The Gated Return

Chapter 12 - Gated Return

Would you like your morning coffee Daniel?

Um, sure... But what is this place.

Daniel, we go through this every day, you already know.

I don't understand. This doesn't look familiar and I don't know you.

Here, just take your coffee. I will have Dr. Davidson come in to check on you in a few moments.

Doctor who?

The nurse walked out of the room after setting my coffee on the table next to me. Looking around, I cant tell where am but appears to be a normal room. Sofa, TV, small kitchen. Is this my apartment?

Moments later, Dr. Davidson walked in and looked at me with this look as if he was fed up with being there.

Daniel, nurse Titty advised you are again having memory loss. How are you feeling today?

Wait, did you just say nurse "Titty?"

Again Daniel? Must we go through this? She is your assigned nurse to care for you.

Well, I like her name!

Yes... Well, here is your med for this morning. I am increasing your dose to 36mg to see if this helps any.

Helps with what? I asked the doc. But he glared at me and walked away without saying a word. I picked up the yellow and white pill staring at it trying to figure out what it was and why I was there.  After a few moments, I got up from the soft brown chair and walked around the room. Nothing looked familiar. No photos on the dim grey walls. Only some painting of a river next to a home built on a cliff. The TV was an old tube style with an episode of Night Court showing on Channel 11. I went to the window and opened the green curtains to look out and see if there was something that would tell me what was happening. As I pulled the curtains to the side, I found the window was barred with thick metal rods. It was then I realized that I am not anywhere near home and not sure of how I even got here. And for a brief moment, I realized that this was only a dream and a smile came over my face knowing I could do anything in my dreams.

I quickly turned around and went for the door to walk out of the room and just as I grabbed the door there was a loud "KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK". My hand still holding the doorknob, I slowly turned it to open the door and see who was there, peeking only through the small opening from cracking the door open. But no one was there. I opened the door the rest of the way and peeked my head out to look around and there was no one anywhere. I walked out of the room and closed the door softly not to make a sound, just in case something spooky was about to happen. Carefully, I walked down the grim hallway filled with doors just like mine. Even the lights were flickering as if it were some horror movie and I was going to be attacked by clowns or something. However everything was eerily quiet as I walked further down the hallway. I could see a set of double doors ahead of me and looked like they had those narrow windows with the crossed wires inside and a sign above that read AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. I approached the doors and peered through the window to see what was on the other side and found nothing but darkness. Perhaps the lights were off. I slowly opened the door and walked through with my hands out in front of me as if to feel for a light switch and letting the door close behind me. Just as the door shut, I was pitch black and I couldn't see anything anywhere. I kept walking forward slowly as to not bump into anything and continued to feel for a switch. Moments later I could hear the "KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK" again but louder and more intense in bass. It echoed throughout the darkness as if the room I were in was completely empty. I answered "Hello" out loud but there was no response as my voice echoed around the room. I then remembered that this was only a dream and I could do anything I want. So I tried to snap my fingers to make light, but didn't work. I tried to run as fast as I could in the darkness having no fear of bumping into anything because after all, its only a dream. That was, until I hit the wall face first and just about knocked myself out. Okay, so that wasn't such a good idea. But when I opened my eyes, the room was lit up and I found myself on the floor of the waiting room of a hospital of some sort. People around me staring at me in silence with a look of disgust as if I just raped a potato. I got up trying not to make eye contact with anyone and noticed I was bleeding from my nose. I tried to cover it with my hand and walk away towards the doors nearby just to get away from the confusion but I noticed the blood was getting thicker and was getting worse. On my way out, I saw a redhead lady with a purple sweater sitting next to her. I grabbed the sweater looking at her right in the eyes as if to threaten any movement she may make by me taking her sweater. I put it up to my nose to catch the blood, looked around the room at all the people staring back at me, and put up my bloody middle finger  to everyone in the room. I turned around and continued out the double doors.