Dead, Twice

Darkness greeted me openly, as my heavy eyelids slowly started to open. There was a change in the wind something felt odd… As my eyes slowly adjusted I realized that it wasn’t dark at all, it was complete daylight to be precise, the only problem was that I had a sheet over my head.

I reached my arm out to pull it off, only to find that both my arms were pinned to my sides. My eyes snapped open all the way as I realized this; I thrust my legs only to find that I couldn’t move them either. And another realization snap into my thoughts, it was much too cold to be covered in a blanket, especially on a summer night.

I blink my eyes several times, trying to see straight, my sight was blurred in a strange way; I could see everything fine, but it was like looking threw a white sheet. I must have a bag over my head… That’s why I don’t feel the breeze on my face, but who would do this?!

I struggled against whatever was keeping me down, but something made me snap to my senses and realize what kind of trouble I was in. It had to be a burglar, who else? And if they saw that I was awake, they would more than likely kill me.                                                                                              

With a loud tearing sound, I was free. -Nails, nails are what kept me down; someone nailed my clothes to the floor! My hands quickly fled to my face, looking for whatever was clouding my vision, but there was nothing. No bag, no sheet, not even my hair was in my eyes.

Panic grew deeper inside of me, they must have poisoned me; or maybe it was my sickness.

My mind raced as I tried to remember what happened before I went to sleep; perhaps it was the thieves who nailed my clothes to the floor? -Think Etta, think!

I was laying on my bed, as my mother brushed my hair back with her fingers, and the doctor placed a tablet on my tongue, then handed me a glass of water and told me to swallow the tablet; so of course I did. It left a strange taste in my mouth, and I asked my mother for another sip of water, and she gladly held the cup to my lips, allowing me to take several gulps to wash down the powdery taste.

Dr. Matthew and my mother left the room together, after Dr. Matthew ordered me to take a nap. I didn’t object, I was feeling so tired after I got sick.                                                                                                 It was only about three or four weeks ago when I got sick, it seems like it was just the day after I was bitten by a bat. I was hanging laundry when it swooped down, and bit me without warning. The bite never seemed to get infected, so I thought nothing of it.

Soon I began to feel ill, my mother called the doctor, and he diagnosed me with the flu. For three weeks I could do nothing but stay in bed, and pray to get better. And although I can’t say I really remember this, my mother told me that before I went into a coma, I started freaking out, yelling at something; saying “Get away from me! Don’t come near me!” She had to hold me down so I would stop throwing random furniture into a corner.

I can’t remember ever going into a coma either, but there I was, on my bed. Last thing I remembered was using the bathroom. The doctor soon informed me that I had rabies, but it looked like I might beat it.

I was so happy! But when I saw the strange look in his eyes my heart seemed to sink, he was lying… I knew he was only saying it for me and mother, so we could at least be happy before I die.                                                                                                                                                                   Before the doctor left the room with my mother, I swore I heard him say “It will be better this way… She never would have made it anyway.” And I soon fell into a deep sleep.