Earthshine (Twilight Fan Fiction)

Chapter One: The Hospital

I woke slowly, my eyes adjusting to the scene around me. Everything in the room was white and smelt like anti-bacterial, and the window I could just see the top of was open, with a light breeze ruffling its bleached curtains. As my body woke up, my hearing suddenly kicked in, and I heard a female voice and a male voice talking in hushed tones beside me. I tried to turn my head, but a searing pain from my chest broke out. I groaned in pain but my voice came out quiet and croaky. The man suddenly swept into my view, placing a soothing cold hand on my chest. I faintly heard him usher away the woman, and the click of a door closing. He turned back to me, still keeping his hand on my chest. His cold hand seemed to ease the pain.

“Good morning,” he said, flashing a dazzling smile at me. His teeth glistened like white pearls, and made the room look yellow. “How are you feeling?” he asked, moving his hand up to my forehead.

I opened my mouth to say, but when I tried, my voice came out as the same quiet, croaky voice as before. He lightly chuckled and poured a cup of water for me, and helped me to drink. It was cool and refreshing, and slipped down my throat like caramel. I weakly smiled and he chuckled again. My mind suddenly clicked into gear, and I registered his features; his skin was pale and flawless, like all his pores had vanished, he had melting golden eyes that drew me in the more I looked at them, and his hair was a golden-blonde colour and combed back, ruffled slightly. He wore a pale blue shirt and tie, and a doctor’s coat. I squinted to look at the name on it, and in curly letters, I saw, “Dr. Cullen”.

Dr. Cullen saw me staring and smiled, and I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks.

“Is the water working?” he asked.

I tried to clear my throat, but a stabbing pain arose in the back of it. I started coughing and my back hunched forward. The pain doubled and I caught a glimpse of thick, white bandages wrapped around my chest. The air seemed to escape from my lungs and I then found myself gasping for it. I barely felt the doctor’s hands close round my arms, and wrestle me back down. I was still gasping for air as he checked the bandages around my chest.

“Breathe, slow and steady,” he told me, and my breathing slowed. He looked up at me, frowning slightly. "No harm done. Try to talk now." 

Without clearing my throat this time, I opened my mouth and attempted to ask him what I was doing here. Just like before, my voice was half as loud and broke in many places. Dr. Cullen gave a small look of confusion and took out a torch from his coat pocket, stepping closer to me.

“Open wide,” he said, turning it on. I did as he said and he held down my tongue with one gloved finger. His golden eyes squinted as he looked into my mouth, and after a few seconds, he turned the torch off. “Inflammation,” He reported. “We will have to wait for it to calm down before you can talk again. Do you mind if I run a few tests?”

I shook my head. I probably didn't have a choice.

“Thank you. I will be back in a second,” he said, nodding once. He turned and left the room. Now that I was on my own, I realised that not only did I not know where I was, but also that I didn’t know my name, or anything about me.

The next morning I woke again with Dr. Cullen by my side, this time checking the monitors that beeped the slow and steady beats of my heart. As soon as I looked I up, his eyes met mine, and he asked, “Feeling better?” In a soft, comforting voice. I nodded, but when I tried to speak, my voice came out as it had yesterday. Croaky and quiet. I tried to sit up, but he caught me. “We need to wait for your injuries to heal more before you can sit up,” he told me, handing me a glass of water. I nodded.

When Dr. Cullen came in the next day, I pointed to a piece of paper too far away for me to reach. He gave it to me, as well as a pen. I scribbled a note on it, not bothering with which hand to use.