COMA

C

One month.

It has been one whole month since I slipped into a coma. Honestly, it feels like I've slept for centuries in a dingy place away from social interaction and people.

I don't even know how I ended up in this coma. Many stories are told in my hospital room. My mother said that I slipped on the stairs and hit my head on the concrete sidewalk. My father believes that I ran into an object that put myself into this state of mind. China, my older sister, thinks someone is responsible for this. Numerous stories have been mentioned and said out loud, yet they're all different. None of them relate to each other in a way.

The doctors ran multiple tests on me. They performed CAT scans, x-rays, medical procedures that are done to coma patients. Seeing their facial expressions on my previous test results, I know for sure that they know what's wrong with me. They just want to be 110% positive that they're right before they tell my family anything. Honestly, I believe the doctors don't want to give my family false hope.

"China, we have to go." Mother's gentle voice spoke.

My eyes - well, mind - wonder over to my right. My beloved eighteen year old sister, China, is sitting by my bed in a blue chair. It looks glossy from the lights, so I'm guessing the chair is plastic.

"I'll be out in a few." China said, her voice faint and full of sadness.

My eyes avert to China. Her dark hair is thrown into a ponytail, her bangs hovering above her eyes. The warm feeling that's usually in her eyes is gone. All I can see in them is pain. Her tiny nose is red from the cold. The doctors like to keep these rooms freezing for some reason, not that I'm complaining. I can't feel it physically since I'm in a coma and all.

"Honey, you need to go home and change. You've been in that dirty outfit for days." Mother said, her voice laced with concern.

"It's the only outfit I can wear that keeps me warm and makes me look cute." China sighed.

China is wearing an oversized sweater with leggings and snow boots. The sweater goes above her knees, looking like a dress. It's white along with her boots. Her leggings are as black as they could be. She looks cozy yet stylish. That's what I adore about my sister. She can pull any outfit off, whether it's horrendous or sexy. She has the right body to look good in whatever clothing is tossed at her.

Mother chuckles. "I'm not saying that you don't look cute. I just want you to go home, take yourself a delightful shower, and put on a new set of clothes. You've been coped up in here for a long time. It's time for you to get out of here."

"Mother, I don't want to get out of here. I want to be here the minute she wakes up."

"She won't be waking up anytime soon."

China snaps her head around, her now dark eyes boring into Mother's gray ones. "You don't know that. You don't know anything!"

Mother is shocked by her words. "I do know, China. She's been in a coma for an entire month! What makes you think she's going to wake up whenever you're not here?"

"Hope."

"What?"

China closes her eyes, revealing a deep sigh. "I have hope in her, Mother. She may have been in a coma for a month, but I know she'll wake up soon. She has to."

I can feel my eyes water from my sister's words.

She has faith in me. She believes that I will wake up from this state of mind I'm in. She has hope in me.

Mother pulls her into a hug. "Oh, China."

China releases her poignant cries.

One of the most heartbreaking things I've ever heard is hearing China cry. My sister is one of the gayest people you'll ever meet. A smile is always on her beautiful face. She spreads joy around to others. She shows care and affection to everybody. Being depressed isn't a part of her. That's why whenever I hear China cry, I automatically know for sure that she's hurting. It's really melancholy to witness.

After what seems like an eternity, China stops crying and opens her eyes. Mother wipes her tears away with her thumb. She reveals a small smile, meaning that everything will be alright. China reveals a smile back, but it doesn't reveal the same message as Mother's. It doesn't even reach to her eyes. She's masking her feelings to prevent herself from breaking down again.

"Ready to go?" Mother asked softly.

China nods.

Mother and China stand up. Their eyes glance to my heart monitor, then to me.

"I hate seeing her like this." China whispered, her eyes boring at my body.

"Me too." Mother sighed.

Mother rests a hand on China's shoulder, directing her away from my bed. China's eyes close as she walks out of my hospital room with Mother.

I touch my eyes with the back of my hands. When I bring them down, I find them drenched with my tears. I sigh deeply.

When will this ongoing coma come to an end? When will I be able to awaken from this state of mind? And most of all, will everything be alright? All of these questions will remain unanswered.

The only thing I can do is watch from wherever I am, pray to God that everything will be okay, and eventually find answers to all of these questions that are running through my head.

The sound of my door opening pulls me out of my thoughts.

Who's that?

My visitor walks to my bed. They have blonde hair, and two different colored eyes: one baby blue and the other one chocolate brown.

I know those eyes.

My heart races.

Why is Macalister Jay (MJ) visiting me?