Lolita 𐐪𐑂 Dick Grayson

t h i r t y 𐐪𐑂 e i g h t

I felt my tongue circle the inside of my mouth. My very dry mouth. I tried coughing but I couldn't work it up, and now it uncomfortably lingered in the middle of my throat. With everything I had or at least felt, I opened my mouth. The satisfaction I had feeling my lips release each other and allow fresh cold air into my airway was something I've never felt before.

As I shut my mouth close again, I could feel the ragged chapped skin on my lips peeling. The cold air around me tickled my nose causing me to sneeze, releasing the cough I had stuck. What was a dark room had now turned into a white cloudy mist of mystery as my eyes opened at once. I blinked quickly as the blinding light above me startled me, the lights too harsh for my sight.

My eyes widened as they adjusted to the ceiling lights. I cautiously tapped my fingers on the surface I had laid upon, feeling the numbness in my hand leave me. I looked around curiously. This wasn't my room.

As my vision went back to normal, I found myself in a large room, a hospital room to be specific. The smell of the hospital was something so distinct yet strangely homey, or perhaps it was my weird liking to the smell of rubbing alcohol that made me feel at peace. I stared at the corner of the room where there was a whiteboard attached to the wall. It had my full name written in blue expo marker at the very top,

Aurora Cecilia Saint,

and my daily vitals. As I glanced over the names of my nurses I got sight of the date. Crap, the game had been three days ago. Was I really starting my winter break in a hospital? Oh shit, had I been asleep for three days?

Suddenly, I was distracted from my thoughts by a stream of balloons and flowers that sat beneath the whiteboard. The balloons either said 'Get Well' or were heart shaped. I felt my lips curl into a smile and I tried to laugh at a balloon that said 'Happy Birthday' but my throat was neglected from any kind of liquid that laughing was painful.

A sting at my wrist caused my eyes to shift down to my body and there I saw an I.V needle coming out my right arm. I followed the wire attached to the needle and saw it had been connected to a machine near my bed. I licked the dry edges of my lips and realized I was clothed in an ugly basic hospital gown.

As I furrowed my eyebrows slightly disgusted by my condition, I almost didn't catch sight of a remote near me. It was hidden perfectly near a part of my gown that was left untied. Confused, I tried looking closely only to find that the right side of my torso was covered in gauze which was then concealed by bandages wrapping around my waist.

I ignored the disturbing fact that a bullet must've been lodged into that exact spot of my body and reached for the remote with enthusiasm. The remote was incredibly cold and my arms hurt as it was the first time I had stretched them in a while. I pressed the nurse button since the dehydration was beginning to kill me. I pressed it for a third time before placing it back down, sighing, now looking up at the other corner of the room.

Oh look, someone was playing the fast and furious series on the tv in the corner. Next to the tv was an electrical clock, dug into the wall. There was only 20 minutes left until it was 8 in the evening. A strange time to awaken at.

I continued to stare at the tv, my mouth agape, distracted by the bright flashy cars that flashed on screen. It was silent, except for the beeping that came from the monitor near me and the cheery holiday music that blasted through the speakers above me. It wasn't until the curtain across my bed had been slid opened that I realized a nurse had entered through the door hiding behind said curtain. I separated my attention from the tv screen to the nurse walking towards me. Her hands were placed in the pockets of her black scrubs.

"Aurora, its great to see you're awake . How do you feel, dear?" She asked coming over to my right side. Her black hair had been pinned up, bobby pins poking out the side of her head. I watched her eyes that were paired with purple eye bags scan the machine above me. She quickly glanced down at the I.V needle, the I.V bag and finally met with both my wandering eyes.