Light Unbridled

Light Unbridled- Chapter 21: Relative State

*The scene opens with Ryan waking up in an unknown room. He looks around, confused, until he realizes he's in a hospital. He attempts to sit up, but feels a painful sting in his chest. He looks down to see he is wrapped in bandages. A young female nurse enters the room*

Doctor: Oh my! You're finally awake. Do you need anything at all?

Ryan: Wha- where am I? How did I get here? Where are my friends?

Nurse: I understand you're confused, but just try to relax. Your wound on your chest hasn't fully healed yet.

*Ryan lays back down.*

Ryan: I still want my questions answered, if you don't mind.

Nurse: Of course. Well, for starters, you're in a hospital. You're here because a hiker was walking through a forest not far from here when he found you and the others. Most of you were critically injured.

Ryan: How are the others?

Nurse: They are being treated in other rooms. Not all of them have woken up.

Ryan: How long have we been here?

Nurse: Two weeks, I'm afraid.

Ryan: Two weeks?!!!!

*Ryan sits up suddenly only to grasp at his chest in pain and lay back down.*

Nurse: Please be careful! We can't allow the wound on your chest to open up again.

Ryan: Forget about me, I wasn't hurt nearly as bad as the others. How are Zack and Riley?

Nurse: Cooper and Johnson? They both suffered severe neck injuries. It's a miracle we were able to operate on them as soon as we could. They were losing blood very quickly.

Ryan: Can I please see them?

Nurse: Absolutely not! You're going to stay here until your wound has healed! Until then, you're not to leave this room, let alone that bed.

Ryan: Ugh, fine.

Nurse: So, once again I'm going to ask, is there anything you need?

Ryan: Maybe something to eat?

Nurse: I'm afraid we can't serve you anything to eat at this time. Just press that button on the side of your bed if you need anything.

*The nurse quickly leaves the room, leaving Ryan to lay there in silence.*

Ryan: Pfft. Not exactly five stars.

*Ryan puts his hand on the bandages that are wrapped around his torso.*

Ryan: Better than being dead, I guess.

*Ryan stares at the ceiling and thinks of his friends. He thinks of what happened to each one of them individually, and how they were all helpless to do anything.*

Ryan: Jesus...

*Ryan's thoughts then fall on Lucy. Beginning to panic, he sits up straight and begins trying to stand up out of his bed.*

Ryan: Shit! Lucy! We never found Lucy!

*Ryan grabs ahold of an IV next to his bed and begins walking for the door. As he exits his hospital room, he is stopped by another nurse.*

Nurse: Stop! You need to lay back down!

Ryan: You don't understand! We left her in the woods! We never found her!

Nurse: Her? Who's her?

Ryan: The little girl! Her name was Lucy! She was with us in the forest but then she was taken!