Infection

Chapter 4 - No Accident

It was completely dark when I awoke, but warm... but also cold, it was a weird sticky feeling. I could hear screams echoing in the distance, but they didn't seem to bother me at all they weren't important. Everything felt so distant, so surreal. I took a deep breath, or at least tried. My body didn't seem to comply, but it didn't really matter, it was so comfortable. I began seeing little dots of light changing each other across my eyes; it was for some reason quite amusing. The voices began coming closer now, I tried shoving them away but my arms were so heavy; I just wanted to stay and watch the pretty lights. Suddenly pain erupted in my chest, making me jolt fiercely; it was as if I was struck by lightning! That seemed to flick a switch inside, bringing everything alive and a flood of pain echoing through my very bones, my eyes flicking open for a split second and I managed to make out a face looking worriedly down at me before I... 

Beep... beep... beep... beep... beep

The next time I opened my eyes it came with a lot less pain, only an annoying throb in the background. I tried rolling over, to get more comfortable, but realized I couldn't. Abruptly I came to my senses, realizing I wasn't in my bed at home, but then who's bed was I in and what is that annoying beeping noise!? I went to reach out to see if I find some sought of light, but found I couldn't move my right arm! I couldn't even wriggle my fingers. Panicking, I tried to get up, but my body just didn't feel like moving. Luckily enough my left arm seemed to be fine, if a little stiff. So I blindly reached out for anything. I felt the side of the cold metal bed and followed it up until it met with some sought of the table, I felt my hand knock against something heavy and I was rewarded with a loud smash as it hit the floor. Desperately I continued my search until finally my hand landed on what I hoped was the basis of a lamp. Moving my hand up the trunk I found, to my delight, a switch and quickly turned it on. My eyes suddenly flooded with light before I found myself propped up on a white bed, but my gaze was immediately drawn to the mesh of ginger gathering on the edge of my bed. Confused, I looked round the large and spacious room, finding many other beds like mine coherently placed along the wall, all occupied, and then it hit me, I was in a hospital! I gasped, looking back down at the messy ball of damp ginger hair! It couldn't be... Eve? This is one hell of a dream, well what else would it be? The last thing I remember was... ah. And then the memories came rolling in, the train, the screaming, the blood... then the white lights. I'd nearly died! I looked down and saw my right arm all plastered up from the elbow down, it looked like I'd gotten away lightly. But that didn't explain why Eve was lying on my hospital bed, the poor girl. With my good arm I took off the blanket that was pointlessly strewn across my quilt and did the best to throw it over Eves sleeping figure. After a few adjustments I was satisfied and felt quite exhausted. I lay back down, letting the warmth slowly lull me back to sleep; the answers could wait till the morning.

Beep... beep... beep... beep... beep

"You know that beeping noise is really annoying!" I was rewarded with Eves melodic laughter ringing in my ears. I opened my eyes, tiredly smiling. "You look lovely!" I laughed. Her hair quite literally looked liked someone had placed a bush on her head.

"O says the one in the hospital! Have you seen your face recently?" she replied punching me in the leg.

"Ouch! You try surviving a train wreck. I'm hungry."

She replied with a mix between a sneeze and a laugh. "All you think about is food!"

"And somebody appears to have the sneezes."

"It's what you get for running through the rain in the middle of the night, don't say rain never hurts you!" she sniffed wrapping the blanket I'd draped over her tighter around herself.

"What, you ran through the rain to get here, why?! How come you didn't get your parents to take you?"

"Thought you were dead, it was all over the news!"

"I feel honored! But I think you should be the one wrapped up in one of these beds because of it."

"Just a cold, plus I got more sleep here knowing you were okay then I would at home so shh!"

"Well, it's nice to see a familiar face, thank you." My hand brushed hers.

All of a sudden a Nurse bustled into the wing "Good morning Master Ward, how are we feeling this morning?"

"Sour." I answered questionably, both our hands moving away awkwardly.

"I'm not surprised!" she said checking my drips. "The Doctor will be with you shortly." And with that she went onto the next patient.

"The sooner I'm out of here the better," I mumbled to Eve.

"Not a big fan of hospitals?"

"Not a big fan of needles, why do I even need a drip?"

"That would be because of the surgery, good morning Seth, my name is Dr Ivic." The Doctor answered, strolling into view.

"Surgery?!"

"It's okay, don't worry, it wasn't anything serious. We just had to take a few bits of metal out of you. You were awfully fortunate, a little shrapnel, a sprained arm and a few bruised ribs. Oh, and a few cuts and bruises, but nothing life threatening."

"I thought my heart stopped?"

"From the impact I would imagine, but you're okay now and that's what matters."

I nodded forgetting how serious the accident really was, it was all a bit of a blur to be honest, everything happened so quickly.

"Well, everything seems to check out fine, you're making a superbly fast recovery, and you'll have a hell of a story to tell!" He said scrawling something down on his clipboard.

"How long am I going to be in here?"

"Until we feel your self-reliant, you've been through a lot."

"Can I at least go for a walk?"

"If you think you can, but be careful of your drip. Get your friend to help you."

"Thank you. Oh, and one more thing, do my parents know?

"Yes, they were in last night, but we had to send them out, as you can see we're crowed as it is. Your friend on the other hand managed to sneak in much later, so I was told, and was quite wet," Eve blushed, and started fiddling with her hair. "Anyway, I'll leave you two to it," and with a smile he was off.

"Shall we go and see if we can get some food then?"

"Seriously!" she laughed, "Rather find a comb, I'm never going to get this hair straight."

"Comb and food it is. Help me up will ya?" With a groan, I picked myself up on my good arm, swinging my legs off the bed slowly, they felt heavy and stiff but alive! 

"Give me your arm then." she replied, standing up herself.

With Eves help I managed to stumble to my feet, using the drip pole for support and Eve's arm steadying me. It wasn't too bad.

"I look good in a dress!" I laughed noticing the hospital gown I was wearing. I could see my legs, black and blue, and bandaged up in some places.

"Yeah, you should wear it to sixform," she said sarcastically with a chuckle as we started to walk.

"Speaking of which, have you seen my suit?"

"Yeah, but there wasn't much of it left, not to mention a little on the bloody side. There was a picture of you getting pulled out of the wreckage."

"Nice, that can be my new screen saver!"

"Are you always so enthusiastic?"

"I try my best. Plus, I don't want you to worry, I'm fine." I stumbled slightly catching myself on the pole.

"Yeah, good as new, and who said I was worrying," she crossed her arms shaking her head. I don't even think you should be out of bed!"

"See worrying! Give me a couple of days and I'll be as right as rain,"

She rolled her eyes, "Come on then, let me help you," she linked her left arm with my bad right arm, holding me up. "Better?"

"Much. Now to the food!" And with that, we left the wing arm in arm.