Chapter Text
It was the beeping that I remember noticing first.
The slow, rhythmic sound slowly became clearer as the steady tempo moved on; each sound slowly coaxing me out of a deep sleep. With a deep breath I noticed the smell of antiseptics and clean linen.
This, didn’t feel like my room.
Shifting underneath stiff sheets I became more and more aware of how unfamiliar the world around me was. Where had I fallen asleep last night? The memory doesn’t immediately come.
I opened my eyes and was met with an unfamiliar ceiling; previous senses filling in the gaps to paint a concerning picture.
Hospital
A hospital?
But last I remember. . .
Where had I gone to sleep? Shouldn’t I be home? No, I remember being surrounded by family and the bright lights of the city. We were out having dinner at a place downtown, and then… nothing?
What happened to me?
Limbs weak, I struggled to sit up; tight sheets pulling against me as I drag myself further awake.
I fumbled with the bed’s remote; punching buttons to gain its help in sitting upright.
I'm was in a small room, surrounded by a number of humming medical machines. I found it odd that while one is clearly some kind of heart monitor, I'm wasn’t hooked up to anything; neither by cord nor tube.
Huh, weird that I was admitted and not at least hooked up to an IV. Maybe I didn’t need one? If so, why was I here?
The room I was well lit, a large window with a city view on my left and an open door leading elsewhere on the right.
There was nothing else of note in the small room. No flowers, balloons, notes or anything that might indicate an extended stay, save a small sign on the table beside me with the words “get well soon, sleepyhead” scrawled in a strange font fitted inside a childish frame.
Huh, weird taste but okay.
Continuing my scan of the room, I noted the lack of any forgotten personal items scattered around; how long had I been here? Did my family even know where I was?
I fumbled with the remote again only to find an absence of a call nurse button.
Weird
Setting the remote aside, I weighed my options.
Stay here and wait until someone comes by, or see if I can get up and find someone. With the open door leading to a hallway, someone was bound to pass by at some point; and staying put while I was unknowingly injured was the smarter option. On the other hand, questions continued to itch at my mind as it became increasingly tempting to seek out their answers.
Remembering I'm not actually hooked up to an IV drip, I decide on the latter.
Clearly if I'm not ill enough for an iv I should be fine to get up and ask for help, right?
I'm a bit stiff getting off the bed, and it took a moment to steady myself once vertical. Limbs feeling sluggish as I cross the open doorway into the hallway beyond.
I was greeted by bright colors and cartoony murals. The playful shapes and scenes cover the walls outside, and a quiet chatter coming from a nearby room.
Huh, looks like a pediatric ward
I must be in some kind of overflow room
Though its better that than vice versa I suppose
The room beyond didn’t appear to be another patient room so I approached, albeit still a bit stiff. Maybe it's the nurses station? Even if it's just a break room they'll at least be able to point me in the right direction.
I'd really like to know why I've ended up here. I feel fine! Well, I guess I am a bit weak, stiff, shaky, and lightheaded; but it can’t be that bad, right? It's not like I even remember getting hurt last night, so why exactly was I here?
I nudged open the door and was met by a children's colorful classroom occupied by a plethora of young teens and tweens alike.
Welp, not exactly what I was looking for but I suppose it's not that far fetched to find a room like this in a children's ward.
“hey, its the sleepyhead!” chimes one of the older girls with a smile.
I croaked out a greeting in response.
Yikes, my voice sounds awful. I need to ask for a warm drink after this; my vocal cords sound shredded. Add it to the list of symptoms, I guess.
Wait, sleepyhead? How did this girl even know that? Had she poked her head into my room, or simply seen me in passing?
A kid in the back called out to who I assume was the nurse.
“you're finally awake!” the girl continued,
“Yeah, sure am” the gravel still hasn't left my throat as I try to return the smile. Struggling to ignore how weird it is she knows I was out in the first place.
“I was helping Mr Sunny and he told me all about it” she admitted
Thanks for selling out the guy responsible, I think to myself. At least now I have a name to complain about; though the girl herself should be old enough to know not to snoop, especially in a hospital.
“and how you've been asleep for” the girl went through the motions of counting on her fingers.
“three whole years now!”
Oh, so she’s a prankster.
I held back a snort at her weak attempt at getting a reaction. To be fair if the kid hadn't just used her fingers to count I might have fallen for her prank; her eyes were completely void of any hint of mischief or spite.
Not to mention it was impossible that I have been out for that long. If I had been, there would be more than just a few cords and tubes anchoring me to the hospital room. That, and it would hardly be possible to walk immediately after going through such an ordeal.
The girl is lucky I’m too tired to be more than annoyed at her antics.
“Riiight,” I responded with a cough, “where's the nurse?”
Not that she has a truthful track record, but hopefully she realizes I'm not interested in the bait.
She seems puzzled by my response before pointing me in what I hope is the right direction.
Waving in thanks, I made my way a few doors down the hall and entered what looked to be an office of some kind. Narrow walls lined with desks led to a man sitting in front of a screen in the far end; his back facing the door.
