Δύο

Waking up, stirring in my sleep as I did. My fingers felt the cold, crisp and smooth sheets beneath my fingertips. My nose was greeted by the scent of Antiseptic alcohol, saline, medicine and what smelled like lavenders and ginger mixed into the air. Opening my eyes, the brightness of the room nearly blinded me. Laying there contemplating if I was dead; I can feel, smell and see but who said the dead did not do that in the after life?

Laying still trying to remember what happened, simply remembering what happened. Remembering the machine, the failed trial, then stares and mumbling of those within the room. Saying about how she must have gotten into the school through immoral ways; how the project was botched and how I was simply wasting the school's funds, how I was simply a charity project of the school and even with my wits I would not go a distance. Their words ate me away as I stood still looking at the machine, seeing a wire that was out of place and fixing it.

Then the machine surged with power once more, before sparks started again. Instead of a small dot growing like it did before, it just suddenly made a bright flash of light, being the closest to the machine I was able to see what the swirling opening looked like the most. It was magnificently mesmerizing, hypnotic and beautiful. All I knew was that I wanted to touch it, feel how that cosmic coffee like swirls felt the moment I saw it. I felt anxiety and that something was wrong deep down, but my brain was much more curious than frightened. It was as though it was pulling me into its hypnotizing spiral; Swirling about like schools of fishes under the sea making you want to be in the center of it and watching it unfold from the inside.

I touched it, feeling warmth then searing heat crawling from my fingertips to my arms like a vine, I screamed in pain and panic wanting to get away from it. As I pulled, it sucked me into its depths like a black hole, its gravitational pull was too much for me to handle. Getting sucked into the swirling, spiraling beauty of cosmic latte-like atmosphere. It was pitch black for a moment which then I was sure I was dead for a second until I felt cold air scratching my form like angry wolves trying to reach for me as I stayed away from their clutches. I was sure then I turned blind, which was possible due to the intense light I saw a few seconds ago.

Staying in that void felt like years, I was first fearful and anxious until I got bored as I floated into that empty vacuum. The scratching and clawing had stopped when I felt more bored than scared, must have been a psychological thing. I expected to find myself in some fiery pit or a nice beautiful garden, not a black hole.

Looking around and at this place; the beeping of machines attached to me, the ventilator and oxygen attached to my nose and mouth made me realize I was indeed alive and in the hospital. Maybe I fainted after the incident, after all the bright light and searing pain would have been enough. What doesn't add up is the cast on my leg, and the neck brace. Her injuries were supposed to be burns, not broken bones, or maybe the machine fell on me. That wasn't far-fetched though.

I heard a door opening and tried to move a bit to see who it was. Seeing a nurse approaching, who looked shocked before quickly pressing the button to call for other nurses.

She was about to approach me. When I opened my mouth it felt as dry as sandpaper, my throat feeling itchy and painful as I tried to simply talk. My loss of voice nearly made me panic.

Not fully understanding what was happening. Panicking as to why I was attached to these machines, why did I have a neck brace? Was I still a scholar in MIT? What happened to my machine, the study, my grades, the peach mango pie that Gabrielle had bought?! Why couldn't I speak? What was wrong with my voice?

I tried seating up but the nurses stopped me, keeping me down. Telling me to calm down as I might break my neck and leg again.

The sounds that came out of my mouth seemed like the sounds of a dying hybrid offspring of a cat and a whale. Which irritated me more than ever; my voice annoyed me, the way how I was attached to machines scared me, how I was in a white room frightened me about how long I had been there, and the nurses telling me to calm down simply made me much more nervous and anxious. My anxiety spiked up, causing my breathing to become rapid and I had lacked oxygen.

Trying to fight my way out, as the number of nurses trying to hold me down frightened me because there was no way anyone would pay for the exaggerated price of the hospital bill, not to mention I still had to pay for a few loans I had. Not even my part time job or savings would help me get back to my feet if I stayed in what looked like the intensive care unit.

"Code Violet, In ICU three." I heard someone speak to the inter communication device within the room. As three or four nurses held me down as I kicked and silently screamed. "I repeat Code Violet, in ICU three."

I saw a man and woman running towards the door and watching with horrified facial expressions. "What are you doing to my daughter?!" The woman by the door said in panic. I have no idea who they were, was I their daughter? Impossible, I was an orphan. So, who on earth were these people?

I suddenly went still as I felt a needle pierce my arm and a cold liquid flowing through my veins. I whimpered as they pressed more of it into me, making my legs and arms go numb with my vision slightly blurring until I was met with darkness once again.