Apricity #Wattys2016

Chapter One: Claudia

"There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are those who turn one into another." -Unknown artist

I use to know the difference I use to be-able to turn off the fantasy at my will but now I cant I don't even know the difference anymore its all a blur. I've tried but their both so real. Ever since the car crash which I don't even know if it really happened or was just a figment of my imagination but ever since then it started to blur the fantasy became more realistic and dull and my life became more calm and boring.

That night though it changed everything, I remember riding home with Rebecca and Shaun from a game night at Lily's house me and Rebecca had a little to drink but Shaun didn't and he was driving.

The last part I remember is Rebecca falling into the middle section of the front seat sprawling around and looking up briefly to see two headlights. Then I was jerked across the seat. I opened my mouth to scream but I was cut off and slammed against the door of the car as another vehicle impacted into our car I smashed my head on the window everything felt like it was going in slow motion. I felt sharp pains coming from my head slowly I reached up and touched my head wincing as I pulled my bloody hand away.

I tried to look over at Shaun or Rebecca but I couldn't turn my head. I heard screaming outside of the car and many people talking but I couldn't reply. Blotches of black and red were appearing in the corners of my vision and the sounds started to muffle. Everything was quiet inside of the car I was too shocked to talk all I could do was listen to the noises of a siren in the distance.The warm blood trickled down the side of my face. I thought I heard a whimper in the backseat before I completely blacked out.

I was in the hospitable for 4 days before I woke up not remembering half of my life I had hit my head really bad but I didn't know what was going to happen. Rebecca had a broken arm and had to get 14 stitches on her left leg and as for Shaun well as far as I knew he was in coma and one of his arms were shattered.

"Claudia?" A cold hand stroked my cheek. My eyes fluttered open to see my mom her eyes were red and puffy and her face was blotchy she had been crying.

"Hi mom" I croaked.

"Oh my you remember me!" She exclaimed grabbing me into a tight hug. I winced but hugged back.

"Am I going to be OK?" I said dreading the answer.

"Well the doctor said you hit your head pretty bad and cut it open. Some glass got in the cut and they tried to get it all out but they are gonna give you a cat scan to make sure. You have a severe concussion which is probably why you don't remember much of anything." She paused and by that time rivers of tears were running down her cheeks.

She sat with me for a while in silence. I didn't know what to say and my head was throbbing. The doctor came in taking me down to the cat scan room my mom tried not to cry the whole time.

I laid down awkwardly on the stiff bed and they turned it on.the bed started to move inside I felt like I was in some kind of time machine everything was spinning and there was a lot of noises and bright lights. Closing my eyes I tried to relax.

Eventually they pulled me out and rolled me back to my room. I was exhausted even though I had slept for 4 days I felt like I could sleep for 4 more.

My mom was pulled out of the room a while after the cat scan, as I was waiting for her I fell back asleep.

Rolling over I accidentally laid on the hurt side of my head.

"Ow." I mumbled rolling onto my back, I glanced over at the bright green numbers of the digital clock on the table beside me.

It was 4:44 in the morning. I heard shuffling somewhere in the other side of the room. I jumped and bolted into sitting position as my eyes were adjusting to the dark my eyes frantically searched the room. It was my mom asleep on the little couch. I sighed and fell back onto the pillow hitting my head again. I moaned and squeezed my eyes shut trying to go back to sleep.

Finally I gave up pulling the covers off of me. I pulled my pants and slippers on and trudged down the silent halls. There was barely anyone here it was like a scene in a scary movie with the never ending hallway, but it did end and i peeked into Rebecca's room the little lamp on the stand was turned on and she had a book in one hand the other was in a strap around her neck.

I knocked on the door. She glanced up at me and smiled. I walked in shutting the door behind me.

"Nice to finally see you awake." She said putting her book down next to her.

"Yeah too bad we can't say the same for Shaun." I said pulling up a chair and settling in.She frowned looking down.

"Yeah." She said quietly.

"What were you reading?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Oh some book my Dad bought me to keep me busy its actually not that bad." She said handing it to me. I skimmed the back reading a little bit.

"Cool, So I heard you had to get 14 stitches."

"Yeah I was freaking out but I barely felt it when they did it. Wanna see?" She asked smirking.

"Oh no thanks!" I said putting my hand up to stop her. "I don't feel like passing out any time soon" I said trying not to think about it.

She laughed at me.

"I know I wasn't really going to do that I, -"

Everything went black and there was a bright light in my face.

Here we go again. Was my last thought before I was pulled into my second reality.