Everything is dark…and there are voices and sounds bouncing everywhere. I can't understand what they are saying. Occasionally, I will see a beam of light, but just as soon as I see it, the light is gone. I am so confused. Is this what is like to be dead? How sad… No one should have to be like this. It is so solitary and lonely.
Am I being punished because I knew that what I was about to do would kill me? Maybe that is it. I can't make sense of any of this. I have no one to help me out. Wait? It's that light again! It hasn't disappeared yet. Maybe if I hurry, I can reach it. I'm getting closer! I'm going through it!
Sumi opened her eyes and blinked a little bit. Everything was blurred at first, but after a few minutes, things became clear. There was a nurse frozen in her place. She had shoulder length curled hair. I was different shades of brown. Her deep brown eyes were wide and her mouth was gaping. She wore the standard nurse uniform.
At first Sumi wondered if it was just a well done statue, because the nurse wasn't moving. After a moment her eyelashes fluttered and she began to move. "I-I'll go get the doctor. Just sit still Miss Coniglietto." She rushed out of the room and returned with a doctor at her heels.
He had jet black hair that hung around his face. He had porcelain skin. He was tall and lanky; he looked like an adult skater. He wore blue scrubs. He instantly began to stick a thermometer in her mouth and pulled out equipment she didn't recognize.
"You look like my friend, Hana. Do you know her?" Sumi asked. She instantly felt comfortable around this man. He looked like he could have been Hana's father. He even had her pale grey eyes.
"I am Dr. Obacht," He said. Sumi didn't even have to ask if he was German. It was easy to tell.
"Where are all my friends? I'll bet they've left New York by now." She looked at the nurse who was standing by the doctor. She smiled at Sumi nervously.
"Yeah, they left New York and so did you. You and your friend Sadashi Matsuki were shipped here. You're in Tokyo." He smiled at her as he placed his palm on her head. "You don't have a temperature."
"Sada? You mean she was hurt too?" Sumi felt like someone had just punched her. She was upset that Sada was hurt. Had she done the same thing as her?
"Yes, your friend also got hurt, but she hasn't woken up yet." He gestured to the pale, stiff body in the other bed. "Your friends insisted you two recover in the same room."
"When can I see everyone?" Sumi asked.
"Soon, another nurse is calling your friends as we speak." He was being so kind that Sumi found that she was relaxing. The more she thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. Shouldn't she be panicking?
"Well, I am going to leave and let you catch up on your thoughts. Your friends should be right over." Dr. Obacht smiled at her again before turning and leaving. Sumi sighed, burying herself under the warm covers. She stayed there a moment before climbing out of the bed.
She was a bit nervous because she wasn't sure that she was supposed to be up. She walked over to the window on the other side of the room. She began to stare out of it. It felt great to be up and seeing living things. It had been dark in her…dream? She wasn't sure what that time in darkness was.
She leaned against the windowsill and got lost in thought. She was thinking out loud. "I wonder what the others have done while I was gone. Oh, I forgot to ask how long I was out."
"You were out for almost two months," a familiar voice answered. She swung around to see Max and the others behind her.
"Max!" She ran over to him. He already had his arms spread apart for a big hug. Once his arms were wrapped around her, he lifted her up and spun her around. She was giggling by the time she was on the ground again.
Toki and Yumi were crying. They were holding onto each others arms jumping up and down. Hana was by Tyson's side. She had her head cocked to the side, tears were gathering in her eyes and she was smiling.
Rei was also smiling. Kai was forcing a smile. It was obvious on what he was worried about. He had his hands shoved down his pockets, and he was sneaking worried glances at Sada.
"How long has Sada been out?" Sumi asked Max softly.
"As long as you have…" Kai mumbled without even looking at her.
Sumi's heart felt swollen. The all gathered around her empty bed and began to catch up on what had happened in the last two months.
Visiting hours seemed to end so soon. She hugged all her friends goodbye. She hugged Max last. He gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll be here tomorrow with a surprise, okay?" Sumi nodded.
Once they all left she climbed back in bed. She was exhausted emotionally. She figured she would need a lot of rest so that she could be back to her same old self by tomorrow. She closed her eyes and in a matter of minutes she was drifting off into sleep.
