Simon's Point of View
Am I dead? Am I alive? I don't know the answer to either of those questions. Where am I? All I see is darkness. I've seen a light at the end of a tunnel. Was that death? Is death a light? I can't leave Jeanette. I can't leave my flower, I need to be with her. I swear I could see my own blood. I can't breathe. I can't move. I can't do anything. Am I dead? I don't want to die, I need to protect Jeanette. What am I without her? I'm a dead chipmunk. What is she without me? If I'm alive, I must do what I've thought over in my head hundreds of times. I have to show her my true feelings and treat her with all the love she deserves; I can't let her be in danger, I'll take the risk, the blame, the consequences for anything and everything as long as she's safe. I'll do anything for her if only I live.
My vision was slowly coming back to me. I didn't know where I was and the first thing I heard was a soft breathing. Without my glasses I was blind; my body ached and as I took a breath, I winced, pain in my chest after each breath and I noticed that it wasn't my own breathing that I heard. I wasn't alone. I couldn't turn my head to see, in my state of confusion, I half-expected to be beaten by rocks and dirt if I turned my head. The last thing I remember seeing was Jeanette, the last thing I remember feeling was her soft hands and the pounding raindrops against my face, but the last thing I heard was paradise in the dystopia I lived through, the last thing I heard before going out like a light was Jeanette's beautiful voice singing to me. If I truly cheated death, than I was lucky to get the chance to hear her sing again, assuming that Jeanette was alive. No! I can't think like that. She's alive because she's strong.
"Welcome back." I jumped at the sound of a soft voice. As if knowing I couldn't turn my head, the owner of the voice bent over me without touching the cozy bed I lay on, at least I think it was a bed, maybe it was a blanket. It was impossible to think of anything other than to breathe, my head beat harder than any drum and at first, I couldn't understand what the man had said. The man had caramel skin and a scruffy beard, he wore glasses like my own, only they barely fit over his gray eyes. "Hello?" He said in a gentle tone, "Can you hear me?" I nodded slowly as I tried to comprehend what was going on. Who was this man? Was he friend or foe? "I bet you're wondering what happened." He stated. I nodded again. "I'll tell you everything you want to know, but not right now, right now, just lie there, don't close your eyes, you may not open them again if you do." his warning was more than enough for me, but I wanted to know where I was and how long I've been out. I tried to use my hands to push me up from my position, but collapsed with my left wrist writhing in pain.
"Smooth, Simon," I thought, "real smooth." I did my best to sit up, but the furthest I could go was a thirty degree angle. I was already tired, however after the fatigue from the anesthesia, I figured I could do more as time went by. I knew I had surgery. I knew that much. I accepted my position that was more comfortable and gave me a stronger, more clear breath. The softness of the blanket I lay in was like a month old, newborn chipmunk's fur, nothing like it. I tried to move my body, any part that could move was a goal made. I started off with something simple; me feet. They moved without pain. Next my legs, no problem. When I got to my hands, I worried. I already knew something was wrong with my left wrist, would my right hurt too? Carefully, I twisted my right right wrist back and forth and was satisfied that no pain struck me. Before I could try my mid-body and standing up, the man returned, only this time he had company.
Following the man was Dave and on each of his shoulders stood two chipmunks; on his right shoulder were my brothers and on his left were Brittany and Eleanor. I was relieved at first at the sight of seeing them all, but panicked when there was no Jeanette. I opened my mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Dave.
"Simon, thank goodness you're alright." The man, who I assumed was a veterinarian, wouldn't let Dave pick me up. Alvin and Theodore jumped from Dave's shoulder and landed in front of me.
"Dude, you're okay!" Alvin exclaimed with a big smile. His loud voice hurt, but it was worth seeing him again, so I smiled back.
"Nice to see you too." I croaked. Hearing my own voice for the first time in probably days made me wonder how I'd made it as a singer, though I hadn't had anything to drink for a long while.
"You sound funny." Theodore said and I wanted to laugh, but it hurt to breathe, laughing would be excruciating. I enjoyed being with my brothers again. Theodore told me a story about how worried he had been and Alvin joked around, but I sensed he was happier than he was letting on. I focused on Jeanette's sisters, why was Jeanette not with them?
"Where's Jeanette?" I asked, worried that something had happened to her. Alvin pointed beside me and I attempted to turn my head, afraid I'd broken something or even worse, that Jeanette would be in a cast. As I turned my head, her figure came into my blurry view. "May I have my glasses please?" Dave gently placed my glasses on my nose and around my head. Jeanette came into view, asleep next to me and breathing softly, the same breathing I heard when I first woke up.
