Summer Camp Sweethearts

Chapter 20

I don't remember much about that day; ambulance sirens in the distance and my mom shouting before the impact. I later discovered that the paramedics had to cut me out of the wreckage that was our car.

When all the officials arrived on the scene, I was out. I couldn't remember anything after that. I just met the most fantastic guy; now, I may have lost him because here I am, unconscious. I thought my life was over.

The first thing I hear is the beeping of the machines. My eyes don't want to co-operate yet and open so that I can see where I am. The beeping of the apparatus is all I can hear.

The sound of a door opening gets my attention. Footsteps on the ground start out soft but slowly get louder as they walk.

"How is she?" an unfamiliar voice asks.

"Nothing has changed." a more familiar voice answers. I can't determine to who it precisely responds, but I somehow know the voice. I have stored it somewhere in my brain.

There is silence for a while. Suddenly I feel a hand being placed over mine and squeezing it. I feel the need to respond. I must react somehow because I know my voice is helpless, and my eyes are useless.

I gather all the strength I can master and give the hand that's in mine a little squeeze.

I felt the body shock of the person before I heard the words, "She squeezed it. She squeezed my hand,"

"I'll go and call the doctor." The other voice said just as shocked and heard her footsteps disappear down the room. The hand had let go of mine in the meantime, leaving an emptiness in its place.

I lay there for what felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes. I heard the doctor come in and talk to someone before he came over to me.

"Melissa, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand." a male voice says, taking hold of my hand. I am presuming this is the doctor as I don't recall knowing this voice. I try to do as he says, but I can't seem to focus on anything. No strength this time around. The voice sighs.

"Melissa, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand," he repeats. I hear him say something about a shock, but I can't make out the rest.

"It's okay, Melissa," the voice says soothingly. "You're going to be okay."

I only have that much strength to give now, and if I want to know what's going on with me, I need to tell them that I can hear them. For the second time, I gather my thoughts and squeeze my hand, feeling the firm hand of the doctor against mine.

"We need to send her for a CT scan." the male voice announced.

"Okay," the doctor replies. "I'll call for a nurse to come and get you." And with that, I was out again.

***

I slowly blink my eyes open and take in my surroundings. I stare at white walls with a window on one side. Some city skyline can be seen on the outside. Looking down, I see I am dressed in a blue gown. More specifically, a hospital gown. I look to my right and see the machines that have been beeping and haunting me in my dreams. I turn my head slowly to the other side, and I spot a person asleep on a chair beside me.

"Mom?" I say quietly, my voice a bit raspy. I waited for a response, but there was none. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before trying to sit up. The pain that shoots through my body makes me cry, and I slump back against the pillow.

"Mom?" I try again. This time, the person stirs and sits up, looking in my direction.

"Melissa?" she says, her voice filled with relief. She rushes over to me and pulls me into a hug. I flinch at her touch.

"It's okay," she says, her voice soothing. "They said you'd be out for a while." I nod and try to take in the information.

I look her over and see some scrapes and bruises, but she is primarily untouched.

"What happened?" I ask her, looking at myself and wondering how am I in worse condition than her.

"We were in a car accident," she tells me, her voice breaking. "A truck came from the front, and suddenly it was in our lane." I shake my head and try to remember what happened. Nothing came back.

"Am I.." I start, finding it challenging to finish the sentence.

"Paralysed?" she asks, and I nod my head, "No. You're not paralyzed. But you have a lot of broken bones and some internal injuries." I close my eyes, trying to take it all in. I can't believe this is happening to me. I open my eyes again and look at my mom. I wiggle my toes and sigh with relief when I feel them.

I look out the window in the distance and squint my eyes. I try to remember in which part of our home city we are in, but nothing comes to mind.

"In what hospital am I in?" I ask, looking at my mom again.

"Pineburg Hospital," she answers. I could see the guilt in her eyes as soon as the words came out of her mouth.

"Pineburg? But we live in Clovewood." I say, confused.

"Melissa, honey, they transferred you here a week ago. The doctors and medical care were much better here than in Clovewood." She looks at me sadly, and I can tell she's trying to hold back the tears. I close my eyes, trying to take it all in. I'm in Pineburg Hospital. My home city is Clovewood. I just stare at her. This is a lot to process.

"I'll go get the doctor," she announces and leaves the room.