Letters to the front

Chapter 29 - Reunion

Alice 

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The world was warm and dry and....dark. I couldn't see and my world was darkness, I tried to open my eyes, but my body would not obey, my lids staying firmly shut. I tried to move my fingers but couldn't, it was as if a large weight was pressing down on me, rendering me useless. I heard someone moving beside me, and felt a warm hand on my cheek. I garbled something and then lapsed back into sleep. 

I could sense someone at my bedside, watching me. Still I could not open my eyes and was powerless as the darkness consumed me. 

Someone was talking, murmuring strange nothings and I could not decifer what they were saying. I lay, sleeping soundlessly, someone picked up my wrist and placed two firm fingers on the vein then let it drop back to the bed. I wanted to scream out in frustration, but my lips would not obey me.

"She's incredible, facing that, deserves a medal"

"What for incredible stupidity?" someone sneered.

"Bravery, something you are sorely lacking in"

That particular voice that had scorned me stopped talking and my mangled brian could no longer take trying to make out the words, and pushed me back into the dark. 

It was bright. That was my first thought as my eyes flew open. The harsh lighting made me squint as I raised my head to look around. I was not in St. George's any longer. This was not a room I recognised. The sound of shells did not echo in my ears nor did the rain pelt from the sky as I was so accustomed too. 

Throught the window, I could see the sun shining and a bird sat chirping on my window, it was too surreal. My eyes cast to the door, where a doctor stood standing, his tall frame filling the doorway. 

"Ahh, your awake" he said, looking pleased.

"Sir, what's going on? Where am i? I have to find Edward" I said, thousands of unanswered questions tumbling from my lips. 

"Alice, calm" he said firmly, "your cousin is well and safe" 

"He is?" I said brightly.

"Yes, he's been taken back to England, he had his leg amutated" 

The words hit me like a thousand knives, stabbing me at once.

"Where am I?"

"Serie, Ypres, your safe but in your conditon we could not move you far" 

"Ypres?" 

"Correct" he said. My heart filled with hope, Edward is here! 

"How, how long have I been asleep?" I asked.

"Two weeks" he said.

"What?" I half screeched.

"Alice, do you have any idea of how ill you were?"

"I just remember getting back to St. George's and...."

"You blacked out, but were unresponsive and slipped into a coma"

"I was in a coma?" 

"Yes, but it is excellent your well now, as for any brain damage, it's hard to tell"

"Brain damage?"

"It's obviously nothing serious as you seem normal" 

I felt my cheek and felt jagged scabs covering the left side where my face hit the floor.

"Those will heal, no permanent damage" he reported. I nodded and let it sink in. Brain damage? Shit.  

I saw my wrist was in a cast too, layed out beside my body, how I hadn't noticed it earlier I couldn't fathom, then again, I had been pretty distracted.