33 2. Waking Up

Tired.

So tired.

In the middle of nowhere, she keeps walking alone on the dark road. Everything around her was darker than nighttime. It felt like she walking in a long distance, desolate road.

So tired.

The thought of tired keep pushing her forward to walked through the dark road. The sense of time was too foreign for her now. The only thing she could see at the end of the road was a small light. It felt so close, yet too far away from her reach.

When can she arrive? She's tired already...the blank expression on her face was so pale, but her footsteps never stop even once. As if her feet were controlled by some spiritual energy to make her keep walking forward endlessly.

Until...she felt something. Looking at the end of the desolate dark road, she finally saw the brightness light in her life. It comes closer and closer until...

######

At the biggest private hospital in the city...

Bang!

Like a spark of fireworks, her conscious started to get clear. Slowly, very slowly, she opened her eyes.

A dim, white light covered her sight. She closes back her eyes, trying to get accustomed by the blinding light. After a few moments later, she opened her eyes again.

' Where am I...?'

A woman in a clean white hospital gown blinking as she scrutinized the creamy white place in confusion. She recognizes the place as a room. The beeping sounds on her right side keep buzzing on and on, sending headache to her.

" Urgh..." She groaned in pain. She felt her body heavy and immovable as if big chains shackled her down.

Then, she heard a click sound not far away from her. A nurse with a steel tray in her hand.

" You're awake!" The nurse was shocked when she saw the patient opens her eyes. She strode to her side, immediately pressed a button to call for a doctor on-duty tonight.

' A nurse? Am I in the hospital?' the woman frowned. She felt something was amiss because she doesn't remember anything being in an accident or so.

" How do you feel?" the nurse asked, as she began checking the medical apparatus and wires crisscrossing on her body.

" ....thirsty..." she whispered, hardly any sound was heard clearly.

Fortunately, the nurse catches it. "Wait a moment, Madam. I'll ask the doctor whether it's okay for you to drink. He'll come soon,"

She stunned. Hardly catch the way of the nurse calling her out.

' Madam?' An unbelievable expression painted her pale face.

" Nurse...may I know...if I'm in the hospital...?" she asked, in one by one word because her throat felt dry and scratchy.

" Yes, Madam. You're in the hospital. Oh, the doctors here!" the nurse turned to look at the opened door as a group of doctors and nurses swarmed inside the VIP room. She didn't catch a weird look on the woman.

The lead doctor strode forward, start checking her vital points by using a stethoscope. He starts talking to her.

" Hello, I'm Dr Feng. How do you feel?" He takes a look at her report card while asking her wellbeing.

" She asked for water," the nurse interrupted.

Dr Feng nodded, " That's good to hear. You let her drink using straw first, if hard for her, use drips." he gave permission. The nurse nodded and went out to get the drink.

" Madam, it's so good to see you awake. It's been two years and your husband missed you so much. He comes here last night to accompany you and went to work only this morning. I..." before Dr Feng went on with his speech, he was interrupted by the woman.

" ...wait...wait a minute...madam? Husband? Wha...what do you mean? Am I married?" the woman starts an outbreak. Her breath getting faster and irregular. The doctors alarmed at the sudden spike of her heartbeats.

" Yes. Madam, calm down. Don't stress out. Do you remember your name?" Dr Feng pushes her down as she wanted to get up.

" Na..name? My name is Layla..." she breathes in and out faster as a sharp pain stinging her head.

" Madam? Are you alright?" Dr Feng quickly checks her when she grabbing her head and whine in pain.

" My...head...hurt so...much..." Her eyes saw dots. Slowly, she succumbed back to darkness.

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