Someone's In My Head (WATTYS AWARD WINNER 2015)

Chapter Two

Have you ever been hit in the head with a sledgehammer? Not literally, of course. Let me put it in another way. Have you ever had a serious case of migraine that you collapsed onto the ground, writhing and convulsing as if you were wrestling with an unseen enemy?

As crazy as this might sound, this was exactly what I was feeling right now. However, what really freaked the wits out of me was that as I seemed conscious enough, my surroundings were completely spotless. The white was pristine and sterile, like the walls in a hospital. Even the air tasted metallic.

What the hell happened just now? No, my memory wasn't impaired; I could clearly remember the bright flash of light, the freak roller coaster ride down the ravine, and then...nothing. Am I dead? No, no, NO! It can't be. There ain't no Gates of Heaven. Even St Peter wasn't around. I glanced around, half-bracing as I expected the guardian of the Gates of Heaven to suddenly appear out of nowhere and say, "Welcome to Heaven, son! Your papers please." No luck.

Contemplating whether I was dead or alive made me feel nauseous and silly, so I decided to stand up. My legs were wobbly at first, but after a few stumbles I retrieved my bearings. My head still hurt like hell. If asked to rate the pain from one to ten, I'll surely choose ten. I ain't no Hazel Grace.

Trying very hard to ignore the persistent pain, I scrutinized my surroundings once more. Suddenly, there was a vicious flash of green at my nine o'clock. My heart skipped a beat. Green Lantern? Neh. I'd bet my weekly wages that Hal Jordan wouldn't be interested in this boring Limbo of mine.

Unfortunately, the green flash seemed to be moving in my direction, fast. And yeah, as much as I would like to meet the legendary Green Lantern himself, the flash just didn't seem like him. I took an involuntary step backwards. Wrong move. The green flash shot at me, even faster than before, as if sensing my fear.

I ran. My legs, elongated versions of Jell-O, could barely cover a few steps when the flash caught up with me. It enveloped me instantly, flooding the surroundings and bathing me in an uncanny green hue. Startled, I stumbled.

Almost simultaneously, my eyes were attacked by a bright flash of light that reminded me of the headlights of the tractor-trailer. I averted my eyes and shivered uncontrollably. Only then did I realize the cold. It was raw and it stung my skin from the inside.

Another Optimus-Prime-sized truck romping for my life? No-that didn't explain the cold. Already I could feel the goosebumps rising on my skin. Even through the freezing cold that was threatening to swallow my mind, I was vaguely certain that I would willingly trade my kidney for a goose feather parka right now.

I was partly-delusional when the splitting headache came. It was gazillion times more excruciating than a sledgehammer blow to the side of a head. This felt like my entire head was being crushed by a meat grinder.

The last thought I had before I blacked out was, I would definitely rate this a hundred out of ten.

"I hate these blurred lines~" the radio was blaring enthusiastically, along with a figure in the front seat who had her arms bobbing up and down to the rhythm. I frowned. Then I realized with a start that I was in my mom's rented car, finally going home after my one week stay in the hospital.

My head still ached occasionally. The vision I had just now had been haunting me for days now, since the first time I woke up in the hospital bed, donned in the green overalls patients wear after surgery. I remembered that, at first, I was completely disoriented, and was ready to shout frantically for help when a doctor entered.

He was middle-aged, with a bald scalp and thick glasses. He introduced himself as Dr Gordon, and placated me with a soothing but affirmative voice that felt faintly pretentious to me. "Now, I would like you to do something for me, if you don't mind."