Of Masks And Roses

The Items

When I woke up the next morning, for a split second I had forgotten. The hospital, the doctors, Emily. I had woken up, ready to start my day at the Opera House, half expecting Erik to burst into my room to ramble about the Opera, or another mistake the cast members had made the previous day, not even noticing that I was half asleep.

And then the smell of disinfectant invaded my nose, the beeping of the heart monitor entering my mind. And it all came back. The screaming, the crying, the heartbreak. Reality hit me like bricks as I opened my eyes, staring at the electric lighting above me.

I sighed, turning over onto my side and stared at the clock on the wall. The minute hand slowly ticked by, the time reading 7:48 in the morning.

I jumped slightly when the door opened, and I turned back over and sat up as the doctor strolled in with a large grin.

"Mornin'!" he said as he stood next to the bed, "How was your night?"

I shrugged, "Fine, I guess."

"Well, that's good." he said, pulling out a clipboard and writing on it, "Better than bad, ey?"

I pursed my lips and nodded.

"Well, here is some good news, blood work came back normal, CT came back normal. As far as I'm concerned you're as healthy as a horse!" he laughed, shoving his pen in his coat pocket, then looked back down at me, "All that's left is to get you up and runnin', or at least on your feet, and then you're outta here! For today we will send you to physical therapy, get you some daily appointments set up, and once you're on your feet we'll have you come back twice a week for..." he paused, staring off into space, then grabbed his pen and made another note, "About a month," then he looked back up at me, smiling as he tucked the pen away again, "Let's get started."

XxX

Relearning how to walk was just as hard as dealing with being back in the 21'st century. I had started with simple exercises to rebuild muscles, and my legs would tremble as I did them. When I stood for the first time, I could feel my thighs burning and I had almost collapsed, gritting my teeth as I held onto the physician who was helping me. A few days later I took my first steps, my legs shaking as I walked from one side of my hospital room to the other. Before I knew it, I was walking carefully out of the hospital and into Emily's car, an anti-pain prescription in one hand, and my Physical Therapy appointments on a piece of paper in the other.

I sighed as I slowly sat in the seat, tucking my legs in and closing the door. I closed my eyes, leaning my head against the headrest of the car.

Emily smiled at me as I opened my eyes, sitting up and reaching for the steatbelt, "Ready to go home?" she asked as she placed the keys into the ignition.

Inside I grimaced, but outside I smiled and nodded as I buckled my seatbelt, "Yeah. It'll be nice to not sleep in a hospital bed." I told her as she put on the radio.

She snorted and nodded, slowly backing up, "Oh I bet. I'm sure you're so done with the hospital smell. I would have gone insane, I hate the smell of disinfectant."

I nodded, but my smile fell slowly as the song Let it All Go by Birdy and Rhodes began to play.

"I've been sleepless at night.

Cause I don't know how I feel.

I've been waiting on you, just to say something real.

There's a light on the road and I think you know,

Morning has come and I have to go."

I bit my lip staring out the window and trying to keep my mind from the Opera House, from him.