When All is Forgotten

Chapter 1.

Beep

Beep

Beep

It feels as though my whole body is in pain. I can't move.

Beep

The noise is made again. To me it sounds like an annoying alarm clock. The alarm clock that constantly ruins you slumber and invades your dreams. However, I do not seem to be waking up from a peaceful dream.

I'm not fully awake, though. I can't even open my eyes. The harder I try, the heavier they feel. I feel so vulnerable. Like I'm trapped in a small dark room with no form of escape.

After several minutes of trying, I get something. Not for my heavy eye lids to open, but a slight twitch of my hand. Right or left? I'm not sure. I don't know anything at this point except that I'm slowly getting my senses back.

Finally, my eye lids flutter open. I'm met with black spots dancing along my vision.

Where am I? I ask myself, where am I?

My vision clears and all I see is white. The old walls of the room that I am in are a faded white color in need of a new paint job. The tiled floor beneath the small white bed is also the same color. I look down at myself. The only thing that covers my skin is some kind of gown and a couple of blankets lay on top of me. They are white, of course. My arms have needles and wires stuck to them which connect to various machines. My right arm is in a cast, my left foot is in some type of leg brace, and my skin looks sickly pale.

My head spins as I try to figure out where I am. I run my good hand through my hair, finding it extremely tangled and knotted.

Beep.

I glance at the machine on my left; the source of the sound. It's a high tech thing, that can only be known as a heart monitor. And then it all clicks together.

The room. The needles on my arm. The cast. The ugly gown. The machine. They all lead towards the same thing.

I'm in a hospital.

Just as the thought enters my mind, the door bursts open. Six figures dart into the room.

They all stop short when they see me struggling to get up from the hospital bed. "Oh my God!" One cries. It's Leslie. My sister.

It's my whole family. My dad and mom, my older sister Tori and my two younger sisters Leslie and Candice. The last one is Lane, my second oldest brother. But something's not right. They all look ... different. Older.

"Crystal!" They cry, rushing over to me. I'm instantly squished in a gigantic bone-crushing hug from my family. This would be okay any other day, but my ribs hurt so much that I can't help but wince at the new found pain.

"Get Off! Get Off!" Dad exclaims, noticing my pain first. My family immediately gets off and starts apologizing all at once. Dad abruptly clears his throat and heads to the the door. "I have to get the doctor."

After he leaves, the rest of my family grabs chairs and sit beside me. There is only four chairs, so Candice, being the smallest, sits on the edge of the bed. My mom grabs my left hand while Tori grabs the other. Mom looks like shes trying to hold back tears, unsuccessfully though. But I don't have time to soothe her or anyone, because I need to know what's going on.

"What's going on? Why am I in a hospital?" I ask. My voice sounds raspy; probably due to my throat being so dry. Tori also notices, and hands me her water bottle that is already half way empty. I finish what is left of it really quickly.

"You mean, you don't remember?" Lane asks skeptically with raised eyebrows. I notice the stubble on his chin that I have never seen before. Also, the way his jaw looks more muscular. Maybe I'm just imagining it. I shake my head, and my family exchanges looks.