The Hidden Door

Chapter 8: Recovering

I sat up straight. I was panting, quite heavily in fact, and I felt a bead of sweat run down my face, onto my arm, creating a drop on the hospital bed.

Through the window that gives light to the hallway, I saw my mother and father sitting next to each other, with heavy eye bags on their face. They sacrificed sleep for me.

Then I felt a sudden jolt in me, followed by a feeling inside my head similar to the feeling of a brain freeze. But this one lasted way longer. Before I knew it, images were crowding my brain... Of monsters and a hideous creature, as big as an elephant. With the legs of gorilla, the body of bear, and the head of a lion, that creature got up and went into a room...

The visions came to an end as soon as the doctor came in.

•The Hidden Door•

"Honey, go to bed, now. I'll be up there in a minute to give you your medicines," said Mom, her gaze following me as I headed up the stairs to my room.

I finally got out of the hospital after a ton of tests and reports and paperwork. With the bandage weighing down on my forehead, I went to the door of my room and opened it, until I saw the satisfaction on my Mom's face from the corner of my eye. After she left from the stairs, I quickly put pillows under the blankets and rushed across the hall to the bathroom.

Once there, I observed my nice, clean bathroom. It was nice to see the welcoming green colors instead of the plain, boring, disgusting hospital bathroom.

After making sure my towel and robe were on the hanging bar on the side, I took a warm shower.

It felt so nice. I took my time because even though my mom said she'll be up in a minute, she likes to find a million other things to do before the one thing that she said she would do.

When I was done (which was after a long time), I got out of the shower, drying myself off and wearing my robe.

I went to my room, feeling fresh. I changed, then took my hair out of the towel, blow dried it, then brushed it out.

I got into my bed, and pulled the covers up to cover my whole body, up until my neck. And just in time, too. My mom gently knocked on the door, and found me awake in my bed.

"Jessie, you didn't fall asleep yet? You know as well as I do that rest is critical for you right now."

How, I thought. I was asleep for hours in the hospital. Gees, no one gives me a break.

Instead of saying that though, I decided against it because one thing my parents can't stand is talking back. To avoid the trouble, I simply just gave a slight nod.

"Anyway, here are the medicines. The first one is a cream that I'm have to apply on the cut." She carefully lifted my bandage, and rubbed the cream on my boo-boo.

I know, very mature right?

I winced from the burning feeling of the cream sinking into my cut. It was then that she noticed that my bandage was wet from the shower.

"Why is your bandage wet, Jess?"

I thought about my reply for a minute. I don't like to lie, and this truth won't get me in trouble or something. I mean, I did do something different then what she wanted me to do, but then again it wasn't that bad.

"I just took a shower," was all I said. And then it suddenly came to me that I haven't spoken in a while, and my mouth was really dry. Luckily Mom brought water with her.

"Ok." I guess she knew that I wasn't in the mood to talk much.

"Anyway, the second medicine is a pain killer that also helps you sleep. Sit up, you have to gulp this one down with water."

I did as I was told. Boy that water felt good.

Mom tucked me in and slowly left the room. Soon I was fast asleep.