A New World #Wattys2016

Chapter 17

I awake to a smear of white. When my eyes adjust, I realize that I am staring at a hospital ceiling. I am in a hospital.

Before I can think much about that, I feel the pain. I start to scream, really loud.

Then I hear people talking. "She's awake! Hurry up and put her under anesthesia!"

Someone quickly puts a mask on my face and before you can say she sells sea shells, I am asleep again.

I awake to the same white ceiling again. I feel pain, but not nearly as much as last time.

I lift up my head to see a nurse standing in the corner. I immediately feel a sharp shooting pain go through my neck as I sit up.

"Sweetie, lay down!" The nurse commands.

I do as she says.

"What's your name?" She asks.

"Alex."

"Good."

The nurse continued to ask me tons of dumb questions to make sure I didn't lose my memory.

All a sudden, I remembered Zach.

"Hey." I say, interrupting the nurse who is in the middle of asking me what my favorite color is."

"Yes, honey?"

"Is there someone here named Zach?"

"Zach?" The nurse seems confused.

"Yes."

"Well, I would have to check." She starts. "Why?"

"That's a long story. I... I know him, so, please."

"Ok, ok. I will go find out if there is someone named Zach."

"Thank you!" I take a look at her name tag. "Mari!"

Mari smiles and walks out.

I lay across the bed and close my eyes. I think of everything that has happened. Everything with Zach. Zach and I. Where is he? I drift asleep thinking of Zach.

"Alex, honey, wake up."

I open my eyes and see Mari standing over me.

"Did you find him!?" I ask, eagerly.

"Well, there were a few Zach's, not many though. Are you looking for a kid, a middle aged man, or a old guy?"

"The kid!" I yell, even though we are not kids.

"I see, I will send him up here, he is fine."

I squirm under the covers, excited to see Zach. He is ok! But, am I?

Mari walks out of the room to fetch him. I lay on the bed, thinking of what he would say to me once he sees me.

Suddenly, I see a blur of movement zoom through the door frame and stops at my bed. It's Zach.

"Zach," I start.

Zach leans over the bed and kisses me on the lips.

"Why are you at the hospital!?" He asks.

"Why are you at the hospital?"

Zach looks down, and then looks at me again. "I woke up in the hospital. They explained to me that I had the disease. But, they gave me some of the cure, and I got better. I asked them what happened to you, and they said they experimented on you, to see if you had the disease, but you didn't, so they left you there."

"I don't remember them experimenting on me." I say.

"They must've done it when you were asleep."

"Oh."

"Now you tell me what happened!" Zach commands, angrily.

I explain to him about the crash, everything. I start to stutter and cry.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry!" I start to sob.

"You are insane! You got into a crash, you did it because you were in such a rush to see me. I'm fine! Now you just hurt yourself. Did you even look in the mirror! You look horrible!"

My sobs break into even bigger sobs.

"Your face is all messed up, did you even notice that your left arm is twisted the other way!?" You are insane! You are crazy!"

I look at my arm, disgusting. How did I not notice this? What kind of medicines are they putting on me?

"I'm sorry! Please... Just..."

I reach out, to hug Zach. I just need someone to hug me. I just need someone to comfort me.

"Get away from me!" Zach yells, disgusted.

I start to scream.

Zach starts to walk away, out of the room.

"Come back!" I start to scream. "All we did together! We saved the world, and you are just gonna leave me?" I sob louder. "We did it!"

"And you ruined it." Zach walks out.

"Just... One last time." I whimper.

********************************

I continue to lay in the room, sobbing, screaming. Eventually, Mari has to put me on medicine so I will stop screaming.

"I'm sorry honey, but you're disturbing other patients."

"Please, you don't understand."

"Oh, but I do."

As Mari gives me medicine, and my vision starts to blur, I believe to see a tear fall from Mari's eye, right before I fall asleep.