Rusted Gears

The Panic

I woke up in a panic. Bolting out of some sort of bed, I looked around. The walls were painted a blinding white and there was a blue curtain surrounding me and my supposed bed.

I slammed my head into the soft pillows of the bed, 'for archons sake' I thought. The wires were all tangled, and for some reason...I feel lighter? Plus, all the wires were attached to one arm... wouldn't they be equally distributed through both arms? Unless...

Immediately, the curtain swings open. Scaring me. I looked up to see my twin siblings...both incredibly scared and worried. Lyney ran up to me "oh thank Focalors! You're alive!", he shouted in relief as he forced me into a tight embrace. I looked over at Lynette, her face was painted with worry as she stood in the corner.

"Lyney...-", she started before she was cut off by Lyney's muffled voice"our baby brother is alive!!". She gracefully walked over to her brother, "you might make his condition worse if you hug him like that" she warned him as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

I'm more than puzzled...I feel like a baby...a baby with no knowledge of what's going on. Lynette seemed to notice as she asked..."how are you Freminet?". I winced a little, which scared both twins as Lyney started panicking all over again...just not physically. You can always tell. We can always tell when Lyney's distressed.

"I'm fine Lynette, just... confused, that's all" I managed to spit out through the pain. Lyney shook Lynette in panic, "get anyone... he's in pain" he said in a mix of panic and sadness. Lynette nodded and quickly ran off and down the hallway. Lyney ran over to me, "it's okay, you're okay Fremi" he tried to comfort me, I didn't notice the tears flowing out from my eyes.

Lyney quickly pulled me into a second embrace, "it's okay...you're going to be just fine..." he whispered gently, whilst rubbing small but continuous circles on my back. I've never screamed...or even cried as much as I did now. It was painful. It hurt. What happened? What was going on?

This was the first time in a while that I shown vulnerability to anyone. Let alone my older brother. I continued screaming and crying into his shoulder like a huge baby, whilst he was trying his best to comfort me.

"There in here! Please, he's in pain!!", a recognizable cry from Lynette echoed down from the hallway. It didn't take long before she burst though the curtains with a bunch of nurses and doctors. They all looked panicked, they all looked worried.

A few doctors ran to me and Lyney, they let both of us stay in our current position as they changed a wire of some sort. They did it fast and also efficiently as well, I didn't even feel it though the muffled cries that escaped my mouth, which found a home on Lyney's soaked shoulder.

After a while, my screams and cries seemed to stop. The pain seemed to pass, I slowly rose my head from Lyney's shoulder. Lyney was holding in tears, "Fremi, are you alright?" he asked, voice flooded with concern as his grip faded slowly. I nodded, careful not to make him even more worried.

"Thank the archons", Lynette stepped to the side of the hospital bed. Lyney nodded in agreement, the worry that once painted their faces were now washed away, but some traces remained. Lynette planted a kiss on my cheek, "we were so worried even we heard what happened" she continued. Lyney only nodding in agreement, probably processing what he'd just witnessed.

"But...what exactly happened?" I asked, still confused about the situation. Lyney and Lynette looked at eachother before turning back to me, with quick nods. Lyney coughed before speaking, "you almost drowned Freminet, but to help you...they had to do something".

Lyney paused and looked even more depressed, so Lynette continued "you were immediately taken into the operating theatre after your rescue" she spoke softly. I could tell that she was struggling to speak, her usual stern tone was long gone.

Lynette walked over to the hospital bed, the floor creaked under both her feet with every step. "And they...", she mumbled whilst dragging back the bedsheets that once covered his remaining arm...

"They had to amputate your arm"