Sand and Sparrow

Chapter 45

"Dr. Kim! She's awake!" the assistant alerted the doctor. Minjeong's eyes remained open, staring to the void.

Dr. Kim immediately checked her eyes with a small flashlight. "Her pupils are equal and reactive." He frowned when he noticed on her eyes. "Where are you going?" he whispered. Her brain scan showed a slight disturbance in the left hemisphere. "This is Dr. Junsu Kim code number 339. Requesting for Triazolam," he commanded the computer. At his voice the machine moved, sending the drug flowing through the tube, a short-acting sedative treatment.

Minjeong experienced sleep paralysis. During rapid eye movement (REM), the brain created vivid dreams, while the muscles of the body were mostly turned off. While sleeping, the tissues were unable to move so that the person won't be able to act out dreams with their body. Sleep paralysis happened when a person wakes up before REM was finished. She was awake but unaware of her reality. They needed to put her back to sleep; she could suffer in a coma or possible brain damage. Dr. Kim sighed deeply. He looked at the clock. Twenty-minutes remaining, her memory would soon be gone.

"Doctor...shall, we inform Miss Yu?" the assistant asked.

Junsu nodded. "Please tell her."

[ "Heart assessment, no visible pulsations on the aortic and pulmonic areas. There is no presence of heaves or lifts." ]

The computer conducted a physical assessment. Once again the laser light scanned her body.

[ "Normal breath sounds without dyspnea." ]

The light brushed back in her body.

[ "Anterior thorax, quiet, rhythmic and effortless respiration." ]

*****

"HAAAHHHHHH!" Minjeong gasped for air, coughed several times to spit out the water from her throat. She woke up lying in the bathtub, it overflowed when she tried to sit up. She leaned her back, and the water reached her chest. Minjeong pulled herself out of the tub, her white long sleeves and pants were soaking wet. She dragged her foot out of the water and left a mark on a dry floor.

Drenched all over, she hugged herself to feel warm. She sat on the floor and leaned her shoulder against the tub. Everything was white in the empty place, only a bathtub full of water accompanied her solitude. She closed her eyes first while sitting on the floor and leaning against the tub.

The scene changed when she opened her eyes.

"Do you like to make a wish?"

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, she leaned her back on Jimin's chest. They were sailing in a boat in the middle of the sea surrounded by iridescent lamps above the water. The boatman turned his back at them; he was carefully steering the canoe to avoid hitting the floating lights.

"I have nothing to ask. My wish was fulfilled." Minjeong dipped her hand on the water.

"What did you wish?" Jimin hugged her tightly when the wind blew to their direction.

Minjeong stroked Jimin's neck by using the tip of her nose, she smiled and whispered huskily to her ear. "You are my wish."

Jimin smiled at what she heard. The ocean became brighter. The floating lanterns seemed like stars sailing in the blue universe.

"Don't you get annoyed when I act immature sometimes?" Minjeong looked up to the sky; admiring the glowing stars.

Jimin took a deep breath and kissed her hair. "You mean when you're childish?"

"Yes."

"There is always a child inside of us."

"Really?" Minjeong let the water flow through her hand.