Fighting For Freedom

Chapter One (edited)

Outside Las Vegas, April 2015

                                                                                Jessie

The next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital bed. I have no idea where I am or what happened. I just knew that I was in a hospital because of all the machines. I begin to freak out because I can't speak or turn my head to look around. There is a tube down my throat and all I can see is the ceiling because I can't move my head. I start to thrash around the bed and grab the tube and pull at it. As I begin to pull on the tube, a hand covers mine to stop me and Cameron comes into view. I smile when I see his familiar face. He looks me in the eyes and smiles. He starts talking to me to calm me down. He calls for a nurse and she comes in and removes the tube. Once the tube is out, she checks my vitals and begins asking questions. I try to answer but can't because my throat is so dry that nothing comes out. I also still cannot move my head. The nurse disappears and returns with a cup of ice water. I take large gulps, but she tells me to slow down and take small sips at first. After a few drinks of water my voice begins to come back, but it is very soft and scratchy. I answer a few questions for the nurse and she tells me the doctor will be here in a few minutes to talk now that I am awake. Cameron comes back to my bedside, along with a woman I have never seen before.

"What happened?" I ask, "Where am I?"

Cameron gives me his trademark smiles and says, "You're safe and awake, that's all that matters right now. The doctor will be here any minute now and she can explain your injuries and then I will answer as many of your questions as I can."

There is a knock at the door and the doctor enters. Once she comes into my view, I see the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on. Her smile lights up the room and instantly gives me a sense of calm. She introduces herself as Dr. Alexandra Imari. She then turns to Cameron and the women and says hello. I just lay there and stare at her, trying to memorize every feature that I can. There was something so familiar about her, yet I don't recall ever meeting her before. She has the most amazing hazel brown eyes. Her hair was blonde and pulled up in a tight ponytail. It had a few dark highlights that made her golden-brown skin look more bronze. As she approached my bed, I couldn't take my eyes off her.

Cameron began to laugh, and I snapped out of the daze. I looked over to him with a questioning look and said, "What the hell are you laughing at? Oh, and by the way, who is she?" I pointed at the women who had been in the room since I woke up.

"Sorry, this is Amy Malikov, our cousin. We used to be like brother and sister before our parents left for Africa. I called her as soon as we landed in the states. I'll tell you more later, for now listen to what the doctor has to say."

Dr. Imari approached my bed and I could feel my heart start to beat faster. When she touched me for the first time, I felt something that I couldn't describe. The only thing I can compare it to is an electrical shock. As she felt for my pulse, my heart beat so fast I thought I was going to pass out. I know she had to feel my pulse skyrocket as she touched me, but she didn't even flinch. She went on like nothing was wrong. She just looked straight into my eyes and smiled. I felt like I could lay here and look at her forever, she was just that beautiful. I felt like she was looking deep into my soul with her beautiful hazel eyes.

She broke the gaze and began telling me about the injuries I had sustained. She said I had severe internal bleeding caused from a lacerated spleen, which they had to remove. I also had a few broken ribs, lots of bruises and a compressed C3 vertebrae, which is the reason I can't turn my head. She explained that they have me in a halo brace so that I don't further injure my neck, but I should be out of it in a few more days. She also explains that I had a good deal of swelling on my brain which may cause some memory loss, but not to worry because there wasn't any permanent damage. I just might not be able to remember some things. Additionally, she said, that I had about a hundred stitches in various places that she would be taking out tomorrow. I had also suffered a broken and dislocated ankle that had been repaired surgically. She said that I now have a metal plate, two screws, and six pins in my right ankle, but it should be almost healed. I thanked her.