Chapter Fifty

Beep. Beep. Beep.

What the hell is that constant beeping?

It that feels like needles are pricking my left hand. I force my eyelids to open, but there"s a sharp pain on the right side of my face.

Talk about a massive hangover. This has to be that, right? I can only see out of my left eye; my head feels like it has been used as a punching bag; the sharp, throbbing pain in my legs makes me nauseous.

There"s a tightness around my chest, making it difficult to breathe. The burning, stabbing sensation in my face feels like I was thrown against a wall.

Slowly scanning the room with my one eye, a silent whimper escapes me as I move my head.

God.The pain radiating through my bones is excruciating.

I hear a smooth, calming voice. "Oh my God! She"s waking up. Go get the nurse." Her voice sounds so familiar. Footsteps race out of the room. When I try to speak, a soft, warm touch caresses my right hand, bringing me comfort through the pain.

"Hey there. Can you hear me? My name is Dr. Royals. Do you know where you are?" The doctor shines a bright light in my one eye and repeats, "Can you hear me?"

My brain is telling me to nod yes, but my body is saying no. The pain is unbearable. The doctor leans closer to my face; I can smell sweet spearmint. I slowly open my mouth, and a strained, hoarse-like voice comes out. "Where am I?"

"You're at Milwaukee Medical Center. You've been here for five days," he says.

Five days! How did I end up in the hospital?

The doctor continues. "You were involved in an automobile accident. The driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to flip several times. You sustained a significant number of injuries to your body.

The seatbelt fractured your collarbone…

A collapsed lung caused by four broken ribs which punctured your chest cavity…

When the airbag deployed, you sustained facial injuries, including abrasions and burns…

Oh my God. That beeping sound. Will someone please shut the fucking thing off already.

"We will continue to monitor you over the next few days. The nurse will come in every fifteen minutes to administer pain medication. Try and get some rest. I will be back tomorrow morning to check on you. You are fortunate to be alive."

My heart feels like it's going to rip free from my chest. My body begins to tremble, and my chest feels so tight, as if someone is squeezing my insides.

Pain. Oh my God, so much pain all over. The vital sign monitor begins to beep rapidly as my anxiety increases.

"What's happening to her?"

The familiar voice yells in the room. Her panic and fear radiate through my body as I start to slip away. Finally, my eyelids become heavy, and everything goes dark.

Beep. Beep. Beeeeep.