the amnesiac

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Hannah, are you all right?" a woman said, hovering over me. I blinked a couple of times, wondering where I was. My head was aching, and I felt as if I was falling even though I was trying to sit up. "Hannah, can you hear me?" the woman asked again. I tried to nod, but it hurt too much, so I just moaned as an answer. "Good, good. I'll get Dr. Mario." I heard a shuffling of feet and a whish. I'm guessing that sound came from a door opening and closing, but I couldn't be too sure.

Moments later, I heard the noise again. This time, I didn't try to sit up, but I felt the air grow dense when a big man stepped in front of the bed I was in. I suddenly felt cramped in the tiny room, and I wanted to scream for help. I felt my eyes water up- there was so much pain in my head and I felt incredibly lonely. I couldn't remember much of anything, not even my name. Hannah. That's what the woman had said. Who was that? I thought.

"Hannah, my name is Dr. Mario. I'm here to help you. You hit your head pretty hard and I want you to tell me if you remember anything."

I didn't want to answer- I didn't trust him, or anyone. I didn't remember hitting my head, I don't remember getting in this room, and I don't know who the woman standing next to the doctor was.

All I knew was that there was a strange big man with a calming voice standing in front of a hard, uncomfortable bed that I didn't want to be in but unfortunately was, I didn't know who the woman was, but she seemed to know who I was, and I was thirsty. Really, really thirsty.

"Water," I moaned. Dr. Mario nodded and turned to another doctor- a young woman that I hadn't even noticed was in the room- and mouthed "water," which sent her running out of the room, only to come back later with a cold cup of iced water.

She handed it to me, and I took it just as she pressed a lever behind the bed, sending my body upward from waist and up. "Agh," I groaned, feeling a sharp pain on the top of my head.

"Sorry," the lady doctor said. "I should've warned you."

Dr. Mario gave her a disapproving look, and she disappeared out of the room in an instant. Dr. Mario walked over and sat down next to my hip. "How are you feeling, Hannah?" he asked.

What a dumb question. I've been moaning instead of talking, wincing instead of frowning, pleading for water instead of caring to ask where I was, and thinking too much despite the hell I'm feeling in my head. "Hurts," I explained. Dr. Mario nodded carefully, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking and not just what I was saying. "Well, Tylenol can fix that." Wow. He must be the best doctor in town. "Don't worry, you won't feel pain for the rest of your life. It's only for a couple of days." He patted my knee as he said that, but I didn't feel comforted. Instead, I felt like I should throw a stubborn fit and demand to be told what was going on.

I guess Dr. Mario is a mind reader, because he explained my "condition."

"I don't know if you realize where you are right now, but you're in the hospital because you fell out of a tree and hit your head pretty hard on the ground. Nothing was broken or dislocated, so you don't have to worry about getting a cast or crutches. However, you had to get thirteen stitches on your head, and you experienced a memory loss. Unfortunately, we are unable to know exactly how long it will take for you to get your memory back. Your mom and I-" oh, that's who she is- "have already discussed you condition, and we both agree that it's going to be hard going back to school without your memory. We both believe that it would be best if you stayed home for a while until you get better. It's up to you whether you want to or not."

Everything sunk in slowly and painfully. Falling from a tree. Memory loss. My condition. School. Choices. It was all too much, too quick. My life was a train-wreck, and I was a viewer watching it all play back in slow motion.

"Hannah, are you alright?"

I looked up at Dr. Mario. "I uh...umm," I stuttered.

He patted my knee. "I know it's hard at first, honey, but you'll be fine. I'll leave you alone to talk to your mom."

I nodded absently and stared at my hands, focusing on not crying.

As soon as Dr. Mario left and closed the door, my mom said, "Sweetie, do you remember anything?" I looked up and shook my head.

"Not even your name?"

"Well, I didn't, but I'm guessing it's Hannah, now that you've said it multiple times."

My mom sighed. "Okay, well do you want to go to school, or wait until your amnesia wears off?"

I thought for a moment, then asked, "Um, what grade am I in?"

Mom pursed her lips. "Eleventh. You're seventeen."

"Oh." I thought some more. "I don't know," I finally answered.

"You don't know?"

"Um, no."

"Okay," she sighed again.

There's a long silence until I say: "What do you want me to do?"

There's another silence. And a sigh. Then: "I don't know."

It was my turn to sigh. This woman was so unresponsive. It was pathetic.

"Well, um."

"Yeah," she responded.

So far everything was going really well.