Unwritten

DREAM

"Vitals are stable, reacts to light and reflex intact. This is all good news. We just need to wait and see."

"But you said she was up and talking to the nurse earlier? Why is she back in coma?"

"It seems that she is back in coma but she's in much better condition now. It's not uncommon that someone goes in and out of it. But like I said she's stable and responds to stimuli which really gives us a great indication that she will fully recover. The circumstances of her falling into coma is not very common but all the signs are positive."

"I just hope we were here when she woke up. I wonder if that would've helped."

"Well you can stay for the night if you want to. I'll speak to the nurse."

"Thanks so much doctor. We appreciate that."

"No worries. I'll leave you to it now. Have a good night."

"Good night."

And the voices faded..

***

"What's that noise?!"

So loud. My head feels like it's going to burst. I reached behind me and covered my ears with the pillow.

Pillow. The lady. The machine!

I opened my eyes and there it was, it's wires still crawling to my chest. The drip still on my left arm. The tray still there. But the tissue box and cup's not there anymore! Oh no! Was I really abducted and my abductor realised I can make those into a weapon to free myself?!

Hang on, no there's a fruit in a small container with a tiny folded plastic fork. Surely a fork is more "dangerous" than a tissue box and a cup.

"Focus!" I hissed at myself.

I looked around again, there in the corner where that noise is coming from. Right next to it is a pile of blankets and pillows. Eh? It's moving. I closed my eyes. I don't know what I was expecting to see but I didn't wanna see it.

Beep beep. Beep beep.

My mortal enemy is giving me away!

"Wake up! Honey! What's happening? The machine's beeping! What's wrong now!" 

I heard scrambling. The door swishing open.

"What's wrong?! My God!"

"Calm down honey. They're here now."

"Oh my god! Please!"

"Ellie! Can you hear me? It's Doctor Choi. I need you to squeeze my hand if you can hear me. Ellie! Squeeze my hand if you can hear me."

"Ou..ch!" I got caught. She pressed on my nails. That hurt. I squinted. It's too bright. And there's a lot of people. "What's that for?!"

"Sorry about that. I had to make sure if you're awake or not. It seems like you were but you weren't responding to me. How are you feeling?"

"Fine I guess. Am I at a hospital? You said you're a doctor?"

"Oh my god! Honey, Ellie!"

I see a woman approaching my bed. Oh.. she's the pile of blankets and pillows!

"Ellie! You're awake! Thank God!" She's sobbing halfway through that and wiping her face.

Behind her is a burly man, his face contorted and tears running down. It's quite a sight really. He's sobbing loudly as he follows behind Blankets.

"Ellie my baby girl!" His voice booming. Ah I see. He's the noise.

I'm not sure what to make of this. They keep saying Honey, Ellie, and what baby girl?! Ridiculous! Who are they talking to? 

Blanket is reaching out to me now, her hand on my hair, stroking it as I lay there just staring at her and Boombox right next to her still crying. She was inches away from my face and as I thought she's about to kiss me, I raised my hand and grabbed hers, pulling it away from my face and moving my head away to have a better look at them. I stared. They seem familiar but I can't place it where I've seen them before. I looked at the doctor and everyone else in the room. I don't think I've ever seen these people in my life before.

A sudden panic rushed over me. I can't remember where I was before all this. I can't remember the last time I was not at this place or who I was with. I closed my eyes and see flashes of pictures in colour and then black and white, snippets of voices, scenes of someone laughing. I'm grasping at each of these scraps in my head but it's just like a dream that you're trying to remember as soon as you wake up. It's in my head but I can't piece them all together to form a clear story of what happened.

Calm down... start over.

So I tried again.

Maybe I am dreaming.

Took a deep breath and opened my eyes.