Bright lights blind me from behind my heavy eyelids and it takes all my energy just to try and flex my fingers but something feels heavy on my hand, weighing it down to the bed so I try again, slowly curling my fingers into something soft.
Where am I?
What’s that beeping sound? It’s so loud.
I can hear my mind telling me to wake up, to pull myself out of this heavy slumber but my body is refusing, laying dormant like a sleeping dragon. I need to wake up.
I push again, forcing my hand to move, flexing my fingers back and forth when a familiar voice echoes in my head.
“Baby? Are you awake?” It says, why does it sound so far away?I try to reach for the voice again, using it as a lifeline.
“Listen to my voice mama, I’m here. Come back to me.”
Is that.. Dean? Is he really here?
Peeling my eyes open, the bright lights burn into my retinas, causing me to wince at the abuse, but what I’m blessed with is enough to bring me to my knees.
Burning green eyes that resemble lush, emerald forests stare back at me, climbing right into my soul to make a home there.
Dean’s bottom lip trembles as tears flood his eyes, a single droplet trails down his tired face before disappearing into his full beard.
I try to move my hands again and panic quickly sets in when I see a thick tube protruding from my mouth, and all of a sudden I can feel it in my throat, clogging my airways.
“Hey, look at me mama. Don’t panic. Let me get a doctor to help you alright?” He says in a calm voice as he presses a button on a white remote near the bed. Within minutes a doctor enters the room, already slipping a pair of latex gloves over his hands.
“Welcome back Ana. It’s nice to have you.” He says with a gentle tone as he walks around to the side of the bed, pressing all these coloured buttons on a machine that keeps beeping. “Let’s get that tube out shall we?”
I nod once, still feeling exhausted.
“You might feel a bit of discomfort as I pull it out but keep breathing steady breaths and it’ll be over in seconds, alright?”
My eyes find Dean, looking to him for support which he instantly gives me, squeezing my hand in his.
“You’re so brave, pretty girl.”
The doctor begins to unfasten the straps at the back of my head, then places his fingers around the tube before pulling itgently. The feeling of it sliding out of my lungs causes me to dry heave as it brushes against my insides, then it slips out of my mouth, leaving a trail of saliva behind.
“Well done. I’ll just pop an oxygen mask on for now to help you breathe and check your vitals.” The doctor instructs, moving with efficiency as he places a plastic mask over my nose and mouth. Immediately my lungs start to feel clearer as I inhale a deep breath through my nose before blowing the air out of my mouth, repeating the motion a couple of times.
After a couple of minutes, I’ve been thoroughly checked over, and the doctor pulls up a chair next to me, his once friendly demeanour changing to something serious.
“What.. is it?” I croak out, feeling like I’ve swallowed a ton of razor blades.
He looks between me and Dean, like he’s waiting for some sort of approval to tell me what’s going on.
“She has a right to know.” Dean says with a serious tone and I’m left feeling confused, my brain scrambling for answers.
“So,” the doctor starts, “your vitals are fine, you have a healthy heart rate and your hydration levels have risen which I’m happy about. But, I do need to tell you the extent of your injuries.” He says, looking at me with remorse.
“Okay..” I mumble, waiting to hear the damage that’s been caused to me.
“You do have a broken wrist which we’ve managed to wrap in a cast, it wasn’t a major break so you should heal pretty quickly.”
My eyes quickly dart to my right hand, seeing the white cast wrapped around my wrist. Instantly my bottom lip begins to tremble and I feel Dean’s hand squeeze mine.
What’s happened to me?
I try to fathom the words to express how I’m feeling but I can’t. They don’t arrive, instead I just stare at my hand like it isn’t my own.
