The Lucky Number

•Chapter 6-Part 2•

You tried to ignore the pain enough to think...but you're really searching for something that didn't want to be found. You couldn't remember anything...where had you been before coming to the hospital? In your apartment doing the dishes? Hazy memories of dish soap and prunes fingers floated to the surface of your mind...but then why were you here? You fought to keep your eyes open-you had too many questions to close them- but the effort was too much, and you were so tired. As the heaviness closed, you welcomed the darkness and the relief from pain that would come with it, and faded off.

Your eyes fluttered open. The room was dimmer, evening having set in, and a nurse- a women maybe in her mid-fifties- was by your bedside, checking the monitors with a clipboard in hand. She noticed your movement and turned to offer a warm smile.

"I'm Laura, one of the nurses looking after you. You gave us quite the scare,dear. How're you feeling. Any pain?

Your throat was thick, and as you tried to respond, the words caught. You swallowed and tried again. "I-I'm okay, I think? My head hurts," you croaked. As you tried to sit up, Laura quickly motioned for you to stay laying down.

"I'm afraid you've been through a bit of an ordeal. The doctor will explain it all, but we had to give you quite a few stitches, and you have a pretty nasty concussion. I'll see if I can tie you something stronger for the pain. Can you tell me what you remember?"

You searched your brain looking for a memory, of what you didn't know. Laura seemed to recognised your list expression and laid a comforting hand on your shoulder. "It's okay, take your time. It very common to not remember. Dr. Nielson will be here shortly to check you over and answer the questions you have." She turned to leave but stopped. "Is there anyone I can call for you? No one bought you in, you were all alone...Would you like us to notify anyone?

"Tom..." The name slipped through your lips, but you had no face to match it. You didn't know any Toms.

She smiled encouragingly. "Do you have his number?"

You stared back blankly, a slight panic rising in your chest. Tom. The name was comforting, but why? You grasped for any memory of him- there had to be something, right? Surely, you couldn't forget someone who felt so important?

Laura cleared her throat. Your vision sprung back into focus, netting her gaze. She gently prodded again. "His number? Do you have it? I think your phone is somewhere if you-" she started walking towards the beside table, but a doctor walked in, interrupted her mid-sentence.

Thirties, good looking with brown eyes and curly brown hair. He nodded to Laura and picked up the clipboard from the  end of the bed.

"Y/L/N...Y/F/N. Alright, let's see..." He studied your chart, tapping a pen on the hard surface as he read. He returned the clipboard to the holder and absentmindedly ran a hand through his curls, messing them up a bit.

Tom. A flash of mussed curls, a ghost of a crooked smile, echoes of a familiar laugh...faint memories swirled around your mind as things came rushing back, each memory stronger than the last. Tears welled in your eyes as you remembered...Suddenly a memory slammed into a you like a semi-truck, knocking the breathe into you. Everything began spinning, the doctor and nurse becoming shapeless, just colours and movement. Darkness tinged the edge of your vision as a heaviness crushed your chest. You gasped for air, but your lungs refused to work. Pressure kept building inside you and the details of what happened stabbed through your consciousness. The women's red face, forceful hands smacking into your body, the disorientated weightlessness of falling backwards, a sharp stabbing pain...Flashes of her distorted face tormented your mind. Echoes of fat whore...slut...bitch berated your mind over and over. The words and imagery, a hurricane inside of you.