Our Recovery|Away at War

Chapter 17- Eternity

The first time I tried to open my eyes, I was immediately hit with a pounding sensation on my head, and the light above instantly drowned my eyes as the muffled voices drowned me back into darkness. The second time I was vaguely aware of machines beeping at a constant rate beside me, something was attached to my arm, and a tube ran through my nose and in my mouth, I could unclearly see figures all around me, but as soon as one spoke I slipped back into the darkness- my body not even trying to fight to stay awake.

The third time, I guess it's true what they say- third time lucky. Because, the third time when my eyes opened, they stayed open, everything focusing, slowly but surely. I still had a pain in my head, a little stronger than the usual headache, but it wasn't excruciating. To my left was a machine, still beeping away, but nothing was in my mouth, I just had a cannula in my nose. There were three figures, slumped on a chair, all of them sleeping, but before I had chance to look at them more clearly, I slipped off to sleep again from my lack of energy.

The fourth time, I felt someone holding my hand, murmuring soft words to me. ''Come on darling, you can wake up now.'' This wasn't the only time I'd heard voices, whilst I was sleeping I could hear someone regularly talking to me, other times people were having conversations, and often I caught the odd word- critical, brain, swelling, darling, and a whole load of pleads for me to wake up.

I didn't doze off again this time, and whoever was holding my hand, jumped up when they felt my eyes watching them. I stared at the women, she had a dark flow of chestnut hair, with a few silver strands here and there and her eyes were grey, identical to mine. I furrowed my brow, trying to make the connection, until I realised, this women wasn't a stranger- she was my mother. ''Mum,'' I croaked weakly, taken back by how weak my voice was.

''Oh Willow,'' she sighed heavily. ''You're awake, stay still darling while I go get someone,'' she beamed, jumping up and leaving the room. For some unknown reason, I had bruises all up my arms, and a few stitches up my elbows, which were still sore from whatever had happened. It must have been bad if I was in hospital, I thought. Moments later, my mother returned, with a man in a white coat, who had greying stubble, and deep brown eyes, he was followed by another man, who was the same age as my mother I think, he had piercing, gentle blue eyes, and blonde hair, again with the occasional grey strands.

''Hello, Willow, I'm Doctor Clark.'' The man in the white coat said, as my mother and the other man came to my side.

''Hello.'' I said, beginning to grow confused, ''what happened, why am I here?'' I asked, furrowing my brow.

''You were in a car accident about three weeks ago Ma'am.'' He said, noting down something on his clip board, ''I believe, you have no memory of this?'' I shook my head confused, a car accident? Why, how did this even happen?

''Willow darling, you've been in a coma for the past three weeks,'' the man with the blonde, greying hair said, taking a hold of my hand. I snatched it away, confused as to why a stranger was holding my hand like that.

''Excuse me, who are you?'' I asked. He looked familiar, like I'd maybe seen his face on the street a few times, and given the occasional smile, but I just couldn't put my finger on who he actually was.

''It's me Wills, it's your dad.'' He said, looking to the doctor with an expression of hurt on his face. I frowned for a while, while the room grew awkward with the silence for the next ten minutes, whilst Doctor Clark noted stuff down. Suddenly, I remembered who this man was, the blank faces of someone teaching me to ride a bike, and teaching me to bake, were filled with him. From pushing me on a swing, to helping me with homework, the faceless figure was replaced with my father, my kind, gentle and loving father.

''Dad,'' I sighed smiling. ''Sorry, I forgot who you were, the same happened with mum when I woke up, I'm a little confused.'' I shrugged embarrassed.