This picture made me think about a story I wrote that has long been on a back burner…maybe it needs to be stirred. Here is a quick blurb from it..enjoy.
I must have fallen asleep shortly after my mom left. She had turned on my tv as she left and the movie she had put on was scrolling the ending credits. I tried to move my head but it felt like it was full of rocks and sloshing water. I could hear the usual hospital noises floating in through the slightly open door. The pain in my head must have been the grinding of the rocks in there because my mouth felt like it was full of gravel. I spotted the water pitcher and a plastic cup next to the sink just a few feet away from the bed. I knew that I probably shouldn't be out of bed but my need for a drink was a great motivator.
I sat up slowly and inched my legs over the side of the bed. I was thankful that the bed next to me was empty as I realized my backside was hanging out of my ridiculous hospital gown. Maybe it was the concussion or the pain medication but it entered my mind that I was relieved to have on clean underwear heeding my mom’s warning about accidents. I put my feet on the cold tile floor and put all my concentration on them. When I was sure they were solidly planted I slowly pushed myself to standing. A wave of nausea washed over me and I gripped the side of the bed and breathed deeply until it passed. Movement behind the door caught my attention. These nurses were good.
“Oh, hi. I just really need a drink.” The figure stood still. “You know, some water?” Still no response or move to help me. Maybe these nurses weren’t so good.
I looked a little closer and could see the hem of a hospital gown illuminated by the TV which was the only light source in the room. The top half of the figure was obscured by the dark.
“Oh, sorry. I thought I was alone and you were the nurse. I didn’t realize I had a roommate.”
My eyes adjusted to the dark and I could see it was a man. He was standing very still with his arms at his side. I noticed that his skin was pale and had an unhealthy tint to it. His feet were bare and I could make out that his toenails were thick, yellow and peeling. I hoped whatever he had wasn’t contagious.
I pushed myself off the bed and crept to the sink. I filled the cup from the tap and drank like it would be my last. I was going for seconds when the door to my room swung open and a young woman in scrubs stepped in.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yea, I just needed some water but that dude over there looks like he may need you.”
She looked around the room, “What dude?”
I looked behind her where he should have been. The darkened space was empty.
“Maybe you hit your head harder than you thought,” she smiled at me.
I felt all the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up. I knew I hadn’t hit my head that hard.
©Joy Yehle, 2013
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