Part 2: A New Life
Chapter 4: Waking up
Authors Note: Welcome dear readers to part two. Wow, I am so touched to read these wonderful reviews and know that people out there are reading and enjoying my story. (Squeel). I'm aiming to update this story fairly regularly, I'm personally hoping to post a new chapter every week. Fingers crossed. Please, continue to let me know what you think.
Important note: Regarding this next chapter there is a bit of a time jump. Chapter three took place a month after the fire this is set roughly a week after the fire. I just wanted to check in on the brothers before sending 'Peter' into emotional havoc. Also I decided to shift from third person to first person when viewing things from 'Peter's perspective. I know it's not the most professional shift but it has a twinge of irony. Without further ado.
Ugg my head. Pain, that was all I could seem to register. A constant throbbing that encompassed my entire brain. I felt heavy, like my body was weighed down. I distantly noted that my side, legs and arms felt raw, they itched and burned. A steady beeping sound above my head was a form of constant company. I could smell the antiseptic all around me and feel the scratchy thin sheets against my sensitive skin. As my waking brain started to slowly take in the new stimulation apprehension hit, building at a steady pace as my brain slowly began to wake up.
Where am I? and more importantly WHO AM I?! I fought to control my breathing, as my apprehension turned to stone cold fear.
My eyes flew open. Sitting up I glanced around frantically only to find myself in a white room with a blaring white light overhead. I was laying on a small cot, one of two in a small room with some form of monitor next to me with wires going into my arm. I looked down at my arm and the thin gown around me.
Every instinct within me was screaming at me to flee..that hospitals were bad..that being seen was bad..and that I needed to run to flee to hide. But run where? Where could I go? Where was I safe? Who was I supposed to run to?
A sudden presence near the door had me on high alert. Flinching I turned, raising my fists in a defensive stance.
"Oh easy there" the man said, hands in the air a small relieved smile on his face. "It's just me buddy take it easy." The man was probably in his late twenties early thirties with dark skin, short black curls, and a caterpillar mustache that sat above his upper lip. The stranger had dark brown eyes that radiated concern and caution. His eyes that seemed to hold no ill intent were covered loosely with big round glasses. I noted that the newcomer wore a bright purple sweater and carried a cup of tea. He hobbled more than walked into the room, his actions slowed from the crutch he held loosely under one arm to support his broken leg the other arm held loosely in a cast.
I suddenly felt embarrassed. Here I was in a hospital bed, wrapped up like half a mummy with wires in my arms and was holding my fists up to this clearly also injured stranger. I let my eyes drift downward feeling overwhelmed, confused and very very lost.
I felt a grounding weight on my shoulder "Hey, It's okay. I know you probably feel really confused and disoriented right now. But you don't need to worry. I gotcha." I took a deep breath, finding comfort in the stranger's words.
"I should probably get the doctors, you've been out for over a week now and they'll want to make sure you're okay. But first I need to ask...do you know who I am?"
Terror flowed through me, eyes wide and I stared at the man before me. Was I supposed to know him?! Trying to calm myself I searched for any form of recollection, any feeling, any memory, anything connected to the purple sweater wearing person before me...and came up with nothing. Nothing! I had no idea who he was! I had no idea who I was! I wanted to scream but suddenly there didn't seem to be any air in my lungs. Like the walls in my chest were collapsing, closing in and cutting off precious oxygen. Just like the room seemed to be getting smaller. Everything feels wrong! I'm in a hospital! I don't know who I am! I have no clue who, purple sweater is!
"Hey breathe" I feel the hand on my shoulder again. "Breath with me. in, out, breath in, breath out, there you go" his voice seems to break through some sort of dam and slowly I am able to get my breathing back under control. Tears burn at my eyes. I feel so weak! So useless! Here I am crying. I think I just had a panic attack. I have no idea who I am and just ahh..
I feel a soothing hand rubbing my back as worried brown eyes stare into mine.
"I'm sorry" I breathe. "I don't know who you are"
He lets out a breath, his eyes closing momentarily before they open again.
"Do you know who you are?"
More moisture builds behind my eyelids. I shake my head, my mouth suddenly too dry to respond.
Warm comforting arms wrap around me. I stiffen at first but then I lean into the hug.
"It's okay," he soothes. "You're not alone. And your going to be okay"
I close my eyes. Letting the words sink in. I wasn't alone. Somehow I know that being alone. Failing and being alone. Would hurt more than anything. And somehow he seems to know that.
After a moment he pulls back, taking a seat on the cot across from me and setting his crutch to the side and for the first time I take in the full extent of his injuries. His arm is in a sling. His left leg in a cast, explaining the crutch, and I can see burn marks littering his hands, arms and neck. I take a gulp looking at the burns running along my own arms, legs and side.
"It was a fire," he explained, slowly his gaze distant as he stared out the nearby window. "They say we're both lucky to be alive"
I can't pull my eyes from my own cascade of injuries: wrap around my left arm and leg, torso (broken ribs probably) a bandage around my forehead, burns along my lower and upper arms, neck and side.
"You saved my life" I looked up to meet his smile. And something deep within me stirs. I didn't fail.
I let out a breath, closing my eyes as I prepare myself for the next step."Do you know who I am?" It's a bit of a silly question, he already asked if I knew him so logically he knew who I was. But somehow, just asking was hard. Almost as hard as admitting that I had no Idea who I was, because this question, this next step put my trust in his hands.
"Yes"
He hands me the cup he had brought in. "tea" he answers before I can ask. "Jasmine tea, it'll calm your nerves." He lets out a light, humerus chuckle. "I was getting it for me, but I think you need it more than I do". The tea is warm in my hands. It's nice, something to hold onto, it's slightly grounding. The taste is soothing, it warms my throat and the smell fills my nostrils. It tastes comforting, it tastes familiar, it tastes like home.
"Who am I?" the question falls out of my mouth heavily; dropping to the floor with the gravity it holds.
His smile is warm as he answers, "You're my brother"
My eyes widened and suddenly the room felt too small again. I let my eyes drift down, trying to process this revelation.
I look at the cascade of burn on my own arms. I was injured in a fire.
I look up at the caring figure in front of me and take in the string of burns running across his own brown arms. We both were injured in a fire.
I saved his life.
I have no memory of him.
But then again, I don't even remember who I am!
…..
I am not alone.
I have family.
I have a brother.
A brother I don't remember
I don't even know his name!
Okay, purple sweater is my brother.
Purple
That sparked a memory, or more like a feeling deep down inside me. Something so deeply ingrained, that it was a part of me. An innate desire to protect, to care for..family. That feeling was family. It was fierce protection, and brotherly love.
Purple..
Something seemed to click.
Purple
Intelligent, science, coffee, inventions,
Brother
A smile spread over my face. It felt right. It felt real. Something about purple made me think of family, specifically a brother. I wasn't alone. I had a brother.
I looked up and made eye contact with the person..no..my brother across from me.
He smiled. "Names Baxter, Baxter Stockman. Your name is Peter Stockman, my baby brother. The only family I have."
