When Light became Dark (Old TDEC)

3 Melissa: Mia

So, the third chapter, dedicated again to the wonderful xXmyusernameXx. Check her stories out- they are awesome!

Reviews would be very welcome. You will all get replies, and possibly a dedication!

Thank you for reading,

Meepsta

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Chapter Three- Mia

The hospital was overheated due to the freezing weather. They told me that it was snowing outside, and I could hear the plows at work through the night. I couldn't get to sleep as I was afraid of the dark, even more so after the accident.

I winced as the curtain was pulled back, wondering why someone was visiting in the early hours of the morning. The doctors had got the message by now- over a week since I came out of the coma- and left me alone to my own devices. Mostly I listened to music from my Ipod, sometimes writing stories. Stories which I would never read.

"Hello?" a soft girl's voice came from my bedside. I looked up and blinked slowly, forgetting for a second that nothing wouldn't help see the figure. Suddenly, the identity of my visitor clicked. How could I ever have forgotten her? "Hey, Melissa?"

I smirked. "So you do remember me? I thought after a month and a half- well nearly- you'd forgotten."

"Where do you think the roses came from?" Mia replied in mock indignation. "We all miss you so much at school, even Martin Stewart from French. Did you like the get well card?"

"Mia-"

"You know, the whole art class volunteered. Lucy went down to find the crepe paper and the glue, and-"

"Mia-"

"Everybody donated a pound to getting you a present. Here." I felt something square and shiny being pressed into the sheets, and I began to slit the sellotape with my fingernail.

"Thank you, but Mia-"

"You don't want it?"

"It's not that..." I wheezed, thinking about how I was to break the news. It was obvious that the school was informed its students about the coma, but not about the loss of my sight. It was trivial in comparison, I suppose, but life-changing still.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm blind." I blurted out, imagining the half-comical expression fixed on her face before she realised it wasn't a joke. "Not just because of these bandages, but scientifically. Occipital lobe damage."

She took a deep breath, and I heard her gulp. Had I been too blunt? "So are you coming back to school then?"

"I... I don't know. Father says that he's going to do all he can to persuade them to take me on, although my back... is not good."

"Don't tell me you've obtained another life-threatening injury?" Mia said patronisingly, although I detected a nervous tremble in her voice. "So how bad's this one?"

"Doctor Rohan is hopeful that I'll walk with some physiotherapy. I'm better than most of the other people in this ward." I said optimistically, more to cheer myself up than her. "But enough of the depressing talk... what about a game?"

"I've got the best idea!" She cried, bouncing on the bed. "OK, choose the first word which comes into your head."

"Hen?"

"Perfect! Then I'll say the first word- connected with hen- which comes into my head, and so on! It's brilliant fun!" I raised one eyebrow skeptically. "Honest. Have a go."

"Hen-"

"Chicken-"

"Nuggets-"

"MacDonalds-"

"Junk-"

"Dump-"

"Stig-"

"King-"

"Banana!"

"What does a banana have to do with a King?" We doubled over laughing at the impossibility of the connection.

 "He might... eat bananas?"

"A King of South America?"

"Precisely, my little geographic nerd."

"Am not!" Mia shrieked, sending me into another fit of hysterics.

"You so are."

"Not."

"Are."

The curtain was shifted again, and I heard the accented voice of the nurse, Feechi. "Excuse me, miss Brown. Your visiting time is up, and your friend needs to rest. May I escort you downstairs?"

"No, I'll find my own way." Mia paused. "I'll be back soon, Melissa- don't you worry."

"Is that it? Don't I get the present?" I joked.

"We... we bought you a crossword book." She mumbled guiltily. "I didn't think after all this..."

"I'll take it as a souvenir. Maybe you could read some clues out next time you come."

"Sure."

And so the day went back to being the same as before: the monitors whirring, the occasional noise of a car engine, and the deafening silence. I fingered the wrapping paper, making tiny tears in the edges. In a sudden fit of anger, I threw it hard over towards the doorway. 

What was the point of keeping it?

Mia lingered at the door and turned away. They told me that tears were in her eyes.