Beast Speaker, Monster Tamer

62: Hold Your Loved Ones Close, Hold Your Loved Ones Tight

"She's awake!"

As soon as that cry went around, activity erupted throughout Elise's room. The doctor, Doctor Kagayaki, took charge of the situation, trying to adjust the equipment and futilely trying to keep her awake. Elise drifted in her own hazy sea of confusion. Everything was too thick yet too sharp.

"M——ake—————-ly."

However, his efforts were in vain as darkness slowly overtook Elise's visions and she slipped back into unconsciousness.

***

The next time she awoke, it was a gentle awakening. This time, the sounds of the machinery were rhythmic and even-paced, worlds away from the frenzied chaos that heralded her first wakeup. A window let in gentle sunlight and something hummed through her bones. Colors bled into her peripherals and Elise turned to the bedside table next to her, idly noting the thick woolen feeling in her limbs and throat. It took her a moment to take in the sight that greeted her, but then everything became clear and sharpened.

Flowers, bursting out of the vase they were put in, and various other objects scattered on the table next to her bedside. Stuffed animals and get well soon cards. Some she could identify right away who gave it, like the elaborate origami setup surely from Shoji. Others, like a gift basket resting on the floor, were completely unfamiliar. Her throat itched and when Elise tried to move a hand two cover her cough, she discovered a few very important facts.

The first was that a cast completely covered her right arm. One that stretched to cover even part of her collarbone.

The second was that her other hand was being held down by a very solid, very warm weight.

And finally, the feeling of distinct otherness taking up space in front of her neck, where her vocal cords resided.

Moving as much as she could with the brace there, Elise tilted her head down to look at who was gripping her hand. An unruly mop of black hair greeted her and she knew exactly who it was. Elise opened her mouth to speak. Instead of words, she felt searing pain rip through her esophagus and let loose rattling coughs, each one only intensifying the burn. Elise's jolting was enough to wake up the boy grasping her hand. Lucas sat up, wide eyes immediately settling on his sister as she reigned in her coughing. He could only stare at her in disbelief. "E-Elise?"

She leaned back onto her pillow and gave him a weak squeeze of her hand, mouth filled with cotton. Tears threatened to overflow.

Everything hurt.

"O-Oh my god don't move!" Lucas gasped, lunging forward. One hand went to the call button to summon the staff while the other fluttered about, smoothing down her hair and patting her face. Once he found his check-up adequate, Lucas enveloped her in his arms squeezing her as tight as he could without hurting her, bursting into deep, gut-wrenching sobs.

Pushing back her pain Elise wiggled, trying to hug him back with a wooden arm. As she was doing that, the door to her hospital room rolled open and Mentor walked in. They locked eyes and the floodgates collapsed. Her uncle simply dropped the bags he was carrying and approached her to wrap his arms around her and Lucas. Elise felt a new dampness on her hospital gown and the slightest shuddering coming from the man and dropped her head back down onto her pillow. Silently, she squeezed them back with her good arm and allowed the moment to linger. Thickly she swallowed, her own tears slowly trickling down her face silently. She could hear whispered words of reassurance, for her or them she didn't know. But none of them cared.

She was alive.

She was still here.

Later, Elise knew that there would be much to deal with, people to talk to and memories to recount. But for now, Elise let this period of reconciliation be upon her.