Everything felt muffled and distant. I struggled to open my eyes, but I wasn't able to control my own body. I used all my strength in an effort to move any willing body part to the point that I felt feeble and weak. I focused back on the muffled noises around me, trying my hardest to make sense of them. There was a faint beat, keeping in time with something. I clung to that beeping, realizing that it was recording my heart beat, making sure that I was alive. I don't know how I got here, in a hospital, but I know I have to wake up. Now.
My fingers on my left hand twitched, feeling stiff and foreign towards the movement. I twitched my fingers again, but got a response from the action. I felt a large, warm hand wrap around mine, which was paired with a muffled man's voice. I listened intently as the voice became more clear and defined. It was definitely familiar, but I just couldn't place it. I tried by eyes again, gaining the ability to slightly open them. I squinted in the bright light, my eyes watering from the change. The hand that had been holding mine was suddenly gone, then the lights went off.
I blinked a few times, trying to clear my vision. I glanced around the room as my eyes adjusted, taking in the room that I had thought was in a hospital. The walls were dark, navy blue and it had multiple book shelves, along with a desk and closet. I recognized the room, but, like before, I couldn't remember why. I felt someone's hand wrap around mine again and I slowly trailed my eyes from the far side of the room towards the person. I focused on our hands, seeing the pale skin glow in the dark of the room. I let my eyes roam upwards, taking in the black cardigan and white dress shirt. When I finally got to the face I felt a pain in my stomach, one that could only be from my body's recognition of the person. He had messy, medium length, light brown hair that fell around his face. His eyes were a light brown colour that seemed out of place in comparison to the dark circles around them. I opened my mouth, trying to talk, but finding my throat too dry to speak.
The man jumped up and began walking out of the room, stopping only to say "Uhm, just a minute". I don't understand why he would say that, when I clearly won't be going anywhere any time soon. I practiced moving my hands, slowing working on my wrists and elbows until I heard footsteps coming towards me. I looked up, watching the man walk to his seat with a mug.
"You should probably drink something" he said. "Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop." He lifted the mug, slowly bringing it to my hands as I turned on my side. I gripped the mug and brought it to my mouth, taking a few small sips. I held it out towards the man, waiting to him to take it, but he didn't move. I could feel some mucus forming in the back of my throat, which caused my to clear it. As I began coughing the man quickly took the mug, setting it down and standing to gently pat my back. I felt the mucus leave and looked up, straight into the man's eyes.
"What happened to me?"