ANNA
July
I crack open my eyes into the bleached capacity that confined me tonotice two small windows with tarnished blinds that were claspedshut. A dull ache lingered in my sockets after closing them tightlyagainst the florescent lights .
Quick raps jolt me back toconsciousness. I forcefully pull away my focus from the drab carpetbefore frantically scouring the room for the perpetrator. A shortwoman with a stocky build walks in carefully through a narrow openingto my left, displaying a welcoming smile. My own lips lift upreluctantly in response. Her eyes are careful and kind. I amcomforted by such a pleasant face, it would be hard not to be. I liftmy hand up to brush away the hair that blocked my vision when a sharpstinging pain freezes my hand midway. I look down to see black andpurple bruises enveloped my delicate skin. The darkest of allsurrounded a large needle that was cemented into the crook of my arm.I look to my other to see it holds three more. Pipes protrude fromthem and connect into flashing screens that beep and glare back atme. Streams of white paper flow from the machines with patterns ofshapes and lines that I don't understand. Frantically, I begin topeel off the tape that firmly secured the sharp metal splints. Tinyfingers flutter away at my hands like stubby aggressivebutterflies.
"Oh, no dear we mustn't touch," says thediminutive nurse.
A small hand flits onto my forehead while theother one nestles in between my shoulder blades. With the slightestpush, she sends me back into the darkest part of my subconscious mindwhere I've just risen from.
Upon regaining consciousness myblurred vision begins to clear up enough to recognize thatdeceptively polite smile. Instinctively I fear her, that fear swellswithin me but she doesn't seem to notice, or care.
"Lookwho finally decided to come back to the real world. Welcome backsweetie! I must say, you have everyone on pins and needles aroundhere. People from all over the hospital ask about you often. You musthave quite the story on you. Oh listen to me just blabber on. Let'scheck and see how you are doing."
In her strained, tacky scrubsthe nurse begins pushing buttons and reading the encrypted paper. Myeyes can't leave her. Wheream I? Why won't she help me? Why can't I speak?
Sheturns, and with her face invading my personal space shewhispers,
"How are you feeling dear?"
It shocks me tohear such a deep voice come from within such a tiny frame. I can'tlook away from the diminutive brown mark that hovered just above herlip. Not that its unattractive, it's just so distracting. Itdemands my attention. Her sharp obnoxious laugh slaps me out oftrance.
"Your vitals are all looking good. You're lucky to beawake, Ms. Taren. We were starting to lose hope. It's quite thedebate as to whether you were even coming back to us. Thank God forthat. Now you just lay there and relax, Anna, and I'll let Dr.Sterling know you're up."
Anna,my name is Anna. Isthat right? I'm not sure. AnnaTaren. Doesn'tring a bell. What a weird sight that lady was. It's as if only herclothes were holding her together, why was everything on her sotight? The parts of skin that did show I spent most of the timetrying hard not to look at.
Whatthe hell is this place?I can't remember anything accept for the cold dark waters withinmyself. The confusion is overwhelming. The back of my head begins tothrob, so I lay back to rest it against my rough bumpy pillow.
Alight knock rouses me from a lucid dream. I stiffen slightly indefense. A confident man drifts towards me. His carefully moldedgray hair set the tone of certainty, while his friendly face and wisedemeanor put me at ease, but not completely. As he shines a much toobright light into my oversensitive eyes he says,
"Goodafternoon, Ms. Taren. I am Dr. Sterling and I'm here for your followup. How are you feeling this afternoon?"
My head begins tothrob again in response, causing my stomach to turn sour. I want tobrush him off, but my arms are too heavy to lift. Why won't thesepeople just let me rest? I roll my eyes and sigh to release some ofthe tension that had begun to form since arriving in this overlyluminous place.
"Everything seems to be in order, Ms. Taren.If you need anything at all just hit this large blue button righthere, okay?" he says, tapping the plastic armrest attached to mybed.
As I calculate the distance between the blue button and myimmoble arm, the man they call Doctor has already left the room. Mybody slacks in relief, but not for long. Those cold tiny hands returnto attack me with their annoying flutters again. I look up to themeager nurse in irritation.
"Oh, someone is looking grumpy!Why don't we give you some sleep, okay honey? You just lay yourpretty little head on that warm pillow there and take you a littlenap m'kay," she says with a hint of loosely restrainedfrustration.
Before I can object, she pushes a little blackbutton that she held in her hand and I plunge back into the murkywaters I've become accustomed to.
