Chapter 121

• CHARLIE
• Far in the distance I start to hear noises, the beeping of machines and the clicking of feet bouncing off the walls around me. There’s a faint whisper, maybe the sounds of voices, but I’m not sure. I remain still, the heaviness weighing me down. I attempt to lift my arm, but the weight is so heavy it tires me quickly. I try again. No, it’s too heavy. What’s happening? Where am I? I try to open my eyes, but all I see is darkness, so I fall back asleep.
• I wake up, this time feeling some light shining on my closed eyes, almost like a pink glow. Struggling to open them, slowly more comes into fuzzy focus. I see stark-white walls, everything bright. It hurts my eyes forcing me to close them to ease the pain. The smell, it lingers in the air like the smell of sterilization. It’s familiar, and I know where I am, but I can’t say it. I attempt to scream, but my throat is dry and aching so I’m unable to make any sound, and all that comes out is a tiny whisper. “What happened?”