Eye of the Storm

Chapter 15

PART 3 - THE RECOVERY

Everything is calm, like a wave softly lapping against the sand. Complete serenity. Peace. Until, SNAP! My eyes open wide, so fast that I don’t even have time to process what’s around me. All I can hear is a faint ringing in my ears. Where am I? My eyes slowly adjust to the bright, white light above me. Slowly I start to hear conversation nearby, slipping through the ringing in fragments.
“She’s waking up,” The voice is deep, nothing I’ve heard before. Or at least I think so. My vision returns to me without warning. “Esme? Esme can you hear me?” Yes, I can. I try to push the words out of my mouth but they won’t budge. A man’s face comes into view, middle aged, I’d say. Clean shaven and slicked back hair. Hospital scrubs cover his body. I feel his hand digging under my body, pulling me into a sitting position, sending jolts of pain down my body like electric shocks. I feel powerless. His hands reach for my head, his eyes searching.
“Is she ok?” comes another voice. The doctor nods.
“From what I can see it’s just a few scratches, she’ll need to take it easy, though, for a few days. But I think tomorrow she should be suitable for discharge,”
“Thank god,” I know that voice.
“Don’t put too much pressure on her to do anything, she may not be ready,”
“Of course, Dr Kennedy, thank you so much for all your help,” the doctor, doctor Kennedy, I assume. He nods and smiles at me, letting go of my fragile figure and stepping back.
“I’ll leave you two alone, call me if you need anything,” With that, he’s gone.

My mothers arms flood me, holding me tighter than I’d like.
“I’m so glad you’re ok, angel,” she whispers into my ear. I open my mouth but no sound comes out. I nestle my head into the crook of her neck, trying to hold back tears. “I was so worried!” she pushes me back by my shoulders, looking me in the eye. “I promise I won’t let anything harm you again,” judging by the look on her face I know I can trust her. I feel strength returning, so I decide to look around the room. White drapes hang around the bed and on the window, with a view overlooking… overlooking my home. I point to the window. “You want to look?” mum asks. I nod. She helps me out of the bed and to the window, and the tears just come flowing down in waves. It’s real, I’m home! I’m really home! Everything is just how I left it, like it was just sitting, waiting, for me to come back. Mum holds me carefully this time, as we look at the window together. Finally, I turn to her, mustering enough energy to mutter the words,
“Where is Leo?”