Parahuman

Parahuman Chapter Two: Awake

     Lindsay regained consciousness slowly. Her head hurt terribly, and her entire body felt sore. Her bed was uncomfortable, and she felt as though she might have been having a nightmare before she had woken up. Of course she wouldn’t remember it. She never remembered her nightmares.

     She tried rolling onto her side, but was stopped by a tugging on her forearm. It wouldn’t have bothered her too much normally, except that this tugging was accompanied by a deep throbbing and a sense of coldness. She tried opening her eyes.

     The ceiling was unfamiliar to her. Fluorescent lights hid behind screens meant to soften their harsh white glow. The walls were wood paneled. A television sat attached to the wall ahead of her.

     A hospital. She was in a hospital. Why was she in a hospital. Lindsay tried sitting up, but her stomach muscles were sore enough that she laid back down gasping with the effort. They felt weird to her. Unusual.

     She rolled her head to the side. A machine stood next to her bed, beeping at her in regular intervals. A bag of fluid hung above it, lines leading down. She figured one of those lines went directly into her arm, somewhere near the elbow. There was something clipped to her finger and Lindsay could tell it was the heart monitor.

     Looking past the machine she could see a few leather chairs. Sitting in one of those chairs was Robin’s mother. She was asleep, head tilted slightly onto the chair. A novel rested facedown on her lap. There was nobody else in the room.

     Lindsay began attempting to sit upright, attempting to use the arm that didn’t have a needle stuck in it to help her sit upright. She had to use the restroom and she felt weird.

     Her struggling woke up Mrs. Tripp, who was instantly at her side. “You’re awake!” she said relieved.

     “What happened?” asked Lindsay groggily. “Where is this? Where am I?”

     “Shh, don’t worry about it. You’re in the hospital. Everything’s going to be okay.”

     “Where are my parents? Is Robin okay?” she asked, attempting to sound urgent.

     At this Robin’s mother looked worried. “I’m right here. Robin? Is everything okay?”

     Lindsay was confused. “Yeah, I know you’re right there. Where’s Robin?” Now not only was she concerned, but her voice wasn’t losing the thickness she assumed was just grogginess. Everything felt slightly off balance and it wasn’t going away.

     Robin’s mother had a slightly puzzled look on her face. “I… I’m going to get the nurse, and let her know you’re awake.”

     “Wait.” said Lindsay, struggling to sit up again, but Mrs. Tripp had already vacated the room. Wasn’t there just a call button around somewhere? She was beginning to panic, her breathing growing shallower and more rapid, the heart monitor beginning to beep more often. She moaned, feeling helpless to do anything.

     A nurse stopped by the entrance of the room and peered in at Lindsay, a worried Mrs. Tripp standing beside her. She leaned in close to the nurse and talk-whispered at her, both of them looking at Lindsay. Lindsay felt helpless to do anything and she didn’t like being looked at like an animal. Just as she was about to say something, the nurse stepped into the room. She headed straight for Lindsay.

     “Well, I see we’re awake now. How are we feeling today.” the nurse said, checking things on the clipboard she carried. She began comparing it to the monitor standing by Lindsay’s bed.

     “Um.” Lindsay wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Was it even a question? She decided to skip it. “What happened? Why am I here?”