Heartstrings

Chapter 1 - That night

Fluorescent lights brightly shine in my eyes. The squeak of something rolling. Was it me?

I blinked at the lights, registering the ceiling and my surroundings. The clean spotless white walls and the nurses in their scrubs rolling me in a bed. I was in the hospital. Which one, I didn't know.

Where am I? That's what I wanted to say, but the words got stuck in my throat. What happened?

I had no memory of how ended up in the dreaded place of sick people and old people. I certainly was not either of those things. I wiggled my toes, they were still there. I wiggled my fingers and looked at them just to be sure they were actually there. I looked straight up to find myself staring at the chin of a dark-haired nurse. My vision fuzzy from apparently being asleep for too long. She didn't notice me. I didn't do anything attention-drawing.

A patient was screaming as I rolled through the halls, the echoes of his voice ringing in my ears. Did anyone know I was here?

It hit me then. I temporarily forgot. I didn't have anyone.

I was alone. Memories flooded back. Memories that I didn't want back. At all.

The crash.

My family gone within minutes.

Everything gone.

The tree. The stool. The feeling of drowning except I didn't drown.

I shouldn't have been the only one left.

My hand was at my throat before I could think the action through. Rubbing the inflamed bruised skin. The nurse looked down at my face.

"You're okay now." She told me. She looked to be in her forties, her skin spotted with freckles and age. She was still rolling me. This hospital must've been huge.

"Am I?" My voice came out scratchy like I had been a chain smoker before my fateful night.

She gave me a small smile, probably out of pity.

She turned me into my room. 302. Floor three. Room two. An IV bag was already set up for me.

"Who found me?" My voice still coming out rough.

My eyes followed the nurse as she stepped around the room, her tag reading Cindy.

"There was a young man that came in with you in his arms. He was very panicked. Unfortunately, he wouldn't tell us what happened, but from the bruise on your neck, it was something serious." She paused "He stayed with you up until a little bit ago when he left."

How long have I been here?

Who was the man?

Cindy gestured for me to hold my wrist out for her for the IV. The prick of the needle, a slight pinch, one that didn't phase me as I watched her do her job.

I wanted to say a million things.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to cry. Instead, I just sat there.

Silent.

I felt the warmth trickle down my cheeks. Tears. Warm salty tears. Seeping onto my lips and dripping off my chin. Soon it wasn't just one or two drops, it was a waterfall, attempting to wash away the feelings of anguish that ransacked my entire body.

I sat up. "May I get some water?" My lips were getting dry, even more than they already were from not breathing. Cracked and sore.

"Of course. How are you feeling right now? If you feel any pain aside from your neck, please make sure to let me or another nurse know." Cindy stated

"Just bruised."

I couldn't bring myself to tell her or anyone what had happened. I would never tell anyone. I only hoped that the man wouldn't tell anyone what he saw either.

My wristband read 11/20/2030.

"What is today?" I asked Cindy right before she stepped out of my room.

"November twenty-second. You've been in an intensive care unit."

I sat up and looked around my pretty empty room. A TV was placed high on the wall. A tray to my right. A seat to my left, and one at the end of my bed. Holding my belongings, not that there was much left. I had lost everything. My keys.

That's right.

I have a place I sleep and eat at. It wasn't home though.

My home is gone.

Up in flames. Ransacked by people who thought my belongings were theirs and decided stealing just wasn't good enough.

I have nowhere to go.

That's not true. I have my apartment.

Do I?

I had paid the rent. It should still be mine. It was small. One bedroom and one tiny bathroom, with a kitchen and a small living room. I had gotten it for privacy.

I didn't need privacy anymore.