To Roam Into the Unknown

“I swear Stacy, if she says one more word to me I’m going to come out the side of my face and hurt her feelings. I don’t care if she’s the doctor’s pet or not. She’s meddlesome and she’s meddling in clinical affairs. SHE ISN’T EVEN CLINICAL!” Aurora whispered loudly to her friend.

Stacy rubbed her back. “You are preaching to the choir, love. The only thing is, we see how she is. She can’t hide it from us. But Dr. Butler is unaware of it. It’s frustrating, but there isn’t anything we can do except our jobs.”

Aurora scanned the patient’s wristband.

“So…Mr. Green. Any change yet?” Stacy asked. Aurora shook her head.

“None whatsoever.” she replied.

“Wow…it’s been six weeks. Poor guy. Anyone ever come looking for him?” Stacy asked, checking his vitals.

“Nope. Just another John Doe.” Aurora clicked on the radio.

“Really Aurie?”

Aurora shot her friend a quick glance as she drew up his medication. “What? He likes to listen to the music.”

“If he can even hear it, you mean.” Stacy said.

“I think he can. He always has this worried look on his face. When I put on the music, his face relaxes. It has become part of the daily routine.” Aurora injected the syringe into his IV port.

“Getting a bit attached are we?” Stacy adjusted his pillows.

“He’s alone. No one knows who he is and no one has come to claim him. It’s just a sad situation all around.” Aurora tossed the syringe into the sharps container.

“You coming out with us tonight?” Stacy asked, changing the subject.

“Not tonight…I promised Emm I would cover her shift tonight.”

“Eww, a double?? That sucks.” Stacy removed her gloves.

“I don’t mind. The night shift is when all the good stuff happens anyways.” Aurora pulled the blankets down and began inspecting his thigh.

“Do you get drunk and laid on the night shift??” Stacy asked, walking to the door.

Aurora gave a short laugh. “Um not the night shift I work.”

Stacy gave her a wink. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Aurora gave her a quick wave and pulled his blankets. “Mr. Green….your leg is healing nicely…” she said. His hair was growing back in a thin black stubble. He had a thick stubble growing on his face.

“Six weeks…” she whispered, adjusting his breathing tubes. “I hope you can hear the music..” she said, closing the door behind her.

As it turned out, Loki could hear the music. He could hear everything, though he was still unable to move or open his eyes.



“Hey Mike…I need you to go to E23’s room and check his vitals again. I have to give E20 his insulin.” Aurora asked, typing her nurse note.

“When?” Mike asked, taking a swig of his coffee.

“He’s due to have them checked at 2330.” Aurora replied. Mike nodded and gave her a thumbs up as he tossed back the rest of his drink.

“Let me know if anything has changed, will you?” she asked, gathering the supplies for the insulin injection.

Mike tossed his stethoscope around his neck and made his way to Mr. Green’s room.

“Hey you…” Aurora looked up over her glasses. Chris the P.A. leaned against the counter, smiling down at her.

“Hey…you off?” she asked.

“Yeah. What about you? You coming to the Joint?” The Joint was the local nightclub and bar that most hospital staff frequented. She scrunched up her nose and shook her head.

“Nah. I’m covering for Emm tonight.” she replied, closing the chart she had been writing in.

“A double? Eww that sucks.” He made a whining noise. “But its been forever since you and I had a good fu-”

“CHRIS!” Aurora stared up at him wide-eyed. He winked at her. What he said was true.

“We could pop over into C-Hall for a quickie-”

“Chris! What the actual hell? No! Are you freaking crazy?” she asked with a laugh. She could feel her face flush.

He was tall with bright blue eyes, a clean cut beard and black hair cut short and gelled into a faux-hawk. He had hours of playing golf to thank for the golden tan. He knew he was sexy and worse-he knew she knew it. They had agreed to having sex as a means purely for stress relief-which had turned into three times a week. As much as it pained her to, she had to decline.

“I can’t. Some of us have to work for a living.” she replied.

“I work for a living.” He said.

“No, you work for a hobby. You, are a trust fund kid.” She smirked as he held his hand over his heart, feigning hurt.

“No. Away with you. I’m certain there is some air-headed drone out there willing to sling leg for you.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

“I love it when you talk dirty.” He said over his shoulder as he retreated to the stairwell.

She smiled as she watched him descend the stairs. It was soooo incredibly hard to turn him down. He was really actually very good in bed-

Aurora was jolted out of her thoughts by a loud commotion.

“I NEED SOME HELP IN HERE!!” she heard Mike yell. She rushed down the hall and into Mr. Green’s room.

“Oh my God!” she cried. Mr. Green’s eyes were open wide and he was fighting Mike and pulling desperately at his breathing tube. The floor was spattered with blood from where he had ripped out his IV’s.

