There was nothing wrong with staying still. Yet, I had this restless inch to move. But I couldn't, I gave out and allowed myself the convenience of actually never moving. I tried to buy my mind and body but each felt like two separate entities. One a fuggy mush of sounds and the other cement block. Snapping out, everything became a colourful sting of things. Along with it, sense and feelings returned. A dull ache hammed through a part of my skull I didn't know existed, until now. I blinked once rapidly, watching with peripheral vision, transparent tubes lined itself up. Reaching a black screen, it had two sparky sharp blades raising together with every beep. I screamed out.
"Hey Hey" , a roundly shape with pale chubby cheeks, spoke above me. I cringed from it, unable to breathe. My eyes still focused on the device. What was going on?
"Take a deep breath" came a command. Slowly I fixed myself into a new surrender. I started taking a mouthful of air. Seeing my vitals drop.
"You are okay," the voice said but I didn't feel okay. I was confused about everything. Where was I? Who was this person? But I couldn't form any coherent explanation, I felt trapped inside my own mind.
"That position looks uncomfortable…. Hold on" I bit into my lips as the body drew near coming to stand beside me. Suddenly I was lifted upright. I looked around the empty space, the walls covered with eggs shells, a single door by the far end and lace curtains on the double windows.
"This is a hospital," he said suddenly. He must have noticed my scrutiny.
"Carson Care hospital, I'm nurse Elvis" he said smiling. He had a kind face looking around middle age with loose strands of hair on his head. He had really small eyes.
"I'll go get the doctor" he said immediately walking out from the front door.
I looked up filled with a thousand questions. I didn't know what to acknowledge and give power over. I didn't know if to give into the slippery fog, or the gap inside my brain. But something lingered at the corner, waiting. Approaching step reached my side. A lean man in a lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He began to speak immediately in a cynical manner.
" Am doctor Pascal… what's yours"?
"Elisa" I said softly.
He jolted something down "you had a head trauma caused by a heavy blow to the skull"
I allowed his words to sink in to react somehow to the news but I only stared.
"Luckily you sustained no serious injuries, maybe a slight concussion but let's be safe, I would like to conduct a quick test" he said, waiting for my permission, hands inside his lab coat pocket. Nodding my head slowly, I tried to remain calm fisting into the sheets.
Putting on rubber gloves, he came within view watching me closely. I don't know why I was afraid but every movement made my heart skip a beat, anxiety shooting warning signs. Logically, I knew nothing would happen. But that didn't stop my overaction, I still didn't feel safe.
"Tell me if this sting" he instructed calmy. I shrink further into the bed expecting pain but nothing was forthcoming. His touch was soft, probing at the exposed wounds softly, he asked several questions about the pain, any headache, discomfort around the spine, how sore was my throat. I tried to answer as correctly as possible. Once his examination was over, he disposed of the glove and cleared his throat.
"Could you come in for a tetanus shot? That bite mark is looking really sore" he said. Staring wide-eyed, I could only nod. Once it was over, he left. I didn't notice nurse Elvis' presence till he spoke.
"Oh dear" he said worriedly. His eyes ached in pity as he watched me. I looked away feeling a slight sting. I didn't want any of this.
"There are cops outside," he whispered conspicuously. What did he mean there were cops outside?
"I can tell them….." The closing of the door cut him short. I turned towards the sound, I saw them coming closer standing beside Elvis. I looked at him worriedly searching for any reason but his face was turned away frowning at them.
"Detective Jenkins, that's detective Howard my partner" his introduction was rushed, almost mechanical. Detective Jenkins was lean and tall sporting a trimmed mustache.
"We have questions regarding your recent incident," he said immediately. Leaving now room for condolences. I didn't have any answers but I wasn't sure if that's what I wanted. I couldn't think straight, talk less of giving a report.
"Detective!!" Elvis spat out arms crossed.
"Can you tell me exactly what happened on Friday night?" he leaned in closer, interrogatively ignoring nurse Elvis. That only made him fume more, hands crossed. I turned sideways to Howard who had just brought out a pen and notepad.
"I want you to try and remember exactly what happened that night" I must have seemed confused because he repeated the question again. His brows were narrowed into a v. His face squeezed with displeasure over my incapability. The whole idea was exposing like I was being accused of something.
Reaching for my shoulder consciously, my hands moved to the throbbing wound. Then a sudden flash, everywhere was dark and I couldn't breathe. I remembered the pain, the fear of uncertainty if maybe this will be the last day. How some whispers were louder then the rest. How everything happened so fast. I gasped out, dragging myself out from the image. I felt a hold blinking twice, detective Jenkins was inches away from my face.
