Motion (Sequel to "Collide")

PROLOGUE

The beeping of the machines I was linked to only increased my state of panic, as a nurse put an oxygen mask over my mouth and nose. It was hard for me to breathe at that point, as I didn't understand what was happening to me. I tried my best to identify the faces around me, but I didn't recognize any, and it only made me more nervous as seconds went by. I wasn't able to stay still, as my whole body was shaking with fear. Electricity was coursing through every single nerve of my body.

"Page Dr. Moseley!" one of the nurse that injected me Lorazepam in my IV exclaimed. "Ma'am, you're at the hospital, we've got you," she told me, looking down at me.

I felt the substance take effect within a minute, and soon it was easier for me to breathe. I looked at the three nurses around me, and they all looked at me as if I was some kind of ghost. The one on my right asked her colleague to call my relatives, and a rush of relief invaded me at the mention of my family.

As she was about to leave the room, I grabbed her hand, not wanting to be alone anymore. I looked at her with tears filled eyes, unable to speak at that point. She gave me a small smile, and patted the back of my hand to give me comfort.

"Alright, I'll stay with you," she reassured, as I breathed in and out the oxygen mask on my face. "Your family should be here soon, you won't be alone."

I nodded slowly, as tears fell from my eyes. I wasn't able to speak a word, because I was too scared that if I did, I would compromise my return to the real world. I didn't know for sure that any of this was real, if I was actually back from this horrible world I was stuck in.

When the door of the room opened, a doctor came in, looking down at what I understood was my chart. He looked from the paper to me, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Welcome back," he greeted, as he approached my bed. He looked at my vitals on the screen behind me, and wrote them down before he turned his attention back at me. "Can you understand what I say?" he asked, and I simply nodded. "Good. Now, can you follow the light with your eyes, please?" he demanded, as he put his little flashlight before my eyes. I did as told, and he nodded his head. "Now, do you know who you are?" he asked, and I nodded again. "Can you speak?"

I brought my trembling hands to my face, and took the oxygen mask off of my face. "I-I...," I started, as I hardly gulped when I realized how sore my throat was. "Hayley Thames."

"Do you know when you were born, Ms. Thames?"

"F-First of July, 1962," I voiced painfully. "In Los Angeles," I added.

"Good. And do you know where you are?" he wondered, as he sat down on the edge of my bed.

"R-R... Ronald Reagan?" I said, but it came out as a question.

"Yes. I heard that you used to be a doctor here, is that right?"

"Y-Yes, I got fired f-for saving my little boy's l-life," I recalled the event of a couple of weeks prior, and he nodded.

"Indeed. We've heard from your feat here in the ICU," he told me with a slight chuckle. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"M-Michael," I told him, as tears got to my eyes at the simple mention of my boyfriend. "And t-then I-"

The door of the room opened again, and when I saw Carl's face enter, my eyes filled with tears again as relief and joy washed over me at the sight of him. Without waiting a second, he ran to my side, and took me in his arms. I put my arms around him too, and hugged him with the little strength I had left in me.

"I'll come back later," the doctor excused himself, and left the room in a heartbeat as Carl and I were still in each others' arms.

"Y-You're shaking," he noticed, as he pulled away from me, his teary eyes looking deep into mine.

"I-I'm fine," I told him, as I took his cold hand in mine. "W-Where's Alice? Why aren't you in your work clothes? Why is everybody looking at me as if I am a ghost?" I asked, as I grimaced at the sensation of my burning throat.

"Breathe, alright? I'm going to tell you everything," he soothed me, as he sat next to me. "But first let me enjoy this moment right here," he asked, as he took my hand in his again. A tear rolled down his cheek, as he examined every part of my face as if he was seeing it for the very first time. "I can't believe you made it. I-... I thought you'd never wake up again."

"I thought-"

"Mama!" I heard this oh-so-recognizable voice, and instantly I started crying at the sight of Faraji running in my direction. He climbed into bed with me, and I hugged the life out of him, as I started shaking again, but this time, from utter happiness.

"Oh Lord, I missed you so much," I cried heavily as I kissed the top of his head multiple times. "My little boy," I sniffled, as I cupped his face in my hands to look at him. "You seem so healthy and grown," I told him, as he wiped the tears in his eyes. "How long was I-"

"You're alive," I suddenly recognized my best friend's voice, and turned my head quickly to the doorstep of my room. "It's real, you're back!" she cheered, as tears streamed down her face.

Carl stood up from the bed to let his wife near me, and without wasting a moment, she took me in her arms, and I held her as strongly as she was holding me. Some fresh tears fell down my cheeks as I held her close to me, my eyes closed as I wanted to enjoy each seconds of this moment.

"I missed you so much Al, I-I was stuck and I-," I started babbling as my emotions got the best of me.

"Shh, it's alright, you're here with us now," she weakly said in a crying voice, as she stroked my hair gently.

Alice pulled away from me, and I looked at her from head to toes, as if I was seeing her for the first time. She was glowing, ravishing. She was wearing a long camel coat with black slacks, and a thick scarf was tied around her neck. When I realized that she was wearing winter clothes, my heart skipped a bit.

"W-Wait...," I stuttered, confusion and fear taking over me. "What's today's date?" Carl and Alice looked at each other, but none of them spoke a word, which only increased my state of panic. "I-I need to know," I insisted, new tears coming to my eyes. "How long was I out?"

Carl sighed heavily, as he sat back next to me, on the edge of the bed. He took my hand in his, and looked into my eyes with empathy.

"Brit... It's been seven months," he announced the news to me, and my heart broke into a million pieces.

At that precise moment, I felt like dying, all over again.

Seven months.

I had missed seven months of my life, being trapped in an alternative reality that almost broke me.

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A/N: There you go, guys! The first chapter of the sequel to "Collide", "Motion"! It is very short, but as usual, the chapters will be much longer. I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as you enjoyed the first one. Don't hesitate to let me know in the comments what you think is going to happen in this book, your hopes, and what you'd like to see! I'm off to Denmark soon for work, so I won't have much time to write, but I promise to try to give you at least two chapters a month! Thanks for the support. Love xo