The Day She Saw

Chapter 4 - Inpatient

Beep beep beep
       Is all Adeline hears. Attempting to turn her head, but squints her eyes in pain.

"Hey, hey. It's okay. You're okay." A familiar voice says, setting his hand on her cheek. Adeline doesn't open her eyes, but she moves her hand up to her neck, feeling a tape and a sponge type of wrap. Adeline opens her eyes to see Kyle sitting on a chair next to the bed.

"Where am I?" She said in attempt of a whisper, but it barely came out as that.

"You're in the hospital. Adeline, what were you--" Kyle was about to finish when a knock on the door interrupts.

"Hello, Ms. Peterson. My name is Dr. Cole. How are you feeling? I just got the message that you woke up."

       Adeline knew she couldn't talk without it hurting, so she moves her arm from the position it was in, lifts it up, shaking because of how weak she is, and gives him a thumbs down. Wishing she could express how angry she was that it didn't work. Wishing she could express the pain on her insides. Wishing she could express how bad her neck hurt.

       "I understand, we injected some antibiotics to help with the pain, but since we didn't know how bad it was, we only gave you a little bit. You also have permanent bruising around your neck, and slight tearing. This wrap will help keep your neck stable." He walks closer to Adeline, "what we are going to do now, is take it off so we can give you a more stable one, one where if you walk, your head won't move as much, so it won't hurt as it would with this one. You have been unconscious for only a day, and this man here saved your life.

       I didn't want to be saved. Adeline thought. Dr. Cole grabbed a compact mirror, and helped Adeline to a sitting position; he took off the tape, then the wrap, to reveal a bandage, he slowly took off the bandage, Kyle was holding on to Adeline's hand, so whenever she was in pain she could squeeze, she was squeezing so hard that Kyle was making grunting noises. Dr. Cole handed Adeline the mirror, exposing her neck. Purple and black bruising, scratches, and a little blood. Adeline put her hand up to neck, slightly touching it, surprised at the results of being 'saved'.

       Dr. Cole puts his hands on both sides of her neck, pressing down slightly, making Adeline squirm and attempt an "ow".

       "Definitely still needs the wrap. And we are going to try to get you walking today, and tomorrow, we will bring you to the 5th floor, it's our mental health floor. The average stay is 72 hours, but they will keep you longer if needed."

       Adeline just stared at the doctor. She didn't have to go there, she was just fine, she thought as he finished wrapping the  'new and improved' cast or wrap, or whatever he said it was.

"We also contacted your family, and they said how you ran away, and have been gone for about 2 months, so they will be down here to pick you up after your stay on the 5th floor."

       Adeline continued to stare at Dr. Cole. They contacted her parents?! Adeline felt anger bubbling up inside of her, making her heart race, and the heart monitor go crazy.

"Adeline you need to calm down." Dr. Cole says, "Kyle, I'll need you to leave the room." Kyle stood up and left, standing outside of her room.

       Adeline could feel her heart beating rapidly inside of her, her breathing becoming heavy, and she felt dizzy, the room spinning around her. She slams down onto the bed and began to seize, the last she heard was, "can I get a nurse in here!"

       She didn't know what was going on around her, everything was black and she could barely hear a thing, when suddenly a bolt of electricity went into her, and another. Finally, she lay there lifeless but alive. Waking up just minutes later, she opens her eyes, finding 4 nurses, and Dr. Cole. Adeline gave them a look of pain and confusion.