Loud insistent beeping echoed around the sterile room, whitewashed and smelling of bleach, it was enough to raise the dead. A small slender hand twitched as consciousness seeped in, lips parted on a deep breath before a struggle ensued. A tube was pushed down the young woman's throat, as she began to struggle her matted red hair spread around her tangling in the sheets as panic held her in its clutches.
A nurse rushed in as the machine alerted them to an increased heart rate, reaching out she gently settled her hand on the young woman's shoulder.
"Calm down, you're in the hospital, we'll remove the tube once we've checked your vitals." The nurses' voice was soothing and gentle as she tried her best to calm the young lady. It took a few moments but finally, she stilled trying to make sense of the words being spoken to her.
Hospital? Why was she in the hospital? As the words registered she could feel the aches and pains register, a small noise of complaint left her lips around the tube. What had happened? Her eyes darted around the room trying to take in the room around her, which hospital? What city? Wracking her brain she tried to remember something, anything. A touch against her face startled her, the nurse was now checking her eyes shining a small torch into her eyes testing the dilation.
"Your heart rate has lowered now, that's lovely. We'll test your blood pressure and then we'll get the tube out. Can you squeeze my hand?" The nurse gently grasped her hand and waited for her to respond. With all the strength she could muster she tightened her fingers around the woman's hand, her hands were warm and soft with slight callouses on the palms. Her hands shook with the effort and she felt fatigued already. Another person entered the room, he looked like a doctor from what she could see of him, at the moment she didn't care who he was. All she wanted was the tube removed, it was making her panic, she could feel saliva filling her mouth and starting to dribble out of the corners.
"How is she, Nurse Linden?" The voice that spoke was low and with a gentle grumble, it was soothing yet familiar. This voice? She was sure she had heard it before, trying to remember caused a sharp pain to lance through her head like she had been stabbed. A gasp left her lips causing her once again to choke around the tube.
"A bit confused Dr Niall but her vitals are all good, she seems to be in good condition considering." Nurse Linden now reached out to soothe her again and whispered that they were going to remove the tube. A small suction tool removed any debris and she was told to take a deep breath and then cough. She was desperate to have it out and followed the instructions as the tube was then pulled gently until it was finally free.
Gasping she finally felt better, her throat was sore from the tube and the moment it was out she was rasping.
"Where am I? What happened to me?"
Nurse Linden and Dr Niall exchanged glances as if trying to figure out the best way to respond, worry showed in their eyes, Nurse Linden reached out for the clipboard hanging from the end of her bed.
"Well, to be honest, we were hoping you could tell us. We're wary of giving you any information, you damage to the skull and in all likelihood a very serious concussion," Dr Niall responded in a grave voice.
Now getting a good look at him she realised Dr Niall couldn't be very old, chocolate brown hair swept back out of his face with a strong square jaw and not an ounce of stubble in sight. He was quite handsome in a traditional sense, with deep green eyes that held compassion and understanding. Shifting slightly she tried to lift her head, the moment it left the pillow she felt a sharp throb and a wave of nausea.
"I...I'm not sure. There doesn't seem to be anything, I try to remember and my head hurts, throbbing. How did I end up here? What's...oh god, what's my name?" The panic rose again as she realised she didn't even know how she was, where was she from? Anxiety overtook her, a tightening in her chest that made it difficult to breathe and as she tried to get it back under control. Her vision started to blacken and get hazy and before she knew it was she was losing consciousness, just before she was fully out she could have sworn she saw a shape in the corner of the room, bright red eyes staring at her.
