Chapter 2 - Oh Brave New World

My eyes opened slowly and saw it was morning or thereabouts I mused. The window drapes were open and I could see the blue sky outside, the tops of trees were barely visible to me. 'Hmm', I thought, 'looks like I am on one of the high floors here'. Then my eyes snapped fully open. 'What the hell', I shouted in my mind. 'It is June 14, 2022 and I last remember it as December 2015. That is 6 and half years? But they said I was unconscious for three months roughly", my head swam and I was unable to process this information. 'They have no reason to lie to me, but this is impossible, I don't understand any of this' 

I heard a soft noise coming from where the door was I remembered and raised my head to look over to see the nurse from last night looking at me as she held a clipboard under her arm and was pushing a trolley into my room. "Ah you are awake Peter, I never got a chance to introduce myself from earlier but name is Nurse Alice, but just call me Alice, makes it a little simpler don't you think? I have just come in to give you a quick check over and make sure you are doing ok. Doctor Burton ran your vitals before and he was happy with your results. Looks like you can see your family sooner than you think." Alice paused as she noticed me stiffen and go pale. "are you ok Peter, you just paled suddenly, shall I go call the ward Doctor?" as she looked worriedly at me.

I quickly raised my hand to stop her and, speaking slowly to her, "Alice, I am afraid, I don't remember anything, family, accident, hell, the date is different in my head, what is wrong with me?" I looked at her pleadingly, trying to make sense of everything. I was about to tell her what I remember then stopped, 'how would it sound to someone that the last thing I remember I was shot and I believe I had died' I thought to myself.

Alice gasped and raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh this is serious. You did suffer some head trauma in your accident but all the scans came back negative to damage with your brain. I need to speak to a Doctor straight away and let them know of this, I can't imagine how disorientated you must feel. Waking up here, not knowing what had happened, but rest assured that you are in great hands and we will do the best for you. I will be back shortly." With that she turned and hurried out of the room before I can utter another word.

I let my head fall back as thoughts rushed through my mind. 'I don't get it, what's going on' I shook my head to somehow try and shake some sense loose but I just succeeded in making myself feel dizzy. Soon Alice and the Doctor from earlier had returned and I could hear Alice talking animatedly to him, "He just doesn't remember anything, when I spoke about the accident and family and he was just blank. The scans should have shown some damage, lesions or anything but it was clear.", Doctor Burton just nodded and I can see him agreeing with Alice. Looking over to me "Well Peter I wasn't able to check your memory earlier and luckily Alice picked this up from you. It would have been a shock when your parents walked in and you have no idea they were them, even your sister would have taken it hard". I blinked, "Sister?". "Ah yes", said Doctor Burton, " looks like we do have an issue. Can you, I mean, what do you remember?". "Nothing", I replied, "it's just nothing, I don't remember an accident, I don't remember my family, I don't even know what day it is", thinking to myself 'I need to understand more of this and if I say anything wrong, something might happen, hell Craig might hear about me waking up and will come and finish the job'

"Ok Peter", said the Doctor as he took a deep breath. "We have to run more tests, yes I know tests aren't fun", seeing my face grimace, "but this needs to be understood and in the end it will be better for you. We will run the usual cognitive tests and, while I think about this, I need to tell your family what is happening. They haven't arrived in yet but this, they need to know, for all of your sakes." Nodding at the Doctor, "I understand, I just want answers, something you know" I said questioningly. Doctor Burton, looked out the window and spoke "I will start things in motion and", looking at me sadly "I will speak to your parents and let them know. Do you want to see them now do you think or maybe wait?". 

"Can I wait please, I don't know how I feel and to be honest I am a little afraid of what to say or how to react. I mean you say they are my parents but no faces come to my mind", I shook my head as I answered him."I just don't know how to react."

"I know" said the Doctor, "give it time, I am sure it will all come back but for now I need to take Alice with me and I will get some light food up to you. Just eat slowly for now. Your stomach hasn't taken solid foods for a few months so it is going to take a little bit for you." Nodding to me, he motioned to Alice and she looked over at me worriedly before following him out of the room.

As they both left, I looked up at the ceiling and pondered, when a crazy thought awoke within my mind. I lifted my head quickly and scanned around the room, searching. Finally I found what I was looking for, not the best but in this situation it was the best I could expect in the given situation. I leaned over, stretching my arm, to my small bedside table and picked up the small metal instrument tray. Bringing it over to me closer I raised it up to my face and looked at myself. Crying out in shock, I dropped the tray and it clanged to the floor. The person, I saw looking back wasn't me, sure it was bit hard to distinguish properly but I was a 100% sure that the person looking back was not the me I woke up to for the last thirty two years. I began to panic, 'what is this?' I cried within, 'this is not happening, who was that person that looked back. He seemed young, guessing early twenties, maybe late teens', everything began to spin and I could feel conciseness begin to leave me. In those last moments before the darkness took hold, I heard a voice, it seemed to be everywhere and nowhere "In time this will pass, you need to be strong" and with that once again I slipped into the warm embrace of darkness.