The Paths

19

I wake up to find Harry and Ollie cowering over me like some creepy serial killers in a scary movie. My eyes shoot open wide as I screech in surprise.

"What the hell?!" I yell while I pull on the blanket covering my body, tucking it under my chin.

"She's awake!" Ollie jumps in happiness. "And she's okay! As feisty as ever."

Harry still has a concerned look scrunched on his face, his face showing his uncertainty of my health.

His eyes treat me like I am made of precious glass china, delicate and nimble. It is almost as if, just for a moment, I could be considered a prize possession to him that was irreplaceable.

Harry is just a kind person who cares for sick people's health. He cares for everyone, Maddie.

I had almost forgotten,  I was sick mentally and now perhaps physically.

"Are you okay?" Harry gushes.

I nod silently before I try to sit up. Harry places his hands gently on my shoulders to stop my actions.

"Don't sit up yet, okay? Relax."

"I-I passed out?" I stutter, the memories of everything that happened shortly before flooding back.

"You did indeed." I hear the voice of a women that comes from behind the two towering bodies already occupying the space by my bed.

I hear her footsteps coming closer as she continues to talk. "Passing out is a very rare occurrence for a panic attack victim... Very rare. The time span you were unconscious was uncommon, too."  It's a doctor, I assume. "Although it is unusual, the event has occurred before."

Harry hands me a cup of water from the side table. He lets me sit up slowly... very slowly. I take the tiny cup from him and I take a sip.

The doctor comes into view who has a clip board in hand as she walks to my bedside, standing next to Oliver. She has dark brown hair to her shoulders. She is thin and short. Crinkles are next her eyes and reveal that, though she is beautiful, she is somewhat on the older side. She has straight, pearly white teeth and choclate brown eyes.

"Hi, i'm doctor Hollan." She smiles nicely. "We took a CT scan and it came back clear. This was just to check for further causes for the sudden blackout. We didn't find anything out of the ordinary. I think it was just a rare occurrence but these two gentlemen did right by bringing you here quickly."

"Your breathing was labored when we got you here." Harry interjects.

"Yes, it was." Dr. Holland confirms, looking to Harry. "But we couldn't find a problem behind it and your breathing returned back to normal before we had to resort to a breathing tube. I'm just going to do a checkup and then I can give you the release papers. We found no long term problem."

I nod gratefully and she does a few test. 

"You seem good to go. Just remember, no driving for the next 24 hours and if you feel light headed again, call an ambulance. I'm going to prescribe you some medicine for your attacks since this one was severe." She declares once she's finished.

I cringe.

Please, no more meds.

She turns to leave but pauses in the door frame.

"I am aware you, Ms. Caiden,  are not from around here. Therefore, we will have to have your closest care taker sign the release papers. It's in place of family caretakers. That way we know someone is keeping an eye on you." She eyes all three of us.

Ollie sighs. "That would be me."

Dr. Hollan nods. "Right this way, sir."

Ollie follows her out the door to sign my release papers, leaving the room with just Harry and I... along with questions I did not want to answer.