Bright, sterile, aggressive white lights greet me alongside the frantic beeping of the heart monitor. I open my eyes with a gasp and instantly screw them back shut. The flash of light feels like hot daggers going into my eyes. Everything hurts. It feels like someone dumped molten lead into my bones and left me to die from the pain.
My lungs start to constrict as the post-supernova panic settles in. The machine starts to beep more frantically as my heart rate picks up. Everything is fuzzy around the edges. I can't focus on anything as it all is lost in the giant haze of shadows and basic shapes.
A blanket drapes over my shoulders with a pair of strong arms holding it and me. "Deep breaths, Lia." Dad whispers into my hair. I focus on the sound of his voice, the scratchy sheets in my clenched fists, and the comfort of Dad's presence—anything to distract me from the raging pain in my skull and body.
"Good job. Just take a deep breath in and release." Dad coaches, and I struggle to follow event he simple instructions as he rubs calming circles on beneath my shoulders. "It's gonna be okay. You're okay now."
"No." I croak, my throat and voice raw. "I'm not. It's getting worse."
Neither of us speak as the words settle between us. Dad passes me my heavily tinted glasses without a word. We're too scared to talk about it, to admit the horrifying truth. Although, my need to know outweighs my fear. "How bad?" I ask, still keeping my eyes screwed shut even though I have my glasses now.
"Twenty-feet, knocked out power for fifty. " He lets out a heavy sigh. "You really had me scared there for a minute, bugs. You were out for nearly seven hours. How are you feeling now?"
"I'm—I'm fine." I stutter and tug at the wires connected to my body. "I just—just really need some air." Dad watches me as I practically run out of the room.
Everything aches and hurts. My head spins and each breath feels harder than the last. I collapse with my hands on my knees after having sprinted haphazardly through the maze of hallways.
Something twists in my chest, and I can feel the shadows pooling in the corners ready to embrace and aid me at a moments notice. My hand runs along the darkened areas of the wall, feeling the shift in energy pulsing beneath my fingertips.
It's like a drug in my veins, better than any kind of medication they could give me. After a long moment, my energy is beyond what it was before. The smell of cleaner fills my nose as I survey the large, open room. Inside is a wide assortment of equipment, from targets to punching bags, boxing rings to climbing ropes, and a multitude of things I can't name.
A part of me is drawn to the wide open space with the mat lined floor. It makes me miss my gymnastic days. The times when I spent every spare moment training, pushing myself harder in hopes of another medal, and the rush of the competitions, even the disastrous ones.
Although, the memory draws up the things that sent me over the edge.
I shake my head to push it aside as I slip my socks off and test the give of the mats. It's been an eternity since I tried anything like this. Muscle memory takes over as I curl my toes and tap my foot against the mat. Once, run, jump, tuck, and twist. Just like it used to be, until the landing.
The second my right foot hits the mat, I crumble.
Pain radiates from my toes through my hip, and I can practically feel the healed fracture pulsing. I flex my jaw as I push myself back to my feet, beyond the pain. Maybe it was stupid of me to try one of my moves after so long, but I couldn't resist knowing if I still could. Now, I resort to a simple round-off and salto routine. It's not the same feeling of accomplishment; but still something though.
YOU ARE READING
The REM Trials
Fanfiction"They've been there for me. My shadows have been my best friends for as long as I can remember. They were there when no one else was." Amelia Bright is--remarkable. In more ways than most people know. Because, while most people see a bright, young s...
