These Little Flames - hs

two

                                                                                 TWO

When my eyes droopily fluttered open, I saw hanging above me a packet filled with clear liquid, and I thought about how if pain were really an illusion, morphine wouldn't wouldn't have been dripping through a needle into my vein.

I looked around, eyes half-lidded, and saw that I was in a hospital room. There was a constant beeping sound resounding in the room. My mom was in a chair next to me, asleep at my legs. Her curly blonde hair looked unruly, as if she'd been here days.

"Mom?" I croaked; my throat was a desert.

She got up immediately, and looked at me with bags under her eyes. "I'm here baby." she held my hand, avoiding the drip. "I'm here."

"What happened?"

"You were out a couple hours. You were in a fire, at school. Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, I—" I coughed. She gave me a glass of water. After I drank it I continued. "I remember that much."

"You were unconscious for a while. They said it was Carbon Monoxide poisoning. I'll go get the nurse."

The nurse asked me a bunch of questions about my memory, motor function and speaking ability and penned down her notes on a clipboard. I said I felt fine.

"Okay. We will run some tests, just to make sure everything's fine, but after that you're good to go." Right before she left, she added, "It's a miracle you're unharmed."

My mom turned to me, her voice was exhausted. "Honey, why were you in that building? The janitor said you left a book inside? And how exactly did you get out?"

At that point, I wasn't sure myself what I had seen. I recalled being in the bathroom and then flying. And one more, small detail.

"Was I the only one there?"

"Yeah. Luckily. No one got hurt. But how did you get out?"

I paused. I noticed a police officer walking around outside my room, and I had a gut feeling that I shouldn't mention her.

"Harry?"

"I was in the bathroom. It was the only place that wasn't on fire yet, and it had a window. I got out through there."

She furrowed her brow slightly. "Really."

"Yeah." I said weakly, resting my head back on the pillow.

She stared off, squinting her eyes. She was about to say something, but a knock on the door interrupted her.

"Oh my god, Ryan? Ryan Maverick, is that you?" the policeman said to my mom, smiling wide.

"Ryan?" I asked.

"Murph, holy crap!" my mom got up and they hugged. "Whoa, you actually did it, huh?"

"Yup. Deputy Sheriff Murphy at your service, ma'am. Is that Aidan? Little Aidan?" he looked at me. My brows knotted.

"No, Aidan's his middle name now. His dad simply could not let go of naming him Harry."

"Who's Ryan?" I asked.

My mom waved it off. "My nickname back in High School. T's stupid."

"Stupid? She was one of the boys! Your mom was tough as nails back then, kid. Still is, come to think of it. How's the bureau treating you?"

"It's tough on us, the moves, but we manage ya'know."

"Hmm. I can imagine. Well, as great as it is to see you, Riley," he laughed as he said my mom's real name, "I'm here to ask Harry here a few questions. Don't worry I'll be brief. Now son, did you happen to smell anything... off? Like gasoline, turpentine...?"