Chapter 2: Awakening

I have a package for you. Probably a love letter and a present, seeing how thick it is.

The Boom.

The white light.

The blood.

Something is wrong with my hands.

And then the pain.

Waking up felt to Haruka as if she was coming out of a thick dark cloud that surrounded her. She softly groaned, once again trying to remember what had happened. "Tenoh-san?" a soft, melodic voice now entered her ears, finally reaching her brain, causing her to groan in response. "Tenoh-san, can you hear me? Open your eyes if you do." Slowly, Haruka obeyed the voice, forcing her eyelids open although they felt as if somebody put cement on them. At first, her vision was blurred, but when it came into focus, she found herself looking at a young aqua haired woman, wearing a white doctor's coat. "Welcome back, Tenoh-san." The woman now spoke, smiling at her. "Who…" Haruka tried to speak, only to suffer from a coughing fit the next second. Her throat felt as if somebody had put thick layers of fabric into it just for fun. The aqua haired doctor patiently waited until the coughing was over, then she took a glass of water from the nightstand that had it's place next to the bed and held it up to Harukas lips. "Here, drink this. Then it will be easier for you speak." Slowly, the blonde took a few sips of the water, feeling how it ran down her throat and making the fabric-like feeling vanish. "Who are you?" she finally managed to press out after swallowing a few times, her voice sounding even huskier than it usually did. "Michiru Kaioh, your doctor." The beautiful woman replied, and suddenly a red alert light flashed up in Harukas mind. My doctor? Does that mean that I'm… "I'm in a hospital?" she slowly asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. The memories slowly came flooding back to her, the package, how she opened it, then the blinding flash of white light, and then the pain…followed by an unpleasant discovery. She couldn't remember what the unpleasant thing had been – not yet – and she wasn't too sure if she wanted to either. "Yes." Dr. Kaioh now replied, her smile slowly fading. "Do you remember what happened, Tenoh-san?" Haruka nodded, closing her eyes for a second and taking in a deep breath before opening them again and looking at the aqua haired woman. "Yes…I received a package per mail. I opened it, and then…something exploded…and the next thing I remember is lying on my carpet, wondering how I got there…and that something was wrong with my hands." Michiru nodded in response before she started to speak. "The explosion you heard was a letter bomb someone sent to you, Tenoh-san. When you opened the package, it exploded." Suddenly, panic filled Harukas teal eyes. "What happened to my hands?" she asked, her voice shaking with fear. "What happened to…" "I'm sorry that I have to tell you this." Michiru softly replied, capturing the blondes gaze with hers. "But…the bomb tore off the last two fingers of your right hand…as well as the thumb and middle finger of your left. The index finger of that one got halfway torn off too, but we managed to save it…you might have slight problems moving and feeling it in the first weeks, but as soon as the nerves healed up again…" "Get out." Haruka interrupted her hoarsely, causing her to stop talking immediately and look at the blonde shocked. "Tenoh-san, I…" Michiru started, only to receive another "Get out" in reply, harsher this time. "You shouldn't be alone now." The aqua haired woman softly spoke, starting one last attempt to convince Haruka into letting her stay. "I want to be alone. So get the hell out!" the last four words were spoken in such a harsh, hateful tone that Michiru finally gave up, rising from the bed and walking towards the door. Before opening it, she stopped to look back at her patient once more. "If you need me, just push the red button over your head." She mumbled, getting no reply this time. Suppressing the urge to let out a sigh, the aqua haired girl opened the door and left the room, quietly closing it behind her again. As soon as she was gone, Harukas gaze fell down on her bandaged hands that laid on the blanket, and slowly, she raised them – thankful for the painkillers she had been given, otherwise this small motion would have probably been painful enough to make her scream – and stared at what had been perfect hands just twenty-four hours ago. It was obvious which parts were missing, the left hand looking much worse than the right one. Slowly, hot and salty tears welled up in Harukas eyes while she let her damaged hands sink back on the blanket. She leaned back in her pillow, squeezing her eyes shut…but she couldn't keep the tears from falling.

Only one hour later, the door to her room opened again, and Dr. Kaioh poked her head in. "I know that you don't want to see anyone." She spoke, not getting any reaction of Haruka, who just laid in the bed staring out of the window. "But I need to check on you. So can I come in?" The only reaction her question caused was a slight nod, almost invisible. Slowly, Michiru approached the bed, sitting down next to it. "How do you feel?" she gently asked, trying to give her voice a soothing tone. "Shitty." Haruka mumbled in reply, not taking her eyes from the window. "It will be better soon." Michiru softly spoke while taking off her stethoscope to check Harukas heartbeat. "I don't think it will." Haruka replied, finally turning her head to look at her doctor. "I'm a pianist. Or, better said, I was one. You can't play the piano very well with four of your fingers missing." "I know." Michiru replied while writing something on her clipboard. "But I'm sure you will master your life as soon as you get out of here, Tenoh-san. And you will get all the help you need." Haruka shrugged again, her gaze once more falling on the window. "Do you need another painkiller yet?" Michiru now asked, concern in her voice while she looked at the blondes bandaged hands that laid on the blanket. "No." came the short reply. "Ring for me if you need one." The young doctor nearly pleaded, earning a short "Okay." Slowly, the aqua haired woman rose from her chair, hanging the stethoscope around her neck again. "I'll check on you later." She promised before leaving the room again, leaving Haruka behind with her thoughts and worries.