Waking Up in the Apocalypse

Awakening

The first thing I see is the burning brightness of a light. My eyes shut as soon as they open and I feel pain as the brightness strikes straight to my brain, instantly causing a migraine.

I bring my hand up and it feels unfamiliar, like I'm not in my own body.

My eyes slowly flutter open and the first thing I see are windows, three aligned next to each other along the wall in front of me. They are covered with long white curtains, which makes the room more brighter.

I turn my head slightly to see a couple arm chairs against the wall to my right with a small table in between them. I turn my head to the left to see a tall wooden door shut with a small window in the middle of it at the top. It's a plain room so I must be in a hospital or something.

The machines next to the bed I lay in confirm the fact that I am in a hospital.

"Nur-" I try to speak but my throat is dry causing my body to jolt into dry coughs. I swallow a few times, my mouth dry of any saliva.

I carefully sit up and feel a sort of relief, pulling the IV out of my arm and the oxygen out of my nose. Then I realize that the oxygen isn't working and there's nothing in the IV bag. The machine next to me, that's supposed to be beeping, is silent. I frown at the realization. Why isn't the machine on? I reach over to the lamp on the bedside table and push the switch but it doesn't light.

The power's out. In a hospital?

A few other things sit on the bedside table. A single crusted rose, a picture of hearts and flowers. I find myself smiling at the picture my brother drew me. But my smile fades.

Why aren't they here? I lift my legs and release a breath. They feel too heavy for my body. I use my arms to lift my legs over the bed.

My bare feet touch the cool floor and I flinch away a little, the coldness feeling foreign. I haven't felt anything this cool in a while but it feels good. I step onto the floor and stand but fail to keep myself standing as I immediately fall to the floor.

I guess I haven't walked in a while either.

And that brings me back to the question of how I got to the hospital. More importantly, what happened to me?

I feel like I'm dreaming. I don't feel like myself. Carelessly, I pinch my arm and shut my eyes.

I want to open my eyes to see my glow in the dark stars sticking on my bedroom ceiling. I want to open my eyes and sit up on my bed to see Darren sneaking through my things. I want to open my eyes and see Mom smiling at me.

But when I open my eyes, I'm in the same hospital room with the single crusted rose on the bedside table and the silent machines.

I slowly stand to my feet again with the help of the IV roller. I move slow enough to regain my balance and press my hand to the wall to keep balance.

I notice there's another door in the room and I reach for the handle, opening it to reveal a small bathroom. I step inside and quickly turn the faucet on for the sink, cupping my hands under the faucet and letting the cool water pour over my hands. I splash my face a bit and look up in the small mirror to see someone I don't recognize.

It's me but I look different, older.

My hair is longer, my eyes are lighter, my lips are cracked. I also notice a small scar above my left eyebrow. My finger traces over it. I lift the hospital garment up and notice how much thinner I look. My eyes grow wider as I notice yet another scar but this one is longer. It starts right under my navel on my left and around to my back, stopping mid-way.

What happened to me?

I let the garment fall back down to my knees and drink some water, chugging it really, realizing how thirsty I am.

I walk back to the room and notice a clipboard hanging off the edge of the hospital bed. I grab it and look it over.

Nora Peters
H: 5'3" W: 117

Age: 20
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown

•Coma; 3yrs
•Under Treatment
•Close Watch

>Cure

Cure? Cure for what?

Coma? For three years?

What does all of this mean?

I missed birthdays, holidays, graduation. I missed three years of my life.

I fall to the ground, shock taking over every instinct in my body. I don't know what's going on.

Where's my mom? Darren?

How did I get into this coma?

I begin to shake as I take the board again and look it over. But it doesn't say anything about what happened to me. Maybe those dreams were real, I mean one of them. Maybe it was a memory.

My thoughts are interrupted when I hear something outside of the room.

"Hello? Nurse?" I call out, surprised at how I sound. I sniff and wipe at my wet eyes. I stand to my feet and walk to the door, looking through the small window to see nothing but darkness. But I do see something blocking the doorway, like a cart. I frown, confusion replacing my shock and head towards the window. I open the curtain to see daylight blasting through the glass. I, once again, squint at the brightness but quickly get used to it, worry taking over the shock and confusion.

The streets are completely empty. No cars, no people, nothing.

But there is one thing that catches my eye. I squint my eyes to see more clearly and notice a sign on a fence down below.

Quarantine Zone

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hello again. i'm sorry it was short but I promise the upcoming chapters will be longer. i've been working on this story for about a year, getting some ideas from the walking dead of course and a video game i played called the last of us.

please comment more and more and more. i like to see what people think and even if it's mean, I don't give two shits. just tell me something :)

and vote if you'd like.

thanks.

oh and i picture Nora as Nina Dobrev. idk why. i just think she's beautiful and she has something unique about her.

j.