HUES OF A MURDER

Chapter 24: White Haven

The first thing she felt was the faint beeping sound. She could see a bright light behind her eyes. Her eyes fluttered but she couldn't open them. She realized that she was lying on her back. She tried wiggling her toes and fingers but couldn't at first. After a few tries, she was able to move her finger. She tried to remember where she was. But she couldn't. Remembering was exhausting. And she fell into the depths of darkness.

                                                                                         ***

She heard a buzzing. It was low like humming. It irritated her and she made a guttural noise. "She is awake," someone said.

"Rose, Rose, can you hear me?" a male voice asked.

She moved her head in the direction of the voice. "Mm hmm," she tried to say something but couldn't.

"Stop the ..." the voices continued. She realized that the buzzing she heard were people talking. She listened. She heard beeps and noises which sounded like machines. They scared her. She tried concentrating on voices. But it was mostly jargon and she couldn't understand them. Where was she?

                                                                                          ***

She woke up and the light was bright. It gave her a headache. She closed her eyes. "Rose," a soft female voice, distant yet closer, called her.

                                                                                          ***

Rose woke up and looked around. The room was bright and she fluttered her eyes and gave out a soft moan.

"Rose, you are awake," a gruff voice called her.

She turned to look at her father. He smiled at her, stroking her hair.

"Where am I?" she looked around at the room with white walls and sterile smell and she knew where she was. Her arms were hooked to an IV and she could feel the cold fluid trickling into her veins, a contrast to the warm hands of her father. She found the machine's low beeps strangely soothing.

"At the hospital," Her dad said.

"Where's everyone? Where's mama?" her eyes searched the room.

"Rusty has taken mama home. She was here the whole night. I am on the day duty. Do you want some water?" her father pressed a button and got up to get her water. He poured water from a jug to a glass.

She tried sitting up. Her head felt heavy and she felt a little disoriented, as the room swam before her a little.

"Lie down," he said.

The door opened and a nurse came in. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

Rose mumbled something.

The nurse checked her vitals and turned to her father, "I will inform the doctor." She hurried out.

Her father raised the bed a little and leaned her against the pillows. He helped her drink water and she realized how parched she was.

"More," she said. Her father nodded and got up. She looked at the nearby table and the floor overflowed with white and pink roses with get well soon cards. A vase with red roses stood out among them.

"Those are from your friends and our neighbours," her dad came and helped her drink more water. She sighed after. "You want more?" he asked.

"No." she stared at the red roses.