Chapter One: The Sleeping Beauty

"Good Morning Doctor!" The nurse at the station merrily greeted me.

I smiled at her then greets her back.

"Good Morning Nurse Tanya." I saw how her cheeks flushed when I mentioned her name.

I slightly shook my head, somehow being admired by women still makes me uncomfortable. It makes things complicated and it felt like sometimes work is being compromised.

"Are you going to visit Sleeping Beauty?" She asks while looking at my hand that was holding a bunch of flowers.

"Yes, has anyone visited her lately?"

"There are none, it also has been a long time since her family visited."

I sighed, that poor woman. It looks like she was being abandoned. I just wish that she'll wake up before that happens.

"Is that so? Well, I'll get going. I'll see you later." I reluctantly smiled at the nurse before heading out.

My foot directly took me to a familiar room, it was at the fifth floor and it was at the farthest corner. No one really goes into this room except me and some nurses.

She wasn't even my patient. It just happened that she caught my attention when she first came into the hospital. Her illness is an unusual case and as a doctor, I got curious even though I specialized in pediatric cardiology and pedriatric critical care medicine.

It would be weird to see me at the fifth floor, because my office and the pediatric ward is at the third floor. But I have to see her.

Mary Julienne Andrade is a twenty-four year old comatose patient in this hospital. She was named Sleeping Beauty by the people in the hospital because she has an exquisite beauty.

She was brought here in the hospital three years ago. She had a brain tumor and was operated by a well-known surgeon at one of the best hospital in the United States. The operation was successful, but she hasn't woke up until now and even that world renowned surgeon doesn't know why.

As I opened the door, I was welcomed by the familiar smell of iodoform. It looks like her room was disinfected just moments before I came in.

I went to the window adjacent to her bed to open it and let some air and sunlight into her room. Maybe its a good thing that I bought some flowers for her today. It would lessen the distinct smell of the iodoform.

I fixed the flowers in a vase before putting it on her bedside table.

I sat beside her bed to closely observe her.

She has angelic face. Pale white skin, long brown hair, nice cute pointed nose and a thick eyelashes. I wonder what her eyes would look once she's awake.

"I'm here again." I talked.

I softly warded off some stray hair that was obstructing her face.

"It's been months since your family visited."

I stood up to get some face towel and a small basin with water.

"Were you sad?" I continued talking while I started wiping her face and arms with the towel that I brought. I also changed her socks and slightly massaged her foot to regulate her blood flow.

"Your Birthday is around the corner. I remembered when I saw your files."

I took out a moisturizer that was on the pocket of my coat that I bought from home. I gently applied it on her skin.

She looks so peaceful, I wonder if she can hear me?

I have been talking to her to help her stimulize and trigger awareness to her brain activity.

"You're about to turn twenty five soon. You need to wake up and start living your life before it's too late."

I don't know why I feel obligated to take care of her. Maybe I feel bad for her, maybe I am pitying her, maybe because she's looks lonely.

Like me.

I shook my head with that last thought.

"You know, Sleeping Beauty regained her consciousness after a kiss." I continued talking to her while massaging her hand.

"Shall we try that? I might be the prince you've been waiting for." I joked.

Even though as a joke, my last remark sounds stupid. And I talked like a pervert maniac.

"You need to wake up soon." Before I completely lose my mind.

I stopped massaging her to look at her face. She looks enchantingly beautiful.

What if the legend was true? Shall I test the theory?

I looked at her. She's been stuck on her bed for years and even after a lot of tests there's no clear answer to why hasn't she woken up.

Since modern technology was not really helping at all, shall I try the illogical remedy?

I swallowed hard.

I lowered my head to meet her lips.

Few more inches..

Nearer…

I held my breath as my lips was about to touch hers.

I almost fell down in shock when my phone suddenly rang loudly.

I frustratingly pulled my hair. I must have gone crazy. What kind of doctor would believe that stupid story?

I sighed as I took my phone out of my coat. I furrowed my eyebrows when I saw that my department head was calling.

I was about to answer it when it stopped ringing and a text message came in asking me to go straight to the emergency room.

I took a last glance of Mary Julienne before heading out. Maybe I need to keep myself occupied so my mind would stop thinking about absurd things.