Stuck In The Past

Prologue: Wake Up

Underneath the glare of a shimmering hospital light, the void eyes of a fragile girl stared upwards. She blinked in sync with the flickers that tainted the glowing panels above; right on schedule. She lied there on the foreign yet familiar sheets. Rapid flashes of the illumination from above had coated her face gently in a fluorescent glow. As she tightened her delicate hands into a fist, she closed her eyes and whisked herself into a conscious rest.
Whimsical imagery that only a dream could muster had begun to dance into the thoughts of her awakened mind. The taste, the touch, the smell, the sound, were so vivid. It was beyond what she had known; if she could remember it at all. It only felt like less than an hour before her eyes had opened to the same flickering lights that clung to the ceiling. She had not a clue the extent of the life that she created. Was it reminiscing or imagination? She felt it. It was so real within her mind, but that could not be the case. She questioned her own mind and sanity. Why couldn't she remember something that lasted longer than this hour of dreaming? Why could she recall a dream that could easily be forgotten?

Which is it? My memory or dream?
     The girl quivered in anger. She needed to know.

Why do I have to remember a damn dream opposed to...
     She stopped herself in her thoughts.

That's it. It must've been just what it felt like. Nothing more than a dream. Calm down.
     She told herself. If she questioned her mind more, she'd only get more frustrated. She began to release her hand from the tense state it was in.

It's cold tonight...
     She thought, realizing she was still quivering. This time, it wasn't of anger, but from the airflow that had yet to adjust to the colder seasons.

I should probably sleep...