to my flat. Round the corner of the street, or through the park to bypass it. I chose the park. I shouldn't have done really, because there are no lights in the park, but nevertheless, it seemed like a good choice at the time. So, I made my way through the park. I kept walking and noticed that the ducks on the pond were making a hell of a noise. I stopped for a brief moment to listen to them and that's when it happened." My heart started to race. "I don't really remember much, but the stuff I do remember makes me want to scream. I know that I heard silence, then very fast running, and before I could turn around to see who was running, I felt a very heavy blow against my body as I was rugby tackled to the ground. This guy was massive. Well, not massive - but he was well built. Dressed in black, of course, and wearing a hood, he pinned me down by digging his heel into my neck. I couldn't move. As I was lying there, stunned, with this guys foot almost strangling me, I remember, he calmly looked around, still restraining me with his foot, to see what was around - I was desperate for someone to casually walk past...anyone. But noone did. After he was satisfied that the area was clear, he looked back down at me and smiled. He slowly removed his foot from neck, freeing me and letting me breath once again." Will showed me the mark on his neck that started just below his ear, right through his adam's apple and down to his collar bone. It looked so painful I wanted to cry. "I caught my breath. I would've got up and ran, but my first instincts were to breath again. By the time my brain was ready to process the idea of running, he had kicked me in the stomach. My breath left me again. Then, he repeated this. I think he kicked me in the ribs too. I can't be sure, but I know the pain I have in my ribs right now isn't just a coincidence. Annie, he broke 2 of my ribs through kicking them so hard...I remember how he did it too. That's the worse part. After kicking the breath out of me in my stomach and diaphragm, winding me helpless, he rolled me onto my back, and just stamped his heel onto my ribs. I think he was wearing steel plated heels, because every time he stamped down on me, I heard a metallic chinck. By this time, I was in too much pain to fight back. He straddled me, grabbing me by the collar and pulling me up towards his face. I can remember looking right into his eyes...but, before I got chance to sketch this guys face into my memory, he started punching me in the face. Really slow, hard punches...I remember him placing a clenched fist on my nose, slowly pulling back, and then smashing it into my nose, breaking it. That's why it's all bent now..." By this time, tears were streaming down my face..."And then, just when I thought I had nothing left in me, I got this...urge to stop him. This fire started to burn inside me. After the face punching, he dropped me to the ground and he stood up. He moved away from me and went really quiet. I couldn't see him. My eyes were practically closed up. But I knew he hadn't gone because I could still hear him breathing. I rolled over, and saw him standing a few feet away from me, just looking down at my beaten pulp of a body. Not even moving. Just breathing heavily. He was tired out, I could tell. So, I don't know what it was - probably adrenaline, but, I moved my arm and fumbled the ground for something. I found a rock. It was well sized and not too heavy. Perfect kind of weapon, or at least, I thought it was. I grabbed it and threw it at him. It smashed his wrist and he let out a cry of pain. I guess I shouldn't have done it. If I had just lay there, he might have left me alone. But, he didn't. He came up to me and smashed my legs with his heavy heels again. Then, he leant into my ear, and whispered 'You shouldn't have done that William.' I'll never forget those words. That's when it happened. He pulled out a knife. I started to realise that if I didn't try and stop him, I was going to be murdered. So, I started shouting. I screamed in fact. The guy above me told me to shut up. He kept kicking me, but it only made me scream louder. I noticed, in the corner of my eye, a bedroom light come on in one of the houses that over looked the park. I shouted louder and louder. I heard a door open. So did he. I think he then said 'You little prick. Why did you have to go and do that?'. A man's voice shouted 'what's going on over there? Hey, you!' and footsteps started running. My attacker looked up and obviously saw someone running at him...I think he must've panicked. I remember lifting up my foot and kicking him as hard as I can in between his legs...what other choice did I have? That hurt him bad - I could tell. The footsteps were getting closer. That's when he stabbed me in the leg...I screamed. I remember the pain. It was almost unbearable. Seriously...getting stabbed is something that you can't describe. I can remember the pain, but I can't remember how painful it was. That doesn't make sense, I know, but it's hard to explain. All I remember is feeling a surge of intense pain and then passing out. Then, I awoke in front of a bright light, lying in this bed. I don't know who found me or who scared off the attacker, but here I am. And that's that."

I hadn't noticed that an hour had passed. I had stopped crying, but my cheeks were tear stained. I needed to wash them. I asked Will he wanted me to get him anything, and he just asked for water. So, I went and poured him some, wiping my face clean at the same time. Just then, Sarah popped in with a box of chocolates. She sombre but positive and uplifting at the same time. Will changed when she arrived, putting on a brave face, but I knew he was feeling different. I knew it was fake.

He always acted his true self with me. I guess him and I just had a really close friendship - one that made us trust each other. We were honest with each other all the time. But, when Sarah or Zoe came on the scene, we both usually changed. We had to, otherwise, the girls wouldn't be able to fit into the dynamic. It doesn't matter how weird you think it sounds - it works for us four. Our dynamic is very good.

Just as I was about to go to the toilet, 2 men in suits arrived. They were inspectors from the police force, here to question Will. Strike whilst the iron is hot I guess. They asked us to leave, and then closed the door behind us. I guess Will was telling them what he had just told me.

Then I realised - there was one thing that Will hadn't told me at all...his attacked. He hadn't described him, or told me what he looked like or what he sounded like. He was only wearing a hood, according to Will, so he probably saw his attackers face. Why didn't Will mention that to me? Maybe he just wanted to tell me quickly...I don't know.

Well, if he did see the guys face, I hope it described it to those coppers so they can try and catch this bastard.

It's 9:30am at the moment, and my kettle has just boiled. I think I am calling in sick again from work. I can't go in...I just don't have the will power.

All I can think about is Will and what happened to him...what am I going to do?