To Your Health

Chapter II

After a month of recuperating and two weeks under observation, Abyss was overjoyed when her doctor━Dr. Schmidt━had announced that she would be going home that weekend.

"That is, unless, you want to stay here," the German doctor had added with a laugh.

At first Abyss had wondered whether or not she should slap him for suggesting such a thought, but she soon realized that it was simply part of his rather annoying sense of humor.  I guess being cooped up inside of a hospital for a month and a half has made me a bit touchy, eh?

Grabbing her suitcase and giving her farewells to the doctors and nurses, Abyss was almost flying as she walked briskly out of her hospital room and down the halls and corridors of the building. Quickening her pace as she neared the front of the hospital, she ran into the lobby and swung open the doors.

"Alan!"

The young woman threw her arms around her boyfriend in a joyous embrace.

"Hey, was somebody just chasing you back there or something?"

Abyss laughed in response and stepped back, handing him her suitcase.

"I was just so happy to get out of that place," she replied as the couple wrapped their arms around each other and walked down the parking lot.

"How's Felix?" Abyss asked him, referring to her tortoiseshell cat back at the house.

"Fine."

"And my garden? You watered it while I was away didn't you?"

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"Ugh, of course I did! Stop being such a worrywart!" Alan exclaimed, stopping at his car and unlocking it, then opening the door and setting Abyss's suitcase in the backseat.

"I'm supposed to worry." She opened the door to the passenger's side and stepped into the automobile, sitting down and afterwards slamming the door shut again.

Alan turned the car on and began backing out of the parking space while looking in the rear view mirror to ensure that no-one was behind him.

Abyss rubbed her forehead and rested it in her hand, obviously showing signs of fatigue.

"You alright?" A concerned Alan asked, looking over at her.

"Yeah, of course."

"You look tired. Maybe you should rest when we get home."

"I don't need rest! I've been resting for the past six weeks. If I get any more rest I'll die!"

"No need to get uptight." He drove the car out of the hospital's parking lot and onto the busy highway.

"I'm not uptight," she responded after a pause, sighing as she looked out of the window at all of the passing scenery.

The truth was, although no-one believed it or even noticed, something was slowly but surely changing Abyss every second, breath and heartbeat, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.