Dark and light: The Shadows

Chapter 25

I had to practise Archery today. I skipped it twice last week. Right when I was getting a better understanding of the techniques.

My shapewear had to sit tighter today under the practice shirt. It was warm out since it was almost summer. I don't know if the heat or the circulation got to me, but I had been performing the best I had in weeks.

So you can only imagine my confusion when I fell to the ground after aiming straight for the target. My teammates rushed around me. Maybe it was due to me stressing myself to get my aim right. I zoned in and out as they tried to get me to stay awake. But sleep felt so much better.

 I came to again in an emergency room, with those damn lights in my eyes. I heard a familiar voice. Deven. She was watching me practice today.

Is it still today?

"Do you know the date today?" One of the doctors asked.

"May 10th. 2039?" I registered every feeling on my body, looking around. "It's been a while since I've been here. Should've gotten a check-up."

The main doctor chuckled at the irony as I closed my eyes again.

"We need you to stay awake honey." The doctor tapped my cheek.

My stomach didn't feel tight. I opened my eyes and felt my torso—a hospital gown. How long was I out for?

"Twenty-three minutes."

I felt my eyes stinging. I aggressively rubbed them, then registered feeling things on my arm.

"Don't move too suddenly. We aren't done with our diagnostics, you're hooked up to a lot... Have you taken any medication today?"

I searched my mind frantically before shaking my head in such a manner.

Deven told her something as I looked around my room for my clothes. Then I saw them in Deven's hands. I calmed down slightly.

"Just have them do their procedure. It's not invasive. Tudo bem?" Deven looked as nervous as I was.

My stomach looked slightly bloated today.

"Calm down. Calma, menina."

So I tried to do that as time passed. I tapped and occasionally grabbed my thighs as they asked more questions and hooked and unhooked things onto me. It got less hectic eventually. I didn't even check if male doctors were around.

Now we sat in the room, waiting till the doctor came back.
Her music was so low it should've just been silent. Deven looked worried. I didn't want to have the conversation run long or deep, but I didn't want to find out Deven had missed out on a presentation or a test.

"Did you have anything important for your next class?" I glanced at her and then back to my cup of water. Ice water in an already icy room; I didn't make the best choice. I sat up and shifted to the side of the bed. Deven joined me.

"No. Our teacher didn't even show up for this period. We're all good." Deven smiled and gently touched my hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Occasionally feels like someone is tapping my brain," I threw in a giggle.

She chuckled lightly, with some concern.

"Do you like pain?" Deven got out with an unmistakable tone of concern.

"I don't know if I like BDSM if that's what you're asking." I chuckled. The bitterness might've still slipped out though.

"No. No. I... you keep having these bruises you blame on being clumsy. I mean lately, I see you're lacking coordination... but you have these scars on your legs when you forget to pull your shorts down. The nurse asked when you last had sexual contact and you tried to avoid the question. 9 months ago? You said and Eva did last month." Deven laid it out scrunching her brows.

"Yeah... that didn't go well. She said it felt different. And I was holding back wanting to cry, I don't like the feeling. And I can't remember why. I can't understand why." I spewed and held her hand tighter.

"Did you... when did that start?" Deven furrowed her brows at me.

I sighed and closed my eyes.

"I don't know. I felt really weird on Christmas Eve morning. I felt disgusted. "

"Wait. Did you hook up with someone?" She looked angry now. "You have a girlfriend. "

"I didn't! I was fucking blackout drunk from the night and Pinky-Jean walked me into my hotel room. She locked it. I remember that." I frowned. "But I didn't close it after someone knocked. There wasn't anyone. When I lay down again there was a shadow by the door. I thought it was just another shadow person."

Deven looked at her phone and then straight ahead.

"Pinky-Jean. Jean Mason?"

"I don't know her last name. But she had a pale pink bob. She was the sweetest from the bar to playing games, to talking to me till I fell asleep."

"I know her. Was anyone at the door?" She could sense Deven coming to a conclusion.

"No. The hall was bare." I shook my head and started to feel dread.

The door opened and I jumped. She rubbed my hand and tried to ease the trembling.

"Pinky said she had to talk to me. She hasn't yet. I kinda don't WANNA know now. She had a similar question." The room was quiet, and then the doctor entered.

"Is everything ok in here?" The ob-gyn pulled the chair closer. "I have some news. It may be good or bad."
"You're doing well for being 4 months, almost 5 months in gestation, but your nutrient levels are low. It could have triggered your fainting too, but it can be fatal. Your iron levels are dangerously low as well. So you need to get these supplements and prenatals. You should be on bed rest."

"5 months in what? 5 months of what?" My voice rose.

"Prenatals." Deven widened her eyes and muttered.

"Do you have any carpal tunnel or back pain? Recently?" The nurse tapped on her clipboard.

"Yeah. A bit. Um. Yesterday." I furrowed my brows, looking at her.

"Nipple sensitivity? Moodiness?"

"Yeah," I chuckled nervously. "I've got Borderline, so I chalk it up to that."

The nurse nodded and set her board up.

"What did you mean gestation?" Bekati repeated.

"You're pregnant. Given you didn't know and you're not showing how one at your stage does, you're practically flat, it's been cryptic." The doctor informed us.

I stared at her. She continued to explain where my vitals were as I felt around for my phone. If this was an April fool's joke, it wasn't funny. It's too in-depth.
I didn't hear much of what she said after "We need to do an ultrasound." Five months meant December something happened. I understood why Sabrina said it felt different.
I began to lose focus.

"Ms Coleman. Are you hearing me?" Something like finger snapping sounded far from me.

"Call Abosk --call Wallace." I tried to hold onto Deven's hand as best as I could, "4166, passcode-"

"What? Shit!"

Someone caught me as I fell. This felt like the worst timing.

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