Aware, Awake, Alive

A Tragic Beginning

Annaliese heard it. The screech of brakes and the screaming voice that rattled her ears. When her eyes met the blinding headlights, she knew it was all over. She strangely remembered the silver color of the car, but before she could process it she was swallowed by blackness.

It felt like there was no time in between when she assumed she had awakened and the darkness. She could barely make out the shrill of sirens. Everything was so far away, as if she was hearing an echo of a branch snapping in a valley.

She blinked.

Everything had changed in one moment. Her head was no longer cloudy, but instead her sight was.

She couldn't breathe but she was somehow able to scream. The cries of a baby echoed back to her, a mocking salute to her death as she would later note.

Where was she? A hospital? It didn't look like one. There weren't any white walls. Rather they were dark and she couldn't move. A silky fabric had been wrapped around her body. It didn't exactly feel like bandages.

What about Daniel? Was he nearby?

She heard a woman speak. The language wasn't English. It was somewhat familiar, but nothing she was fluent in. Then, she heard a name.

"Penelope." It was whispered into her ear by a woman whose voice was exhausted, perhaps from worry.

Wait a moment.

Why was everything so much taller or rather bigger than her?

She raised her arm, or at least tried to wiggle her arm out, but the fabric that has been wrapped around her body hugged her too tightly to allow for movement.

Hearing footsteps, she directed her sight to the... Door? She followed with her eyes the shape of what appeared to be a person who walked away from the frame. Annaliese tried to ask a question but all that came out was a garbled mess.

She ran her tongue across where her teeth had to be and found nothing.

Please, don't let her have all of her teeth knocked out. That would be the absolute worst.

She again ran her tongue on the places teeth ought to be and there was only the feeling of rubbery gums.

Well, think positive. This wasn't the worst because she could have them replaced. It would cost a lot of money but at least she hadn't lost mobility in her limbs, and she could think clearly..

Where was the pain she was supposed to feel? Maybe the drugs they gave her made her so loopy that she couldn't really feel any pain.

The voices in the background, one was of a man and the other was the woman who had whispered into her ear.

Why did she whisper that name into her ear? Maybe the woman thought she was this person named Penelope.

She finally noticed something strange. The bedding underneath her was shifting!

Annaliese winced, waiting for pain to encounter her or at least uncomfortableness because of her injured body being moved. But nothing came about from the movement.

Why was the thing underneath her constantly making tiny movements.

She peered above her. There was a woman's face, though not clear she knew it was there and behind her was some kind of dark headboard.

It dawned on her.

The taller objects, the lack of teeth and the woman that was apparently holding her. The whispered name!

Oh God no, please no. Don't tell her its that! That's absolutely out of the picture. No way! She has to be in a coma or dreaming. The drugs that they gave must've made her hallucinate or have really weird dreams.