Hidden in Plain Sight

Broken Arm, Video Games, and Flash Drives

When I came to, I was in a hospital room.

"Oh, Jay, you're awake," my dad said. I attempted to sit upright, but any movement resulted in so much pain!

"We were so worried about you," my mom said.

I gazed around the room. The cliche hospital beep immediately started getting on my nerves. My parents were sitting at the foot of my hospital bed. And sitting across the room, in the waiting chair, was Nya. She stared at me with a worried expression.

"Where am I?" I mumbled.

"The hospital," my father answered. I took a deep breath to compose myself. The constant beep grated against my ears, making it harder than usual to be polite to people.

"Besides the hospital," I said through gritted teeth.

"We just arrived in Ninjago City," my mom explained, "Your arm needs surgery. You're lucky it's a serious fracture, or else we might've had to wait for your surgery." Yes, how fortunate that Garmadon shattered my arm. Obviously the best-case scenario. I looked down at my arm. Samurai X's jacket was still acting as my sling.

"Yes, the doctors said your arm bone is all messed up," my dad said.

"Both of them," my mom said.

"He just broke one arm," I said.

"Both bones, honey," my mom said.

"Okay. Where's the Samurai?" I said.

"He dropped you off at the junkyard and flew away," my dad explained, "We don't know what happened."

"How long till surgery?" I said. All I wanted to do was jump back in with a new plan to destroy Samurai X. Now, it's personal. Even more personal than it was before. Saving me from Garmadon got on my nerves. Doesn't she realise that we're rivals!?

"Twenty-four hours," my mom said. I had to endure an entire day of sitting in a hospital bed in immense pain and my unhinged thoughts. I'm already bored and overwhelmed, and I just woke up a minute prior.

"The team's on their way," Nya said softly, "They'll entertain you for one day." I smiled weakly. It was like she could read my mind. The last thing I needed was to be alone with my thoughts. Luckily, my team made it hard to think.

"We're so happy you're safe," my mom said, "Could've been worse, you know."

"Yeah, I know," I said.

"You have to be careful when you're a ninja," my dad said, "It's a rough occupation." It's going to be a long twenty-four hours if my parents talk the entire time.

"Mr. and Mrs. Walker," Nya said, "I think Jay's dozing off. Maybe we shouldn't talk so much and let him sleep." I fell in love with Nya all over again. She read my mind and asked my parents to leave without offending them. If only I could be that compassionate.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jay," my mom said, rubbing my legs under the covers of the hospital bed, "We're being so inconsiderate."

"Honey, let's go grab some supper," my dad said, "Are you coming, Nya?"

"No, I'll stay here and watch Jay," she said.

"Oh, what a sweet girl. Jay, she's a good one. You hold onto her tightly," my mom said. It took another fifteen minutes to actually get my parents to leave. But eventually, they left. I fixated on the door, too tired to bother to move my eyes.

"You're really out of it," Nya said, crossing the hospital room.

"Yeah... I got beaten up badly," I said, breaking my trance. Nya sat on my bed. Her hand twitched, debating to reach out and touch me.