Silver

Chapter 5 - then

After my microchip was replaced, the anaesthetic left me with the sensation of light orange sunshine, warmth, floating and a tinge of excitement in my belly. The blanket felt heated. I opened my eyes and saw that I had a drip hanging out of my arm. A nurse was talking to me. She had a European accent. I thought she asked me how I was feeling and I told her I felt great.

She raised my bed. Opposite was a man with a bandage around his head. His face was bruised and swollen.

'Wisdom teeth,' explained the nurse. 'Take it easy.' She noticed I was staring, 'you are in the recovery room.' She placed a cup of tea on my hospital tray and drew it closer to me.

I'd never had an operation before, not that I could remember. The microchip is implanted the day after we are born. So I didn't recall being in a hospital like this before. The staff looked busy. I could see the nurses station clearly from where my bed was.

There was a fluorescent green 'exit' sign by the door. I blinked my eyes and the 'e' appeared to me in magenta, the 'x' black, the 'i' a soft blue and the 't' a charcoal grey. I felt soothed by these colours appearing before my eyes.

A nurse brought a lady to the recovery room. She sat by the side of the wisdom teeth man's bed. She clasped his hand and ran her finger up and down the inside of his arm. I wondered if they met the 'natural way' or whether their marriage was arranged. We were in a private hospital so I assumed they were from a certain class – the class that prefers arranged marriages. Like my own class. It must have worked out well for them. She looked like she loved him, stroking his arm gently and caringly.

The nurse returned to my bedside.

'How are you feeling love?' she asked.

'Fine,' I said. 'Is my mum here?'

'Oh darling, she was here, but she had to go home. She was tired. She said she had a big day at work tomorrow. She's sending your sister to collect you in the morning.'