Boundless Love

Something's Strange

Levi's POV...

Once Nate told me he'd be putting my back brace on me, I automatically assumed it would be some over sized, very uncomfortable contraption. On the contrary, it was surprisingly light and thin and wrapped around my torso like it was specifically pre-made for me. Not sure when they measured me, but with all the chaos over the last 2 days, I probably didn't notice a lot of things they were doing to me.

Nate then slipped some kind of soft material with handles under me that he called a sling, and attached me to a machine. Again, I find myself begin to panic as I watch this machine lift my mostly limp body up off the bed. I'm having panic attacks every time someone tries to move my body. I'm not afraid of being moved, well yes I am I guess, it's hard to describe what's making me so anxious. The dead weight of my torso and legs is what bothers me the most, that and not being able to catch myself if I fall. Who ever thought I'd be afraid of falling out of bed?

"I've got you man," Nate assures me. Luckily for me, Nate is obviously some kind of expert at this, and quickly gets me adjusted into a wheelchair before I hyperventilate.

The chair back is high and is tilted backwards to keep weight off my spine Nate tells me, as he lifts my legs and arms and places them on top of padded leg and arm rests. Nate lifting my limbs for me is the part I hate the most. My mind is trying to force my body to do one thing while someone else is actually making my arms and legs do something else. My nerves shake anytime I attempt to shift on my own, it's strange and irritating, and I don't like it at all.

"You ready?" Nate asks me as he pushes me out of my room. I'm calmer now that I'm secured into this chair. A strap across my chest and one across my lower legs applying just enough pressure that I feel stable, and I find it odd that a little tension against my extremities is comforting.

As Nate pushes my chair, I realize this is the first time I've seen anything other than my room. Well except for when I was wheeled into this place and didn't know what the fuck was going on.

I expected to see a plain white hallway with rooms on both sides like a hospital ward.  Surprisingly this place is not like that at all. It's very open with high ceilings and wood beams throughout, as if this place was meant for the country and not the city of Boston. What a great design for a place that people essentially will be living in for a year or more of their life.

Nate pushes me a little further down the hall and we pass by a large room with a bunch of mats on the floor, a set of parallel bars, a large padded table or bed, and some other exercise equipment. I scan the room a little more and find Charlotte. She has her hands on some guys hips. He looks like he's in his 40's maybe, braces are attached to both of his legs and he's using his arms to hold himself up with metal crutches. Charlotte must be guiding him or making sure he doesn't fall as they both walk slowly in sync across the room. I hope I'll be able to do that soon.

We get around the corner  and enter an oversized room with couches, recliners and a giant TV that takes up an entire wall, complete with surround sound. "Here is the lounge!" Nate exclaims.

Mark and Emma are in the far end of the room and abruptly stop whatever conversation they were having as soon as I enter. Mum rushes over to me, "Hi son, how are you doing?" She asks me while planting a kiss on my forehead. "Hey son," my dad nods to me. "Hey," is all I repeat and give them a smile. No one hugs me and I wonder If they're afraid to touch me or hurt me. My body's begging for a firm embrace which never happens.

Mark confidently strides over to me, "Alright? Mate!How was your night? Are they treating you well?" He asks me. "Yeah, yeah of course," I assure him. What else am I supposed to tell him? That I can't sleep at night, I feel like I'm in someone else's body, that I now have panic attacks. That I'll gladly accept a real hug from him if he offers one. He doesn't need to know that I'm terrified out of my mind.