A Tale Of Friendship And Loneliness

The Aftermath

Sarah opened her eyes. There was a doctor beside her and a guy at the corner. She closed her eyes. There were flashes of accident coming to her mind , along with familiar faces moving around but unrecognizable. It seemed like a strange dream, nothing made sense. 

She woke up. Saw the same guy. She would drift off to sleep. This continued for two weeks. She wanted to comprehend what was happening around her, but the medications got better of her.

She woke up getting conscious of being moved to another place and a different bed. The bed was much softer and cushioned. The same guy was present even in the new place. He was standing at the corner talking to the doctor. She tried calling him, but no voice came out. She looked around to check if the new environment was familiar. No,nothing! She closed her eyes.

She woke up. This time she was not feeling drowsy like the other days. How much time had passed? Where am I? And then there was the same guy at the door facing his back towards her, talking on the phone. Who is he?Why do I feel like I know him? Why is he always present when I wake up?Let me ask him... 

  Hi!.. Sarah's voice was too feeble for him to hear. I'l just walk up to him and ask. 

Sarah lifted her  head from the pillow she was resting on, she pulled her hands closer  putting her weight on her elbows trying to pull her torso up but was aghast when she was not able to move her lower body. She could not feel her legs. She could not move her feet.She could not put them down on the ground.

There was a prosthetic leg next to her bed table. 

No!No!No! She was about to discover the horror of her life.

Her hands trembled. She closed her eyes praying hard. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She held the blanket in her right hand slowly lifting it off of her lower body. Her left leg was present but it her right leg was incomplete. She had no lower limb and feet. No knee. She moved her hand there searching for her once fully functional leg. It was amputated. She collapsed back into her bed. Crying.

She threw the tumbler at the wall. That sound brought the guy inside. He sat beside her. Held her close. "My leg"...she cried more. She sobbed till she became unconscious.

Next day she woke up hoping it was all a bad dream. He was sitting next to her. She soon realized that none of it was a dream. She had one leg, she could not walk, she did not know what date it was or where she was, she was in an unfamiliar room with a familiar guy whose name she could not remember for some reason. 

"Sarah", said a gentle voice. 

"I am sorry, I don't seem to remember who you are. What happened? Where am I?Why can't I remember anything?", said Sarah desperately looking for answers.

"Shhh Sarah, don't get stressed", said the guy placing his hand over her face comforting her. 

"I'l tell you everything", hushed the guy in a soothing voice.

"I am Nathan, your fiance. We were going on a vacation when we met with an accident. We fell out of the car. A vehicle ran over your leg. Passer-by's brought us to the hospital. I did not sustain much injuries so I recovered soon. I was so worried for you.  I was not allowed to see you for a week. I was so relieved when I finally got to see you. You had internal injuries in your head. Your right leg was severely damaged. It had to be amputated. The doctor did not guarantee your survival. I prayed everyday for you to live. God answered my prayers when you opened your eyes after two weeks. You used to open your eyes and close them the next second. I am so happy Sarah. You are alive", said Nathan and hugged her tightly. 

Nathan?She had a fiance? The name did not ring a bell. The story seemed to be filled with gaps but as she did not have a better explanation to her current state she had to agree with it. Although she could not refute the fact that he was there every time she had opened her eyes.

"Why don't I remember my past life? Have I lost my memory?... Nathan..",she tried hard to bring herself to say that name and also that question.

"No Sarah, this is only temporary. You will be able to remember things gradually over a period of time", responded Nathan.

"How long is over a period of time?", questioned Sarah dreadfully.

"Ummm.. The doctor said that it varies for every patient.. It might take a one week, one month, two months, one year...or...more" .

Sarah did not react to it. She just sat there in silence. 

Nathan continued," I'll help you bring back your memories sweetheart. We are friends since childhood. I know every part of your life".

Sweetheart. The word made her cringe.

"What about my parents? Friends? Why hasn't anyone come to visit me? ", asked Sarah.

"Your parents died when you were young. Your friends had come to visit you at the hospital twice. I'll inform them that you are here soon... I know it's difficult for you to digest all of this at once. Don't strain yourself trying to remember everything. It will all come back, otherwise I will make it come back, I promise Sarah", said Nathan handing a phone to her. It was an Iphone.

"Is this my phone?", questioned Sarah.

"It's my gift to you. Your old phone was broken beyond repair. No data could be recovered either", Nathan answered like he could read Sarah's mind regarding the data or contacts question hovering her.

"Where are we? What is this place?", asked Sarah.

"We bought this place together recently. It's our dream house. Once you recover you can decorate it as you please", chipped in Nathan.

Sarah was silent. It neither looked nor felt like her dream house. Then again she could remember what her dream house was.

"I'll help you pick up the pieces of your life and make it a beautiful picture Sarah", assured Nathan.

She was getting nowhere questioning Nathan, his answers only made her ask more.Where am I? How trustworthy is Nathan?Is he my fiance? How much does he know about me? Don't I have a job? Who were my parents? Don't I have anybody else in the world?How long will it take to recollect my memories?  Can I never walk? 

Amidst these questions and Nathan's convenient story all Sarah could muster was to say,

" Okay".