Phantom Chained

Chapter 7. Awakening. Ingrid.

My side started to vibrate, accompanied by an increasingly loud beeping. The cloudiness in my head began to lift as I slowly discovered the existence of reality and sunshine.

There was ringing in my ears and a red light between my squinted eyelids.

I picked up the phone.

"Yes, mom?"

"What's with your voice, speak louder! Where are you? Why aren't you in bed?"

Mother's piercing voice reminded me of a seagull squawking.

I made myself open my eyes, feeling the rough asphalt below me and seeing the deserted road stretching out into the horizon.

"I'm on the road, mom."

"Are you crazy?! Olaf and I are running around you the whole day trying our damndest to keep your fever down, and you disappear at the crack of dawn? I even called the school to say that you won't be coming for the next three days! Return immediately or I'll call the principal!"

"I'm already going, you didn't have to call me."

"Sheesh, no responsibility whatsoever. You're not five anymore, use your head sometimes! Do you want me to be late for work?"

"Mom, everything is alright, go to work. But uh... leave the front door keys, it seems I forgot mine."

"You always forget everything! Have you taken the pills?"

"What pills?"

"The ones I put on your bedside table! Inga, you better get home immediately!"

"Alright, okay, I'm going."

The voice in my phone became quieter, turning into murmuring when I sluggishly moved my hand away from the ear. I felt dizzy.

It would feel nice to sit down. Right here on the curb. So hot! I need to get out of here while I'm still aware of what's going on.

The phone wobbled in my hand while I looked for Sophie's number. Ringing. One, Two... Ten. I called again only to get the same result.

Okay, another number then. This time it answered on the first ring.

"Good morning to you too!"

"Johan, are you using the car today?"

"Actually I just woke up. Did something happen?"

"Take me away from here, please" I pleaded, " I'm in the middle of some road but I don't remember how I got here. I know it sounds stupid but I feel terrible, I think I'm about to pass out!"

The phone went silent for a moment.

"Which road? Be specific!"

I took a look around me, blinking through tear-filled eyes.

"I think there's a farm nearby, a house with red walls. There's also a sign, it says ten kilometres until town... are you kidding me? Fuck!"

"Understood. Stay there, I'm on my way."

Ten kilometres... The blue sign with white letters could not have been a hallucination, but then it meant that during the night I decided to take a three-hour walk only to lie down here on the ground, leaning against a rock. All of this just wouldn't come together in my head.

The sound of a car closing in shook me out of my spaced-out state. As if through a thick fog, I saw Johan bursting out of the car and leaning over me in with a concerned look on his face.

"Inga!" He put his hand against my forehead. "You're burning up! You need to go to a hospital!"

"I don't need a hospital, I'm already getting treated." I weakly mumbled. "Mom said I've been lying with a fever for a whole day, I probably had some sort of short-circuit in my brain, otherwise I wouldn't have come here."

"This can hardly be called a short-circuit anymore, you managed to walk here barefoot in your pyjamas." Johan grabbed me by the shoulder, helping me regain my footing. "Are you sure you don't sleepwalk? Damn, what is this? Your pants are stained with blood!"

I glanced at the dark-red stain between my legs and winced in embarrassment.

"The pad must've shifted," I said. " Don't mind me, I'll try to lie down in a way that won't stain the car seat."

"You should be worrying about yourself, you lunatic!" Johan carefully sat me down on the backseat and I, relieved, fell on my side and brought my legs against my aching stomach.

"Why isn't Sophie answering her phone?" I asked, already falling asleep. Johan started the car and briefly glanced over as if judging my condition.

"I don't know." He answered bluntly, paused for a moment and added, "We had a fight and now she doesn't want to talk to me. Maybe she's mad at the whole world."

What happened after is a blur, except for one moment when Johan carried me in his hands up a staircase and tripped over the highest step, almost tumbling down with me.

I remember a glass of water and some oval white pills. I also remember the smooth end of a thermometer under my tongue and the worried murmurs around me. Johan, mom, Olaf, someone else... a stranger.

I could clearly hear the distress in the voices, with everyone surely worrying about my well being.