My Sickly Mate

Chapter 4: I Can't

Drawing does not belong to me.

Last Edited 6/29/16 10:13pm

"Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep..."

As I came to, I felt the gentle rise and fall of my chest that was in rhythm with an annoying beeping sound next to my right ear. I groaned through my nose when I started to come out of the dark haziness that surrounded my sleepy mind. Then I felt pain. A lot of pain. Everywhere.

Although my eyes were closed, I know that if I were to open them, the dull throb I felt in my temples would intensify to a pounding hammer on my skull. Not feeling up for more pain than my body was already gifting me, I decided to keep my eyelids shut. I just laid there, getting a grasp of everything around me.

I sighed when my mind was almost fully awake. Everything hurt. My arms felt like someone was pinching them, my legs felt like someone had strapped heavy metal on them to weigh them down, my neck felt like someone tapped a board from the bottom of my spine all the way up to where my neck met my head, and my stomach felt like I haven't eaten in a month.

With eyes still closed, I tried to move my arms that were lying next to me on what felt like a bed. As soon as did, I felt a tug in the middle of my arm by my elbow, I knew what it was and where I was immediately. My unwanted second home. Fantastic.

I grumbled under my breath, frustrated that I was back at this horrible place when I had just gotten out days before. I mean come on, can't life just give a girl a break some times? Geez. With a sigh, knowing I had no where to go even if I got up, I started to take in my surroundings using my hearing.

I could still hear the constant beeping of the heart monitor next to the bed, but payed no attention as I strained my hearing to listen for anything else. I could make out the sounds of heels against tile, a squeaking sound of wheels turning down the corridor, faint hushed voices of unfamiliar people in the hallway, and soft breathing coming from my right.

I wasn't alarmed by the breathing next to me though. I have been to the hospital for unexpected visits so many times before that I assumed that it was either Mom, Dad, Elliot, some other family member, a nurse, or a doctor watching over me or waiting for me to wake up.

I soon used my other sense to pick up any scent that was unfamiliar to me. The first thing I could was smell the very distinct and horrible scent of bleach and cleaner almost like the workers here dumped it all over the floor just to clean the place. Along with this cleaner smell, I could smell something else that was always around when I visited the hospital, but never could identify this single scent. Maybe the smell of a person who occupied this room or bed before me. Probably died in here too. Yes, happy thoughts.

All of the sudden I could feel the pain in my body and arms intensify for no reason, like I haven't moved in ages, which caused me to wince and the heart monitor speed up a bit.

"Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep."

I hear shuffling from my right like someone was getting out of a chair.

"Ava?" the deep voice of my brother whispered gently from a couple of feet away. I heard his loud feet pad over to the side of the bed and then his man perfume instantly invaded my nose. I wrinkled my nose sightly. It smelled terrible, kinda like a flower that smelled like death with a mix of some kind of strong spice.  The smell alone caused my throbbing head become a strong beat against my skull. Great.

I didn't open my eyes to acknowledge him nor answer back, perfectly content with just sitting here trying not to cause more pain to myself.

"Ava?" Elliot asked again, slightly louder than a whisper now. I could tell he was leaning over the bed now because cologne was basically shoving itself in my face now. Getting annoyed now that he was causing me to get a migraine, I just grunted in response, indicating that I was indeed up. In reality, I just wanted him to back his stinky self away.