Into the Light

(The Cryogenic Patient)

There was a bright light. I began to walk toward it, but this wasn't by will. I felt almost like I was being dragged. I tried to force myself to stop, but my legs kept going. This was nothing like the light I saw when it first happened. This wasn't natural. It had a blue tint and felt icy. As I walked, I began to feel an ache in my head; then, there was a flash.

My eyes shot open immediately, and I tried to sit up. Everything was so cold. I was lying in a white room, with nothing but a cot, a small table with strange tools covering it, and a short stool.

I must be in the hospital, but everything looks so strange.

I tried to move, but my limbs were stiff. I was wearing a white gown and an IV was sticking out of my left arm. A small door in the far corner of the room slid open and an older man walked in followed by a younger gentleman. "Hello", the older man said. His attire was strange. He had on white pants that seemed silky yet stiff and his shirt had beautiful patterns that seemed to almost move around him. He also wore a long white lab coat and orange shoes. "How do you feel?" He asked.

"Who are you? Where am I?" My voice was hoarse and my throat dry.

"Calm down, don't strain yourself. I'm Dr. Hatfield. We will be filling you in on some things, but for now, we have a few questions."

That's when the younger man stepped forward. He had on a completely shiny silver suit, a very large bow tie that was a bright green, and black shoes that reminded me very much of what a clown would wear. "My name is Vittorio. Can you tell me what your name is?" He asked.

I looked at the younger man and spoke, "My name is Alice."

"Very good." He said as he scribbled something down on a tablet of some sort. "How old are you?"

I looked at the man strangely. If I'm a patient, shouldn't they know this information? I answered him anyway, "Sixteen". He scribbled more things down on his tablet. "Where am I?" I asked again. This feels bad, as if I should be afraid of these people. The two men exchanged glances, and Dr. Hatfield, stepped forward, before crouching down to my level.

"Alice, do you remember the accident?" I didn't have time to answer him. The next thing I knew all of these memories came flooding back to me, like someone just blew up a dam.

I was in our front yard with my sister, Katie. We were running around, playing tag, when a car horn blew. I didn't have time to brace myself before the impact came. Next thing I remember is the light. It was a bright yellow, and as I began to walk toward it I was engulfed by its warmth. It was so inviting and made me feel safe, like everything was fine. As I continued to walk I heard a familiar voice yelling my name, but I was so focused on the light before me I didn't turn around. I had never truly believed in the after life, but this was not of the earthly realm. This was completely different from the light I had just felt before I awoke.

I looked over to the man, nodding my head, signaling to him that I did in fact remember what had happened. "Am I still in the hospital? Where's my mom? Was Katie hurt?" I had so many questions racing through my head.

Why aren't they telling me anything?

"I can't believe it," Vittorio spoke to the doctor. "She's the only one who remembers anything. We have a lot to explain."

Dr. Hatfield nodded his head in agreement with Vittorio before pulling the little stool up
next to my cot. "Yes, but for starters," he said looking directly at me. "Have you ever heard of a cryogenic patient?"

AN: hello..
So I've decided that this is going to remain a short story. I'm sorry, I was going to continue writing it and make it into a complete book, but I prefer it as a short story because that's how I originally wrote it.

But, I'm thinking about putting some more of my short stories on wattpad once I've finished them! So please  check those out!

//Lauren