NUMBER THREE.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't see.

An intense bubbling pressure filled my mind and a burning pain filled my body like lava. Was I moving? Fighting? I couldn't even tell.

The pain is unbearable, and I have never felt so detached from my mind ever before.

Is this death?

All at once the fiery burning pain that filled my veins turned to ice, and a new pain formed, sending my body into a shock. I could feel my teeth chattering like a woodpecker on wood, and hear it slightly also; Reminds me of the time I had gotten sick with a fever. Why can I shiver but not scream?

My thoughts didn't carry far, as I felt my body come slightly back into my control, the pain still under my skin and ears ringing. I started thrashing and yelling due to my new found control of my body. My voice sounded foreign to my ears, and came out more a gargle than a yell, something was in my mouth. I felt hands against my arms, restraining me and voices speaking quickly and hushed. A sharp pain in my neck brought me darkness and the pain finally stopped.

*

A dull throbbing headache in my frontal lobe woke me, my body felt stiff and achey, making it difficult to move easily. Bringing my hand to my face, I rubbed my eyes, which are swollen and tender to touch causing me to wince.

Blinking my eyes open, I eased up into a sitting position, squinting from the bright light in front of me. Where am I?

Assessing the room around me, I realize its a small, almost empty bedroom. Not one that belongs in a home, more so one that belongs in hospital ward.

Everything was a bleak, pale grey, some would even say it's an off white. The floors were tiles, also grey but with small pepper specs of black. A plain, charcoal cabinet was situated directly beside the entrance and the bed I laid in was the same boring grey that was everywhere else in this tiny room, minus a blanket and pillow. The only nice thing about this room is the one window, facing the bed, a floor to ceiling window sat with the view of a beautiful forest tree line, my heart called to it and I couldn't understand why, I just knew this place wasn't here to benefit me.

Looking down at myself, I notice an IV sticking out of my arm, an artificial blue liquid running down the tubing and into my bloodstream. There was no IV stand with an IV bag, just a wire going into the wall behind my bed. Weird.

Applying pressure to the vein on my arm, I remove the IV, the blue liquid pools slightly on the indent where the IV was inserted. I touch it on my fingertips, the consistency is almost syrupy, but it certainly doesn't look sweet. I'm not going to test it.

Swinging my legs to the side, the dull ache in my body doesn't seem to want to go away, steadying myself, I stand. My legs wobble and almost give out on me, but I hold the wall for balance, step by step working my way towards the door.

I figured out my balance and no longer needed the support of the wall as I reached the handle. A quick jiggle and tug on the door answered my assumptions, it's locked. A large sigh of frustration left my lips.

Leaning against the wall, I let myself slip down to the cold tile floors. Staring at the ceiling I blink away tears, chewing on the inside of my cheek, I realize I have no memory of what came before this.

What did come before this? Has it always been this?

I shake my head at the thought. No way.