Status: Sorry about the lack of indentation, I edit the story but they don't show up.
Another Place, Another Time
The Realization
The first thing I see is a white light, but then I see most of the same faces from when I woke up in the hospital months ago. They're crying this time.
"What's going on?"
"Lane, you almost died! Its a miracle you made it." I've never heard Charlie's voice so emotional.
"I can't believe it either. Who would have thought I could make it." I look around and notice Miranda isn't there, its only a nurse and Charlie.
"Where is everyone?"
"They went home awhile ago. We were afraid you weren't going to make it. The doctors even prepared us for the worst. Miranda and some of the other riders went home, they couldn't even imagine losing you. You're parents even drove up here to say their final goodbyes." The Miranda I know wouldn't have left my side, she's tougher than half the guys I know.
"You're nuts, you're joking aren't you? I can't die, I'm still riding high on adrenaline from my last ride. Can you believe that I lasted eight seconds on him?" They look at me as if I was the one who was nuts.
"Yeah man, it was crazy!" I could tell by Charlie's voice he was just humoring me. Why was no one else celebrating with me?
"Lane, you need to calm down. You just woke up, we don't need you relapsing." The nurse came over and checked my bags.
"What do you mean relapsing?"
"You've been in a coma for three months. Your heart stopped beatin' for eight seconds, and they zapped you back to life."
"No, no, no, no, NO! This can't be. I've had the best season of my life! I averaged in the top ten riders of the year, I made eight every ride. I'm 100%, I've got my whole life going for me. You're lying! This is a cruel joke. Miranda's got to be in the lobby. She loves me to much to leave my side. I rode Black Stone in the Nationals for eight seconds. I've conquered the impossible, twice. Everything was so real, I felt Black Stone land on me, that's why I'm here. He almost crushed me to death but not before the buzzer sounded." My heart was racing, my head was spinning.
"Lane, that must have been a dream. You must have heard the radio when you were in the coma. The buzzer was probably the alarm saying you flatlined. And when Black Stone landed on you, that was probably the nurses bringing you back to life." Charlie had never sounded so logical, and yet crazy at the same time.
"Can you guys give me a minute?" They leave the room, but leave the door open.
How could I have dreamt the last three months of my life? It was so real, maybe this is the dream. With that thought I try going back to sleep.
"Hey Lane, wake up!" Miranda comes in through the door.
"Well hey there girl-fran! How are you today?"
"I'm doing much better now that I know you're awake. That's quite a ride Black Stone took you on. How does the cowboy fare?" There's no way this is a dream, I must have dreamt that I was dreaming.
"Oh I'm doing just dandy. Did you hear when they'll release me?"
"You're nuts. You just got crushed by a bull like two days ago! I would think you're stuck here for at least a week, no less. If you want I can go talk to the doctor?"
"If you wouldn't mind? I really just want to get out of here." She nods and walks out.
I drift off to sleep again. When I wake up, Charlie, the nurse, Miranda and some of the other cowboys are in my room.
"What's going on?"
"The doctors think you might have sustained brain damage. You're up an' talkin' now, but the docs still stay you ain't in the clear. They're afraid you might develop a blood clot or somethin' in your brain. They need your okay in order to run the tests to make sure."
"Charlie, you be talkin' crazy talk. I'm fine." He shakes his head and walks out.
"Charlie forgot to mention that the doc said if everything is fine that you ought to be out of here within two weeks."
"Hey, if I tell you something, will you please not tell the others? They'll think I'm insane."
"Lane, they already do. But yeah, it can stay between us." She smiles and I believe her. I tell her everything that I think has happened since my birthday. She doesn't interrupt, she just nods as she takes it all in. Her expression stays the same, calm, even when I tell her about the things that went on between us. After I got done talking, she gave me a hug.
"None of that happened. I'm sorry. I wish it would have though. Are you still thinking of keepin' up with the rodeo, or are you going to quit?"
"I'd rather die doing what I love than live a long lie of a life."
"Well, I'll be following you when you get back on your feet."
"Whoa now, I don't want you following me to the bathroom. I'm pretty sure that's the first trip I'm making when I walk."
"In three months I seemed to have forgotten about you're charming personality. Haha, but wouldn't you want me to make sure you didn't fall, at least from the bed to the bathroom door?"
"Okay, I guess you do have a point there. And remember, I'm a jerk by nature, but a cowboy at heart."
"And a smart-ass between the two." We both cracked up laughing. "Don't laugh! It might rehurt your ribs!"
"Nahh, I've been a veggie for the last three months, I oughta be as good as new by now."
"You sure are a stubborn one."
"I learned from the best. My daddy was one tough cookie. Speaking of which, I could sure go for.I feel like I haven't eaten in ages."
