Chapter 3: Limbo
Sam woke up in Alberta Hospital Ponoko. She couldn't believe her eyes when the window shades seeped through some sunlight. It flooded her room and she stared at the green wall of the room. It was bouncing off the sunlight. It looked so warm and safe. She wanted to jump inside of it and never return into this grimy hospital. It only reminded her more of death. Her body was soar, she noticed this when she tried to get of the bed. Before she could notice anything else there was a knock on the door.
"Yea?" Sam replied.
The door opened as an elderly looking man walked in. His presence made Sam uncomfortable.
"Samantha. It's nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Hill." He offered his hand out for a shake. Sam just blankly stared at him, with immense caution. Under his hospital robe, he wore a white button down underneath a grey sweater vest. To top it all off, he wore a black and green pin striped tie.
"In order for you confirmed leave, I have been ordered to give you a psychiatric evaluation to determine your condition."
Sam still didn't say a word.
He cleared his throat. Her silence started to make him feel impatient.
"Sam? Samantha?" He called for her. Her body was there but she was not.
"Stop." Sam snapped.
"I…uh, I've been order-"
"Shut up." Sam couldn't take it.
His mouth parted the slightest in shock. He didn't expect this to be her response towards his presence.
"You need to leave. Right now." Neither of them had noticed but Mike stood beside the open door. He stared down the doctor. His intimidation had said enough.
The doctor looked back at Samantha and then back at Mike.
"As you wish." He cleared his throat, gathered his documents and left the room without any other words.
Sam's posture still never showed any other sign other than being threatened after he left the room but as soon as she saw Mike, she let everything go. She ran over to him.
"Mike!" They embraced in a long hug.
"I'm so happy you're okay." She confessed to him.
"Ditto" He chuckled. They parted from their embrace.
"Who was that guy?" Sam inquired.
"Josh's psychiatrist. He was apparently hired by the Washingtons. They wanted him to evaluate us. Needless to say, the stories we told the police…yea, well-they think we've lost a few screws."
"That's such bullshit." Sam rushed over to the window. She decided to watch the sun. The color. It fed her soul, brightened all the life in her.
"I can't believe this. It happened. All of it. We didn't make this up…right?" Sam turned around and looked at Mike.
"It happened." He offered comfort in his own way.
"I'd give anything to unsee it." Sam mumbled to herself.
"We just have to move on, I guess." Mike stood beside her. Their eyes both roamed the sunny evening sky aimlessly.
"But…everything we do. It'll become some kind of inescapable purgatory. Like some limbo…are you ready for that?" Sam looked at Mike. There was a weakness in his eyes.
"Are we ready for that?" He repeated. "Yea I think we are." Mike made sure to mention the article of 'we.'
They both remained still by the windowsill. No more words were exchanged. The silence was inhumanely comfortable.
"Yea…we are." Sam's final words slipped off her tongue before she hobbled over to the hospital bed and decided upon getting some rest.
"Come back again?" Sam questioned Mike when he began to head out the door.
"Of course." He smiled back at her.
The day had began to come to an end. The first day after Blackwood had passed.