Trials: Chapter V
V - Recovery
He sat for a few minutes; one, two.. tick, tick, tick; sixty times, four more times. I lost count around 280. I couldn't determine whether his stare was at or through me, but either way he didn't make any other sounds. The silence had long since settled until my room mate stirred in their bed. At this, Jason's gaze returned to a part of our dimension.
"How're you feeling bud?" He scooted the pinkish chair and sat closer to my head. Instinctively, I started to turn my head toward him, forgetting the crude punishment I was to receive. Again my eyes watered, this time I only winced since my brother was before me.
"I'm great," I replied, biting my lower lip. " I feel like I've slept on a rock.."
"Well.. you've been in that bed quite a while. Wouldn't surprise me if you had turned to stone yourself" he joked, causing me to smile through clenched teeth.
"No kidding."
I found the remote for my bed and started fiddling with it. Laying almost flat, trying to hold a conversation with someone you can barely see is quite unnerving, even though it was my brother beside me. I felt a firm paw grasp mine, prying the control from my own.
"Here don't hurt yourself now."
'...why is he being so... parental?' I let go of the remote, placing my arm within the cloth prison once more. He messed with the settings for about a minute or so, my head was too high, or my back was at a bad angle; my legs were too low. Eventually he became satisfied with my head and back at a nearly 70 degree angle, and my feet pointed down slightly.
'Is that 20? 35 degrees?'
"Is.. is that OK?" he asked, raising the remote once more in case I objected.
"Yes, don't worry. It's fine Jason... Stop playing with that before you break it, or me."
He smiled and nodded, but at the same time his ears fell back. Whenever he feels embarrassed or "on the stool" he tends to look down with his ears backward, giving him the appearance of a scolded toddler.
"Okay.. sorry." He said, laying the remote back in its small compartment. He sat. and then silence once more. I figured he was having some difficulty with this situation, so I reached out blindly to touch him.
"Go get yourself a drink.. relax a bit. I'm alright. Yes I've been in a comatose state for almost two weeks.. I think? But I'm awake now, I'm safe. Nothing is going to happen. I mean.. I'm not feeling the greatest right now.. I could use a boiling bath and my own bed for a day or so.. and maybe a whole pharmacy worth of pain killers, but I'm okay."
".....Are you sure you'll be okay? I.. I mean, you don't need anything? Like.. restroom, or a drink? All I have to do is as-"
"Jason." I laughed. "get out, you can only come back after you get a drink and some fresh air."
He sighed, then patted the top of my still outstretched paw. "Alright.. I will." He stood, then rubbed my shoulder and walked away.
I clicked on the television, a tiny wall mounted screen on the other side of the room. After determining nothing was on, I turned it off again, wondering whether it was Saturday or if the cable-programming here had just the crappy channels. A soothing voice brought me to forfeit my daydreaming. She sounded as if fussing with someone across the room. "Now now.. come on hon.. let me do it okay?"
I suddenly recalled I was in a double bed room, and the person across from me.
"Mmhh.. Nuuu!"
"Come on now.. I know you don't like it, but the sooner we get it over with the sooner you can relax dear.."
"No.. I can get up and do it myself!"
"Ohh hon.. you can't do that.. you'll end up hurting yourself again.. we don't need you to fall and make a bigger mess of yourself, do we?"
"*sniffle*... No... I.. I.."
The boy sighed and apparently gave up his struggle, in return she thanked him and set to her task. A few minutes later, she told him in the same soothing tone that he was done.
"Uhm.. nurse?" I croaked.
"Oh!" She exclaimed, hurrying back to my side, her heels clicking on the green-blue spackled tile.
"Yes Mr. Sivith?" .. "Need anything dear?"
"Uh.. may I have something to drink?"
"Certainly! Anything you want in particular? Soda, or juice. Water?"
"Oh.. uhm.. maybe grape juice?" I asked. I had always loved grape flavored drinks.
She nodded and hurried away. I heard more stirring, and another moan, this time sounding pained. Kyle, I assumed, having heard the name earlier; whimpered and moved again every few moments. I felt terribly sorry for him.. he sounded as quite uncomfortable, and here I was complaining about my own pain not too long ago as if I were dying.
"Oh Mr. Sivith?" she questioned, coming to my side of the curtain. "Sorry dear, the doctor says you aren't cleared for much yet.. so I had to get water.. I'm not sure when you're cleared though. He said to give you mostly clear fluids." She sounded disappointed.
"Ah, water is excellent.." I replied. "not a problem!"
Her expression brightened up again, and she set the iced drink (in a Styrofoam cup with a pink straw) raised arm-table by the bed.
"Thanks" I smiled to her.
She nodded happily, bouncing away to tend to other matters. I took a sip of the water expecting it to taste of minerals, but instead it tasted rather pure and crisp. I closed my eyes once more, in hopes of returning to my thoughts. The dull pain pounding at my being was becoming more and more prevalent.
I awoke to hear two voices, one of them Jason's; the other most certainly the patient across from me.
"...Oh yeah? That's pretty cool. You may meet my brother then. He goes there as well," Jason said. "I'm sure he'll show you 'round. I think he's a nice guy.."
