Iðunn's Apples

Piltcintecuhtli

† the youthful sun that rises to bring healing to the world †

Melissa. Melissa?

That word drew me up, as from the bottom of a lake of water, thick and syrup-like in its consistence, to the surface of consciousness. Bright lights overwhelmed my eyes. There were people around me, but they were nothing but blurry shadows moving about. I heard noises; some muffled, some insistent, some that I felt I was supposed to understand but couldn't. 

"Melissa, can you hear me?"

The words reached me as through a dream. The face was a stranger's, but scrubs indicated that he was a nurse or a doctor. I couldn't answer, though. I couldn't remember how to, and so drifted away once more. 

When I returned to the surface, and indefinite amount of time later, the face had been replaced by a woman's. She wore the white coat of a doctor and was writing something down. 

"Where am I?"

My voice came out so hoarse and weak that I wouldn't have recognized it, had it not been for the pain in my throat that came with it. 

"You're at the Charité hospital," she explained.

I clenched my eyes shut, trying to remember... I had a strange feeling that Philip had been there, before the darkness. "What happened?"

The doctor raised my bed slightly. "Do you remember who I am?" she asked.

I shook my head. 

"My name is Vera Winther. I've been overseeing you since you arrived here. You were admitted with a drug overdose a little over twenty-four hours ago."

The memories came slowly, like recalling a dream. I clenched my hands when I remembered the feelings of that night.

"Luckily, your friend was quick to get you help and he kept you conscious until the ambulance arrived. He even got most of the drugs out of your system before they did too much harm." She smiled and sat down beside the bed. "There seems to have been no effects on the brain. I'm sure you'll recover fully."

I nodded slowly as I tried to take it all in. "Who found me?"

"His name was... Philip," she said, after checking the journal. 

I held back a groan. So I remember correctly. 

"He was here earlier, but he had to leave. Some of your other friends are here, though." The smile that had remained on her face paled and her voice turned serious. "Now, except for the aspirins that you overdosed on, I also found large amounts of alcohol and traces of several drugs in your blood. I'm a doctor, not a police officer," she said, with a humorous tone, "so I won't point out that some of them weren't exactly legal. However, in my experience, results of this kind usually imply towards a larger issue."

She placed some folders on my bedside table. This was the first time that I noticed the flowers placed there. 

"Blood test can't tell me anything about your personal or emotional life, but if you feel the need for help, then I want you to know that the hospital can point you in the direction of some good options."

I smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"Do you want some time before I send in your friends?" she asked. 

I shook my head. "No, now is fine. They've waited long enough." I couldn't help but feel bad. How much time had they spent waiting for me? I must've been such an inconvenience. And to imagine if they thought it was their fault...