Who?

Chapter 8: Third birth

The light. A bright and shinny light invaded the room I was lying in. Its power was amplified by the white walls that surrounded me. Such strength burnt my pupils, obliged then to open up.

I blinked and soon realised that I did not know where I was. Slightly panicking I tried to stand up but could not as a short plastic tube connected my left arm to a post. Not knowing what to do, I realised that my pace was accelerating.

Hopefully, the white door was suddenly opened and an arm followed by a whole body: a man who looked at of breath. As he kept moving forward, he said a brief 'Hello, I'm a nursing assistant. A doctor will soon arrive'.

Not knowing what to say, I nodded while he started measuring my blood pressure.

Ill-at-ease with this speechless man, I tried to focus on anything else but the soulless room did not help. Breathing heavily, I finally asked: 'So, hum, why am I here?'.

'I would prefer the doctor to explain you that Miss. Hum. Your case is, hum, complicated'.

'Well, I guess I will have to wait then... Per chance, do you have an idea of the time? I have so many things to do, I would not like to be stucked here forever'.

He stared at me as if I was a ghost and finally answered.

'Today is Tuesday'.

It was now my turn to stare at him. What did he misunderstand in my question? I asked for the time, not the day...

'Hum thank you but I asked for the time, I mean hour. I plan on doing many things this afternoon, I cannot stay in bed forever. And why is my head so painful by the way?'

But he did not answer. Instead he looked at me with eyes full of fears, turning whiter than the walls before slowly leaving.

Ten to fifteen minutes later, as my stomach started to be in a need for food, another person opened the door. As soon as my eyes ran on his face, I relaxed.

My doctor. He was my doctor, the one who followed me after my coma and who helped me to get my memories back.

'Estrella' he exclaimed with a smile. 'What a pleasure to see you awake!'.

Hum... What? Why was he calling me Estrella?

'Eva. This is Eva Dr. Klomerg. How could you forget me?'

A bright smile enlightened his eyes. He seemed truly happy this time.

'Eva indeed. It seems that the rumours are wrong then.'

'Rumours? What rumours Doctor? What time is it please? The previous assistant refused to answer me'.

Calmly, Dr. Klomerg pulled up his right sleeve to disclose an expensive watch.

'Well, it seems that it is 3 o'clock.'

Relief overwhelmed me. But I needed to be sure.

'PM?'

'PM indeed'.

I nodded while my heart accelerated.

'Same day, same year I fainted?'

But he answered me by a question.

'So, you remember that you fainted'.

'I remember being in the streets of Amsterdam, after having visited my former colleagues and then I was...' Clouds were blocking my memories.

'You were?' asked Dr. Klomerg very calmly.

'I was...' but the effort was painful. 'I was taken by a darkness'.