Through the Tunnel

Chapter 11: Hospital

The bright light made my eyes hurt. I felt hungover, although I don't remember drinking.

In fact I don't remember a whole lot to be honest.

I tried again to open my eyes and I felt a tear form in my eye because of how bright it was. I decided to just let them shut again.

"She's awake" I heard someone say. The voice, I did not recognise, but it was soft and soothing.

I tried to sit up but my head just pounded. I felt oddly comfortable lying here in what felt like a bed, although I know it wasn't my own.

It had been so long since I had slept in a bed, it seemed like even longer though.

My thoughts suddenly jumped to the others, who for some reason were the only people I wanted or felt like I needed to see. After all, it was them who I had spent these life changing days with.

I wanted to know where they were now. Firstly though, I wanted to know where I was.

I attempted to say something but my throat felt like sand paper. I opened my eyes again, this time with a little more success, as the light seemed less blinding. After my eyes adjusted I saw a nurse standing above me.

I took a moment to look around the room I was in. The only sounds coming from the old TV in the corner and the walls as white as the bedsheets that covered me in the chilly air. I look down at my wrist and see some tubes coming out from under a bandage.

I didn't know what they were putting in me and didn't want to know. It wasn't necessarily one of my priorities.

I was so distracted with looking around the room that I didn't notice the nurse hand me a plastic cup filled with what I assume was water.

I downed the lot as she watched me drink it.

I just looked back and said "Vodka would have been a better choice" and she gave a short laugh as she went to refill my cup (although probably not with vodka).

When she returned I took the cup and she sat beside me on my bed.

"You've been through quite a lot. It was on the news, although I heard it from your doctor" she said. She was a very young nurse and her hair was as blonde as they come. Her cute face went well with the cute tone to her voice and she reminded me very much of Anne-Marie.

"Where am I?" I ask.

"London Hospital"

"What?" I said, almost spitting out a mouthful of water.

"Oh, right. You were transported here last night. A very interesting case. When the firefighters found you in France they contacted British authorities and got your friends flown back home. But because you were unconscious the only thing they could do was take you to a hospital nearby until they could transport you safety here" she explained.

So, they were home. That was the best news I had heard in what seemed like forever.

"Your mum is in the waiting room, she comes in to see you when she can".

The thought of my mum made my chest throb. I wanted to see her. I really did, but first I had more questions for her.

"Why am I in hospital?" I asked, finishing my water.

I think she was trying not to laugh, based on the smile she gave me.

"You collapsed" she said and to be honest, I already knew that. "They don't know exactly why but they put it down to 'post-traumatic-stress'. Which basically means that your body had had enough and gave up on you. They were going to put it down as 'alcohol abuse' but there wasn't enough in your system to have an effect on you" she explained.