Black as Day (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 8- Little Genius Girl

"Hey. Shira? Hey!" Somebody shook me gently, trying to get me to wake up. I groaned and ignored them. I just wanted to sleep.

"Somebody get in here! She's awake!" They kept yelling. I sighed in annoyance. Seriously, bro? I'm trying to sleep. Leave me alone!

"Go away," I said. Or I tried to. It came out more as "Nrgh enghhmf." I rolled away from them and batted their hands away. I was cold, so I huddled back into my favourite blanket. Wait- this wasn't my blanky. I opened my eyes, groggy and confused.

Faces swam into view above me. They looked concerned, but as they saw me awake an expression of relief crossed their faces. I rolled my eyes and turned back over. Too tired to be social right now.

"Shira, can you hear me?" I nodded sleepily.

"Mmhm."

"Can you speak?"

"Yes..." I drawled out sleepily.

Collective relieved sighs echoed through the room. "Can you sit up?'

"No..."

"Why not? Where does it hurt?"

I yawned sleepily. "No huuurt, just tiiiired..." I muttered, feeling the dream world calling to me. Everybody laughed. I frowned. That was loud.

"Go 'way." I murmured.

"Shira, we need you to sit up."

"Whyyyy?" I whined. I felt so drifty and loose. So comfortable. So warm.

"We need to ask you a few questions." Somebody was shaking me again.

"But whyyyy?" The crowd in the room all laughed.

"Because we don't know what happened to you. We need to know so we can get you the help you need." they explained.

This was confusing and making my head hurt. "I'm fine, I just wanna sleeep."

"My name is Joan. Enjoy your sleep." Joan stepped away from me and walked across the room. Distantly, I heard her say, "They must have put her on some pretty heavy sedatives. She's completely out of it. She'll have to sleep it off and we'll talk to her when she wakes up."

The room quickly cleared of all people. The warmth of the bed was soothing. I pulled the sheets over my head and flopped onto my stomach, the only way I could sleep. My foot wrapped around the other ankle, and with one arm tucked underneath my stomach and the other splayed out, I was perfectly comfortable. I felt myself drifting down, down, down, deeper into sleep.

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I bolted upright, screaming. Someone, someone was here for me! I was trapped, I couldn't get out. Let me go! I screamed again, trying to escape the tangle of bedsheets. Gradually, clarity reclaimed my mind. I sighed in relief. It was just a nightmare.

I propped up some pillows behind me and sat back. I was covered in a cold sweat. What had I even dreamt about? The dream was quickly fading and I was glad. The flimsy hospital coverup wasn't keeping any warmth at all.

I became aware of two people across the room, staring at me. I blushed, embarrassed that they had seen me in such a state. They were standing by the door, emotionless. Upon closer examination, I saw that they were wearing thick vests and looked quite unlike the other nurses or doctors I had seen around here.

"Hello?" I said but it came out as a scratchy whisper. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Hello?" One of them looked at me.

"What is it?" He said gruffly.