The Irony of Survival

1 ~ Hospital Revival

Goosebumps ran along the arms of Amari as the cold seeped through her hospital gown. "Everything is going to be ok sweetheart, just close your eyes and think of home" a voice spoke lightly. The accent of the woman speaking wasn't familiar and Amari felt far from comfortable as the effects of the anaesthetic kicked in.

Amari gasped for air as she awoke suddenly. Sitting rigidly upright she looked around taking in her surroundings. She was still on the operating table and there was nobody else in the room with her. An intense sharp pain located on the front of her neck caused her to wheeze loudly. Touching it gently Amari realised two things: 1. She was about to scream out in pain and 2. The skin was openly cut. Her yelp echoed in the empty room and she gingerly removed her hand back to her side.

What is going on? Where are the surgeons and my nurse? Why is my skin still sliced? Did they forget to close it? Did they even complete the surgery?

Endless thoughts ran through Amari's mind as her focus returned to the room around her. Squinting to see past the bright overhead light Amari spotted what she thought could be blood smeared on the other side of the glass of the door ahead. A strange gurgling sound which was getting louder caught her attention, it was as if someone was choking and trying to scream at the same time. She held her breath as a blurred person moved past the translucent glass in a strange shuffling walk, it was almost as if they were dragging their leg behind them and attempting to walk normally at the same time.

None of this makes any sense. Am I still under the anaesthetic and this is all a weird dream or is this the effects of it slowly wearing off? What should I do? I cannot even call for help and I have a feeling I shouldn't leave the room till someone comes.

Tears started to gather in her eyes now and her vision became blurry. Amari had no idea what to do, she was scared to even move due to the pain in her neck. Patting her sides instinctively she realised that her phone was not on her side or anywhere in the room to be exact. Straining to get her memory back Amari squeezed her eyes closed and racked her brain trying to get the information to come back to her. Slowly the memories trickled back. Her phone was in her hospital room with the rest of her belongings. She was on the operating table, not for a cosmetic surgery but a cancer removal. She remembered it more vividly now, the flight here, the diagnosis and saying goodbye to her family but the thing she recalled more strongly was the kind stranger who found her half dead and who brought her to the hospital; the stranger who paid all this money so she could get treatment overseas, the man whose name she did not know.

Over the past 30 minutes she had gradually readied her body so that she could stand and move around while no longer feeling dizzy.

I sure must look like a sight for sore eyes.

Amari held a small reflective scalpel-like object in her hand, inspecting her dodgy attempt at bandaging her neck. She didn't have a clue how to put the skin back together, so opting to tightly wrap her neck with some gauze seemed the best option. She knew it wasn't good, not in the slightest but there were no other alternatives around that she was confident to try. Although wrapped thickly the white fabric covering her cut was seeping through with bright red blood.

Amari slowly crept towards the blood-smeared door. Peering through the glass wasn't optimal as she could not see through it clearly; she instead opted to listen with her ear against the door; making sure she could hear no more weird gurgling noises. When the coast appeared clear her hand gripped the hospital door, pulling it downwards as her shoulder pushed gently. The door didn't budge.

Seriously? So they leave me on the operating table, cut open and also lock me in? Not impressed. I am not one to karen around but surely this is violating some laws.