The Gypsy At Sunrise

Chapter 5: Tour Around the Apple

Chapter 5:

Tour Around the Apple

Manhattan Rehabilitation Services, June 2011

Week 1, Day 2

I couldn’t sleep last night either. I just stared at the ceiling the entire time and had the urge to yell to the top of my lungs. I didn’t because my throat was too dry and it felt as if my back was permanently stuck to the bed, thus I couldn’t move. I was stuck and no matter how much I tried to get up, I just couldn’t. For the first time that night, I felt weak and helpless. Just spread out there, like a butterfly being pinned on a board, struggling to get free. Obviously I am far from a butterfly. I am more of a…crow?

 Anyways, it was real torture—no sleep. It was killing me.

So I stared at the ceiling until I heard the door moving. My eyes met a figure at the door, in a blue uniform.

“Ms. James?” asked a squeaky, yet feminine voice. I heard the quick, but light footsteps. I looked up to see an Asian woman in her twenties. She was really beautiful; her eyes sparkled innocence and her petite figure showed how vulnerable she was. She was wearing a blue uniform thing nurses and doctors where here with her dark hair up in pony tail. Everything about her made me envious for some reason.

Her eyebrows crunched in confusion and concern, which made me roll my eyes.

“I can’t move,” I said. She tilted her head in confusion.

“Okay, let me help you up then,” she said, reaching for my shoulder.

“No. I could do it myself.” She raised an eyebrow but stepped back. I started to move my legs but it wouldn’t move. I tried for the first five minutes, so I started to get really angry.

“Damn it!!! Holy Mother******s!!! Stupid legs!” I screamed. I began to shake my entire body and before I knew it, I was sprawled, face first, on the floor. I groaned and slowly pushed myself up as the woman gasped. I heard her footsteps approach me. I looked and saw her small shoes and looked up to her face, which resembled a lost and anxious bunny. I couldn’t help but laugh at her shocked expression, despite my situation.

“Oh my God! Are you okay?” she asked, trying to help me up. I pushed her hand away and got up myself.

“I’m fine. Who are you?” I asked, dusting off my hospital gown.

“My name is Ms. Rowan Lee. I’m Dr. Foster’s assistant.” Oh Great, the devil’s assistant. Oh joy.

“What do you want?” I asked looking down at her. She was several inches shorter than me, but I was close enough to glare down at her big brown Asian eyes. I haven’t really seen an Asian up this close before and I must say I am a little envious.

Her eyes widened and stepped a step back. She looked back at the door anxiously, then looked back at me and huffed.

“I’m here to take you around New York. You know, so you can find yourself much comfortable. I hope you will enjoy it Ms. James.” I scoffed and walked over to the locked window. Yeah, the two things (I’m going to call them things from now on) insisted to put a lock on the damn window. Trust me; I’m not going to kill myself falling off from the twentieth storey of the building. I looked out the window. From where I stood, the houses and streets look so organized and structured. I wish Halayeb was like this. It looked peaceful and full of life at the same time, I found myself hoping to do something. I shook the thought and looked back at Ms. Rowan Lee.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked. She smiled and looked at her clipboard. She looked back at me and smirked.

“Don’t worry. We are going to take you to the main attractions,” she told me. I gave her a questioning look and shrugged. But then I looked at her suspiciously because of something she said.