Light and Dark

Chapter 6

My eyes flicker open and I see a plain, white wall above me.
I look to the right and pain fills my head, an aching pain; one I've never experienced before.
And then I realise.

I'm in HOSPITAL

I sit up straight, but when I breathe every breath comes out raspy and it sends horrible pains to my chest. What has happened? Why am I here?
The nurse saves my brain from thinking and comes in to the room.

"Annica, how are you feeling?" She says "I am Nurse Milla."

"My chest is sore, what happened?" I ask, curious to know why I was in here.

But before she could answer Milly runs in.

"ANNICA!! Are you okay?!" She says, running in and giving me a huge hug. "Three days you have been in here."

"THREE days?! Can someone please let me know what's going on." I say, starting to cry, I am shocked that I have been here so long without knowing. "I want Mum and Dad."
I watch as Nurse Milla guides Milly whose looking both happy and disappointed out of the room.
Tears stream down my face like rain as questions pound through my head.

Why am I here?
What happened?
Where are Mum and Dad?
Why is my chest in so much pain?

But suddenly it all floods back, like water gushing out from a pipe. I think of Grandpa and of his tip for Cross Country. I remember the race. My chest hurting. Wanting to stop but keeping on going. Crossing the finish line. Then..... nothing

I lie back down onto the soft pillows just as I hear the Nurse back again with two other pairs of footsteps.

"Annica! Darling!" I hear my parents say as they rush over smothering me in kisses and hugs. I hug them back, recognising the smell of the farm.
They sit on the end of the bed and I fire all my questions at them.

"You ran the Cross Country race and finished first, like a true hero." Dad starts off and Mum continues.
"Then as you crossed the line you passed out/fainted. Lenny and Milly rushed to help and called the teachers over. They rang the ambulance and you got driven here."
"I think you hit your head as you fell. Lenny, Milly and all the others who saw explained to us." Dad tells me.

I learn that I have been unconscious for three days, even thinking about it scares me.
Lenny has left a Get Well Soon, I Am Missing You card for me, which was really sweet.
Milly brought me a bunch of bright blue and white flowers and arranged them in a vase. I am so lucky to have friends like them.
I have several other cards and gifts on my bedside table. As much as I want them to stay I tell Mum and Dad that i need to rest because I have suddenly become exhausted. So they leave me to rest and as soon as they walk out the door I rest my head against the pure white pillows and close my eyes.