And The Scars Remind Me
Chapter Two
|chapter two|
I was flying. I couldn’t tell you exactly how, but I could feel the wind hitting my face and I could see the earth pass below me. I saw the flashing ambulance lights and the cold, dreary rain soaked night. I passed over paramedics and the wreckage of the car. What was happening? Was I dead? I didn’t feel dead. In fact, I felt…surprisingly good. Then is hit me. Gia.
I craned my neck to see if I could find her but the scene of the accident was gone and bright lights flooded my vision. I was still flying but a moment later, the lights faded and I found myself in the living room of a comfortable home. It was almost identical to the one of my mothers house back in New Jersey. I took in the worn plaid couch and antique coffee table covered with oddball nick knacks. The carpet was a faded burgundy plush and there was a brown easy chair situated next to the couch. An old television set flickered with snow. The walls had a floral paper on them and there were picture frames with no pictured, only blank Polaroid snapshots. Where was I?
“Hello?” I said quietly...cautiously. Silence. I sighed, starting to get creeped out by the room. There was a plain wooden door and I quickly walked over to it. I put my hand on the knob and gave it a turn. A few creaks escaped but it did not turn. Frustrated, I walked over to the couch and sat down. There was no clock, no calendar and no indication of where I might be. I stared at the television, watching the black and white static swirl around on the screen. The volume was low but I could hear the faint Shhhhhh sound of the static. I closed my eyes to think for a moment.
“Gerard? Is that you?” My eyes flew open. On the screen was Gia’s face. It was battered and bruised but still her. I felt the tears sting my eyes. I watched as her own eyes darted nervously around. She spoke again.
“Gerard, I’m scared. What’s happening?” I jumped up and ran over to the television.
“Gia!” I yelled. She didn’t respond. Gia’s eyes widened, then she was looking directly at me. I put my hand to the screen, covering the side of her face.
“Gia.” I sobbed, knowing that she couldn’t hear me. Her eyes widened some more and she whispered my name and then there was only static. I balled my fist letting
the tears run from eyes. I wanted to hear her voice again but only the faint sound of nothing filled my ears.
“Where am I?!” I screamed into the empty room.
“Do you really want to know?” I turned around fast, losing my balance and falling to the floor. I sat back and looked up to the form of a woman sitting on the couch. She was an older woman with dark brown hair that fell straight past her shoulders. I could see a few gray hairs scattered throughout the darker ones. She had intense eyes framed by dark lashes and she was wearing a long black shirt with a white button up oxford shirt. There were sandals upon her feet. I stared at her nervously for a minute before speaking.
“Who are you?” I asked, not moving. She gave me a smiled and I could see her small white teeth.
“Me? My name is Elizabeth Aubrey.” I watched as her smile faded. “I’ve been here for seven years.” I must have looked confused because she gave me an odd look.
“You really don’t know where you are, do you?” I shook my head, afraid of her answer. I watched at she stood up and made her way to me. Her long skirt swished around her legs as she walked up to me and held a hand out.
“You’re in a coma and this, well this is where you wait.”
I was flying. I couldn’t tell you exactly how, but I could feel the wind hitting my face and I could see the earth pass below me. I saw the flashing ambulance lights and the cold, dreary rain soaked night. I passed over paramedics and the wreckage of the car. What was happening? Was I dead? I didn’t feel dead. In fact, I felt…surprisingly good. Then is hit me. Gia.
I craned my neck to see if I could find her but the scene of the accident was gone and bright lights flooded my vision. I was still flying but a moment later, the lights faded and I found myself in the living room of a comfortable home. It was almost identical to the one of my mothers house back in New Jersey. I took in the worn plaid couch and antique coffee table covered with oddball nick knacks. The carpet was a faded burgundy plush and there was a brown easy chair situated next to the couch. An old television set flickered with snow. The walls had a floral paper on them and there were picture frames with no pictured, only blank Polaroid snapshots. Where was I?
“Hello?” I said quietly...cautiously. Silence. I sighed, starting to get creeped out by the room. There was a plain wooden door and I quickly walked over to it. I put my hand on the knob and gave it a turn. A few creaks escaped but it did not turn. Frustrated, I walked over to the couch and sat down. There was no clock, no calendar and no indication of where I might be. I stared at the television, watching the black and white static swirl around on the screen. The volume was low but I could hear the faint Shhhhhh sound of the static. I closed my eyes to think for a moment.
“Gerard? Is that you?” My eyes flew open. On the screen was Gia’s face. It was battered and bruised but still her. I felt the tears sting my eyes. I watched as her own eyes darted nervously around. She spoke again.
“Gerard, I’m scared. What’s happening?” I jumped up and ran over to the television.
“Gia!” I yelled. She didn’t respond. Gia’s eyes widened, then she was looking directly at me. I put my hand to the screen, covering the side of her face.
“Gia.” I sobbed, knowing that she couldn’t hear me. Her eyes widened some more and she whispered my name and then there was only static. I balled my fist letting
the tears run from eyes. I wanted to hear her voice again but only the faint sound of nothing filled my ears.
“Where am I?!” I screamed into the empty room.
“Do you really want to know?” I turned around fast, losing my balance and falling to the floor. I sat back and looked up to the form of a woman sitting on the couch. She was an older woman with dark brown hair that fell straight past her shoulders. I could see a few gray hairs scattered throughout the darker ones. She had intense eyes framed by dark lashes and she was wearing a long black shirt with a white button up oxford shirt. There were sandals upon her feet. I stared at her nervously for a minute before speaking.
“Who are you?” I asked, not moving. She gave me a smiled and I could see her small white teeth.
“Me? My name is Elizabeth Aubrey.” I watched as her smile faded. “I’ve been here for seven years.” I must have looked confused because she gave me an odd look.
“You really don’t know where you are, do you?” I shook my head, afraid of her answer. I watched at she stood up and made her way to me. Her long skirt swished around her legs as she walked up to me and held a hand out.
“You’re in a coma and this, well this is where you wait.”