Saturday morning. The early morning of every saturday was reserved for her weekly visits in the Grand Hospital in the capital of Cambridge, a much less astounding complex than the SRC on New London. The elevator moved Layla onto the 16th floor. The tapping sound of her shoes resounded through the long corridor where smiling nurses dressed in pure white, sterilised blouses glimpsed at her while passing by. These visits have become a habit for Layla, she'd been paying them for over 4 months now as an attempt to find peace in herself and maybe also influence Johnny's medical developement by continously talking to him next to his bed.
Layla entered room 52, greeted the doctor who was analyzing some data and threw a quick glance at the displays monitoring her husband's respiration, blood pressure etc. Pulling the small stool next to the head side of the bed she sighed deeply and looked into John's eyes. She knew that she'd need to abandon him if nothing was changing to the bright side in the near future which would give her at least a tiny bit of hope.
Darkness. That's what was going on in John's body. His brain melted by an unknown living being, muscles weakened by the long stay in bed.
The doctor was messing in the papers, shaking his head. He couldn't believe what he saw. He went over them again, and again for many minutes. Maybe a computer's mistake. That was unlikely though. Yet he ran the tests again. Layla didn't know what was about to happen. The Doctor took the new results. He frowned. "Something is wrong here. Brain activity is rising." He turned to Layla. "This is your lucky morning. Your husband might be waking up shortly, unless it's a system error." He looked at the former Admiral of Armed Forces. "Though I do recommend you to stay out of the room. We have no idea how he will react when he wakes up from his prolonged sleeping."
[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.
Layla startled as she heard the doctor speaking, her stomach turned upside down and she began to feel oddly dizzy. The doctor muttered something about cerebral cortex and stimulated nerve tracts, Layla hardly managed to keep track of it, she had never really been into biology jargon. However, she vehemently insisted on staying in the room, Layla knew she must be there if anything happened to happen to John. The unusal charts could be nothing at all, an error, as was already pointed out. If it were real, though, it could be a sign of both return or eternal vanishing. This was extremely frightening, Layla probably soon had to face either the utmost felicity or mourn the likes of which she never ever had sampled it. Nobody could keep her from going through it that close and intensely in this very moment.
Hours passed. The doctor came in to check John's status. His heart was beating faster, breathing was deeper. "I'll stay here, just in case." He mumbled and sat on a chair in front of the bed. It was pretty hot outside already. Air conditioning was getting overworked to keep an optimal temperature in the room. All of sudden, his arm moved. The moment of truth was here. Doctor turned to Layla for the last time. "Nobody knows what he will do, are you really sure you want to stay here?"
John streched a bit, and slowly... slowly, opened his eyes. He was awake.
[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.
Layla was petrified, her eyes wide open, cold sweat running over her forehead. Just before John regained conciousness again and opened his eyes, she turned round and ran into the doctors office which allowed sight on the patients' beds through a large acrylic glass window. Layla pressed her back against a wall so she was almost invisible from the direction of John's bed. Not knowing what overcame her, she breathed heavily as she heard the doctor uttering few words incomprehensible for her ears. A throbbing sound filled the room, a sound Layla felt it was originating from both her heart and head and which disabled her to think properly. Hiding here, or stepping forward. She was rooted to the spot and waited for something to happen.
Doctor leaned over John and asked him: "What's your name?" Clay replied: "John... Clay, I think. Where am I?""That is not so important now. Who are you?""Umm... What?" Doctor sighed. "I want to go home." Doctor kept looking at some monitors. "I fear you will not be going home anytime soon, sir." John felt terrible. He was messed up, completely. "What is the last thing you remember?""Not sure..." He replied, with weakened voice.
He was mashed up, but alive.
[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.
A twitch flowed thorough Layla's body as she perceived his voice. It was weak and crippled, but it was his one. She had not heard for too long. Was he still the old one? Would he remember who he was, and more importantly, who she was? The feelings of immense joy and fear of losing the 'old' John alternated. At any rate, though, she needed to find it out.
Mind and body were competing with themselves now. She wanted to move, dash into the room where the man she had loved and missed so incredibly much lied, alive. Not a single muscle of her allowed this to happen though. She remained there, closing her eyes, figuring out how to react when the moment of reunion impended.
Doctor was filing out some papers about John's health. "How do you feel?""Weak..." John sighed, and mumbled. "Oh how I wish she would be here with me." The doctor raised his head, but said nothing. After a period of silence, doctor announced. "We will do some memory tests tomorrow, when you'll feel better, and learn to walk again.""Aye... Memory tests. You fear I could forget something? Didn't happen, don't worry.""Hopefully... You seem to remember something after all. If you need anything, just push that red button over there.""Yeah yeah... Don't worry." Doctor wandered out to his office.
[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.
"...wish she would be here..." An infinitely heavy burden fell off Layla's heart. Was he still like he used to be? Could it really be that he remembered her? All of this was speaking against the specialists' best prognoses. Little hope for a partial recovery had said to be left for him, let alone a complete one. The doctor entered the office and with a gesture he encouraged her to go see John. Layla was not sure, it might be a too big shock for him, she reckoned she really shouldn't rush it. A moment later she realized how exaggeratedly anxious she felt about the whole fuss. What could actually happen? John was tough and sturdy on every edge, so was she, with the difference that she often fell victim to unfounded self-esteem crises. Layla detached her hands from the wall who had sticked like glue, peeked into the patient's room and saw John laying motionlessly in his bed. As carefully and silently as her shoes' heels allowed it she approached the upper side of the bed.
John saw Layla entering the room. His mood increased rapidly. Such a beauty, he thought. Maybe he remembers her after all, or... He scratched his head, asking a simple question: "Who are you?"
[10:46:32] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): And actually, the KU Dessie is the best GB.
[19:29:19] Joseph (Aphil): SCRA|CPW-Capitalism.