I tried to clear my throat, but it came off as more of a near-silent wheeze. Face flushed in embarrassment I opted for knocking on the open door.
The man turned with a greeting,
And I jolted backwards with a shriek
The man's face was a flower.
I blinked hard, trying to get my breathing in check. Surely it's just a weird face mask right?
Upon further inspection, there are no identifiable seams; his facial features blending perfectly into the shape of the yellow flower.
So, hallucinations then. Great. Because I needed another symptom added to the list.
“S-sorry” I managed, unable to make eye contact with the poor guy; the odd mix of flower and face tripping up my brain as I struggle to maintain composure.
“Oh it's quite alright!” He replies, “didn't mean to spook you there sunny!”
No need to mention the hallucination, I remind myself. Better save that detail for the nurse, no need to bring them up right now while I'm still trying to get my bearings.
“I'm looking for the nurse” I start, “I just woke up and don't know why I'm here”
I really should've just stayed in bed and waited for someone to come by; at least then I’d actually have been visited by someone who could actually help.
The man paused, seeming to try and think through his answer. His expression was hard to read, as I'm staring at his shoes, and trying to forget about his face-flower.
“no need to trouble yourself there, sunny”
Again, with the weird nickname. What is with this guy?
“I'm in charge around here and make sure all you kiddos get all better sunny!”
This man desperately needs a break from the pediatric ward. Or he needs to retire, like yesterday seeing as he can’t carry on a normal conversation with another adult.
The conservation was going nowhere.
“Why was I even admitted in the first place?” I'm struggle to keep the frustration out of my hoarse voice. Where was the nurse?
“you got burned pretty bad in that fire sunny”
“Wait, fire?” I choke. There was a fire? When? Where?
I mean, smoke inhalation could explain the messed up vocal cords, and the general lightheadedness. Must not have been that exposed if that was all I was suffering from. Maybe I was here because I was unconscious and needed surveillance until they could send me on my way? Hopefully the bill won't be too steep.
“but no need to worry sunny, you're doing much better now and get to live here with everyone else!”
Wait, everyone else. Last I remember they were all here with me: my parents, brothers, my sister: everyone. They were all there right before my memories of last night cut out into static.
“what happened to them?” I croaked before remembering to add context “my family, are they alright? Were they caught in the fire too?”
“No, no, you're family weren't nearby”
I jumped at the new voice crackling in from a monitor to my left. There wasn’t video, but the audio appeared to be live. Static aside, there was something vaguely familiar about the voice.
Weird guys boss maybe?
“that's a relief,” I breathed. Finally, someone reasonable, “what do I do to go home, now that I'm awake?”
“I'm afraid you misunderstand” I frowned, eying the empty screen “you see, your burned body was incredibly hard to repair”
Wait, burned? Where was I-
“missing parts were filled in with regenerative tissue”
My stomach dropped; the man’s voice fading out of awareness.
Missing parts? What on earth happened to me? How was I able to stand, let alone walk if I had been- if I was- why wasn't I in pain?
“your face makes you look like someone different, but even so, you survived”
The room around me began to blur; the floor swaying underneath my feet.
No
I'd seen burn victims before, listened to their stories of survival, pain and eventual near-normality. Disasters of burning flesh and pain that never really goes away.
Was that my life now?
How bad was the scarring?
I'd never thought of myself a vain person but, if these burns were like he said- maybe that assumption wasn’t as true as I thought. Would my family even recognize me?
Would I even recognize myself?
The voice drone on, voice clipping in and out of my perception.
“-won’t...like you did before-”
I griped what I assume was the edge of the counter; choking back the taste of bile that's threatening to crawl its way up my already raw throat.
My throat
I tentatively reached for what I'm praying isn't charred flesh; fingers proving me wrong when they brushed against the coarse texture of scarred tissue.
Oh
So it wasn't the smoke that destroyed my voice
“...damage to your organs, your senses”
My mind somehow drifted back to the voice in front of me
“sense of pain has been dulled-”
At least that explains why I'm not in agony from all this movement. Hooray for nerve damage, I guess.
“...never go back to the way it was”
I blinked hard, trying to focus as moisture collects at the edge of my vision. Where was my family? Did they even know I was alive?
“...did our best, but unfortunately…”
I let out a dry laugh that sounds more like a choked gasp.
Great. Guess I was dealing with this now.
“not dead yet,” I managed to breathe out. Trying to reign in the panic in front of two strangers. Can’t loose it yet, I need to know what the plan is moving forward. One step at a time, I can do this.
The man hummed, “true, and in time we might even be able to make your flames go back to normal.”
My mind shuddered to a halt.
Sir, fire is what got me into this mess and you immediately use some kind of fire metaphor? Bad timing much?
“how about it?” he continued, “ will you try joining our family and learning with us?”
“excuse me?” I choked out.
Who did this guy think he was? I'm going home you twat, not joining your weird hospital “found family”.
“We meant no offense,” the other man interrupts, “just wanted to welcome you to your new home! Sunny”
What kind of psycho is running this place?