She grabbed his arms, forcing them down by his sides. “Mr. Green! Please! It’s Aurora!” she cried. Upon saying her name, he stopped fighting, though she could feel his body was still very tense.



In the darkness, Loki could hear the sound of the music playing softly. Then came the voice of one he was not familiar with.

“Alright Mr. Green. Let’s have a listen.” It was the voice of a man. And with that, the music stopped. It always stopped without warning, leaving nothing but deafening silence or voices of strangers. He had had enough of the voices in his head, when they weren’t talking to him, the memories were attacking.

Gathering all the strength he could muster, he willed himself to wake from the purgatory known as his mind. He opened his eyes. Blinking repeatedly for clarity, he stared up at a white ceiling. He looked to the side and could see the blurred silhouette of a man with his back to him.

Attempting to demand his name, it became very clear that something was in his mouth. Reaching up to grasp at the object, he saw the many tubes running into his hands and arms.

Panic setting in, he grasped two of the tubes in his right hand and pulled as hard as he could. With an obstructed groan of pain, the tubes pulled free and blood immediately followed.

The man turned, surprise written on his face. Before he could react, Loki grasped the other tubes in his left arm and ripped them free. At the sight of the blood, the man snapped out of his shock. He hurried over to him, knocking a metal tray to the floor with a lout clang.

“I NEED SOME HELP IN HERE!!” he yelled, trying to get a grip on Loki. “SIR STOP!” he cried.

“Oh my God!”

Loki grabbed the tube in his mouth, but before he could pull it out, he felt soft hands take hold of his own.

“Mr. Green! Please! It’s Aurora!” Loki recognized the name of the voice that had often spoken to him in the darkness and stopped fighting. Blinking to try to see her, he could make out a pair of bright blue eyes staring down at him. Her cheeks were flushed and her face was framed with golden strands of hair.

“Mr. Green do you know where you are?” she asked.

‘Who in seven hells is this Mr. Green?’ he thought, his brow furrowing in confusion. In response to her question, he slowly shook his head from side to side.

“You’re in Harborview Memorial. You were hit by a car and have been in a coma.” The crease in his brow deepened as he tried to make sense of her words.

He watched her look up at the man. “Mike, page Dr. Emran now.” The man turned and hurried out of the room.

Aurora smiled down at him. “It’s a beautiful night to wake up.” she said.

Loki wanted to acknowledge the comment, but could only move his hands back up to the tube. She laid her hands over his and placed them back by his sides. Her touch was like velvet.

“No. You can’t remove that just yet. It’s helping you breathe.” she replied. “I need to clean you up. You’ve done quite a bit of damage to yourself.”

‘You have no idea…’ he thought bitterly, watching her slip gloves over her hands.

“This is going to burn a little…” she said, looking at him. Loki gave a long blink of his eyes, signaling the ok.

Gently, she took his hand and began to wipe at it with a white cloth. The burning was indeed felt, but it wasn’t the worst pain he had felt. She tore a small piece of paper and placed it over the wounds.

“Is there anyone I can call for you? A family member? Wife?” she glanced up at him. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Is there anyone at all?” Again he shook his head slowly. She bandaged his arm and sighed.

“Well well well. Mr. Green. Finally awake, I see.” they both turned in the direction of the voice. Dr. Emran walked in quickly, his lab coat flowing like a cape. He was tall with white hair. A pair of thick-framed black glasses perched on his nose.

“I’m Dr. Emran. I’ve been on your case since you were admitted.” He stated, pulling a penlight out of his pocket.

Aurora stood to move out of his way, but Loki’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She acted as if she would pull away and Dr. Emran moved to intervene.

“It’s ok…I’m going to be right here.” she said, taking in the pleading look in his green eyes. Dr. Emran gave her a reproachful look, but she shook her head slightly. “It’s really ok.”

The doctor leaned over Loki and made to lift his eyelid. Loki jerked away at the attempt.

“Mr. Green, its just a light. I need to check your eyes please.” Dr. Emran said. Aurora gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and Loki relaxed, allowing the doctor to examine him.

Dr. Emran turned to Aurora. “Alrighty. Aurora, call Radiology. We need to run some tests, check his ABGs.” he turned to Loki once more, placing the light back in the pocket on his chest. “Your eyes are reactive to light-which is an excellent sign. I need to get another MRI of your head, make sure there isn’t any permanent damage. If all goes well, we may consider taking out that breathing tube.” He stood and walked out and Mike walked in.

Loki looked at Aurora. “Mike is going to be here if you need anything. I need to make that call.” she said, pulling away. He watched her walk to the door, pausing long enough to turn on the radio.

“He likes the music…” she told Mike, then closed the door behind her.