Ephemeral

Chimerical

And I'll be like this 'till the wounds leave the cries,

And I won't give in, we'll be dead in the eyes,

And I'll see the dark things that you all try to hide,

And I won't be the damnedest bit fucking surprised.

- Corpse Roads // Keaton Henson

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Dan walked down the corridors, his beaten up old trainers sticking to the mucky linoleum flooring. His dirty shoelaces trailed behind him as he walked, alone, down the sun lit corridor.

It was quiet, well, everyone was in classes. Everything almost felt like a dream as Dan stumbled his way down the corridor. It was bright, too bright. When Dan had told the teacher he needed to see the school nurse for a headache, he hadn't been lying. He felt weak as he trailed his hand along the wall, not for balance or support, but so he knew it was there if he needed it. So he knew it was all real.

Everything was blurring into one now, and Dan felt like he was going to be sick. Dan dropped his bag, no longer able to carry its weight on his shoulder, the sudden weight loss on one aide caused him to stagger sideways into the wall. He breathed in and out steadily, his breath echoing in his ears.

Dan stumbled as he tried to take another step, his knees hitting the floor painfully as he only just managed to catch himself with his hands, he stared at the floor, now only a rulers width away from his face, and felt the sweat run down his face.

Everything felt cold, Dan's shirt was sticking to his back due to all the sweat and Dan gave up, rolling himself up into a little ball, his knees tucked under himself and his sweaty forehead pressed to the dirty linoleum floor.

Suddenly, there was a hand on his back, and Dan began to panic because he hadn't heard whoever it was approaching. He drowsily lifted his head to see Mrs Farthing talking to him, or was she shouting? - he didn't know, everything seemed far away, and the ringing in his ears was blocking out everything else.

Dan watched as the panic grew on her face, and allowed his body to be rolled over into the recovery position.

Then there was nothing but white, white light and white noise. Then the blinding light was disturbed by an inky spot of black, then another, and another, until everything was black.

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Dan woke up sometime later in the hospital, something he was very used to by now.

"Doctor Herbert?" He called, guessing that the balding old doctor must be around somewhere. A tall man with greying hair around his ears rushed in, his billowing white coat a stark contrast to his dark skin.

"Hello, Dan." Doctor Herbert said, a fond yet sad smile playing at his lips.

"What was it this time?"

Doctor Herbert sighed and sat on the vacant chair by Dan's head, Dan guessed his mother must've been sitting there at one point. "The usual... Daniel -"

"I know, I know," Dan interrupted, before Doctor Herbert could go on with his usual rant. "But I have to go to school. It's the only thing that makes me feel slightly normal."

Doctor Herbert sighed and nodded, accepting defeat. They'd had the 'school-is-adding-stress' discussion so many times that by now, the old man knew he would never change Dan's mind. Of course he could order Dan to stay off school, but he wouldn't do that to him.

Dan smiled and sat up. "Where'a my mother, then?"

Doctor Herbert laughed, his deep raspy chuckle filling Dan with warmth. "I convinced her to go home and get some rest a couple of hours ago. She should be back soon knowing her."