Chapter 7 | The Truth
People generally
see what they look for,
and hear what they listen for.
- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
~¤§¤~
"Where is everyone else? How long have I been here?" I finally say, getting what has most been on my mind out into the open. I have never liked hospitals, I don't know why. Something about it is so unsettling, maybe the fact that someone could have died on the bed that I am lying on? Okay wait, I shouldn't think like that. It's gonna freak me out more.
"Everyone is at our home Alice, in Empyreal. They have been staying with us since the fire stopped. You-" Clara stops speaking and she looks down, unable to look me in the eyes. Nick places his hand on her shoulder, probably telling her that he will continue for her.
"You have been in a coma for four months, the doctors thought that you weren't going to wake up with how unstable your condition was"
"Then that explains why my head is still throbbing like I have been shot." I reply sarcastically, but the full force of what Clara says suddenly pops into my mind.
"Wait, did you say Empyreal? My siblings are in the capital city? Then where are we?"
"We are in a hospital in Miststone. It was too dangerous to move you to the city." Alex says, chiming into the conversation, knowing that I wouldn't listen to what my Aunt and Uncle were going to say after finding this out.
"Auntie Esmeralda is trying to find a way to let you leave the hospital and come with us to the city," Leon says, with excitement.
"She took the day from being a queen to visit you...." Leila chimes in, though even though she looks excited I can tell that she is worried about me.
I nod in response, breaking eye contact with Leila and looking out the window. The sun is starting to set, making the sky look like it's on fire. Maybe there is a way for me to start over, as Amber. I can live with my sister's powers of fire, make the curse my own and change the way I act, and someday. I can find a way to bring Amaya back to me.
"Miss Alice." the head doctor says walking into the room, "Now that everyone is here I would like to update you on your condition and how it may affect you in the future"
His voice is calm, but I catch the hint of sarcasm in his voice, as if he doesn't want to be saying this sort of thing to an 8-year-old girl and that he doesn't actually care.
"You have been in a coma for the past four months, with a very low heart rate to the point that for about an hour your heart had stopped. During the time, you were burning like you were on fire and we found traces of blood fire in your system. After removing the bloodfire from your system and using water healing methods to finally cool you down to a normal temperature, your body started showing signs of changing."
He gestures to my left hand.
"As you can see, your hand has changed to its spirit alternative during the process and the same can be said of your eye. We are uncertain as to why this has occu-" I cut him off by raising my left hand, tired of hearing his voice. If you are not going to care about one child, then I'm not going to give you the time of day or my attention.
"I am aware of why this has happened, and you do not need to know. It is my burden to carry for the rest of my life."
My voice once again does not sound like myself and I sound like my older self. This is confusing on why my voice is doing this, I've never heard of this happening to anyone besides Leila.
