Loaded Secrets (ONC 2023)

Epilogue

When Aria's vision adjusted to the lighting, she realized that she was in an empty room. The sterile white walls and harsh fluorescent lights came into focus, and she saw that she was lying down on a bed, draped in crisp white sheets. Why had Epson brought her back to reality so soon? He wasn't even here. Was she already dead, and her spirit was trying to escape her body? She wasn't religious by any means, but the last few days had definitely given her something to think about. She tried to move, but a barrier kept her from doing so.

As she considered her life and everything that had happened to her, she heard a steady beeping sound coming from somewhere in the room, but she couldn't identify its source. Then she heard the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway, each step striking with a sharp, distinct thud. Maybe it was Epson? He wanted to say goodbye to her, perhaps. Wonders never ceased, after all.

The steps drew closer and became more pronounced and the rhythm of the footfalls grew faster. Someone was running. Suddenly, a door swung open, and a tall man with sandy blonde hair in blue scrubs walked in. He looked familiar, but Aria couldn't place him. Could humans work in hospitals? Perhaps he was enhanced like Epson.

"Aria? Can you hear me?" the man said as he rushed towards her.

Aria's throat felt surprisingly dry, so she could only nod in response.

"Aria, we're glad to have you back," the man said slowly as he began to look over the various machines surrounding her, which she had only just noticed. He then started prodding her hands and legs. After seemingly being satisfied with the results of his examination, he took out a small flashlight from his pocket and shone it into her eyes. Why was he checking her vital signs if she was going to die anyway? What was going on here? Before she could ask the question, the man moved away from her bed.

"You might be a bit confused about what's happening," the man said evenly as he retrieved a clipboard from the foot of her bedframe. "You're in Mount Sinai Hospital right now. You had a very bad fall and injured your head. We had to induce a coma," the man continued. Aria was confused by his statements. Wasn't he going to tell her that she was about to die, and her genetic material would be used to create some alien humanoids? And why did this man sound so familiar? She swore she had heard his voice before. This was bothering her a lot for some reason.

"It looks like you've woken up with most of your functions back to normal, but we'll probably keep you here for a few more days to ensure that you can regain your strength and there are no complications," the man said with a smile, while he started to write something down on the clipboard.

"Sorry, sir, umm...what date is it?" Aria croaked, her vocal cords raw from disuse.

"Oh, yes, of course, you must be wondering how long you were under. Well, let's see. You had your accident on February 6th, 2023, and now it is February 14th, so just over a week," the man said brightly as he flashed her another easy smile.

Aria couldn't believe it! Was everything that happened to her in the year 3000 just a dream? She wasn't dying? And she didn't have to live in a world run by aliens where humans were oppressed and valued only for their reproductive capabilities? It was all truly over? She wanted to cry in relief.

"I will leave you to rest now," he said as he put the clipboard back in its place. "I need to notify your doctor and contact your next of kin. Your parents have been very worried and you had quite a few of your colleagues visit during the past week. They had some interesting stories..." he chuckled and gave her a conspiratorial wink before he turned towards the door.

"Wait, sir. Sorry, what is your name?" she managed to say in a hoarse voice. She swore she knew him, and she felt like it was important for her to find out who he was.

The man stopped for a moment before the doorway and eyed her curiously. "Oh, right. My name is Ayden Turner. I'm your nurse, and I'd be happy to help you with anything while you recover."

- The End -

Final Word Count: 21,115