Shai Soi

Chapter 46

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Those two words echoed across a void of black. I knew the voice, but I couldn't recall why. They rang with relief but were shrouded in something heavier. Was it sadness? Anger? A mixture of the two? I didn't know.

Thank you,  the sweet voice repeated again and again.

"You- you're welcome," I stuttered. The voice ceases, but I felt a concluding nod ripple through the darkness. The black abyss pressed against my eye sockets. Purple and yellow spots danced in my vision. And then there was light.

Ragged breathing scratched at my ears. It wasn't until I felt my chest heaving in sync before I realized it was mine. Bright white light pierced my skull and I shut my eyes tightly. Something cold rubbed against my cheek. I tried lifting my hand to wipe it away. Nothing happened. Delayed panic rose in my throat. I tried again. Dead weight flopped onto my skin. Hard hangnails and yellow broken skin scratched my cheek. It was my hand.

I fumbled until I knocked something into my nose. I yank it out. It was one of those assistive breathing things. Maybe called a nasal cannula? Air tickled my chin when it fell to my neck. Beeps filled my ear. From what I could make out, I was lying on a stiff cot with bars on either sides. A TV hung in a corner of the bright room playing something with a lot of green and bugs.

"Akuna Matata..."

My ribs groaned when I sat up. Why am I here? Where am I? 

Loose hair fell into my face. I reached up to brush it away, but flinched. My pinky finger was in a cold plastic monitor. The rest of my arm was cocooned in a cast. I was still wearing my dirty hoodie. The sleeves of which were cut to allow room for my cast. Bile rose in the back of my throat. A long needle punctured the vein in the crease of my elbow. I felt the painkiller flood into my body. A needle. An invasion.

I screamed. Beeps became louder as I tore the needle from my arm. They couldn't do that. They couldn't stick needles in me just because they could. "Rebecca!" I halted. The voice was in my head. Why did I know that voice?

The door on the opposite wall flew open. In rushed two adults, both with bruises and deep worry lines. The woman with thick gold hair had her arm in a sling. The man's salt and pepper hair ruffled in a way that implied he ran his hands through it. He had tape over his crooked nose. "Cub!" The voice in my head belonged to the woman. They rushed over and put their hands on my face. They cried and kissed my hand and my cheek. The woman patted down my hair. Even when I knew it wouldn't do any good she continued to smooth it down. It felt familiar. They kept saying everything was okay. That everything was okay. And as the sense of home washed over me, I believed them.

Momma? Dad?  They nodded and continued telling me it was okay. The gentler Momma's voice became, the more I remembered. Cold-tiled hallways, whirring sterile needles, Sadie's nails biting into flesh, stars, bright green eyes, two words: 'Thank you'...

I hadn't realized I was crying until Momma swiped a thumb under my eyes. Her hands had built up callouses. "You're alright, cub. You're in a hospital. The best doctors are taking care of you."

"That is as long as you accept the treatment, Miss Hunter." A tall doctor with short spiky grey hair and thin blood red lips walked in. She clacked at the monitor's keyboard.  The lapel on her coat read Silvia Vise. She prepared another needle and held out her hand.

I snatched my arm and growled. The doctor smiled exposing wicked sharp canines. "If you wish to fully experience the aftermath  of pufferfish toxins, then be my guest. I'd prefer being able to breathe on my own, but we can plug you into an artificial respiratory device. Which, by the way, requires more needles."