Trials: Chapter IV-2
IV-2 - Lewis
I could just discern a steady, monotonous drone, often punctuated by a low rumbling or crackle. My breathing was deep enough to feel, somewhat raspy, and it displaced whatever was covering my chest repeatedly, moving it away and then falling back into place over and over again. I slowly became aware that I couldn't see the source of any of these sensory inputs. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes, where I was greeted by a very hazy montage of dim yellow and white. From the corner of my eye I saw bit of black and turned my head to the right to find any attachment to the black object, but instead I was greeted by a blinding flash of light and equal pain. It was enough to tear a whimper from my maw. I jerked my head back to the left and waited for the knot to loosen.
"Agh... damn. . ." I mumbled, my eyes watering. I heard an odd sound, which caused my ear to twitch in response. The sound became louder, rumbling and then sounding as if its origin were struggling for air, until it faded away.
'Thunder?' I questioned myself.
I heard another sound, closer than the thunder I had heard moments ago. This sound was one a deeply sleeping person would make when disturbed, muffled and indistinct. I stayed silent, and since I was quite dazed; I had no idea where I was, who or what was near me, or just why the hell I was just pounded by an anchor when I turned my head to the side. I exhaled and closed my eyes again, trying relax before any attempt to move around.
The next time I opened my eyes; the scenery around me had changed, as the walls were now a light green color and the room was arranged differently. I sighed and took a deep breath to rouse myself from sleep; but I was cut short by another pain, this time duller and in a more general area. My eyes closed again despite my greatest effort. Sometime later, I felt the air pressure shift, causing my ear to twitch. I opened my eyes to see the source, a tall foreigner clad in a rather colorful doctor's style jacket.
"Ah. Good evening, Mister Sivith," He came towards me, now between the bed in which I was laying in and the patterned curtain to my left. "I see you've finally decided to join us! I'm Doctor Alma, by the way." He said with gusto; tilting his head to me and sitting in a somewhat ugly chair.
"Um..." I inquired, wondering why there was an M.D in the same strange room I was in.
He chuckled and scooted closer before speaking in a pleasant tone.
"Well. You're in the Lowellville Ashram-Fuller Hospital; a couple days ago you were attacked by a group of teenagers. We've kept you on medication that left you in a reduced state because of the condition you were in; which was rather bad given the damages done... but your brother informed us you have a considerably weaker immune system; so that explained the issue there." He smiled again, this time showing a portion of the pearly white teeth behind his jowl. I stared at him blankly for a moment before I recalled a little of Monday's events.
".... Right. . ." I replied distantly, shifting around in the bed as much as I could without yelling out. I had at least figured out where I was, and why each time I inhaled my nose stung, why I couldn't turn my neck without hurting like hell, and most evidently why I was starving.
"Now then... I must inform you of two things, most likely obvious. One, you haven't ingested any solid foods since before the incident; and you currently have no pain medication in your system. The latter reason is so we can evaluate your condition; unaltered by any drugs. As soon as we're finished, I'll get you whatever you wish and something to kick the pain in the teeth."
"Alright... that sounds nice. I'm hit by a double decker bus every time I turn my neck." I said humorously, which caused him to chuckle again.
"Alright, all we need to do is for you to tell me where and how and pain or discomfort is, alright?" he pulled a fancy silver pen from his breast pocket.
"Uhm... my neck, every time I turn it too much; it's really sudden and blunt" "Like a bus?" He commented, smiling again.
"Yeah... uhm. I get a really dull feeling in my stomach from breathing, and my nose burns too. That's about it I suppose..."
He nodded and re-capped his pen. "Alright then. I'll order you a lunch; you woke up just in time for it my friend!" He paused, and then smiled warmly. "Actually, I could bring you something from the canteen." He put his paw to his muzzle as if whispering a secret. "Funny, the guest food is better than the patient food! Well, except the breakfast. Oh my goodness the biscuits and gravy are absolutely fabulous!"
I was somewhat disarmed. I had not accepted to the normal lunch, and I wasn't given a chance to object to his offer since he bolted out the door; well... statement. To get food from the guest area. Food was one of my higher priorities right now, but I didn't exactly want to impose upon him just to fill the cavern.
He did what he said, and he returned later on with a can of Sierra Mist, Original flavor potato chips, and a six inch sub sandwich, as well as a tiny cup containing an ovular green pill.
"Okay... the sandwich is Club, minus the tomatoes, and the green pill is to dull the pain. It may make you a bit drowsy though."
I turned to the tray before me, still a bit surprised. I noticed that at some point between my lunch's journey here, it the price sticker had been marked out in red ink.
"Err.. th.. thank you. . ." I stuttered, he smiled and waved his paw before pulling the curtain back to the wall some.
"You're very welcome." He said, before vanishing beyond the curtain. The air seemed to remain in turmoil, which meant he hadn't left entirely; I became aware that my room was double, and that I had a neighbor on the other side of the curtain. There were no voices, but I heard the shuffling of bed sheets, beeping and clicking devices, and the odd sound of his pen conveying findings to paper. I opened my sandwich and ate slowly, as well as swallowing the tiny pill administered to me. There were only two people on my mind the whole time, from the first bite, to the last trace of whatever delicious sauce was smeared on the wrapping. When I finished my meal, I was more dazed by my thoughts than by the medicine; which was doing wonders to kill the pain. The waste went into the garbage can across the room.
"Nice shot."
The voice startled me, causing me to jump in response. Jason turned the corner and came to sit by me. He looked terrible.