The Chronicles of Jo-kiel

THIRTY SIX: Zadkiel

A constant beep kept ringing in my ears, annoyingly increasing the pangs I felt in my head. At first, I ignored it but now it was getting too annoying, and all I wanted to do was find the source of the beep and destroy it. I fluttered my eyes open, and I was immediately welcomed by a ray of a sun, that nearly had me crying out in pain from its intensity in my eyes.

The brightness of the room was too much for my eyes to adjust to, so I had to close and open my eyes repeatedly till I could keep them open for longer. Once my eyes had completely adjusted, I began looking around for the source of the annoying beep.

"What..." I mumbled when my eyes landed on what I presume was a heart monitor on my left, and for the first time since I opened my eyes, my brain finally acknowledged where I was.  As if on cue, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and a loud groan escaped my lips.

"What the heck-" My hands immediately flew to my stomach as the pain increased and I wrapped a protective arm around it. My groan seemed to have attracted those outside because the door burst open the next second and the last person I expected to be here rushed in.

Balls of sweat rolled down his forehead as he rushed to me, he grabbed my hand and began scanning my body with his eyes while I stared at him, bewildered. "Son, what's wrong? Are you feeling any pain? Thank sweet Jesus you're awake"

"Sir, please you need to move so we can conduct a checkup on him" A nurse walked over to him and tried to get him to move but he didn't budge, he stood firmly by my side and didn't say a word to the nurse, who was starting to get very worked up.

"Let him be, please. I can conduct the check-up from the other side" the person I assumed was the doctor, said as he walked into the room calmly. The nurse glared at my dad before she nodded at the doctor, and left, leaving him with the other nurse he walked in with.

"Mr Abner, how do you feel?" He asked with a fond smile on his face and I glanced between him and my dad, trying to decipher who he was talking to and once I realized it was me, I forced a smile on my face.

"I feel horrible. I have a splitting headache and a blood-curling pain in my stomach but I can't seem to remember anything" he bobbed his head in understanding, while the nurse scribbled away.
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"I'm sorry about that, the anaesthesia's effect has waned off which is why you feel the pain. We'd get a painkiller to help you with the pain, okay?" I bobbed my head and he smiled at me again, "In the meantime, let me check a few things" he removed his stethoscope from his neck and once it was in order, he carried out the tests and asked me more questions before he nodded in approval. "Everything is okay, Mr Abner. You'd undoubtedly be out here in a few days if everything continues like this"

"Thank you, doc"

"What about his memory, he just said he can't remember anything. What are you going to do about that?" Mr Abner added as the doctor was still addressing the nurse.

"Oh that's nothing to worry about sir, most patients that undergo something like this rarely remember what happened the first 24 hours they wake up. Plus, he's been unconscious for 2 days now and he seems to remember everything else except what led him here, right?" I bobbed my head immediately and he smiled. "No cause for alarm yet" Mr Abner let out a deep breath and shook the doctor's hand.

"Thank you so much, doc. I'm grateful for everything"

"You're welcome. I'll be on my way out now, the nurse will bring the painkiller up" They both exchanged handshakes again before the doctor walked out with the nurse, leaving me, my dad and a deafening silence behind.

He hovered over me for a little while longer before he released a deep breath, drew out a seat and sat beside me without saying a word. A few minutes passed and the silence was broken by the nurse, who walked in. She mumbled an apology and handed a tablet to me alongside a glass of water. Once I took it, she scampered out of the room and the silence returned.