Singapur

Chapter 6 : Reawakening

I have a confession to make

I really thought that if I slept hard enough I might just wake right back up into my world

But nope instead of being rudely awoken to the sounds of my mother screaming and Jacobin's bad music, I was instead awoken to a light tap on the shoulder by a malay nurse who politely greeted me in german before swiftly disappearing back into the corridor.

As for me well to say I was a little sad a tad bit of an understatement. If someone had given me the opportunity to go back to my world right then and there, I would have cried so hard in gratitude that the tears collected would have been enough to fill Mac Ritchie Reservoir fives times over.

Like seriously I really just want to go home. Back to my normal, peaceful life, or at least as normal as being around Jacobin can be ofc.

But noooooo, instead I am dragged to another world and forced to wonder around purposeless only to be dragged back just as randomly. The fates truly are so unkind to torment such a sweet, innocent boy like myself into this world, my constant headaches notwithstanding.

Is normality seriously a premium now?

As I was sifting through these thoughts, my bout of introspection was rudely interrupted by the cluttering of a metal cart as a doctor, alongside a nurse briskly strolled into the room. The doctor, a 30 smth-year-old man with creases drawn all over his forehead, constantly scribbled things on his clipboard, no doubt writing down the various medicines of the victim of the explosion.

"Good morning Fräulein Katharine how are you feeling today? Do you have any headaches, nausea or abdominal pain?" The doctor says in quick succession as he tapped his pen furiously against the board, eagerly awaiting my reply.

Wait what... why is he speaking English. I thought everyone here spoke german... Wait a minute maybe he is the one that the fates have ordained to tell me what's happening to the world! Maybe he could even help me get back to my world! Omg omg okok how to I tell him subtly I undertand his message... hmmmmmmm

"Well doctor," I say in English as I loudly cleared my throat "I don't feel any and I mean any" I say winking my eyes constantly "sort of pains. Okay maybe a mild headache here and there but just to be sure doctor could I have a cHeCkup please?" I say with particular emphasis on the please and checkup part.

The doctor clearly not getting my message, replied in a rather bewildered manner.

"Well Fräulein Katharine, if that's the case I do not think a checkup in order. As for the headaches, they shouldn't be too serious of a problem. Though to be safe I will get the nurse to increase the dosage for the rad-X meds." the doctor said before motioning to the nurse beside him to which she nodded back in return "Other than that I belives that is all. Your parents are coming to see you at around 10pm tonight and if all goes well you should be discharged in about one to two days." he says as he straightens up to leave "I wish you the swiftest of recovery Fräulein Katharine"

no no no this can't be!! Why is my savior leaving without even dropping any hints whatsoever? Nope nope nope I don't care if the fates do not ordain it but I must detain this man.

"Wait a second doctor!," I said as I launched myself toward him, who in return promptly collapsed to the ground, " I have a questions" I say, my hand only a hair breaths from where he laid.

"What...what is it" the doctor says, clearly inexperienced in the art of manging patients launching themselves at them.

"Well....."

Oh crap oh crap what should I say to him....

"...I...I just wanted too know why I am taking rad-x for?" I say smiling in the vain hopes of dispersing the strong stench of awkwardness in the air.

haha nice save brain

"Well Fräulein Katharine," the doctor say as he picked himself up, no doubt realizing talking to the patient from the ground is highly unprofessional, "it's an anti-radiation pill to help relieve any radiation poisoning caused my last night's nuclear explosion"

In that one sentence I felt my determination melt away as my feeling turned from that of mildly aggressive to that of apocalypse now. Anger sadness fear shock all these emotions, once stuffed deep in my heart all spilled out as I went into a state of shock.

Am I gonna die? Is the end? Is my consciousness going to spend an eternity hanging out with other german ghosts? All these thoughts flowed freely in my brain as my whole body convulsed uncontrollably.

"hey mummy daddy" I said softly, tears very quickly starting to well in my eyes "I am sorry I couldn't be the perfect son you always wanted but I hope whenever you guys looks at the star you will see me looking back" I shut my eyes tight, letting the tears freely flow down my cheek.

The others for their part stood there absolutely dumbfounded by my reaction, as I cried to my heart's content.

Only at the 30 minutes mark did the malay nurse finally decide to do something, timidly tapping my shoulder asking if I was okay. But alas I was absolutely inconsolable, sitting there continuing to sob uncontrollably.

It was only at the 1 hour mark where, with the intervention of my parents, I finally calmed down.

"Shhh Katherine you are safe here, no one and I mean no one is going to take you away from us." My dad said in his ever tranquil voice as he intermittently stroked my head.

"Bu....but the bomb the flash the radiation..." I say, the tremble in my voice evident.

"Shhh Katherine it's fine, just rest, the rad-x pills should do the trick. Come on katherine, Come here, let be put you back to bed." My dad said as he gestured towards me to which I dutifully complied, feebly crawled into his arms.

As I nested in his arms, feeling the warmth of my 'father' wash all over me, I could faintly hear the screeches of my mother as she raised hell all across the ward, no doubt complaining to staff how her child was allowed to cry for so long. In fact, I could even feel the weight of the stares from Jacobine as she stood arms akimbo in a corner, in all likelihood judging me for being such a daddy's girl.

But at that moment I didn't care. What mattered was that for the first time in a long time I felt this deep sense of security, as if despite all the craziness around me, as long as I stayed deep within his embrace, none of it would even come close to scraching me. As though I would be safe forever and ever, within this little bubble, safe yet carefree, secure and happy.

And thus as my father gently carried me to the bed, I eased myself deeper into his embrace, unwilling to let go of this feeling and instead let myself be swallowed up by it as my mind slowly drifts off into a deep sleep.