Finding my way [Complete]

Chapter 13

Arthit's POV

Everything hurt. But it wasn't the pain that bothered me as much as the extreme paralysis I felt in my entire body. I wanted to move, my mind willed my body to move but nothing happened. It was such a bizarre feeling. I couldn't feel any part of my body but still every tiny inch was in pain. 

I looked around for the first time. I was in a bright white room. It was airy and quite pleasant. It looked like what a hospital room should look like. I had never actually entered a hospital before but this what they showed on TV and it fit the description quite well. How did I get here? I had definitely managed to get to my room before I passed out. I remember thinking that I might not wake up I fell asleep. I tried to stay up as long as I could. But then I did sleep, and miraculously I woke up again.

I need to figure out how I got here and more importantly when can I leave. With all the will power I could muster I turned my head to see a nurse enter and give me a small smile.

"Oh you are finally awake. How do you feel?"

I have a feeling that was a rhetorical questions since she didn't wait for me to answer and started fussing around the charts and monitors. "I will let them know you are awake. You seemed to have given everyone quite a scare young man."

Everyone? Who is everyone? Who even knew to bring me to the hospital?

About 15 minutes later the most dreadful looking Knott and Kong walked into the room. Both of them could compete in their intensity of dark circles and sunken cheeks. Kong had bloodshot eyes like he had been crying. I frowned, confused as to why both of them were here. Who was it that found me?

Knott gave me an encouraging smile. "How you feeling Arthit? Man, you really scared us."

I tried to smile back but it seems like my face was still swollen. I gave a small nod instead.

"Yeah, you are pretty banged up but thankfully nothing serious. You got a few stitches on your leg and back, a sprained wrist and some crazy ugly bruises all over but no head wounds. So if you start behaving like a lunatic that's still all on you." He chuckled trying to ease the tension in the room.

Kong was staring straight at me without saying anything at all. I had so many questions to ask and I am sure so did he. I briefly shut my eyes and attempted to sit up. I needed to think of what to tell them before everything got out of hand. I looked at Kong again. He looked like he needed answers but he wasn't ready to push me yet. Hopefully, these medicines would wear off soon and I would be able to think a little more clearly. Right now the pain along with this fog in my brain was beginning to send me in a panic.

Just as Kong was about to say his first words to me, the doctor entered the room. He once again checked my charts and bruises, and asked me some direct questions. Since I wasn't able to talk just yet I nodded my head yes and no to respond. Finally, he told me that I had been recovering for 2 days at the hospital, I was in much better shape than my bruises looked, and that I would most likely need a couple weeks of recuperation but I would get as good as new in no time. Once I had my plans in order and if I felt better I could even be discharged the next day.

With the most pressing matter taken care of I looked to my two friends in the room. Thankfully I couldn't talk just yet which bought me atleast a day I hope. Both of them excused themselves to answer their phones and I was left alone with my thoughts to piece everything together.

More important than what happened in the past, I needed to figure out what will happen in the future. I am not entirely sure I can take care of myself alone. I can definitely not stay in the hospital any longer than necessary. I doubt I still had my job at the factory. Now I needed to find both a day and a night job and I needed money. A lot of it. And fast. I was giving myself a headache thinking. I couldn't solve any problems until I got better enough to work. Nobody was going to hire a man with a swollen jaw.

I knew the instant Kong walked in. I knew he was concerned and worried. He also looked scared, but the most prominent expression on his face was anger. I couldn't be completely sure that the anger was not directed towards me, which definitely made me a little nervous. I tried to give me smile but that just shot a sharp pain in my jaw and I ended wincing instead.

"The cops will need your statement."

My eyes widened, and he knew that I wasn't going to tell them or him the truth. He inhaled sharply and continued "We told them you met with a minor accident and it was your own fault. No one else was involved and since your injuries don't seem to be too serious or life threatening there is nothing to report to the cops. You can decide whatever you want to tell them." With that he turned around and left.

I was left alone for the remainder of the afternoon. At first I assumed Knott and Kong had left, but I later found out Knott was asleep in a neighboring empty room while Kong was sitting outside. I wanted to call him back in but I knew he was too upset with me and I did not mean to push any more of his buttons. Throughout the day the swelling on face progressively reduced to the points that I could attempt to drink juices with a straw. I still had a hard time saying anything, but I wasn't in as much pain as I thought I would be.

When evening came around most of my friends came to visit me. Kong had entered with them but silently stood by the wall. I got a repeat of the same questions of how I had gotten injured so bad and how was I feeling now. Not that I could answer any of the questions, but the lot of them kept me and themselves entertained. My brain was running in overdrive with a hundred different thoughts all day and I was glad to stop thinking even if it was only temporarily. I sipped from my juicebox letting the voices of my friends wash over me.

"Young man, how are you faring?"

I turned around at the voice and immediately spat my juice all over Prem's face.

There was pin drop silence in the room while everyone stared at me trying to make out what had gotten such a reaction from me. If I wasn't injured in bed, Prem would have definitely punched me. But at the moment I didn't care about any of that. Som was in my room. Not dressed like a homeless man for once, he was standing right in front of me. In all my overthinking, Som had played a big role. I was so worried that no one had bought him food in the seven days I was away from work and that he had starved. I hadn't even been able to tell him I won't come to work before I passed out. But here he was, in all his snarky glory.

"Still re-learning how to drink properly I see. Its Ok, for some it can be particularly challenging." I continued staring at him as he continued.

"My Kong and I found you passed out in your room. You managed to give us quite a fright. But not to worry, you seem to be on the mend. You can call me grandpa just like Kong does." He ended his speech with a huge smile and a wink.