Quarantine swipe

The fear

I felt Emerson's hand holding mine. I opened my eyes and looked at his sleepy self. At his messy hair and his perfect face. His slow peaceful breathing made me feel an inner calm.
As I tried to move my aching heavy body, Emerson started moving as well.
I tried to seat straight but I couldn't, me head was pounding and I felt dizzy.
"Are you okey?" Emerson said with a sleepy voice, he opened his eyes, looked at me and his eyes widened in surprise
"Andy yo look so pale" he said worried
"Geez thanks" I said then I coughed several times, I felt like I was choking.
"I think We should go to the hospital, let's just get you checked out" he said concerned.
I was scared with Emerson's concern towards me, was I looking that bad? I mean I felt bad, like really bad, but I don't know if It was that bad to go to a hospital. And just the fact of going to a hospital full with covid dying patients gave me chills.
But I think he was right, I should get checked out by a doctor.
I got dressed up as I spoke to my mom on the phone, I wanted to let her know that I was going to the hospital. She was so worried about me.
Emerson went to his apartment to grab some things so he could take me. I couldn't walk my knees were hurting  so much, I felt as if someone was torturing me.

Emerson and I put on our face masks and went straightly to the hospital, there was a line to get into the ER, all people looking so ill, coughing, complaining, some literally falling to the floor.

Panic started to build inside me, Emerson held my hand tightly, feeling my fear, I think he was scared too.  He looked into my eyes and I could see the fear on his electric blue eyes. But somehow they gave me peace in the middle of this hell.

As we walked into the hospital, where people got checked out in 4 stations. First I went in with a doctor that filled my paperwork and made me a lot of questions. Then he inserted a cotton swab into my nose, he put it into a machine that turned on a little red light.
"You're positive with coronavirus" the young doctor said.
Then he tested Emerson as well, he was getting checked out as well just in case.
"You're positive too" the doctor said.

Because we tested positive, we could get into the next station, which was the X-rays to check our lungs.

I laid down on the cold table as I got my X ray, then another doctor came. He was all covered with scrubs, gloves and a face mask.
"Andrea, you have a severe case pneumonia" he said bluntly.
"Emerson you're good to go" he said turning his head towards Emerson.
"Andrea you need to get into the next stations to check on your levels" the doctor said to me.
Emerson held my hand with strength. I didn't wanted to be alone I was so scared. A lot of scenarios passed through my mind. My hands started sweating and now I was breathing less efficiently because of the panic attack that was building inside me.
Emerson grabbed my hand, pulled me to him, grabbed my waist and hold me tight. He buried his face on my neck.
"Everything will be alright baby" he said. He'd never called me that before and I felt safe at his side. I clenched into his tshirt and tears escaped my eyes.
What if I got intubated? What if I die? What if this was the last time I saw Emerson? What if can't tell him how I really feel?

"I'm sorry Andrea, we have to proceed to the next station please, we have a line of people waiting outside" the doctor said interrupting our moment.
Emerson gave me a tight hug.
"You will be fine Andy, please stay positive, don't think bad, I'll be waiting for you" he said.
Emerson wiped my tears and then I kept walking leaving him there, not taking my eyes from him.

At the next station a doctor check out all mi vitals. My oxygen levels, my heart, my lungs, my blood pressure. Then they pinched my vein for some blood test.

After that I went to the next and last station. This was where the big doctors where. Not the residents. People that got into the fourth station were the people that were at its worst. And that included me.

I sat down on a bench, everything at this office was covered with plastic.
A doctor with white hair entered the office, he was holding my file. I couldn't see his face because of the mask and glasses and he was wearing like an astronaut suit.
"Hello Andrea, I'm doctor Harry's, I'm the head of the COVID 19 team, I'm a pneumologist" he said with a sweet hoarse voice
"Nice to meet you" I said
"So, I saw all your test and x rays, and I would like to keep you a few days here at the hospital just to check out on you more closely" he said. He seemed like a really sweet old man, he spoke to me carefully and with patience.
"Am I really that bad?" I asked, hoping for a positive answer.
"You aren't that bad, I've seen a lot worse, but I'm just being careful, your oxygen levels are okey, that means that your lungs are working fine, I just want to keep you under my watch if that's okey with you, maybe put you on a little oxygen therapy" he said calmly then added "But everything will be alright, you'll be just fine".
"Thanks doctor" I said.

I don't know why but this doctor made me feel safe. He explain to me everything with calmness and so sure of himself, so I felt protected with him.
"Ok so just follow Mary here, she is a nurse and she will show your bed and start you on an IV"

I followed the nurse to a hall filled with occupied beds and people having trouble breathing. The hospital smelled like bleach and antibacterial, Most of the patients I saw lying on the beds had white hair and wrinkled skin. I felt out of place and as I walked more and more to where I was supposed to be resting, and the fear inside me kept growing.

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Poor Andy!!
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