familiar // david dobrik

prologue

IT WAS dark when I woke up. I could see the light shining in through the bottom of the door, but I didn't know how I got here; I didn't know where I was. There was a machine beeping to the left of me and I wonder how I didn't wake from it sooner. I tried to sit up but my body ached, my leg and my arm were wrapped in casts. I'm hurt, I must be in a hospital.

It's about five more minutes of trying to piece things together before someone walks in the room, a lady in blue scrubs. She must work here. She locks eyes with me before shouting for someone else. After turning on the lights to my room she walks over and introduces herself to me.

'Hi darling, my name is Liz,' she starts, she's a small lady, she looks young and kind. 'how are you feeling?'

I try to speak before realising I can't, my voice comes out croaky and the words get caught in my throat. Liz hands me a cup of water which I eagerly take and skull.

'What happened?' I manage to choke out. My throat still hurts, I begin to wonder when was the last time I spoke and how long I've been asleep for. Liz begins checking the machine next to me and she talks, writing down on the clipboard I didn't notice she had in her hands the whole time.

'You were in an accident, I can't tell you much until the doctor comes, honey. He should be here any second.' I nod, not having the strength to talk any more, I want to know why I'm here but I don't know what to ask. It's not long before a middle aged man walks into the room, the Doctor, I presume. He was tall with brown hair greying around the edges, he looks kind too, I think.

'Hi Aspen, glad to see you are finally awake. I'm Doctor Allen, I'm assuming you have questions.' Aspen, that must be me.

'What happened?' I repeat the same question I asked Liz as those are the only words that I muster up. Liz hands him the clipboard and as his eyes brush over it he tells me,

'You were in a car accident four weeks ago, you've been in a coma since then. Your vitals look okay now but we will have to do a few more tests. Your family has been notified that you are awake, they should be here soon." It's quiet for a moment.

'My family?' I croak.

Dr Allen shares a look with Liz. 'Aspen, can you tell me your birth date?' He begins talking in a voice that is sickly sweet, completely different to what I heard just moments ago.

I pause. My birth date. The day I was born, words like presents and parties and cake all come to mind; but I can't find the date in my head.

'No, I-I don't know.'

That was the calm before the storm. As soon as those words came out of my mouth Dr Allen and Liz rushed me out of the room, gliding my bed and the machines I was attached to down the hall so fast I got whiplash. As the were manoeuvring around the obstacles in the road they were asking me questions such as, my full name, place of birth, parents name and last thing I can remember. I couldn't answer them, because I didn't know.

My head hurt for trying to find the answers but everything was blank, I don't remember a birthday, not one, nor did I remember my parents names. I'm Aspen, they told me that but Aspen who? What do I look like? Panic starts to set in but I don't know why, I don't know what I'm supposed to know.

They take me through rooms and rooms of machines after machines, ones that make loud noises and ones that flash. They shine lights into my eyes and stick things in my ears and after what seems like years they take me back to my room, handing me a tray of food and assuring me they'll be back soon.

I'm scared, I know that. I know what's going on, I know that it's amnesia but I don't remember learning that. I don't understand how I know this is a hospital and how I know I have casts on my body but not remember what my body even looks like. I pick up the spoon they set out for me to eat my custard with and look at myself in it. Ouch. I have a fading black eye, how did I not feel that. My hair is brown, it's dark, I don't think its natural. My eyes are a piercing blue, I have a round face and full lips. They might be swollen from the accident. Before I can examine myself further Dr Allen walks into the room, Liz is no longer with him but he has four more strangers tagging along.

There's a blonde girl, she's small, she looks older than me, even though I'm not too sure how old I am. She has the same round face as me and as the girl next to her. That girl also looks older than me but younger than the blonde girl. She has strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes, they're all wearing what looks to be pyjamas. There's a boy, he's related to the two girls, he has strawberry blonde hair and beard, he looks tired. Then there's an older lady; the mother. She's crying as she holds the boys hand. This is my family, the facial similarities are too alike.

'Aspen, this is your family. I have filled them in with what you've told me. You have amnesia, severity of the case will be unknown until we get the MRI readings back.' Dr Allen looks defeated, telling these people must have been hard, they all look very upset.

I'm upset, I think. Although I know it would hurt more if I knew what I was missing.

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hi, this is my first David Dobrik fanfic! this is just a bit of important back ground information on the character. Let me know if you want a cast! thanks for reading x