"How did you get that mark on your neck"? He demanded.
"I….." stuttering my lips rattle. Unable to breath out a word.
"I think that's enough detective, the poor child is obviously overwhelmed" Jenkins looked like he was about to argue but the look Elvis gave him was enough to stop that thought. What was his problem? Something was off, he seemed angry from the moment he stepped through that door. What did he mean by the mark on my neck?
I decided immediately that detective Jenkins knew more than he was letting on.
"El" came a strangled cry. I turned watching Tash half running towards me. Detective Jenkins shifted on time before she could run him over. Her upper body colliding on my shoulder, I huffed out by the impact. Her face is covered with her hair. I heard her sniffing.
Clearing his throat, he backed down looking down.
"If anything comes up here's my card" holding out something black, hands stretched towards me. Blinking twice, I looked down at the plain square. Clearing his throat again. He dropped it by the bed side.
"Are you crying? " I asked once everyone left leaving only me and Tash.
"Sorry" she said.
"Such a shity person!!
"Elisa this shouldn't have happened?" her voice cracked at the end.
"Tash is okay," I said, nudging at her shoulder gently. How could she have known this would happen? It wasn't her fault.
Lifting her head up slowly, her eyes were red, cheeks stained.
"Miss Green was the one who found you" she said sniffing, cleaning her noise with her hands. Miss Green was our next door neighbor.
"When I came back, I couldn't find you. I thought maybe you went out. That's when Miss Green called" She started to narrate what happened in detail from the phone call to rushing here. I zoned out at some point. Looking at the empty cup on the table and a vase of weathered lilac flowers. It's crazy when something happens and you still feel like a silent observer although you were there. Everything that's happened felt like motions today, yesterday rushed into a span of days. Yet the whole ideal seemed like weeks.
"Elisa," she said, grabbing back my attention.
"The doctor said you could be discharged,"
Reaching for my hand, she gave it a little squeeze. I held into it.
Little drops covered the glass of the bathroom stall. Stepping out, I reached for my towel tying it around my chest. Combining my hands through the tangled strands of hair, unknotting the roots. The bathroom mirror was covered with cloudy dew, wrapping around its face. I grasp out in fear, looking at a different person. Who was she standing there horrified? On pale skin bright crimson eyes. There weren't my eyes but she looked like me, mimicking my moves as I dropped my hands from my mouth and moved closer to the mirror.
This can't be true? It was bloodshot without any iris. Just bloody sinister orbs shining like poison. Swallowing the urge to scream. I blinked twice, closing my eyes and opening it. Wishing this was just an illusion. But those foreign looks only watched the spectacle with a mixture of awe and fear. A knock imploded on the door, a yelp sounded from my lips before I slipped and landed on the cold tiled floor.
"Elisa are you done? Came a weary shut from outside. Standing up with a groan, I moved hurriedly to the door, wedging it with my back.
"I need to pee,"Tash cried out, rattling the handle.
"Am using the toilet"I called out impulsively. It had slipped out effortlessly. I didn't even have time to process it all but I knew I couldn't form words to explain what was happening. It wasn't written in any dictionary, no medical records. Nothing.
"Seriously hurry" she said, still pushing. Using my strength pressing into the door. I heard her stepping back after a minute. Carefully I locked the door. Walking back to the mirror, I hiss out feeling bruise form on my hip. The once bloody look started to clear slowly, shifting back to chocolate. Without blinking I stared marvelled
It disappeared leaving no trace, only its memory. I started to doubt myself about what I actually saw. But that wasn't the only impossible thing. The bruising on my neck that felt sore and red was now a brown print now almost fully healed. All the discoloration around my neck was gone, leaving only two dots similar to mosquito bites.
There was only one word to describe this —Impossible. Going back trying to count the days. I was only in the hospital for two nights. The night after the incident. I just got discharged. That was only for three days. Shaking my hand slowly, it would have taken at least one week or more for it to be fully healed. There wasn't any hand print from the assault like it never happened.
No this can't be happening I thought. This can't be real. Grabbing my head the room began to spin. I tried to make sense of it, unless.
An impatient knock sounded again, steadying myself.
I looked at my reflection, my breathing was shallow, I needed to stay calm. Reaching for a hand towel, I wrapped it around my neck. Checking myself twice, I unlocked the door. She hurried inside heading straight. Walking on borrowed air hearing dropping water. I moved out of the bathroom and went inside the bedroom. Everything I knew I started to question. Grabbing into something anything the s
pace was spinning. Impossible came a single loud thought.
"Elisa" called a distant call.