"I'll go hunt some down for you." With that she got up and left, laughing. Maybe the dream was meant to show me what I have to look forward to. I close my eyes to rest because I'm exhausted. I drift into dreamless sleep.
"What's going on?"
"Lane, you almost died! Its a miracle you made it." I've never heard Charlie's voice so emotional.
"I can't believe it either. Who would have thought I could make it." I look around and notice Miranda isn't there, its only a nurse and Charlie.
"Where is everyone?"
"They went home awhile ago. We were afraid you weren't going to make it. The doctors even prepared us for the worst. Miranda and some of the other riders went home, they couldn't even imagine losing you. You're parents even drove up here to say their final goodbyes." The Miranda I know wouldn't have left my side, she's tougher than half the guys I know.
"You're nuts, you're joking aren't you? I can't die, I'm still riding high on adrenaline from my last ride. Can you believe that I lasted eight seconds on him?" They look at me as if I was the one who was nuts.
"Yeah man, it was crazy!" I could tell by Charlie's voice he was just humoring me. Why was no one else celebrating with me?
"Lane, you need to calm down. You just woke up, we don't need you relapsing." The nurse came over and checked my bags.
"What do you mean relapsing?"
"You've been in a coma for three months. Your heart stopped beatin' for eight seconds, and they zapped you back to life."
"No, no, no, no, NO! This can't be. I've had the best season of my life! I averaged in the top ten riders of the year, I made eight every ride. I'm 100%, I've got my whole life going for me. You're lying! This is a cruel joke. Miranda's got to be in the lobby. She loves me to much to leave my side. I rode Black Stone in the Nationals for eight seconds. I've conquered the impossible, twice. Everything was so real, I felt Black Stone land on me, that's why I'm here. He almost crushed me to death but not before the buzzer sounded." My heart was racing, my head was spinning.
"Lane, that must have been a dream. You must have heard the radio when you were in the coma. The buzzer was probably the alarm saying you flatlined. And when Black Stone landed on you, that was probably the nurses bringing you back to life." Charlie had never sounded so logical, and yet crazy at the same time.
"Can you guys give me a minute?" They leave the room, but leave the door open.
How could I have dreamt the last three months of my life? It was so real, maybe this is the dream. With that thought I try going back to sleep.
"Hey Lane, wake up!" Miranda comes in through the door.
"Well hey there girl-fran! How are you today?"
"I'm doing much better now that I know you're awake. That's quite a ride Black Stone took you on. How does the cowboy fare?" There's no way this is a dream, I must have dreamt that I was dreaming.
"Oh I'm doing just dandy. Did you hear when they'll release me?"
"You're nuts. You just got crushed by a bull like two days ago! I would think you're stuck here for at least a week, no less. If you want I can go talk to the doctor?"
"If you wouldn't mind? I really just want to get out of here." She nods and walks out.
I drift off to sleep again. When I wake up, Charlie, the nurse, Miranda and some of the other cowboys are in my room.
"What's going on?"
"The doctors think you might have sustained brain damage. You're up an' talkin' now, but the docs still stay you ain't in the clear. They're afraid you might develop a blood clot or somethin' in your brain. They need your okay in order to run the tests to make sure."
"Charlie, you be talkin' crazy talk. I'm fine." He shakes his head and walks out.
"Charlie forgot to mention that the doc said if everything is fine that you ought to be out of here within two weeks."
"Hey, if I tell you something, will you please not tell the others? They'll think I'm insane."
"Lane, they already do. But yeah, it can stay between us." She smiles and I believe her. I tell her everything that I think has happened since my birthday. She doesn't interrupt, she just nods as she takes it all in. Her expression stays the same, calm, even when I tell her about the things that went on between us. After I got done talking, she gave me a hug.
"None of that happened. I'm sorry. I wish it would have though. Are you still thinking of keepin' up with the rodeo, or are you going to quit?"
"I'd rather die doing what I love than live a long lie of a life."
"Well, I'll be following you when you get back on your feet."
"Whoa now, I don't want you following me to the bathroom. I'm pretty sure that's the first trip I'm making when I walk."
"In three months I seemed to have forgotten about you're charming personality. Haha, but wouldn't you want me to make sure you didn't fall, at least from the bed to the bathroom door?"
"Okay, I guess you do have a point there. And remember, I'm a jerk by nature, but a cowboy at heart."
"And a smart-ass between the two." We both cracked up laughing. "Don't laugh! It might rehurt your ribs!"
"Nahh, I've been a veggie for the last three months, I oughta be as good as new by now."
"You sure are a stubborn one."
"I learned from the best. My daddy was one tough cookie. Speaking of which, I could sure go for.I feel like I haven't eaten in ages."
"I'll go hunt some down for you." With that she got up and left, laughing. Maybe the dream was meant to show me what I have to look forward to. I close my eyes to rest because I'm exhausted. I drift into dreamless sleep.