Days of Smiles

Chapter 19- White Pills and Twisted Ankles

Rae's POV

Void

That's how it is as I look around. Not only void, but also dark, very dark. I wonder if I'm dead. I hope not because that would mean I failed my mother, my father, and myself. I haven't found them yet, and I had promised I would. I can't die yet when I haven't done that.

I begin to hear voices around me, they seem to fill up the void. I try to understand what they're saying but I can't. A ringing begins in my ears and the place becomes brighter. I try to block off the light but it doesn't work.

The voices become clearer.

"Give her some painkillers when she wakes up to alleviate the pain from her injuries."

Injuries?

Immediately, everything rushes in. Getting abandoned by my friends... the stranger I'd encountered...witnessing Ava and Jake's make-out session...falling into the water...

My eyes flutter open.

I stare at the nurse by my bed. She seemed shocked but quickly composed herself and smiled at me. I stare at her.

"You're at the hospital Hun."

"I know." I say, more like a croak.

I look around for some water.

She looks a bit baffled. "Um...well I'll go inform your family." I frown. I try to reach out to her to stop her but a sharp pain from my foot stops me. I try to move it back to its original position but my head begins to spin, the ringing continuing.

The nurse immediately rushes back to my side.

"You are to relax and not stress yourself too much, you sustained an injury on your head and twisted your ankle." I look down at my foot that's been propped up on a pillow and see the cast that'd been wrapped around it. My hand also shoots up to my head and I feel the bandage wrapped around it.

Oh

"You might have a concussion so I'll give you some painkillers." She hands me a glass of water and some pills.

Where did the water come from?

I stare at the white pills. I've never liked drugs or hospitals. I've only ever fallen sick a few times and any experience in the hospital isn't a good one.

The nurse stares at me intently, with no form of irritation on her features. I wonder if she's not irritated or if she's just good at hiding it. I'd learned back at the orphanage that all medical practitioners are obligated to be nice, no matter how frustrating or annoying a patient is. I'm tempted to test her patience, but I refrain.

I swallow the drug in one gulp of water and gulp down the rest. The cold liquid runs down my throat soothing the dryness I'd felt earlier. She takes the glass from me and steps back. "I'll go get your family now." She walks out of the room, leaving me alone.

I stare at the ceiling.

I don't know how to feel about this. I don't understand how I'd slipped and fallen into the water. I try to recall more details, but an immense pain in my head stops me from doing so.

I look around the hospital room. There's a chair beside my bed and some machines which I'm thankful I'm not hooked to beside the chair. A large window is at the left, with a blue transparent curtain over it. In general, the room is quite bland, and the strong smell of various cleaning chemicals makes me feel like throwing up.

The door swings open and the nurse walks in, followed by Ava, Jake, and Elena.

Elena immediately breaks down in tears as she sees me, she slowly walks over and scans me over, more tears flowing down her cheeks.