31

                                    

                                          
EVELYN
It was surreal, the bright light, the sounds, the smells. They all came back to me in sequences and then all at once. 
I try and move my lips, I try and speak, and I can hear myself shouting in my head, but I knew nothing was coming out. 
Evelyn? Evelyn? Can you hear me? You're in the hospital. You're okay. Evelyn?
I hear it being repeated over and over again, the bright lights, the sounds, the smells, all intensifying. But I still couldn't answer. 
Evelyn?
I push as hard as I can, toward a certain scent, toward a certain feeling, I wasn't able to place why I knew it was familiar. But it gave me some extra strength and was pulling me toward where I felt I needed to be. 
Evelyn?
I willed myself, opening my eyes as much as I could. 
Welcome back to us, Evelyn
I hear the voice again, trying to turn myself toward it. 
"That's it, take it easy" I hear the voice more clearly as the light begins developing shapes. The sounds become noise and I become more familiar with the smells. 
My eyes flutter open and I hear myself groan and I've never been more happy to feel pain. 
"Evelyn, you're in the hospital, you were in a really bad accident. You're okay" the sound which has now taken shape of a nurse on my right hand side informs me. 
I nod my head, bringing my hand up to touch my lips but it's caught half way there by the same nurse. "Take it easy" her smile is comforting. 
"There are some people here desperate to see you okay, I'll let them in, but don't try and talk okay, not just yet" her warm voice radiates through me. 
She disappears from my side. I gaze my eyes around the room, a few other nurses still working on the machine to my left and one readjusting my leg, another filling in some paperwork. 
I see Max appear where the nurse stood just before. 
"Hey, hey there sis. You're okay" he instructs. "You're okay." 
I reach my hand for his on the edge of the bed, his warmth takes over me the moment I feel his touch. 
A nurse stands over the top of me, fiddling with something on my mouth. I flinch when I feel a tube like material being pulled from my throat. My lips smack together a few times after being freed. 
"Can she sit up?" he asks over the top of me, I turn my head slowly toward where his gaze rests and then there is some shuffling underneath me as my top half begins to raise up slightly and slowly. 
I feel an extreme jolt of pain in my lower spine and it makes me flinch and cry out in pain.
"It's okay" I hear Max sooth as he takes a seat on the edge of my bed. 
"H... h.... Hi" I manage to choke out, Max's eyes filling with tears the moment I do. 
"Hey" he mutters with a smile.