"She wouldn't leave," The Vet said, "She said you should at least have your flower with you." Did Jeanette really say that? I thought back to when she said she solved the riddle in my note way back on her birthday. Did she know it was her all along? Theodore looked nauseous with the Vet in the room.
"Simon won't die, will he?" Theodore asked and the way his voice moved made him sound like he would cry if the Vet didn't answer.
"I had no intentions of dying." I thought. I wanted to tell Theo that I'd be perfectly fine, but that was for the Vet to say. From the corner of my eye, I could see everyone looking at the Vet, but the sleeping Jeanette had most of my attention. As long as Jeanette would be okay and safe, I had no real fear of death. "Dave, can you get me my sweater please?" I shivered. I was covered only by the blanket and I was beginning to get cold, even with my fur.
"I would advise against that right now," The Vet said, "You have a concussion, you don't need to be squeezing your head through anything right now." A concussion? That would explain the headache, I wondered what other damage my body had suffered. Everyone still glared at the Vet, they all wanted to know my status. "When the concussion heals, get as much rest as possible, that and daily medication and you should end up okay." Everyone seemed to light up at what the Vet said. I would live. I would get to enjoy life, enjoy being with Jeanette, who's eyes fluttered open at the sudden noise. Her eyes went wide at the sight of me and a huge smile sprawled across her face and even with my injuries, she threw herself at me; I didn't mind. With everyone there, she pressed her lips against mine and wrapped her arms around me.
"I think they like each other." I heard Theodore whisper to Alvin, who just smacked his forehead. Theodore, my innocent and sometimes clueless brother.
"You're alive!" Jeanette cried and kept her arms around me; even with her warm arms and the blanket I shivered. My chest hurt as she leaned against me, but I refused to let that get the best of me. This is what I looked forward to after all this time, just being with Jeanette. I shivered again through our hug and wondered how I could be so cold.
"He looks cold," Dave said, "are you sure he can't put on his sweater?"
"I guess it's okay if you're careful putting it on." I rose stiffly with the help of Jeanette and out of the blanket. Embarrassed by what I saw when looking down, I quickly covered up. It the midst of my chest and my stomach was bare, no fur whatsoever.
"What's wrong, Simon?" Jeanette asked. Embarrassment took over and my face burned, my cheeks flushed. Like a baby chipmunk just born, my pink skin was exposed between my chest and stomach. Now I knew why I was so cold. I was missing fur. Was it necessary for surgery?
"Heh, um the Vet kind of had to um…" I was starting to stutter again; great, just great! Jeanette giggled as the blanket fell. It appeared that I wouldn't die from injury, just embarrassment.
"I think it's cute." She giggled and pecked me on the cheek. Her sisters and my brothers were laughing their heads off and it felt like hours before I got my sweater.
"Don't worry, Si." Alvin laughed, "It'll grow back." I gently put the blue sweater on, being careful of my head, wrist, and torso; I finally felt secure. I dug my right hand in the pocket and smiled.
"Simon. Jeanette." The Vet said, "You have a visitor.
"Who?" We both said at once. By now, I was able to turn my head without much pain and when I turned to see who it was, I winced, but not because it hurt to move. The man who stood in the door was tall, large, had a short goatee, and a rough voice as he spoke.
"You two," He began, "have broken a lot of lawful acts. And I want to know why." This man seemed familiar, but he wore a tie, I knew him from somewhere. I didn't recall knowing someone important enough to wear a tie.
"We couldn't let those workers tear that place down," Jeanette said, "That's our special place; there are so few wonderful places like The Gardens, we couldn't let construction take over that."
"You two have done a lot for The Gardens; you've protected it, guarded it with your lives." We stayed silent as the man spoke in his gruff manner. "Being the man in charge, I have to take all of this into consideration." The man in charge? He was a construction worker! I remembered hearing his voice, this was the man who told everyone to clear out. This man was the lead worker, this man was our enemy.
"You're the one who wanted The Gardens gone." I stated, "How can we trust anything you have to say?" The man seemed humored by my confidence.
"I'm here to discuss the state of your 'special place'."
"You mean you don't want to tear it down?" I asked and began to fill myself with hope.
"I didn't say that; I mean, I'm here to make a compromise."