The Cowboy

Chapter 2

          My eyes slowly fluttered open. I immediately started to feel the pain seep back into my body. I stared at the ceiling above me for a good few seconds before i realized that i was looking at a ceiling. I blinked a couple times then looked around the room that i was in.
          There was a small table near my bed with a metal-like container sitting on it. It looked like it was full of different medical supplies. There was a few other beds in this decently sized room, but only one other bed had a person in it. He was unconscious but looked pretty okay. There was a desk way across the room. It was pretty obviously a medic house.
          I examined my own aching body and saw that my ankle was bandaged, as well as there being multiple bandages spread throughout my body. There was one big on on my ribcage. My head was also wrapped up. It was uncomfortable so i took it off.
          I slowly sat up, ignoring the pain that i felt. I heard the door on the far side of the room, next to the desk open. A man in a dark brown vest covering a white button up walked into the room. He look at me and raised his eyebrows with a mildly happy expression.

          "Oh, you're awake! Nice to see! I'll have a look at ya in a second." He spoke to me with a slightly excited tone, while he hung his coat on the back of his chair.

          "Where am I? Where's Don and my sister?"

          "You're at the dodge city medic. You got messed up pretty bad out there. As for your sister and them, i have no clue, sorry. You were the only one that he brought in."

          "Who's he?"

          "Harry Wagner. He's done a bit of good for this place, but I never seen him step out like this though. He's usually more...i guess closed off."

          As the doctor described Harry, his face kept flashing in my mind. I didn't registar what he looked like much, but from what i saw, he was quite a handsome guy. He had one of those typical cowboy hats that i've heard about and rather shortish black hair. I also remembered his beautiful bluish-green eyes for some reason.

          I attempted to get out of bed but as i started to get up, i felt multiple waves of stinging hit my body. Seems like i really did get messed up pretty bad.

          "Oh, you're not gonna want to do too much moving there. You have a lot of bruising and and maybe even a cracked or damaged rib"

          "I can't stay here. My family is out there somewhere wondering where i am." I said, giving the Doc a thankful but determined expression.

          "We're the closest town in the vicinity that you were found at. I'm very positive that they will arrive shortly looking for you."

          I looked down. I had no idea where to even begin to search for them. I didn't know how to get back. Plus, the Doc was right. I couldn't make it anywhere in this condition.

          "Just lay back down and i'll do a check up."
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            I dozed in and out of consciousness many times that day. Sometimes the Doc and his kind nurse, Lorraine, would be in the room and would check up on me and ask me questions. Other times, I was alone. At some point, the other patient left. I barely knew what was going on most of the time.
           Doc told me that when i was brought in, i slept through the night. That means that this was my second day at the medic house and still, my family has yet to find me. I felt completely helpless in that bed while my bestfriend and pregnant sister was out there. I couldn't help them and they couldn't help me. I wondered all day where they could be and how Elizabeth was handling my disappearance.
           Before i knew it, it was nighttime. My first conscious day in hell was almost up. Yes, i said hell. It WAS. The meds were beyond disgusting, my pain was horrific, the place smelled of ass, and i was tortured by the worry of my sister. I eagerly awaited recovery because i couldn't imagine going too much longer like this. I was already expecting to go crazy before my time in the medic's was up.
           As time went on, my body slowly recovered but my mind got worse. Once it got to day 4 (Day 3 of consciousness), I was already beginning to get stir crazy. I wanted to punch Doc in the throat for the simplest things and the stupid thoughts of running away in the middle of the night crept their way into my brain. By day 5, the dark thought of stabbing Lorraine in her breasts crossed my mind as she was doing a checkup. That's when i knew i had to calm down. It was so hard though. The physical and mental pain was taking its toll. The fact that my family STILL hasn't shown up, definitely weighed my mind and heart down tremendously.
           After a week, Doc and Lorraine started to assist me in walking laps around the room and doing breathing exercises. There was less pain when i got up and now peeing was way less of a hassle, which was fantastic because i pee a lot. I was able to sleep much more comfortably and the pain came in less waves. Once the throbbing stopped, i knew that i was almost travel ready.

           "So, when do you think that i'll be clear to leave this place, Doc?" I asked

           "Well, you've progressed enough to be able to potentially make your way out into the town but i definitely don't recommend traveling just yet." He advised.

           "No promises" I replied, and i meant it. I was very liable to hightail it out of Dodge city as soon as i felt able.

           "Would you like to see the town, Ms. Hothbern?" Lorraine asked with a smile.

           I've only ever seen glimpses of dodge through the barely open windows and for a few seconds every time the door opens. While i honestly mostly just cared about getting out of the place and seeing my family, it did interest me to see what the town that i've been holed up in for a week looked like. Plus, maybe i'd run into my mysterious hero while i'm out.

          "I guess there's no harm in going for a stroll through town" I relied with a weak smile.