*beep*
*beep*
*beep*
I was asleep. Beside me, I could hear the faint sound of a machine beeping. I took a breath, but what came out was a weak wheeze. Slowly gaining consciousness, I opened my eyes, looking up and staring at the ceiling of a room.
Using my eyes, I looked around myself. I was laying down in a hospital bed, covered by a white blanket with tubes connected to me. To my right, I saw the machine I heard-the heart monitor-beeping as it was checking my heart rate. To my left, there was a ventilator, which was providing me oxygen through a mask I wore. Further from that, there was a window, open and letting in cool air. Outside, I heard birds chirping, and the light coming from the sun shining in the blue sky.
Confused as to where I was and why I was here, I moved. When I did, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation run through my body. I was numb. It was possibly from medication that was given to me, and due to the numbness, I couldn't feel any pain. All I felt was this tingle giving me such discomfort. Seeing that I didn't like the feeling, I stopped my attempt to move any more and just laid still in my bed.
This place... I thought to myself.
Just then, I heard the door of the room opening and using my eyes, I looked to see a man enter inside.
"You're finally awake," the man said.
The man wore a long white coat with gray streaks running down and a black shirt underneath. He had on dark-green pants and dark-brown shoes. From the way he was dressed, he seemed like someone who worked a professional job, like a doctor or professor.
The man grabs a chair and places it next to me, then sits down. "If you're wondering where you are, you're in the hospital. After what happened between you and him, you were critically injured and rushed here for surgery."
Hearing what he said, I remembered everything that happened. I was in a room with another boy who was the same age as I was. The two of us had makeshift blades and we fought each other, leading to my defeat. I was left with multiple cuts, resulting in blood loss and leading me to this injured state. I had nearly died.
"I'm sorry. This was not the result I wanted. I expected a different conclusion, but he manipulated you and those around you, changing the outcome. In doing so, you and the others ended up hurt. "
The others...
"Hngh..." I tried to speak, but wheezed.
"Don't try to speak," he said. "You're still recovering. It'll be long until you can return to your normal life."
I stared at him for a moment, then turned and looked back up at the ceiling. I'm not supposed to be here. I was supposed to die in that room, yet here I am, recovering from my injuries. I could never live a normal life after this.
*knock* *knock*
"We're coming in~!" The door of the room opened and I looked to see two people-a woman and a man. The woman had on a red jacket with a white shirt, and she wore black leggins alongside black shoes. As for the man, he wore a black uniform with a black tie and white shirt. I concluded that the woman was more casual while the man next to her was more professional.
"Oh, is the boy awake?" The woman came up to me. "Ah, he is! Hi there, sleepy head~!" she smiled and waved at me.
"Can you not stay still and control yourself for once? Get away from the boy," he told the woman.
"Alright, alright~..." The woman stepped back and stood by him again.
"Is there something you need?" the man in the white coat said.
The man in the black uniform nodded. "Everything's been prepared. If he's already awake, we should get back to work."
The man in the white coat nodded and stood up from his seat. "I suppose this is goodbye for now. I'll come back later and check on you." The three of them walked out of the room and closed the door behind them. I was alone in the room again. I stared at the ceiling one last time, then closed my eyes and slept.