A Ticket Out of Life

Chapter Forty-Six

I slowly started to regain consciousness. Something was plastered to my face on my mouth and I couldn’t help but to feel dizzy. I didn’t have the strength to open my eyes and I heard voices somewhere around me but I couldn’t identify them nor place them. I laid there for a bit longer as I let the dizziness fade away. Something felt different. I slowly opened my eyes and noticed a hospital room. I had a mask on my face and I felt needles in my left arm. Why just my left? I thought as I slowly turned my head and looked down. My eyes widened as I stared down at the space where my right arm used to be. This has to be a dream, I thought as I closed my eyes again. It was weird that I couldn’t remember exactly what had happened. The voices were becoming clearer and I heard Aunt Maggie and Lance talking quietly about something. I opened my eyes again and tried to call their names, but all that came out was a croak. It seemed to catch their attention though. Their heads snapped up and the immediately walked over to my bed. I smiled weakly up at them and they returned it. Aunt Maggie’s eyes were red. Was she crying?

“Hey, princess,” Lance whispered as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. I tried to answer him but he put his hand over the mask to silence me. “Don’t speak, okay? Save your energy.” I raised an eyebrow at him and he chuckled. I gestured towards my stump of an arm with my eyes and Lance smiled sadly, but it was Aunt Maggie who answered.

“They had to remove your arm because it was dying,” she said as she smiled, although her voice seemed choked up. “Your whole arm was completely black. Did you know about that?” Her voice seemed demanding and I glanced away at first. I looked over at them sympathetically and Aunt Maggie huffed.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” she asked calmly. Taking a deep breath, I tried to answer.

“Try…ask…Bryn,” was all I managed to get out, but Aunt Maggie seemed to understand.

“You were going to ask him the night after your first performance,” Aunt Maggie said quietly and I nodded my head slightly. “I see,” she said looking away. “I’ll go get him right now.” I watched Aunt Maggie get up and leave, shutting the door behind her. I couldn’t help but wonder why her eyes were so bloodshot red. Did this freak her out that much? I looked at Lance and smiled and he shook his head as his smile widened slightly. I cocked my head to the side at him, but he didn’t seem to understand what I was trying to ask. I wanted to know why Aunt Maggie looked so miserable. He held up a ring and as I observed it, I noticed it was my ring.

“Dr. Bryn took it off when he removed your arm.” I beckoned with my eyes to my left hand and Lance’s cheeks turned slightly red. “You want it on your left hand?” I smiled cheerfully and he rolled his eyes. “As you wish, princess.” He carefully put it on my middle finger and I shook my head and lifted my ring finger. His smiled grew larger as he put it on my ring finger. He gently stroked my hair as he laughed. “You little brat.”

The door opened and Dr. Bryn, followed by Aunt Maggie, Jack and Mr. Haynes came in. As they walked over to me, I noticed that their eyes were a bit red as well. What’s going on? Dr. Bryn walked up to my bedside and smiled down at me.

“You gave us all quite a scare,” he said and Jack snorted.

“I’m pretty sure we all had heart attacks,” Jack said and I smiled. I raised my eyebrow at Dr. Bryn, hoping he would get that I was asking what happened. He pulled up a chair and put his hands together.

“Your lung collapsed,” he said and I gave him a blank expression.“During the middle of your performance yesterday.” My eyes widened and I looked to the side as I remembered. I knew it. I was wondering why it was getting harder to breath and here’s my answer. No wonder everyone looks upset. “Do you remember feeling anything?” I closed my eyes as I replayed the memory in my mind. Right before the stunts, I thought as I opened my eyes. I nodded and took a deep breath.