The Edge Of Insanity

3-Sam

My eyelids feel like glued, with great effort, I manage to open them. Blinking against the harsh light, I realize I'm not where I last remember.

I panic as I find myself strapped to a table. People in white clothes and masks surround me. The smell of antiseptic makes it hard to breathe.

When I close my eyes, I hear muffled voices over the pounding in my head. A monitor beeps rhythmically, adding to the ache in my head. The more it hurts, the louder the monitor beeps.

"We need to act, or we'll lose him," a voice cuts through the buzzing monitor as she holds a pair of metal plates near my chest, followed by murmurs of agreement.

"No, we must stabilize him first. The implant won't take otherwise," another voice interjects, sparking a debate.

"Implantation without my consent?" I freak out. Unable to protest my body remains paralyzed by anesthesia.

The beeping gets louder, and I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience. I feel disconnected, like I'm watching my nightmare from far away. It feels like the euphoria of being drunk. People are trying to save me, but I think I'm dead.

But then reality crashes back, a heavy weight dragging me down. I'm not dead, not yet. With a force, I'm pulled back into my body, the pain crashing over me like a tsunami wave.

The woman persists, "This is our last available sample. We can still save him and proceed with the implantation."

The woman's words linger in my mind as I blink back to consciousness. I find myself in a hospital bed, I can feel the weight of my body. I try to move, but my limbs are sluggish. My head is pounding as I realize I've survived the out-of-body experience.

A nurse comes, her face vaguely familiar, where I might have seen her before. "Good afternoon," she says, drawing back the curtain to let in the sunlight.

Outside, the world seems bright and inviting. She is adjusting my IV fluid and offering me food.

"How are you feeling? Hungry?" Her words evoke a sense of nostalgia.

I manage a weak smile, barely able to find my voice. The tray in front of me holds a variety of bland hospital fare. I take small sips of the soup and coffee, my appetite nonexistent. The nurse returns to collect the tray.

"It seems you have no appetite," she observes, gently wiping my mouth before she departs.

After a while, the pain in my head intensifies. I ring the bell, and the same nurse returns. She prepares a liquid from a small vial, and I drift off to sleep as she administers it.

***

When I open my eyes again, I find myself back in my apartment. The pain in my head persists, accompanied by the sensation of calloused hands against my skin. I recoil, realizing it's Sam's hands. Why is he here, and what's wrong with him?

Sam's smile greets me as I regain consciousness. "You okay, Boss?" he asks.

"What happened?" I inquire.

"I just pass by to talk, and I saw you on the floor. I called you several times, even slapped you. You wouldn't budge." He laughs, seeming oddly pleased by it.

"Ough" I push myself up from the bed. "Thank you for checking on me."

"That's what neighbors do. I don't want to lose you, like Mr. Bolduc." He chuckles again.

He hands me a cup of warm water. I appreciate his kind gesture, but in a split second, he mentions his rent.

"Boss, tomorrow is the beginning of the month, please take consideration as my neighbor. Because of lockdown, no job, no money." Sam explains in desperation with his broken French.