Oh,
Oh no.
Man, I was stupid sometimes.
People see a lab coat and they immediately think “doctor” people wake up in a hospital bed and immediately assume they're in a real hospital.
I'd been kidnapped.
Probably drugged, if the guys flower head wasn't enough of an indicator.
Not to mention the two strange men assuming I'd take all this information in stride.
So either we're all stupid -a likely story
They thought I'd realize sooner and play along to avoid punishment,
The drugs haven't fully hit my system yet,
Or I have no idea how drugs work.
I definitely don't know how drugs work
Great, the universe really has it out for me today doesn’t it?
Okay brain, lets form a game plan and get outta here:
Step one: play dumb, play nice & play along.
Step two: look for am opening and escape
Step three: run like heck and notify the authorities.
It wasn’t much, but it was the best I could do on the fly. I put on my best baffled look before miming embarrassment as I stare at the floor. This had better work.
“o-o, right, sorry… guess I'm just overwhelmed is all; sorry about overreacting”
“no worries, no worries sunny!”
I chanced a glance at what should be the man's face; trying to read his expression.
He's about as legible as a brick.
“of course” the voice crackles over the speaker “please let me know if you have any questions; we’re happy to have you”
The back of my neck prickled in response.
He might not have immediately called me out on it, but there's no way that creep isn't suspicious of me. Something about his tone eluding to a much worse threat than what I was currently perceiving.
I felt the weight of a hand on my shoulder.
I moved before I've had time to think; shrieking as I jump back, hand swatting at the man's hand. A burst of heat and flickering light trailing behind the movement.
Oh yay, more hallucinations, great.
Curse my stupid jumpiness around touch; I was supposed to be acting complacent.
Can I play it off, or…
Despite the feebleness of the swat, and the fact that it was my fire hallucination, the flower-mans eyes have gone wide with fear as he too shrieks and stumbles back.
Before I've had a chance to weigh my options or try and ignore his reaction, I flung myself out the door and down the brightly colored hallway; my body too paranoid to do much else.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
I could've played that off, I'm only going to get caught again by another goon and then my chances of escape will really be shot. Heck, this stunt would probably get me shot.
At the same time, I think flying down another hallway towards make exit signs, I haven't heard him bound after me just yet and he did seem just as spooked as me by the ordeal.
I need to get somewhere safe fast. If the drug was already in my system then running would only make it act faster right? At the same time, I didn't exactly have the option to take it slow right now.
I'd already made the “jump”, now I just needed to “stick the landing”.
Speeding past another row of doors I finally reached a door that appears to lead outside and I slam into it full speed; praying it isn't locked.
The door mercifully swings open, and I skidded outside into an alleyway; the sounds of a city bustling just around the corner.
In a sprint towards the sound of anything normal, I burst out of the alleyway and onto what looks like a main road.
There weren’t many people about, but after a few rapid breaths I notice a few pedestrians here and there.
I probably should've called out to them, but my fear of being caught stopped the cries at my throat.
Heart and feet pounding together I once again ran; chasing the sounds of the city.
More people.
I need to find more people.
I have to get where I'll be seen if they take me again.
Strange images filtered in over the sight of those around me as I ran past person after person; impossible skin tones, alien shapes and inhuman attributes.
The hallucinations were becoming more frequent, I tell myself.
I made it to a busy street corner before I finally looked back to locate my pursuers. There was no one, save the strange and slightly confused looking people I remember passing on my way here.
There was no way I just lost them.
Did they even chase after me?
Momentarily relieved from the chase I bent over, hands on knees as I gasp for breath.
Just what did those guys do to my throat?
I hadn’t run that far and my breathing already felt constricted and forced. A wheezing accompanying every inhale and exhale as I try to slow their haste. Never mind what they did to my throat, what did they do to the rest of me if this was my body’s reaction to a brief sprint?
I pushed that thought aside, trying to get my bearings of the city around me.
I didn't recognize it, though that doesn't exactly surprise me. It wasn’t like I knew every nook and cranny of every big city, let alone those nearest to home.
Home
Step three
I needed to get to a station immediately.
Breathing now somewhat under control, I saw a couple waiting nearby at a crosswalk. The man's skin appearing to be made of bricks; their configuration shifting every so often, and vibrating with his laugh as he responds to something the woman said
The hallucination was less extreme for the woman, her eyes a solid but vibrant white that seems to glow from somewhere deep within.
I approached them, still trying to slow my breath and pounding heart.
“C-can you point me to the nearest police station?” I ask, voice still rasping and weak.
They seemed surprised by me, though thats fair all things considered. I was just a random stranger who was just running a dead sprint before doubling over and wheezing The two exchanged a glance before the woman gives me directions. Thankfully the station isn’t far from here.
“Are you okay?” the man asked as I turn to leave .
“will be” I wheeze “just gotta get there first” I assured them.
“we could walk you-” but the crossing lights had just turned, and I was already running once more; completely ignorant of the offer.