New Me

Out Of The Hospital

I'm awake, but I keep my eyes closed. My brain hurts, it feels like I was thrown in front of a bus then tossed to a train. I breathe, and take in my surroundings. I smell salt water, no that's saline, okay I am definitely naked under this… blanket? No hospital gown. I can feel the IV in my left arm and a hospital band on my wrist. I hear normal walking around, cart wheels and none important conversations. I am currently not in danger. I opened my eyes and I was right. I am in a hospital room. After taking a look around, it's a human hospital. The closest one from my house was almost 10 miles out, thanks to dad. I push the nurse button on the remote. I heard a woman at the nurses station I believe.

“Oh the young girl in room 4 is finally awake, i'll be right back” - her voice was soft and comforting. Entering the room was a young, blonde woman with soft brown eyes. She was tall and thin, like she works so much she forgets to eat thin, her hair was pulled up into a ponytail showing off her small hooped earrings. I try to get a smell from her but that's when I notice it's masked. But I can't get mad because my scent is also masked. Maybe we’re both running.

“Hello, my name is Jessica but please call me Jess. How are you feeling?” - she asks as she begins checking my vitals.

“I’m fine” - i try not to sound rude but come on, think of the night i just had.

“Okay, I'll have another nurse bring you some water when I am done. Can I have your name?” - she is currently standing next to me. I look up and pause, do I want to give this woman my name?

“It's Zara” - I quietly said.

“Hello Zara, what a beautiful name. Now do you mind if I ask you some questions to understand what happened that led you here?” - i dont reply, only because I don't know how to reply.

“What time is it?” - i politely ask, forcing a small smile on my face

“It's just past 11am, so you can get lunch soon if you are ready to eat” - she feels safe. If it's 11am then i've only been asleep for a few hours, i can probably head back home and try to find any new clues to who took my family. I take the light hospital blanket off, but before I can hop off the bed, Jess stops me.

“Now you've been asleep for a little bit so maybe let's take it easy. I can help you to the bathroom.” sleep for a bit? How long was I really out? I panic a little bit and she can see it on my face.

“How long?”

“4 days”

My heart hurts, and of course my head too. It's like she could sense my change of attitude. She puts her hand on my shoulder, and smiles. That's when I smell it, well her, she let her scent out but only for a second. I look up and smile. She's trusting me. But before we could get all sentimental, there was a little commotion at the nurses station.

“I am here for my niece, why won't you let me see her, what room is she in. She has brown hair, brown eyes, she's about 5’8 and has been missing for days now” - a man's voice roared

I immediately look at my nurse, Jess, with panic in my eyes.

“I don't have an uncle.” and that's all she needed to hear. Jess took out my IV and quickly helped me to my wobbly feet.

“Give me one second, i will be right back, i promise.” - she said as she looked deep into my eyes, and I knew she meant it. One second was exactly how long she was gone. This woman was fast. She gave me a bag. Well, I think it's her big purse, and inside there was an outfit. I am assuming it was her emergency clothes. I stripped and got dressed, and slid on some hospital slides. Before I could walk out Jess stopped me.

“Here, take this, go here and I will meet you there later tonight. Keep the door locked and lights off until I am there. Got it?” - hell yeah i got it, i felt like my mom just gave me a direct order. I nod my head and wait for her to leave first. She handed me a key with a sticky note with an address on it.

“I will go to the right, towards the nurses station and distract that man. Go to the left and turn right, you'll find the exit stairs. Go all the way down to the garage and leave from there. Just in case this guy has friends and they are waiting at the front.” - I nod again, don't need to tell me twice. And that's exactly what we did. I made it out of the garage, she didn't tell me it was like a maze, and found a very busy street. Now I've never been to this town so I have absolutely no sense of direction. I make my way to a bus stop. There's a young boy sitting here, with big headphones on with loud music, a big red and black bookbag and a somewhat new smart phone in his hand. I sit next to him and lightly tap his shoulder.

“Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you but could you help me by giving me some directions? I am not from here.” - I said as nicely as possible. Trying not to sound like a weirdo.

“Uuhh, sure miss. What's the address?” - thank god for this boy. I gave him the sticky note and he typed the address in his phone.

“So it's about a 30 minute bus ride but it'll take you straight there. You’ll want to catch the number 10 bus.” - Now this next question made me feel like an old lady.

“Can you tell me how many stops?” - I gave a weak smile.

“12” - then he put his headphones back on and within a few minutes he boarded his bus. I waited for what felt like eternity for my bus. I started counting all the cars that drove by then starting putting them in color categories. I stood and headed for the bus then remembered , buses are not free. s**t, f**k, i whisper to myself. I pray the bus driver is nice, please please please please. And yes she was! Thank you moon goddess. I sit near the back door just in case I need to make a run for it. Then I started counting stops.