Chapter 13

                                    

                                          
Eyes opened, dark pupils focusing and blue irises sparkling in wonder. These blue eyes blinked multiple times to let her eyes focus and notice two figures standing over her, their eyes wide in shock, wonder, and relief.
                          
"Lori?!" Sykkuno exclaimed.
                          
Everyone else paused and looked up at him and Corpse. They were hunched over the pod with their eyes wide in shock and wonder. "She's awake!" Corpse breathed.
                          
"What?!" Rae gasped, shooting up to her feet and running to the pod.
                          
Lori blinked again, looking at Rae, then slowly smiling. Her arms began to slowly shake as it rose. It pressed a button beside herself, and the glass on the pod fogged up. Then the top began to open, letting out steam as it rose away from the group. Everyone else began to crowd around the pod. Lori raised her hand shakily. "Help her up! Help her up!" Michael exclaimed.
                          
Sykkuno took hold of her arms and Corpse put a hand on her back to support it as she rose. Lori was moved back to lean against a wall of the pod, and she slowly pulled out the tubes on her nose. "Wait, are you supposed to do that?!" Michael exclaimed.
                          
Lori giggled, a slight and dry squeak sounding from her. "Y-Yes," she whispered, her throat dry. "I f-finished un....university with m-my brother." Suddenly she started coughing.
                          
"Water!" Toast exclaimed.
                          
Joel perked up and ran outside the room. He found the kitchen, got a bottle of water, and ran back to Lori's room. He opened the bottle and handed it to her. She couldn't hold it properly, so Sykkuno had to help her hold it as she drank slowly. She stopped drinking and blinked before trying to twist her head but ended up nodding.
                          
"My goodness," Lily sighed, leaning back on Michael. "You gave us a heart attack!"
                          
"But how long have you been asleep?" Poki asked.
                          
"Since I was 10," Lori replied, her voice slowly coming back.
                          
"How old are you now?" Michael asked.
                          
"20," Lori replied. Everyone frowned, glancing at each other with worry. "Been....asleep too long. H-Have to go th-through.....rehab."
                          
Lori coughed again, and Sykkuno helped her drink water again. "Oh, you're so young!" Poki exclaimed sadly. "You didn't experience much!"
                          
"S-Simulations," Lori whispered. She sighed.
                          
"Where's Ian?" Poki questioned. "Why isn't he here?"
                          
"He's in another country trying to sell this equipment the moment it succeeds," Rae replied.
                          
"Then who's gonna take care of her?" Poki asked, frowning.
                          
Lori smiled weakly. "Doctors," she whispered. Then she cleared her throat and tried using her voice. "I-I'll be in r-rehab f-for......months."
                          
The streamers gasped softly. "Really?" Lily asked.
                          
"Is it okay if we visit you?" Felix asked.
                          
Lori nodded weakly. "So you're done with your coma forever now?" Michael asked. Lori nodded, and she looked at Rae.
                          
"Can you call doctors now?" She asked weakly.
                          
Rae nodded and took out her phone. Lori tried to move her left hand but instead ended up raising an elbow. "What do we do now?" Felix asked.
                          
"Game over," Sykkuno replied, shrugging. "Everyone else gets to go home and Lori can go to the hospital." He tilted his head. "Although I'm supposed to watch her until the doctors pick her up."
                          
"Do you know anything about taking care of girls?" Poki asked, raising her eyebrows.
                          
Sykkuno shrugged but didn't speak. "Alright, I'm staying," Rae said and sat down on the bed.