How many lightbulbs does it take?

4. To make a phone call

I sat on the stiff hospital bed, Bandages were wrapped around various injuries on my body. Fan sat on the chair next to my bed. Occasionally he would ask me a question before dismissing it and glance and figit with his hands before repeating the process

"Fan," I started. "Do you think I'm crazy?" Fan stared at her for a moment.

"After being told about your burn scars? Of course not! I just... Don't quite understand what happened. Can you explain?" He reached his hand out to her bed.

I stared at him with a dull look in my eyes, "I don't know if I could even start to explain." Fan turned away and continued his silence.

Pickle entered the room. "The doctor said their keeping her overnight." I looked up at him.

"overnight! I don't want to stay here all night!" my eyes srarted to water. "I miss paintbrush! I miss apple and marshmallow and the rest of my team!" I started crying again. I haven't seen them all in so long and if paintbrush was alive? I wanted to see them! "Please... I want to see Painty"

Pickle looked uncomfortable. He backed out of the room slowly. "I'll see- if i can get you a phone."

I held my head back. I was on my back so i was struggling to blink away my tears. Fan took his palm and wiped them gone. "Is that better?" he asked. I smiled at him and replied "yes, thank you." The silence returned. What was I doing? We're friends! I don't have to feel awkward around him.

"You know," I managed to blurt out. "I don't really know what ACTUALLY happened to me, but I can tell you what I remember."

He leaned forward with intrest, then jerking away quickly. "Only if you want to!" he forced a smile and waited for a response.

I nodded and begun telling him everything I remembered. Skipping the more gruesome parts for his sake. Occasionally my eyes would begin to water and I would have to take a break for a minute or two. His face of horror made me stop and make a few jokes to call him down. Im not too sure it worked but at least I could make him a bit less uncomfortable.

By the time I was done he looked a bit confused.
"That doesn't make any sense! Even if it was a coma how could you get the exact injuries from your dream?" I attempted to sit up but clashed back down.
"Thats why I'm so confused! I feel insane yet I know theres no way I can be!" I vented aloud.

But before he could reply Pickle entered the room once again.
"Lightbulb! I got you a phone." he walked over holding a cell phone. Fan took it from him, "What took so long?" He begun dialing a number. "I had to search every floor for it! All the phones they had were landlines. I ended up barrowing this one."

Fan held the phone to his ear and explained the situation to paintbrush on the other end. Skipping what happened and just explaining my injuries and the running coma theory. Then he put the phone on speaker and held it to me.

"Hello?"
"LIGHTBULB ARE YOU OKAY?"
their voice almost made me sob at the sound of it. I choked back my tears and replied
"Yes! Yes im okay."
"FAN TOLD ME EVERYTHING!! I'm going back with test tube this weekend to see you!"
"Test tube?" I repeated. Of course she's fine, nothing happened to anyone here. When I looked back at Fan he cringed. He already knew I wouldn't be happy to see her after my strong reactions to everyone else. I took a breath and continued.
"Of course! I can't wait to see you."
"Would you like to talk to her."
I panicked for a second before Fan took the phone back.

"Actually I think lightbulb should get some sleep! Its getting pretty late after all!"
"It is? Its only noon he-"
"Yep! *yawn* in fact I should start heading back to the hotel! TELL TEST TUBE I MISS HER BYE!"

Fan hung up and silently handed the phone to Pickle who left the room with it.

"Thanks fan." I said.
"no problem! But... What are you going to do when they come back." I sighed.
"I don't know. I'll find something out tonight. You should really get going.

Fan arose from his seat.
"Really?" He looked hesitant. "I don't want to leave you after what happened..."
"I'll be alright." I said forcing a smile.

Pickle came back in and called fan.
"They said visiting hours are over." He told him.
"It looks like we don't really have a choice." I told him jokingly. He smiled and before he left he told me
"Goodnight lightbulb!" and he shut the door behind him.

"Goodbye fan." I replied. The room was pitch black. I finally shut my eyes and tried to get some real sleep in a safe location for the first time in forever.

((Word count 844))
((Wow I dids a thing! This one got a bit more personal. All I'll say is i wish i had a fan in my life. In some ways i do! My thanks goes to all my friends who let me vent. Being the therapist friend gets tiring and even if you don't read this im so grateful to you.))