❝ If you shut your eyes and are a lucky one, you may see at times a shapeless pool of lovely pale colours suspended in the darkness; then if you squeeze your eyes tighter, the pool begins to take shape, and the colours become so vivid that with another squeeze they must go on fire. ❞
~~~
In a quiet hospital room with soft beige walls, sunlight streamed through closed white curtains onto the single occupant hooked up to a million wires. A heart monitor beeped at a steady pace, and various clear tubes gently infused vital nutrients into the bloodstream of the patient. On the table beside the raised bed, there was a single wilted flower that was obviously delivered quite some time ago. A diagram of the human brain was stoically hung on the wall opposite the closed door, and a stethoscope draped over the back of an office chair near the counter stocked with rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and protective gloves. Muffled footsteps could be heard outside, but none of them entered the room. Everything was clean and pleasant, but it was much too quiet and still. And due to the closed window and low air conditioning, it was growing rather warm. Not unbearably, but enough to be a little stifling.
It was like any other hospital room, but to Whitney, it was as foreign as Neverland once was.
She figured she’d wake up in a room like this one and she thought she was prepared, but once her eyes actually opened, Whitney wished she at least woke up in a comfortable bed. She hadn’t been to a hospital in years, if ever. It wasn’t exactly the most charming environment, and she already hated the smell of chemicals lingering in the air. Staring directly at the ceiling, Whitney blinked slowly so her eyes would get used to the bright fluorescent lights. As she tried to move her arms, she found a mess of wires and tubes that connected her arms to towering machines next to her bed. It was that bad, huh? Shit, she thought. Carefully, Whitney managed to turn her left arm upwards. Other than the hospital wristband fastened around it, her left wrist was completely blank.
Waking up was both nothing and everything she’d imagined it would be. Everything went black, and it felt like they were riding a rollercoaster that went upside-down. She felt Niall’s hand slip from hers as their bodies pushed upwards towards an unknown surface. Rather, there was a sensation of an upward pull; she doubted they were physically moving at all. Pressure crushed her chest for a few seconds, and her hair whipped in front of her face. It was quick and it was sudden – very, very sudden. She didn’t have time to process what was going on before she realized it was over. There was no need for Whitney to open her eyes to know she was awake; she just knew. All of sudden, there was blanket covering her torso that felt like a thousand pounds and much too thick. She smelled rubbing alcohol, heard the beep of the machines, and, when her eyelids flew open, saw that she was by herself in a forlorn hospital room. What a lovely way to be welcomed back into the real world.
With a sigh, she let her body sink into the lumpy mattress and tried to relax her stiff muscles. She had nothing else to do, so Whitney had a silent conversation in her head as she waited for a doctor or nurse (or anyone, really. She just needed answers.).
You’re actually awake, Whitney. You’re awake and you’re going to go out into the real world again. How does that make you feel?
YOU ARE READING
Somewhere In Between // Niall Horan
Fanfiction[DISCONTINUED] Whitney Davies has been oblivious to the world for three years, but you can't blame her. It isn't her fault she's stuck in Neverland. Not the Neverland you know and love, though. This is a different place, where there aren't any...
