Picking Up What's Left of Me

Chapter 9

I woke up to find everyone in the room was chattering loudly.

STOP! I wanted to shout at them, yet I couldn't.

Where was I? What happened?

My head was throbbing and my entire body ached. Can I just go back to sleep? It was a lot more comfortable there. I couldn't focus on the voices or the noises as I suddenly became acutely aware of every nerve ending in my body. I felt every prick of pain that occured on my skin and inside of myself. To top it all off, I was freezing.

However, there was one sensation that was nice.

Someone with large, warm, and rough hands was holding one one of my hands in both of theirs. Their thumb was brushing gently across the top of my hand and it somehow calmed me and made me feel more comfortable. I felt tears drip onto my hand as their chapped lips brushed gently across the surface. It calmed me greatly even though I couldn't move yet.

I wanted to move my hand to hold the hands that were encasing mine, but yet I couldn't move even a finger. I tried so hard to even twitch but nothing happened. Nothing.

What's more minor than a finger? I though as I tried to figure out how to move. I decided that I would try to open my eyes so I could at least get my bearings before people noticed I was awake or alive or whatever it is that I was.

I searched my being for even the slightest bit of strength to open my eyes, and I surprisingly found it. I opened my eyes just a little so they were slits.

Everything was just so bright, it was hard to take. I slammed my eyes shut before I tried to open them again. I knew that I needed to open my eyes so I could see who this stranger was.

I opened my eyes halfway and once the brightness had dulled, I glanced over to my hand to see who was holding it.

Ross.

Oh, gosh. It was Ross! How could I have thought it would be anyone else?

I tried to speak, but I found my mouth couldn't move. I tried to move my nose and I found that I could do that. I slowly worked my way down my face, moving various part to ensure they were moveable.

Everyone was so engrossed in conversation that no one noticed me.

I decided that since I figured out how to make my face work, that I woud try my finger again. I attempted to move my indedx finger and surprisingly enough, it worked this time.

Ross looked at my hand like he had seen God before glancing up to my face. He saw that I was awake and his eyes filled with emotion.

I squeezed his hands and I found that I could now move everything with some complaints from my body, but at least I could move. I took special notice to the giant ass casts on my left leg and right wrist.

He stood up suddenly and engulfed me in a hug. Everyone turned to stare at him. They all gave him confused looks until they saw my scrawny, bruised arm move up to return the hug. As I moved my arm, my body screamed with pain- especially where Ross was holding my ribs.

"Ouch." I croacked out. My voice was rough and hoarse.

"Huh?" Ross asked in reply. His voice was scratchy and his voice showed that he had been crying.

"Ouch." I said again, my voice betraying me.

"Oh, shit, sorry." He apoligized as he let go of the hug and sat back down in his seat. He leaned forward and put his face in his hands, rubbing it for a little bit.

"How are you?"

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Holy shit, you're awake!"