Into Another Space [Completed]

Bonus Chapter

"I'll be right back."

All the sudden the lady hurries out. To get a doctor I would guess.

My mouth is as dry as the Sahara, and when I try to speak again just to see if I can, no words come out.

Merde.

What was going on?

I wiggle my fingers.

I know that I did. But I feel absolutely nothing.

Next I wiggle my toes.

Yeah, okay. 

I am paralyzed.

I fight back the tingling feeling of fear along with the tears trying to make their way out. But there's so much that I can do. The tears come. Trailing down to my neck. 

Why couldn't my emotions be paralyzed along with my limbs?

The woman comes back with another woman. The doctor who's a short brunette.

"Hello, there, Nick,"she says, voice dripping with bitter honey.

I hate her already.

"How are we doing today?"

I am literally helpless and have no idea why I'm here. 

How does she think I'm doing?

"I'm doctor Gertrude," she says pulling out a tiny flashlight thing from her pocket."But you can just call me...Gertrude." she laughs looking over at the other woman who laughs along.

I don't even know what's so funny here.

"Let's run a few tests here, shall we?"

Gertrude comes up to my bedside and shines the light in my right eye. Then the left. All the while nodding like a proud mama at her kid's show and tell.

"Looks good," she mumbles continuing on to do a few more tests.

"What year is it?" she asks. When I don't answer she speaks again."What is your name?"

"Why isn't he talking?" the other lady says.

"He just woke up from a twelve year coma, Mrs. Kaslo. I don't expect him to be joining you in a conversation any time soon."

I have been brain-dead for over a decade? How old am I?

"Then why were you asking him questions?"

"Habit, I suppose."

"How will we get him to talk again?" Mrs. Kaslo asks.

"That's what therapy is for, honey."

Gertrude takes my hand and taps it.

"Blink twice if you felt that, Nick."

I blink once because I guess that's what I should do if I didn't feel it.

Next she takes my leg and taps it again.

"Blink twice if you felt that one."

One blink.

"Okay."

"Is he paralyzed?" Mrs. Kaslo asks.

"As I suspected. No wonder though."

Gertrude turns back to me and smiles, exposing a row of rotting, yellow teeth."You'll be alright, son. We get cases like these all the time."

Yeah...sure.

"Can I take him home tonight?" Mrs. Kaslo says.

Gertrude laughs."Oh, no not yet. I'm keeping him here for a few more days. Just so we can keep an eye on him and all that, you understand."

"I guess I do."

Mrs. Kaslo looks at me and I feel my body internally flinch. 

Gertrude smiles at me again."Alright then. I'll have one of my nurses switch you from the food tube in a few hours and help you with all that you need. I'll be leaving you now."

Take creepy Mrs. Kaslo with you.

With that, Gertrude walks out whistling some song from the '80s.

Mrs. Kaslo makes her way to me and picks my hand up, pressing it against her lips.

"I've missed you, Nicky," she says in a whisper.

She stares at me, but in a controlled way as not to reveal anything. 

"I thought you had left me forever."

I close my eyes trying to get away from this lady.

I feel her shift, coming closer to me.

When I open my eyes again, she's right in my face.

What are you doing, lady?

"You really should have been dead yet...."

My stomach turns from her putrid breath fanning across my face.

"You look like a corpse, Nicky."

I cringe at the nickname.

"You really do. Like a vampire almost."

I study her face. The eyes are gray and lifeless in themselves with dark rings underneath. The skin looks pasty, as if she had layered it with a couple layers of paint. Her cheeks are sunken just as deep as the Titanic. 

She thinks I look like a corpse? When I get out of here I'll buy her a mirror.

I feel an onset of tears again. I'm not even bothered by her insult, so I don't know why I am crying again.

Freaking great. Crying in front of a stranger. Now all of my dignity is gone with the wind.

She drops my hand that she's been holding the whole time and creeps her fingers up to my face. The only place that I can physically feel.

"I wonder," she says using her thumb to wipe my new tears away,"If you even deserve to be alive."

What is that supposed to mean?

Who is this witch?

She must see the questions in my eyes because she suddenly laughs. The sound is unsettling.

"Kidding," she murmurs leaning forward and giving me a peck on the lips.

My body does its own thing making me gag. 

She doesn't seem to notice as she pulls back and smiles at me.

"I'm gonna go get you something to eat so when the nurse takes the tube out you can have some real food."

Before I can make a reaction, she's gone.

Thank you, God.

Aaaah. I am so excited for the Wattys this year!

I will be entering this book into the contest. Only about 10,000 more words to write and a whole ton of editing and rewriting to be done till it can finally be eligible!