The Grey's Curse

Chapter Eighteen - Aftermath

I was awake but I couldn't open my eyes, it was like they were glued shut and I could've sworn that I could smell smoke and ash in the air that instantly made the hairs on my arms stand straight up.

But what horrified me most was that no matter how much I tried, I couldn't move, I couldn't even twitch.

I felt...paralyzed.

'Come on eyes, open' I felt my hands clench around nothing as my body shifted uncomfortably on it's own 'Why can I still smell fire?!' Fearful whimpers force themselves out from my rough feeling throat as I struggled to open my eyes.

I could almost feel the flames on my skin.

It felt like an eternity before a single eyelid finally lifted, but it did little to help me as everything was blurry and way too bright 'Am I dead?' I sluggishly looked around and nearly groaned when I realized where I was.

'Waking up in a stuffy hospital...again'

I almost preferred being dead.

I was still half out of it and at first, I thought I was alone in the room like last time, but to my surprise there was another patient in the room and quietly laying in bed.

'Well it is a hospital so I shouldn't be that surprised' I couldn't get a good look at whoever was in the room with me as they had their back turned to me, presumably asleep.

It's not like I could see their face much anyway with my blurry vision.

I decided to leave them be and relax but my legs felt uncomfortable and cramped so I moved to readjust them but as soon as I did, pain and discomfort instantly flared from them, making a grunt of pain escape my lips.

I had to count to five to stop myself from crying as severe pulses of pain throbbed in both of my legs; around my shins and feet specifically 'Why do they hurt so badly?' Once I calmed down and the pain dulled, I carefully pulled back the thin blanket to check on my legs only to see them both wrapped up in thick wrappings.

'They must be burned from the fire'

I was still trying to remember everything that happened, but I couldn't remember certain moments like what happened before passing out and what happened to Mom.

'I know I left her at the neighbors house but she was out of it at the time'

I felt unsettled at not knowing what happened after I left 'I wonder if she's okay, is she coherent now or is she still in shock?' As I was lost in thought of what happened and what could've happened, I didn't notice the stirring of my room buddy.

"What's got you so lost in your head?" I nearly jumped in fright at the sudden and unfamiliar voice talking to me, my head snapped to the left where the patient was still laying in bed but he was now facing towards me.

Now that I could finally get a good look at him, I scanned his face; starting at his mischievous eyes then down to his playful smile, he looked young, somewhere around my age.

I shook my head; dismissing his question "Nothing, just thinking about when I can go home" it technically wasn't a lie, I did wonder when I could go home 'But is there even a home to go back to?' It was hard to ignore the dread I felt when thinking about what happened.

He eyed me quietly with slightly narrowed eyes for a minute "Hmm, okay" I could tell that from his tone that he wasn't satisfied with my answer 'Well that's all he's getting from me, besides it's not any of his business anyway' I narrowed my eyes back at him before deciding to ignore him for now.