From The Dead, Again

Months ago, as I was stuck in a hospital bed, I remembered being able to hear those coming in and out of my room to check on me. I could occasionally feel a touch as they would move me. Even though I cannot physically feel someone in contact there always seems to be someone in the room with me. Sometimes, I can pick up the scent of a soft perfume. Sometimes it's a bit harsh yet still pleasant knowing it's close. I can hear people coming in and out throughout the day but someone always seems to be there.

I have no sense of time though. I can't see any light. The room seems to always be dark until someone opens the door. Even then I can tell the light is artificial. I just feel sick all the time. Might be mana poisoning from whatever I used. May just be the damage to my body from the cold and Thomas. I'm dreading what after-effects that's going to have.

I don't even know where I am. The bed feels too comfortable to be a hospital bed. Do I have the energy to open my eyes? Doesn't seem like it. Just… relax… and maybe… It hurts everything but I can ping the area around me. I can see the room for a brief moment. It's one of the guests' rooms in the main house. Someone is sitting in the chair close to my left between the door and myself. I can't see who it is. Everything is blurred like static.

I feel something soft on the back of my paw with a soft voice flowing into my ear, "Rest, Red. You can't be moving yet." I didn't move. I didn't make a sound. It must have been Madam Odette then. She felt the small surge as I pinged out. If she's here then I'm going to be ok or die in this bed.

Again, time just seems to move forward at no specific pace. I start to feel my body ache as I hear that I'm doing better. I still can't move but I'm much more aware of what's happening. It could have been days or hours that have gone by and I couldn't tell anymore. I still hear those voices and footsteps as they go in and out regularly. With a deep inhale I feel myself sink into the bed a bit more as my eyes struggle to open. The colors are blurred, and everything looks like shapes. I can't move my eyes from the spot they are fixed upon. My head won't turn either.

I watch as a few others walk around me. Their conversations aren't discernible to my ears. The voices are all familiar with an undertone of concern. I'm able to watch as color begins to return. The sky turns orange as the sun sets. The soft blue before it becomes dark is oddly soothing. Just resting my eyes feels wonderful now. My body is slowly starting to get feeling back. My limbs can twitch but they don't move as much. It feels like I'm laying on needles until it goes numb again. Maybe it's numb. Maybe it's back to normal.

I nod off again. I can feel it this time. It's not just time passing. I can feel myself being tired, but when I wake up it's still dark outside. How long has it been? I don't see a clock. I only see a warm orange light off to the side with someone sleeping comfortably in a chair that's been moved to the side of the bed. From the shape of the head, it's another fox. Is it Anne? Could it even be Madam Odette? Her voice is one that I was able to recognize as almost always being around.

This time I can feel my body start to wake up wanting to move. I shuffle under the blankets a bit. Legs are moving, toes can be felt, arms are there, fingers wiggle and have the sensation of touch, and my neck can move but feels stiff. I think I'm ok. Putting weight on my body might be a bit much but I'll see here shortly. I'm able to move myself to the edge of the bed with no problems. Nothing feels too sore or out of place. The blanket gets tossed off to the side. Looking down, well, I'm not too surprised now that I think about it. My clothes are missing. Probably to help tend to my wound. I'm scared to look. If I do what am I going to do about it?

With a deep inhale I get myself sitting with my paws on the floor. Another huff and I'm up. Still a little wobbly but I'm stable. With a paw on the wall, I'm able to follow the outside until I find the door to the bathroom. It's already open, saving me a little bit of strain. There's an odd smell in here, almost like iron. Once the light is on I can see why. This place still hasn't been fully cleaned. There's no telling how long it has been but I can tell from the bandages and what little of the cloth that was my boxers that this is where a lot of care happened.

Even with the tile floor being so cold it feels wonderful. Not because it is cold, but because I can feel it at all. Everything has been so numb for a while that having some reassurance that my sense of touch is still intact is some piece of mind. The marble counter looks spotless. Someone had to have cleaned it then for further use. Looking around with the light it becomes apparent that this isn't just anyone's bathroom. This is the master bathroom of Madam Odette.

There's a small glass on the counter that I have been looking for. I don't know how long I have been laying in that bed just watching the others and time go by but I know for an absolute certainty that I am thirsty. I take a whole glass slowly to not wash my gut out. With my head leaning back I brace for the worst. I rotate my hips around so I can see my back. As my eyes open I expect something missing but by whatever forces are at work, there it still is; my second tail. Full control and range of motion. Was it… was it reattached? If it was, should it look so… pristine? I see no stitches. I know I haven't been out that long that it's healed over. Even so, wouldn't there be a scar? That cut that took it off was not clean by any means. The kitchen knives are kept sharp and clean but that hack was… not…

I'm getting sick just thinking about it. I don't want to. I'm just going to take this at face value. The light clicks off as I enter back into the bedroom. Madam Odette is sitting in the chair completely undisturbed by my venture. She has a book in her lap half open with her thumb on the page she was reading. Her bookmark is tucked under the cover. I move it to her page sliding it off of her lap. I get a small reaction from her but she doesn't wake up. Her place is saved, the light is off, and she mumbles in her sleep as I walk away. I didn't catch it but I hope it wasn't anything derogatory toward me. I wouldn't blame her though. I did cause a bit of a mess.