The darkness is awake

Chapter Four

Annes POV -

As I woke from what felt like eternity. My mind was bright, the world was so bright. I could hear monitors in a steady rhythm beating. I heard the shuffling of nurse's feet. I rang the nurse's bell. The first thing i had asked was how long I had been sleeping. The nurse told me over a month. I asked to see lacey and she told me that she was in the bed next to me. I had so many questions that weren't answered. My thoughts wandered in every which direction. I had horrific recalls of that day. The day I was shot. I heard footsteps come upon me and the doctor introduced himself. "My names Dr. Gage, I'm here to answer some of the questions you may have." I wanted to know how lacey was, she was all that mattered to me at this point. He told me that she had a heart attack from the stress she was under, that she should be waking up soon. He checked my vital signs and began putting a light near my eye. I told him that it was really bright. He was puzzled because i could never see light before. They put some weird patches over my eye to comfort me. I heard a slight grunt and realized that lacey was waking up. I stumbled my way over to her bedside. I held her hand and waited for her to talk. She opened her eyes and though she was hallucinating. It took a moment for me to make her realize this was real life. "I am here lacey, don't fret." After talking for a while, laughing and crying. The nurse brought our discharge papers. I was ready to go home, as was lacey. We pulled into the driveway and I realized that this was not my house. I asked lacey "what are we doing here?" She then explained to me that Miss Nancy had died before I was even shot. I had lost people before but Nancy meant the world to me. She was there for me for such a long time. I don't know how I will live without her. Lacey then told me that I was welcome to stay with her as long as I wished. As i got out of the car the bright light was back. It was so irritating and painful. Lacey let me borrow her sunglasses and said i looked stylish. She asked me if never having relations with guys bothered me. I didn't really know how to respond because there was nothing to be bothered about. I only knew what I already had and a boyfriend was not in that equation. She said that she had felt bad for me in that sense. Not implying I was lonely but she thinks I should try dating. I quickly pushed this subject aside and asked what we are going to eat because I was starving. She mentioned going to the steak house on Main Street. I just thought that was rather fancy for tonight but she said she has a dress picked out for me. Lacey was like my fashion consultant because i had no clue what i was wearing. She said it was like playing doll with a human. She had me change into this uncomfortable tight dress. She had told me it was the color red. She convinced me to let her take a picture because she said this was one of the happiest days she's had in a while. I never knew I meant so much to her but maybe she didn't know how much I meant to her either. I always find that you only truly miss something when it is absent in your life. That being said you also learn to adapt. Humans are survivalists no matter the adaption it takes time. She guided me to the car and in a few minutes we were sitting at what she had called the bar. I felt like a lot of people were watching me. It was weird and kind of interesting. I ordered the pepper stake, cooked to medium perfection. It made everyone laugh when I took a bite of my steak and sent it back because it was well done. Instead of being soft and juicy it was tough and dry. Life is too short for bad steak. Lacey ordered the coconut shrimp which smelled amazing but she doesn't share. The waiter came over and asked if i would like another strawberry daiquiri. I declined because I really didn't want to get drunk. The waiter came back a few seconds later and brought me a drink and said it was compliments of the young man on the corner. I asked lacey to describe him. She said he had medium length blond hair and brown eyes. That he was wearing a business suit and had been watching me all night. This was an interesting life that I had never been a part of. We went home and talked for hours on end till we both passed out.