Notice

Chapter 4

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Is the first thing I hear when my eyes open.  The first thing I see is a white tiled ceiling that looks similar to the one at school.

"Oh, Brian." I hear someone say. I know that this person is talking out loud, but to me it sounds like a whisper.

I hear more whispering and then I hear faint footsteps leaving the room. Where am I ?

I take a deep breath in, and I'm surprised to find two tubes running up my nostrils, and a tube stuck inside of my inner arm.

I close my eyes again, but they open almost immediately when I hear two sets of footsteps.

"Elina ?" I hear. That's my name. I blink and suddenly, a round face is in my line of vision. It has dark hair, and grey eyes.

"Elina can you hear me ?" The face asks again. Everything is a little blurred. I can't quite get my eyes to focus on whoever is talking. I try to say 'yes' but I can't. My lips won't move and when I try an intense pain forms  in my head and in the back of my neck.

"Elina if you can hear me blink four times quickly." The person says. I've determined it to be a male. His voice is low and quiet, as if trying to not disturb an unannounced peace.

I blink four times quickly and try to move my hands, but I feel frozen in place.

"Oh thank God." I hear a woman say.

I know that voice. I recognize that voice, from all the times that it read me stories.

I turn my head to where the voice of the woman came from and although sharp pains should stop me, I am determined to find out if my guess is true.

Sitting next to me, her hand clutching mine is my mother. Her brown hair is pulled back into a tight bun, a few loose strands hanging from the top of her scalp, and framing her face. Her green eyes  aren't as green as they should be because of the horrible, and what seems to be, fluorescent lighting. She has her glasses over top the bridge of her nose, and I spot one tear rolling down her perfectly clear cheek. Most people who see me and my mom together, which isn't often these days, would say I'm spitting image of her.

"Mom ?" I croak out. She smiles weakly and more tears escape her eyes.

"Yeah baby it's me. Mommy is here and she loves you very much." My mother says, placing her other hand on top of the hand that she's already holding.

Suddenly, I feel a few tears roll down both my cheeks.

My mother hasn't said that line in years. So why is she suddenly saying it now ?

"Elina, I need you to answer me." That male voice asks. I turn my head back to his direction and everything becomes clear. He has a very chiseled  face, with a long jaw and very defined facial bones. He has bushy eyebrows and thin lips.

"Do you know where you are ?" He asks. I look around a spot my father sitting in the far corner in a chair. His elbows rest on his knees and he shoots me a shy smile. His brown eyes glisten under the sunlight that is pouring throw the window.

Suddenly I am happy that the sun has made an appearance.

I continue to look around. I notice that I'm wearing a long gown, in an ugly shade of blue grey. I have a bracelet on my right wrist and I can still hear the faint sound of a machine beeping away.

"I'm in a hospital." I finally say. My voice is stronger now, and the pain is slowly fading away.

"Good. Now, can you tell me why you're in the hospital ?" The male voice asks again.