Viral

Part 2: Waking

I wake slowly, my mind pulling against the ties that bind it. Blinking my eyes, I try to collect my thoughts. I'm confused, the light unkind to my eyes. Why did mom leave the lights on? My heart skips a beat. Mom. Adrenaline floods my system as I fling the blankets off me, sitting up. I'm greeted by a sight I don't recognize. I'm lying in a small sea of beds. Three rows, four beds to a row, taking up a small corner of a large open room, about twice the size of a very small gymnasium. Each bed contains a sleeping body. Little faces sleeping on white sterile sheets. 11 young faces. Where are the adults? Where's mother? Past the cluster of rolling cots, I see an area with chairs and a table, some drawers, and a separated alcove. I spy a single door set into a far wall. One whole wall is clear glass, separating our room from what looks to be a waiting area of some kind. Observation room, my brain supplies. Several chairs sit, all empty.

Sliding off the cot, I find myself wearing an awful hospital gown. It covers for propriety sake, but I feel naked, exposed. I tie it tighter at the side before walking to the wall. I reach out to it. It looks like glass, but seems to be a thick clear plastic, smooth, unmarred, and uncaring to my touch. I leave it and try the door, locked, from the outside. A little ways a way some curtains on rolling and lockable racks are tucked up against the wall. I wander to the table next. It's clean, shining metal parts covered with more unfeeling plastic.

The little alcove turns out be a bathroom, walls high enough for privacy, but only just. It contains a shower, sink, and toilet. This room isn't set up for visiting. The thought scares me. How long have I been here? An inventory of a set of drawers turns out to be a dresser. T-shirts, shorts, sweat pants, socks, and underwear of assorted sizes. One drawer contains nothing but hospital gowns. Am I still at Borzil? I close the drawer and open the last one to find some spare sheets and blankets. I just notice a box tucked to the side of the drawers when I hear the sound of movement. I turn, but it's just one of the younger children shifting in their sleep. What is going on?

Returning to the cots I take a closer look at my roommates. No one appears to be older than my eighteen. In fact, I'd date the next oldest at maybe sixteen, with the youngest I place at five, tucked up and curled around a stuffed turtle. Maybe fifteen minutes have passed since I've awoken, and I'm standing around uncertain on what to do when I catch movement on the other side of the clear wall. A familiar face in a white lab coat, stops in the middle of the glass. He seems surprised to see me.

I stop myself from running towards him, making the distance at a slow and controlled walk. Don't let your growing fears control you. Dr. Mang in turn takes a moment to look past me at the rest of the cots, note the time, and write something on a clipboard. Andy must be here too, I realize. But when I turn and quickly rescan the cots, looking for his familiar face, his slightly lopsided smile isn't there. Just other kids I don't recognize.

I turn back and finish my trek to the window. Hoping Dr. Mang might explain what is going on. When I get to the glass he gives me a small smile, somehow years older than when I saw it just... How long have I been asleep? I open my mouth to ask but stop. What if he can't hear me through the glass?

Sensing my line of though, he speaks first. "Lena, you must be confused, I'm sure this is all very startling for you."

I stand there a moment, thinking, what question to ask first? I decide to stick with my first thought. "How long have I been sedated?"

"You have always been a smart girl, right to the point." He pauses, praise dying on his lips as he seems to search for the right words. He pulls a chair closer to the wall and sits, gesturing for my to do the same, waiting politely while I comply. "Three days. You've been asleep for three days." He takes a breath, steadying himself. "Things have," he pauses again, choosing his next word carefully, "developed, since we put you under..."