Black Iris

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Ophelia

After that, the memories get fuzzy. I think I must have passed out again from the pain.

I drifted in and out of reality. Remembering fragments of moments, partly engulfed in dreams. Seeing my parents through blurry vision, before everything went fuzzy again. Hearing Jordan speaking to me. And, Charlene.

At one point I thought I opened my eyes to see Gwen, standing by my bed in the middle of the night. I had tried to speak, tried to apologise, tried to ask what was going on, but no sound left my lips. She had reached out a gentle hand, brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, and hummed. Told me it was going to be okay now. It was over, now. And that she was sorry.

Later, I couldn't be sure if that was real.

When I came to properly, the world felt a little different. Like the whole thing had been tilted on its axis, warped ever so slightly.

It was late. The room I was in was dark, dimly lit by blinking lights and machinery. As my eyes adjusted to the space and took it in, I became aware of something pressed against my face, making it harder to breathe

In some faraway part of my mind I recognised it as a respirator, but that wasn't the part of my mind that ruled me.

In the moment, all I registered was panic. I couldn't breathe. I was back under the water again. Drowning. Limbs tied tight. Head held there.

I wrenched it from my face, screamed. But I couldn't make sense of it. None of it made sense. I was awake but it hurt. There was no water but I could still feel it pressing around me.

Then I felt a hand arms, wrapping around my torso, pulling me up, whispering into my hair. Rubbing my back.

They held me. And as the panic eased, I began to breathe again, taking in their scent of vanilla and cinnamon. It was familiar in a distant way, stirring memories and feelings of warmth.

"It's okay, Ollie. You're safe. It's going to be alright." The body whispered, a woman, her voice like velvet.

Then, to someone else, a blurry figure appearing by the door, she said, "get the nurses, J. She's awake."

I collapsed into her arms, and sobbed. She just rocked me and kept whispering into my hair.

"I know, sweetheart," she whispered, "it hurts. But you're alright now. You're alive. It's all gonna be okay."

I heard commotion, more bodies came into the room, speaking to her. But I didn't let go and she didn't stop holding me.

"The nurses are here, Ols," the woman whispered, drawing away from me gently. "They're here to look after you, okay?"

"Don't go," I gasped, panicked, grabbing at her shirt.

"Shh, it's okay darling, I'm not going anywhere. They just need to check you over, and ask a few questions. But I'm not going anywhere."

The panic remained clawing at the edges of my chest but I slowly nodded and released my grip, looking to the nurses, then the figure behind them. A girl, staring at me like I was a ghost. I started shaking.

"J-" I tried to speak, but my voice broke, raspy and croaky. The woman beside me placed a hand on my shoulder. To the girl, she spoke quietly.

"Jordan, why don't to go out to the hall and call Mrs. Alto? I'll stay here with Ophelia while the nurses work."

She nodded, and blinked a few times to clear her eyes as she left.

Dear god.

"She's alive," I croaked, my own eyes filling with tears.