Letters from a Star

12 | cygnus

"You should be, Dawn."

"You should be, Dawn."

"You should be, Dawn."

Neo's first words echoed in the room, or in my head, while I tried to process what was happening. He was awake. God, what was I supposed to say? No one teaches you what to say when an unconscious person wakes up, it's not part of the school curriculum.

"You're alive," I exclaimed.

Wow. That's what I decided to say.

"I am alive," Neo laughed, then winced with pain.

"Here," I rushed forward to adjust his pillows slightly, letting him sit up. "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry," he said, with a deadpan expression on his face, "I'm really really hungry."

"Oh god, of course you are," I shot out of my seat, coming to the realisation that he was actually awake, "let me get a doctor." I called for the doctors who were tending to him yesterday, alerting them of the news. Almost at once, about three doctors and nurses rushed in to check his heart rate and all the other mediciney stuff before giving him something to eat and drink. I stood in the corner of the room with my arms folded over my body, and watched him cooperate with all the bustling movements and lots and lots of questions.

"He'll need to stay in the hospital for a bit, until he's had his surgery," one of the nurses said, with a kind look on her face, "but he seems to be well enough for a little exercise, he will need it. Could you take him for a quick walk outside?"

"Sure," I nodded. At that precise moment, Neo walked over to me in his hospital gown, laughing at something that one of the doctors had said. His smile didn't look as sincere as I was used to it being––more forced and exhausted.

"Hi," he said, lifting his arm to wave. The action caused him pain. I didn't like it.

"Hi."

"Okay, you two go off on your walk," the nurse explained, beginning to walk away, "be back in half an hour!"

"Okay," we both said in unison, and began walking out of the hospital, out into the green areas.

"Oh my God, it's freezing," Nereus shivered, the second we stepped outside. We were hit with a blast of chilly February air.

"Here," I pulled off my coat, handing it to him.

"Are you stupid?" he looked at me with a blank expression on his face, "you'll freeze to death."

"Well, you just narrowly escaped death and you've been in a hospital for two days, in a coma, and are currently wearing a hospital gown which looks like it could keep a chipmunk warm," I said, trying and failing to keep calm, "you qualify for the coat more."

Neo tilted his head at me, as though trying to figure me out. "Something's happened," he said, like he'd just found out something really important.

"What the hell do you mean 'something's happened'?" I spat in disbelief, "Neo, you happened. You almost died and it––it was my fault! I didn't pick up my phone, I didn't listen to you. The bloody paintings and the wall and the crown, they––just take the coat, for goodness sake!" I threw it at him and it hit Neo in the face.

"Hey," he said, pushing his arms through the sleeves of the jacket, "what do you mean, the paintings? Wall? Crown?"

"It doesn't matter!" I cried, "I almost killed you!"

"Wrong," he shook his head, "you didn't almost kill me. This almost killed me." He tapped the side of his head. "And even if you'd read my texts, the ambulance wouldn't have arrived in time. I tried to call one myself, but I was too weak to speak. So, no way do I blame you in any way."