Flaws Of An African Girl (COMPLETED/UNEDITED)

CHAPTER 25

I once read that your sense of hearing is the first to pick up when you wake up but I didn’t believe until now.

The first things I hear are echoes and voices forming incoherent words. I try to pry my eyes open but it seems my body is not being coordinated by my brain anymore. My muscles are a little bit stiff although I can move them a bit.

“You haven’t said anything. Is she going to be okay?” I hear a voice say. The voice sounds weird like an echo.

“I need talk to her first before I can say anything for sure. You are not her family and I am not allowed to give that kind of information out to just anyone” Another person replies.

“We are the ones that brought her here. We deserve to know something” This voice is different from the previous ones. From how the voice is strained, you can tell how angry and worried the person is.

I try to open my eyes again and immediately it opens, I am blinded by bright white lights. I close my eyes and blink a few times to allow my eyes adjust to the brightness of the room.
I look around and try to observe my environment. The first thing I notice is the abundance of the colour white in this room; my bed sheets are white, the tiled floor is white and the walls are also painted white. There is a little refrigerator and a cupboard at the left side of the bed. A loaf of bread, a tin of milk and a tin of chocolate beverage are placed on top the fridge. There are two plastic seats on the right side of the bed, probably for visitors.

How did you land yourself in a hospital? My subconscious mocks.

I look up and see Timini, his mother, and a man who should be the doctor judging from the white coat he is putting on, talking. It almost seems like they are arguing from how tense their muscles are. Dakore is standing behind them, silently listening to their conversation. Their attention is solely on the doctor and they are oblivious that I have woken up. The event that occurred in Timini’s family house keeps drifting into my mind but I push it away for now.

“Hey” I say in a voice that is just above a whisper but I know they heard me.

“Harida” Timini calls my names in a strangled voice like it is some sort of prayer. He immediately rushes to me. He pulls me in for a tight hug but also manages to hold me tenderly like I am a precious egg. I allow him take his time because I understand how this must be for him. He looks exhausted like he hasn’t slept for days. I notice that their faces holds a similarity; tiredness. They all have bags coating their red eyes and they all look like they can slump on the bare floor anytime from now.

“How are you?” He says softly after pulling out from the hug. He uses his fingers to slightly touch my face as if to reassure himself that I am really here. I notice the unshed tears coating his eyes.

“I am f-fine” I croak out. My voice sounds foreign to my ears. My throat is dried up and it feels like there is not even a single drop of saliva in my mouth.

“Here” Timini says while pushing at cup close to my mouth. I drink out of the cup ferociously until I feel satisfied.

“We just became friends and you are already doing this. A year from now, I would probably die of heart attack just because you are my friend.” Dakore tries to put up an amused face but I can see worry clouding her eyes.

“I think that would be a good death.” I laugh a bit.

“You are stupid.” She comes closer and gives me a hug.

I look up and see Timini’s mum smiling sadly at me and I just nod back at her.

“I am sorry to break up the re-union but I need to talk to the patient” The doctor says. Timini, Dakore and their mum go to the left side of the bed while the doctor comes to the right side and sit on one of the chairs.