Chapter 2: What's Wrong With Me?

I don't know what has helped me come round. Maybe it is the feeling of tiny creature crawling on my hand, or the disgusting smell of rottenness and mould. Possibly, it is the pain. Never mind! It looks unbelievable that I can still breathe, feel, and see. This doesn't make me feel happy at all. Surely, I am going to die soon! I know that there is something wrong with me! Am I really dying? But I am just 27.

I take a deep breath and try to chase the panic away. The thoughts scurry in my head. I am lying at the bottom of a deep well. I am seeing the light above me. It seems that the well is at least ten meters deep. The woman who pushed me is gone. I don't hear anything except the distant twitter of the birds. How long I have been lying here?

The pain intensifies and rudely interrupts the flow of thoughts. I gasp for breath. Everything swims before my eyes. As the dizziness recede, I am able to think again. I can't move. I feel as if my body is shattered. My right leg is stretched out. My foot is turned inwards. There is a lump in the middle of my thigh. Instinctively, I know that I should not even try to budge my leg. The left one looks better. I can flex my knee. At least I am not paralyzed. That's for sure. My bottom and lower back are on fire. I am trying to move my arms. The right one is not responding. My fingers are numb. I am not sure if I have internal injuries. My stomach is not painful. That's good. There are moist blotches beside me. I touch them. Then, I examine the tips of my fingers. To my relief, they are not smeared with blood. The wetness is maybe water or urine, but definitely not blood. I am not sure if I have wetted myself. The dampness on my panties answers this question. It seems that my skirt and pantyhose are torn. I see my bare flesh here and there. Except for a big bump behind the left ear, my head is intact. As I finish the cursory examination, the panic comes back induced by another wave of pain. I faint.

As I regain consciousness, I realize that something has changed. What? I can't see anything! What's going on? The darkness is impenetrable!

Then, I look up and see a star. Night has fallen.

I feel unwell. I am in a fever. My heart is pounding. It appears that my right thigh is terribly swollen.

When I stir slightly, unbearable, piercing pain erupts from my pelvis and moves up my spine. I writhe and cry with pain. This causes more suffering. I will myself to lie still. It is very difficult. Tears gush from my eyes.

My left foot troubles me too. It feels as if the leather boot cannot contain it anymore. The swelling is growing by the minute. The feeling is torturing, but I can't do anything. It would have been great if I could reach out and slide the zipper down...