Chapter 4

Pain exploded through my central core and shot down the length of my left thigh. Hot, searing and torturous. This was followed by a searing burst of panic that radiated outward from my heart.

“Open your eyes, Nick. You can do it,” whispered a voice.

My mind screamed the command, but my lids merely fluttered in response. My frustration mounted.

A flash of light swept through the darkness.

Fear and confusion gripped me.

“Nick, can you hear me? I know you can do it. Wake up. Wake up.”

I fought with all my might against the stubborn weight of my eyelids. Then, at last, they lifted, and I saw a hand in front of my face. It held a penlight. The light was sweeping back and forth. Everything was blurry.

“That’s it,” the voice approved with encouragement. “You can do it.”

It was a woman’s voice.

Wendy...?

No. That wasn’t possible.

The penlight clicked off and the room became bathed in semi-darkness again as I watched that mysterious hand slip the little black device into the breast pocket of a white lab coat.

“I’m right here, Nick,” Wendy Reynolds said. “Welcome back.”

I struggled to focus on a pair of achingly familiar green eyes blinking down at me. Was I still dreaming? Or was this death?

Every instinct in my body told me it was Wendy Reynolds, J.J.’s big sister. However, the world was still a blur and I couldn’t let myself believe it. This had to be a lingering imprint from all those memories that had flashed through my mind.

“Wendy?” I whispered, still unable to believe she was truly standing over me.

“Can you see me?” she asked as if she couldn’t believe it either. “Can you hear me?”

I managed a nod.

“This has to be some kind of miracle,” she said with surprise.

“Am I dead?” I asked.

She gave a short laugh. “No, but you came pretty close. Welcome back to the world of the living. Good decision, by the way.”

I blinked a few times, and glanced at the name tag on her lab coat. It read Dr. Wendy Reynolds.

“You work here?” I asked in a raspy voice.

“Kind of. I’m a third year psychiatry resident. I shouldn’t really be in here with you. I’m supposed to be somewhere else right now, but when I saw them take you out of the ambulance...” Her voice quavered. “I couldn’t believe it was you and I had to stay with you. It’s been such a long time, Nick.”

She glanced over her shoulder at the door. “There’s a nurse coming in now and the ICU doc should be right behind her. I must go.”

I couldn’t think straight. I felt frazzled and displaced. Then, I remembered watching the details of my operation. My stomach was open ... There was blood everywhere ... a warm light and a tunnel that pulled me in...

“Will you come back?” I asked.

I wanted to tell her what had happened to me. Would she believe it? Would anyone believe it?

Wendy nodded. “I will, but right now they need to check you over. You did really well, Nick. You’re a survivor. I’m so glad you made it.”

Just then, a nurse ran into the room and I lost sight of Wendy. I looked around for her, but she was gone.