Trapped in Darkness

9foxgrl

Ch. III

Beep…Beep…Beep

'Huh?'

Beep…Beep.

'Hospital monitors?' I wondered as I sat up and summarized what had happened. 'Oh that's right; I nearly passed out from my fever, the Nations found out I'm blind...Fuck …oh yeah. Got sent to Bethesda; Nurse Jackson and Doctor Kelly scolded me for not taking care of myself, stayed over night.'

I hate hospitals. You know why? Because they have this distinct mixture of smells that make me feel sick.

Ah, the smell of medicine, disinfectant, cheap coffee, a faint lingering scent of cigarettes, oh, and some Earl Grey tea now. It's such a delightful scent. There is nothing quite like it. They could bottle it and call it Ode de Hospital. Probably wouldn't do so well on the market.

'Wait… Earl Grey?'

"Good morning Alfred."

"Dr. Kelly, good morning." I said cheerfully as in the direction of the voice. "…Odd question, was there a British gentlemen here?"

"Yes, he was here last night when you were admitted until visiting hours were over." Dr. Kelly replied as she took my vital signs. "Well, your fever has gone down. Can you get up so we can check your weight?"

"Sure." I replied as I got off my bed. I followed her to the exam room across the hall and went to the scale.

Yeah if you memorized where everything is, you know you've gone to that hospital too many times.

"You've lost another twenty pounds."

"Isn't that good?" I asked getting a jab in my sides.

"Normally I would say yes, but you've lost forty this month alone, and are now fifteen pounds underweight." Dr. Kelly replied as she scratched away on my file. She directed me to a chair and took my blood sugar levels. "Your sugar is low too. Have you been eating properly?"

"Not lately. I've been really busy with work."

Dr. Kelly tapped me on the head with her clipboard. "Foolish brat."

"Cheeky hag."

"And proud of it!" Dr. Kelly said with a laugh. "You can leave after you eat breakfast Alfred."

After getting dressed and wolfing the hospitals' food I was driven home by Gunny Gibbs and Sergeant Shepard. We were just pulling up when Shepard spoke up.

"Sir, are you expecting guests?"

I blinked. "How many?"

"Eight from the meeting sir. They're waiting outside on the porch."

I sighed. 'Well it's not like I didn't see this coming.'

"It's alright. You can just drop me off."

"Yes sir."

I walked down my cobbled stone pathway, listening to clicks of my neighbor's sprinklers going off. They're on a timer, so it was around eight thirty now. Without even batting an eye I unlocked my door and muttered "You guys can come in you know."

Systematically I went straight to my sofa and plopped down as the door closed behind my guests. "So, what's up guys?"

Silence.

"He~llo? I know you're there! I may be blind, but I'm not deaf." I laughed .

No sooner had I uttered those words I was hit by a flying body that smelled faintly of garlic and acrylic paints.

"Italy…I need air!" I choked as I pushed him off.

"I'm sorry!"

No sooner had he let go someone grabbed my face and lifted it up to look into my eyes.

"You really can't see?"

I twitched as my nose picked up the scent of vodka on this person's breath. "Russia…let go of me."

"How do you know it's me little bat?"

"No one else could have vodka on their breath this early in the morning?" I snapped as I batted away his hands.

"How did it happen L'Amerique?"

I smiled sadly. "To be honest I don't really know. My eyes just…stopped working."

"Do you remember when?"

"Yeah…"

"How long?"

I flinched as I heard Canada asked that question.

"How long America?"

I chewed on my lip nervously then stood to leave the room. "I don't want to talk about it."

I gasped as I was grabbed and shoved back onto the sofa.

"HOW LONG?"

I fought the urge to look at the floor. I was turbulent on the matter of telling the truth.

"Alfred?"

"August 24th, 1814."