A Girl Called Nothing

5

"Wake up. Come on, please."

I opened my tired eyes and looked into a pair of grey eyes that looked much older for the young and kind face.

"I need you to listen to me. You have broken ribs, a punctured lung, a fractured femur and some slight brain damage. But you will be okay. Can you tell me your name?"

"Nothing." I reply, my voice croaky and tired. "My name is Nothing. I live Nowhere. Can I please have some water?"

The doctor nodded and left the room. I looked around the sterile white room and and down to my thin-mattress and and hospital gown.  She returned soon with a styrofoam cup full of warm water and a piece of paper. 

"Fill this form out please. It should help us track down your family." 

I nodded, feeling no reason to object to her command. It was simple task that would involve minimal effort or thinking.

First Question: Name? 

Answer: Nothing

Second Question: Home Address?

Answer: Nowhere

Third Question: Family?

Answer: No one

It was a tiresome process, resulting in little progress for the lady trying to find some form of guardian for me. The lady collected the form and took to out of the booth, that was partitioned off with curtains. By the time this was done I was feeling tiresome, falling into an ever deeper state of fatigue. Soon, the world was covered in a deep blanket of black. 

I woke up, the ward looking much the same as it did a couple of hours ago, polished and clean. 

"Um, excuse me, I was wondering if you knew where the chemotherapy ward was?"

A young man had peered his head round the cheap curtain and into my space. 

"No sorry, I-"

"Emily? Is that you? Oh my god I've missed you. Oh, I have to get mum, hold on."

And with that, Alex was gone. 

You see, he is my older brother. And at 19 he is six years my senior and I haven't seen him for nearly three years. Alex used to be a spotty, grumpy teenager who's hair hung limp around his shoulders. Now he is a handsome, tall adult who's hair is styled with a ginormous gloop of gel. It's no surprise I could hardly recognise him. 

He returned, with a bald woman with electric blue eyes, like himself, hunched in a wheelchair. 

***

"I love you Mummy. You know that, don't you?" Asked Emily, an element of uncertainty to her quivering voice. She was always one to love unconditionally, Emily.

***

"Hello Emily. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" My mother stated, her voice expressionless and plain. 

I just nodded, before preparing myself for a bombardment of the past.