In the Dark

I heard screams. I saw nothing. There was a constant pounding in the back of my head, sharp pain, like a woodpecker that was trying to bore its way into the wood that was my flesh. I heard a weird ringing.

Where was I? Still in the train, buried underneath rubble, unconscious beside wreckage? Dead or alive? I felt blood trickling down my cheek, warming it, as the flood of tears now wetting my face attempted to do the opposite. 

What had happened? I hadn't seen or heard an explosion or anything along the lines of it. Then again, I didn't know whether or not I was alive. Blood pounded in my ears as I tried to call for help, but I wasn't able to shout, to scream - or I couldn't hear my own voice.

I winced as I breathed in. I was no doctor, but I could tell that my ribs were broken, and that something had happened to my right arm, among other things.

I tried to move my hands around, but I wasn't sure if I did or not.

The screams stopped. I tried not to ask myself why, but I think my brain has taken it upon itself to break every rule I have ever made for myself. Did everyone die.. or was there help? 

I heard sirens. I still saw nothing. I heard a scream, far away, but somehow right next to me. Was it me? I don't know. 

The ringing in my ears stopped. I felt strong arms pull me onto a stretcher.

"Am I alive?" I mumbled, not sure anyone would hear me.

"As far as I know." a panicked voice replied, maybe a doctor, a nurse, a firefighter, maybe my own brain.

The next thing I knew, I was in a hospital ward. I heard someone come in and close the door. As the sound of their footsteps came closer, I vaguely heard someone talking.

"This one's from the wreckage too?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What have you detected?"

"Possibly a concussion, couple of bruised ribs, compound fracture in the right arm. And of course, the normal bumps and bruises. You can do some more tests. Most of the things are taken care of."

"Thank you, Rosa. I'll take care of it from here."

I felt someone's arm on my shoulder. "Are you awake?" a soft voice whispered. I nodded lightly, but even that made me feel like they were pumping pain into my body. "How are you feeling?" this time, the voice was louder.

"Horrible." I mumbled. This wasn't the time to be pleasant.

"We get that a lot here." the voice chuckled. "Let's get you scanned. Lisa, Eduardo!"

Immediately, someone came to roll my bed to a different room. I suddenly noticed a sharp pain in my right arm.

"I'll never get used to the bright lighting on the MRI room." a deep voice groaned.

"Oh, please! Have you seen Rosa's house? Much brighter than this place." it was a different voice, higher than the first one. "Anyways, here's Robert."

"Robert! How's radiology working out for you?" it was the first voice again.

"I'm not going to die of radiation poisoning, cool down, hermano. Would you two mind helping me check for metals?"

"No problem." someone said. My conscience was slipping.

_______________________________________________

I closed my eyes. Or were they open? I honestly didn't know- and I didn't care. Right then, just knowing that I was going to close my eyes, not sure if it would be the last time, that made me forget everything else. The hospital didn't exist anymore. Neither did the people around me.

I went into a deep, blissful sleep. Undisturbed by pain, or sorrow, or anything else.

I knew I was dead. I was sure of it. Until I woke up a minute later, that is. 

Someone, probably Robert, was asking me to stay awake for the scan. I nodded, wincing, as pain seeped through my body. 

The scan went by in a flash, and I was back in my ward. I heard someone tapping their foot.

"Who is it?" I slurred, surprised that I could hear myself.

"It's Dr. Sanders. I have your scan results. Ebony Washington, am I right?"

"Yes. What are the results?" I sat up, putting my weight on my left arm, which proved to be a bad decision. I winced at the pain but calmed myself down once more

"Well, Mrs. Washington-"

"Ms. Washington, please," I interjected.

"Sorry. Well, you have a concussion, as expected, broken ribs, and of course, your fracture." she paused. "Nothing else serious."

This was it. "What do you mean, nothing else serious? I can't see!"

"Mrs – I mean Ms. Washington, there is nothing in our scans that indicates this is long term. It's most likely because of trauma. You should be able to see in a month, maximum. If not, we will do some scans."

"You need to fix me. Now!" I screamed..

I could not lose my sight. Colours, among all else, were something I obviously enjoiyed seeing, observing the subtle difference in the many hues that coloured our world. The world that I couldn't see.

"Ms. Washington, please, calm down. If you'd like, we can do another MRI tomorrow. I'll take your leave now." as I heard the pitter-patter of her footsteps grow softer, until I couldn't hear it at all, I knew she was gone. 

I sighed. Why had she given in so easily? If I was under bedrest, the most fun thing I could do was probably pick a fight with my doctor. At least I could find out what was wrong with me. That night, I slept well, knowing that the next day, I would know for sure if I would ever see the world again.

In the morning, when I woke up, I heard someone flipping through the papers in my file.

"Dr. Michael Knepper. I'm Dr. Sanders' assistant. She's on leave. Apparently she's overworked." he scoffedd. "Those two helpers, what were their names..."

"Eduardo and Lisa?"

"Yes, them. They'll take you to the room soon enough."

"So Dr. Sanders wasn't lying?"

"I suppose not." he set the file on my stand and sat down on a chair. Well, that's what I could hear. For all I knew, he could've installed a disco ball.

"Here we are, Ebony." I could hear Eduardo's voice.

"Who's going to look at the results?" I asked, trying and failing to help them move me to the stretcher.

"Dr. Sanders is on leave for a month, so I think it will be Dr. Knepper."

I nodded. I preferred Dr. Sanders, but I supposed Knepper would work too.