Chapter 18 - Restless Slumber Part 2

(CHRISTIAN)

At least I get to go home today. I hate hospitals! Mainly for their smell! I don't know, they just have a weird smell among them, even here on Meyo. I didn't sleep much last night, mostly because of the fricken needles in my arm and this fricken back brace! I'm so glad to be getting it off this morning! The nurse came in at 0830 hours and woke me up saying, "Let's get this brace off of you." It felt so good to get it off!

The nurse then got a wheel chair for me and pushed me out to the waiting room where holly was waiting for me. "Now pilot, I don't want you to drive anything for at least ten weeks. No leaving the house for 3 weeks, and no piloting for six." The nurse said to me.

"No driving?!" I said. "Shit, this blows!"

"You'll get over it." Holly said. She then took control of the wheel chair. "I thought I was gonna be delivered to the house." I said.

"Slight change of plans." Holly said. She got me out to the car, where I got out of the chair and into the car. The padded seats felt so good on my back, you have no idea! Holly folded up the chair and placed it in the trunk. She got in and we drove off.

"Now I don't want you getting out of bed until after we all get home later today." Holly told me as we were driving. "I don't want you accidentally hurting yourself and not have anyone there to help you."

"All right." I said. I don't think I was gonna get out of bed anyways, I had nothing to do. In the distance, I saw an Eva out walking around. The Eva was red, and had nice black and orange accents, much like Dani's uniform. It was really cool! And whoever it was piloting it, they were doing well. At least they weren't tripping...anyways, it took us 20 minutes to get home, and I needed some help getting inside. I can't walk very far without pain.

"You sure you don't' want me to get the wheel chair?" Holly asked.

"I'm fine." I said. She grabbed my left shoulder, and it hurt like a bitch! "OUCH! My arm may be out of the sling, but it still hurts!" I yelled out.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Holly said as we went inside. I went straight to my bedroom and lied down in bed.

"We'll be back at 1600!" Holy said as she left.

And so I was all alone...again. The silence wasn't unfamiliar, though. The sound of being alone. Gently, I took my shirt off to examine my battered body. My left shoulder was completely bruised blue, and I had a few large bruises on my stomach and chest. The bed felt nice against my back. Then again, anything's better than that back brace. I softly fell asleep to the most frightening dream:

I was helping Dani down the hallway of our old school, only she felt sick. I got her to the bathroom, where she stuck her head over the sink like she was gonna throw up. She opened her mouth, and I noticed black blood blisters covered the inside of her mouth. Shortly after, she fell to the floor and began to convulse, mucous pouring out of her nose and mouth. No sooner did it turn to milky white pus. She soon began to hemorrhage, and all I could do was try to steady her. She began to shake violently, knocking me off her. She began to arch her back backwards, and only her toes and the back of her head touched the ground. I thin heard her back snap three times, and she fell back to the floor. Was she...no, she can't be...DANI!!!!!!!!!

That must have been the most realistic dream I've ever had. The screams were real, the pain was real, and the scare was real. I woke up in a cold sweat, hours later. The covers were off me, and I was resting on my left shoulder, which hurt like a mother. I screamed in extreme pain. I rolled off the bed and ell only a very short distance, seeing as the bed was only a couple of inches off the ground. I decided to get up and get a coke. As I walked down the hall, the clock read 1530 hours. Everybody would be home in about half an hour. I make it to the kitchen without much problem.

I opened the fridge to find Pen-Pen sleeping in it, oh well. I grabbed the coke and headed back, slipping on the floor, but not falling. The coke tasted so good! I haven't had one in days. I guess I'm a little addicted to caffeine. Anyways, I went back to bed.

About half an hour later, like clockwork, the front door opened, but not a voice was heard. Not much longer and I saw Dani come through my door. What a site she was too.

"CHRISTIAN!" She yelled out as she jumped onto my bed. At least she didn't land on me.

"Hey." I said back. "What a site you are to see." She was still in her skin-tight uniform.

"I'm gonna go change, but I'll be right back!" She seemed extremely happy, and she left. Shortly after, everybody else came in. Holly, Danny, Bri, Clay, Jake, all of them!

"Heya." Holly said.

"Man, you look like shit!" Clay said slyly.

"Feel like shit." I said back to him. "I just wanna get back out there."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, now." Bri said. "The doctor said you can't return for 6 weeks, so says Holly."

"Don't remind me." I said back.

"It'll pass by faster than you think, man." Jake threw in.

"Only problem is," Danny started, "We'll be through with our training and you'll just be starting up again."

I sighed and looked away. He just HAD to make my day worse didn't he...

"Don't fret, Christian." Holly said sympathetically. "They'll be able to help you move along faster when you start up again!"

"Yeah, that's just what I need." I said sarcastically.

"I think Christian needs to get some sleep." Dani said as she walked in, overhearing our conversation, now in her regular clothes. A baby blue halter-top and light-blue jeans. "Come on, everyone out." She said, almost literally pushing them out the door. She stayed in, however.

"How ya feelin'?" She asked as she came back to sit on my bed.

"I've been better." I said with a small laugh.

"Duh." She said laughing as well. "I'm...sorry we couldn't help you out there yesterday."

"Hey, there was nothing y'all could do out there anyways." I said back. "Besides, I'll be back out there before you know it!"

"Six weeks is an awfully long time, though. How will ya manage?"

"With people like you taking care of me, it'll fly by!"

"Heh, thanks." She said. She came over to hug me, and we did. I decided to get her a little kiss on the cheek. Not exactly up to what she did a while back, but ya know.

She blushed a little and said, "I'll be in the living room if you need anything."

"Let me join you." I said as I started to get out of bed.

"NO, NO! You need your rest." She said.

"Believe me, I'll be fine. I've been resting all day."

"Alright. Here, let me help you-"

"No, I'll be fine, thanks." So we went out to join the rest of the group. The television was on; they were watching some improv show called Whose Line Is It Anyway.

(Dedicated to staff Sergeant Kevin Litz, 82nd Airborne Division, Army National Guard.)