keep driving // max mayfield

22

I woke up in immediate pain.

It felt like someone was holding a torch up to my body and slowly roasting it, like a marshmallow. My eyes weren't even open yet, but I was awake.

Where am I?

My mind was racing. I couldn't fully process the pain yet, all I could really think about was Max. The truck hit my side of the car, I made sure of that, but she was still in the car with me. I needed to know she was okay more than anything.

I felt a semi-soft surface under me, not as comfortable as a bed, but something of that nature. My arms were lying next to something metal. The top of my head was touching something that felt wooden and rough. There were two thin wires resting from my forearm. My left arm was wrapped up in something itchy.

I could hear everything around me. The sound of rubber wheels sliding on the floor and a static intercom filled my ears. I could barely feel my legs, which I was thankful for in the moment. There were two faint voices near me, speaking in hushed tones. I didn't recognise either of them, both male and both older.

I tried to open my mouth to alert someone I was there, but when I tried to talk, nothing came out. My throat felt bone dry. I felt like a corpse, immobile and unable to speak. The voices drew nearer, their scratchy tone amplifying in my ears.

"She's awake." One of them said.

Man 1 clicked something that shone a bright light on me. My instinctive reaction was to open my eyes, the light shining brightly onto my face. The man hovering in front of me looked about 40, he was wearing a white doctors coat, two pens sticking out of the pocket. His coat had a name sewn onto it, Dr. Wade.

Hospital. Duh.

"Can you speak?" He asked me.

I croaked out a small sound, my voice hoarse and dry.

"Get her some water." Wade said.

Man 2 walked over to the cabinet to get it. Wade moved his hand over my head and pressed a button. I looked down at what I was lying on and I started moving up. I winced in pain as the cot folded upwards, sitting me up.

Man 2, who's coat read Dr. Royce handed me a plastic cup, full of water. I looked down at the cup, then back up at Wade.

"Drink." He said.

I did as he as he asked, bringing the cup to my lips with my free hand and drinking the water. It ran cold down my throat, but it felt really good. I coughed a little as I swallowed it, finally feeling able to speak.

"Are you alright? How do you feel?"

"Tired." I said, my voice coming out in more of a rasp.

"How about you arm? Does your arm hurt?" He asked.

I looked down at my left arm, it was wrapped up in a cast. I was wearing a hospital gown so I couldn't see my legs, but it felt like one of them was wrapped up as well. I nodded my head in response to his question.

"Okay, that's expected after the break you had." He said standing up straight and adjusting his glasses.

"Where are my parents?" I asked slowly.

Wade checked his watch, "They should be here in about 10 minutes. They left this morning but they said they'd be coming back at after work."

I took a deep breath and looked around the room. It wasn't like any other hospital bed I'd ever been in, it was private, and had walls instead of curtains. I looked over to my right, there were two bouquets of flowers and a bunch of cards.