He laughed the last part; while I smiled slightly. 'nice guy eh?'..
_"_How old is he? Is... is he my age?"
"Hm? Oh, Lewis is sixteen. He'll be seventeen in December."
"Oh.. I'm sixteen.. I'm seventeen this year... August."
"Cool, well.. if he ever stops sleeping I'm sure he'd like to have someone to talk to," Jason chuckled lightly "I think the medicine is really taking a chunk out of him."
His excitement showed in his voice "Really? That.. that would be nice.. I've been lonely since I got here.. everything is so strange."
They chatted for a while longer before the nurse returned and shooed Jason away, telling Kyle he should rest a bit before some tests later. Jason and I then spoke for a while, before I told him he better go home to sleep tonight. I eventually persuaded him to go, telling him he should update Alice and check on the house; as well as sort things out with his publisher.
I seemed to be sleeping frequently but gaining no energy. Before long the staff came in and did their business with me, another pair wheeling my neighbor away shortly after. I was given more food, this time more solid and allowed some tea. I was beyond ravenous and ate well.
The last nurse must have been intercepted as she left as I overheard the discussion releasing me. The nurse came in moments later to convey what the doctor had told her just outside the door.; I was to be released tomorrow evening around 9 PM if all were well by then. She also explained that I had recovered quite well from the injuries, although I would probably still be sore for a while. It was already quite late in the evening; seven, according to the clock on the far wall.
I heard talking a short while later, and realised my neighbor from earlier had returned. Being highly bored, and feeling bad for him since no apparent visitors came to do.. visiting; I struck up conversation with him through the curtain that separated us.
"Uhm.. Hello?" I called out in a light voice.
I heard a 'clank'; and another sound I couldn't determine before he replied in a cheery, almost-yelp:
"Er.. Hi!"
"How are you doing over there on the other side of the world? Your name is.. Kyle, right?"
"Uh-huh.. that's right. And I'm doing okay. Your name is Lewis!" he chirped back.
I grinned at the way he pronounced my name.
"Yes sir, that it is." I returned. "It's nice to meet you, by the way."
He let out a low giggle, then moved around again causing the same sound as before. I began pondering what it could have been.
"Nice meeting you too." he murmured, "How long have you been here?"
I actually wasn't quite sure myself, so I gave my best guess. "I'm not too sure really.. I was asleep for a day or two.. I think maybe four or five days? How about you?"
"Oooh.. wow! I've only been here a couple days.. but I was downstairs first. I remember hearing someone being moved in here though late at night." He explained.
"Yeah? I don't even remember. Must have been sleeping. I've done that tons lately it seems." I laughed, enjoying the company.
I decided to change the conversation up; since the introduction was being well stretched out.
"Do you live near here Kyle? Lowellville is pretty darn big; but I've never seen you around school or anything I don't think." I questioned, clenching my teeth as I adjusted the bed again.
He was silent for a few moments before responding with: "Uhm... I live by.. um.. . . ." and then trailing off again. His chipper excitement seemed to have left the room.
"Kyle..? You okay?"
He remained silent for a bit longer before letting out a muffled sigh.
"Um.. I dunno.. I just got transferred here.. but I came here the next day after cause I got sick or something. I.. I'm not sure.."
"I see..." I replied halfheartedly, confused by his use of "transferred". "...what do you mean by 'transferred'.. if you don't mind me asking? But- I don't want to upset you... only if you want to.." I smiled, though he was unable to know of it.
"Oh.. it's okay.. I mean.. I got adopted again and I just recently moved to my new.. home.. But I don't remember where it's at; the address."
My 'smile' faded, but only because of the situation. After a bit of though, I realised he had just been adopted; (possibly one of many adoptions) and that he had somehow obtained a concussion and couldn't remember much from recent happening; and possibly had an already present memory issue on top of that since he remembered different things from varying times. I honestly didn't want him to be upset either.
'Almost ten.. I don't want to say goodnight with him feeling down though..'
"I see.. well, maybe if you try really hard? I have weird memory too.. so don't feel bad for that" I reassured him. "Now then.. want me to teach you a trick I use to remember things?"
"You do?" he responded, sounding a bit more lifted. "and.. okay. Why not?"
"Alright.. now then, try to remember anything you can before you find the empty spot. Then.. work as close as you can to that, and maybe it'll come back a bit as you work up to it. I do that myself when I forget stuff.. It can help sometimes." I spoke with a light tone, not wanting to sound commanding. "Once I tripped and bruised my knee; and I tried to remember after I was better what I was doing when it happened.. It turns out I was trying to jump over the coffee table in the den at home. That was when I was younger though" I chuckled.
"Ohh.. okay.. I'll try that sometime.. I never thought of that."
I yawned silently, beginning to feel more and more tired.
He remained silent for a while before saying "Marrel.. I think."; though not to me directly.
I was hit by a mental bus, or maybe even a train.
'Marrel.. Marrel... Wait, Anne Morrel is a senior at school and they live directly across the road from where I do' I thought. He must have gotten somewhere and gotten confused on the name; and I'm sure I didn't know anyone by the surname of 'Marrel'. I thought of bringing it up, but I was far too tired to force wakefulness much longer and instead bid him goodnight.