Remember me...

Chapter 18 "A very big decision"

Albert woke up early with Paolo. They got ready, had breakfast and they started to look for Stear in local hospitals and clinics. They finally arrived in a clinic where they were greeted by Sister Josephine. Since she spoke English, Albert was pleased.

- Sister, he said, I'm looking for my nephew. His plane crashed not too far from here... do you have Americans patients?

- Yes, we have a lot of nationalities... Let's go see the patients.

The looked in every single room, one by one, and they saw the horror the war made. Some were blind, amputated, in pain. Albert looked and he didn't see Stear among all those poor patients, fortunately.

- Let's go see those who don't remember anything, said Sister Josephine.

They searched the rooms, still nothing, no sign of Stear. Albert was discouraged.

- That's all?

- There's the man in cast, said Sister Josephine.

- The man in cast? Asked Albert.

- Yes, come with me. The doctor is going to take off the bandages on his head, today...

They arrived in the room and they found the doctor who had just took the bandages off the patient with some nurses around him. They could only see his face. When the doctor was finished, the nurses picked up the bandages and left the room. The sun was shinning and was getting coming in by the window of the room. The other nurses left the bedside of the man in cast and a ray on sunshine hit Albert in the eye, he closed them. He got into the room with his eyes half closed and he saw a young man on the bed with black hair and a growing beard, his eyes were closed; and Albert's heart jumped, he opened his eyes wide, so he would be sure that he was not making a mistake. Yes... It was him, his nephew, Alistair! He was alive...

- Albert? Said Paolo.

- It's him Paolo, it's him! Thank you God!

The patient woke up and looked at Albert, stunned. What was he doing there? He still couldn't talk; his vocal cords were still damaged.

- That's him? Said Sister Josephine.

- Yes. It's my sister's son...

- He doesn't seem to know you, said Sister Josephine.

- He's surprise to see me... Alistair? Do you recognize me?

- He doesn't have any voice; his vocal cords were damaged...

- Oh... said Albert.

- But we can communicate with the eyes... Alistair? That's your name? Blink once for "yes" and twice for "no"... said Sister Josephine.