The Wreckage

A really short story/drabble

 

1,2,3. Beep, beep, beep.

I scrunch my face and squint my eyes before finally forcing them open. 

I take it all in at once- white walls, white curtains, pastel couch... 

There is too much of it all- I feel a throbbing pain in my head which forces me to look down; and I notice the IV.

"How did I get here?" I try to ask; but not only does my face hurt far too much to emit a sound- the room is empty. I press the small bell button on my bedside and a few minutes later a nurse walks in- a small, plump lady armed with a wide and somehow empty smile. Perky as can be, she says, "Glad to see that you're finally up- how are you feeling?"

I blink a few times too many before answering.... "Why am I here?" I finally blurt out, in a version of my voice that I don't recognize.

"Oh honey don't you remember?" the way in which she spits out the word honey is so patronizing that it makes me grind my teeth- isn't that supposed to be a term of endearment? How can it sound like an insult? 

And how could she think I would waste my breath asking questions I knew the answer to?

I close my eyes and breathe heavily... I shake my head... -What HAD happened? There was that party; but I left early... I meant to walk home, did I?- "Obviously not, idiot, you're in a hospital bed," I say to myself- Wait... I remember- headlights! I stopped the car to ask for directions and then there were headlights. Far too close, now that I think about it.

"Was I in an accident?"

The nurse nods without looking my way, not letting my question keep her from arranging something or other by the bed. I grab her arm in a frantic attempt to get her attention and her eyes widen, forcing me to let go.

-"Was it my fault?" I ask in a near-asthmatic panic.

- "Well, dear, the official word is that you were hit by a car. 

Probably a drunk."

Bittersweet relief washes over me...

-"Are they okay?"

- "Well... They fled." she responds nonchalantly.

My headache intensifies. Did the lights just get brighter? Why does the nurses smile suddenly look so sinister?

-" They fled." I repeat in a dry whisper.

Aghast, I realize what that means. It truly dawns on me that someone hurt me- badly enough to land me in a hospital bed; and that they hadn't cared in the least. Not one bit. They left without considering my fate for even one second... Had they at least been the ones to call the ambulance?

My... how long was inside that car in the middle of the road? Hurt, bleeding... alone.

And now that I was here- had anyone come by to see me? Did someone even know I was here?

My head begins to reel at the thought and I feel sick-my diaphragm tightens and I find myself salivating like one of Pavlov's dogs. I battle a bout of spastic tachycardia  and I am just about ready to vomit. I swallow hard and reach for the juice box next to my bed. I take a sip and lean back.

1,2,3. Beep... beep... beep.

I blink once, then twice; and my eyes fall. The room fades to black and I am left once again- hurt, bleeding, and alone.

Author's Note

I started on this the other night, I'm not sure yet if I want to expand on it or not... Let me know what you think!