Wayo is... MINE

27

Wayo woke up to the sound of rhythmic beeps. A strange smell reached his nose, like bleach and rubbing alcohol. His throat felt dry and scratchy, while his mouth felt sticky and tasted like copper.

He slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a dark room. He tried to sit up and felt an uncomfortable sting on the top of his hand. He reached his other hand towards the pain and could feel that an I.V. was attached to it. Taking a moment to look around at his surroundings, he realized he was in a hospital bed. The beeping sound he heard was the machine that was attached to his chest by long cords.

'How did I get here?', was the first thought that he had.

A rush of fear began to consume him as he couldn't seem to remember anything. Panicked, he started calling out for help.

"Hello, HELLO, is anyone there?" His throat was horse and burned as he tried to yell.

As the door opened, light flooded the room blinding Wayo for a moment. He instantly felt familiar arms pull him into a hug. "Oh, thank God", he heard from the baritone voice of his father. "Here, let me look at you", he said as he pulled away to inspect his son's face.

Wayo began crying. "I don't understand, how did I get here? What's wrong with me, why can't I remember what happened", he pleaded to his father for answers.

"Shhhhhh, try and calm down. Everything is going to be ok. For now, the doctors and nurses need to check you, then once they say it's ok, I want you to eat something. After that, we'll talk, I promise", his father said, trying desperately to comfort his son.

Wayo's father moved away from the bed to allow the hospital staff do their jobs. As the doctor listened to Wayo's heart and lungs, a nurse began prepping his arm so she could withdraw blood. His temperature was taken as well as his blood pressure. 

Wayo's hands were shaking. "Are you in any pain?" a nurse asked him. "I have a really bad headache and I feel a bit nauseous", he replied to her, "Can you please tell me why can't I remember how I got here?", he begged.

The nurse ignored his question and gathered the tubes with his blood inside. Wayo began to get agitated. 

"Why won't anyone tell me why I'm here? Am I sick, why can't I remember?"  He demanded to the room.

The nurse hurriedly put her supplies away and looked at the doctor. She reached in her pocket and withdrew a needle and plunged its contents into Wayo's I.V. "This should help with the nausea, but it might make you feel a little sleepy. Just try and relax", she informed Wayo as she continued with her duties.

'Why won't anyone tell me what's going on' he thought. He tried to recall the last thing he remembered before he woke up. Everything was so fuzzy. Wayo watched as the doctor whispered something to his father. His father whispered back and then walked back to his bedside.

"The nurse is going to bring you a tray. Once you've eaten, we'll try to sort this all out", Wayo's father said while patting his son's hand, attempting to sooth his child's fears.

Wayo felt himself suddenly begin to relax and his eyes felt so heavy. He leaned back into his pillow and looked up at his father, "I'm so,.. tired", he breathed as his eyelids began to droop. "I know son, just close your eyes, I'll be right here when you wake up", his father murmured to him.

Wayo closed his eyes and a fog descended upon him, taking him into a restless sleep.

********

Wayo POV

I could hear Ming and my dad talking in hushed whispers. I opened my eyes to see Ming standing in front of my father with his head bowed. He looked like he wanted to be swallowed up by the floor. I grabbed the railing on the bed and pulled myself up to a sitting position.