The Assignment

Chapter 13: Allocated

Christopher's POV

Gasping a large breath, I woke with a start. Something was strangely odd about my situation, and it certainly wasn't right. Considering, the last thing I remember was collapsing into a soft bed of grass on the side of a road, blue lights flashing in my hazy vision, a drastic change from right now.

At the current moment, I was in a dark room with the lingering scent of aneseptic in the air. The pillow behind my head was covered with crinkly paper, and I could hear a faint beeping, an alarm, in the background. A bandage pad was strapped around my chest, and every time i breathed, a knife of pain went through my lungs. It occurred to me that I must be in the hospitial, or something, because the only thing I seemed to be wearing was a thin nightgown. But why were the lights out, and where was my family?

Assuming that one of my nurses would know, I reach behind me and press the call button on the wall. A few minutes passed without a response, and I hit the switch again, only to realize that it was pointless. The power was out. Sheepishly laughing to myself, I withdraw my hand from the panel and lay it on the uninjured side of my chest. What was I going to do with myself?

My body was heavy with pain, almost numb in some places. I didn't think that I could have gotten up, but I tried anyway. Taking the tubes and wires out of my arms, I mentally prepared myself for moving. I had to believe in myself. Getting up wouldn't work if I didn't.

When I sat up, a wave of dizziness washed over me, temporarily confining me to the bed. It took a few minutes before the ailment had completely vanished and I was able to get my legs over the side of the bed. They felt heavy, numb, and I could barely feel them; but I just had to try.

Placing my feet on the floor, I realized that I could not feel the icy cold laminate under my feet. Nor, could I have known that I'd collapse. It took a few seconds before my legs gave out completely, sending me plummeting to the hard floor, and during those few seconds, I gained a new sense of determination.

Deep within myself, I gained the strength to try again. And again. And again, until I could stay on my feet for a good thirty seconds or so. Then, holding onto the bed rail, I tried taking a step foward, towards the door. My knee buckled under the weight I was putting solely on that leg, but it did not give way like I had expected it to. I smiled in exultation, feeling stronger already. Still, I knew that I couldn't just go and walk anywhere, so I took the few straggling steps that it took to reach the folded wheelchair resting against the wall. That was the smart choice.

As soon as I had the stiff chair unfolded, I collapsed into the thin, sinking seat. It had required an immense amount of effort just to make it this far, and I was more that grateful for the reprieve. I leaned back against the seat, breathing deeply, in and out, stab, stab, stab. My chest ached with every single intake of air, my breathing labored. I closed my eyes and reposed for a while. I knew that I needed to gain some strength before I could move again.

Before I could go anywhere, though, the sound of footsteps clicking down the hallway jolted me from my tranquil state. Someone must be coming to get me! With a burst of excitement, I began wheeling over to the door. I was determined to get their attention, no matter what it took. As the footsteps drew near, I attempted to turn the doorknob to exit out into the hallway, but to no avail. The door had been locked from the outside!

"Hello!" I shouted, rattling the doorknob, "Please help me!"

Almost instantly, the door swung outward, and a pretty lady dressed in a nurses' uniform stepped inside the room. Her long, dark eyelashes batted against her cheeks as she blinked, her eyes adjusting to the low light. She looked down upon me and smiled.

"Well, good morning, Christopher." She gushed. "I understand you may be confused as to why the power is out, in a hospitial of all places, but please remain calm. I'm here to help you."