Chapter 4: The Hospital

I feel gentle fingers tugging at my clothes. My eyelids are so heavy that I can't open my eyes. Soft hands are touching me. At first, my forehead and neck, then my abdomen. Finally, my legs. Some of the touches are causing me pain. I'm trying to protest, but my lips can't move. The touching stops. I hear a lively conversation. The words sound familiar, but I can't grasp their meaning. A few minutes later, I am aware of something cold sliding up my right leg. It barely touches my skin. I hear a creaking sound. I don't understand what's going on. Then, I feel the same coldness on my left leg. What a fool I am! They are cutting the pantyhose. Subsequently, I feel my panties being cut off laterally and removed. Have they noticed that I have wetted my panties? I am self-conscious about my nakedness. My skirt and blouse are taken off as well. My bra remains untouched. What are they going to do? I am rather interested than scared. The worst is over. They will take care of me. The pain is not so intense now. It is almost tolerable. Am I drugged? Then, I make out the phrase "multiple fractures". Are they talking about me? Sure. It stings as they are cleaning the cuts and bruises. I am aware that my body is fully exposed. Including my private parts.

I am wheeled into another room. The temperature is lower and I go goosey. I still can't open my eyes. Something clicks loudly. They are turning me cautiously on my left side. It hurts like hell. I hear the same sound again. A moment later, I am turned on my back and wheeled out.

People are scurrying about. They are talking. I can make out at least three different voices but can't make sense of the conversation. For them, I am an object. My personality is not important. They are working on me, trying to fix me. I am thankful. No one is going to hurt me anymore. In this moment, I feel my left foot being lifted. Someone's strong hands are holding it. They clasp around it and push. At first, I am unable to understand what's going on. The pain overwhelms me. I feel bone fragments moving, grating against each other. I scream. The torture stops immediately. My foot is on fire. I open my eyes. A man is scolding one of the nurses. She blushes. A mask is placed on my face, and I slowly drift into unconsciousness. The torture continues before I pass out completely. This time, I am barely aware of it. Soon, I don't feel anything.

I am dreaming. I know that it is just a nightmare, but I am horrified nevertheless. The worm is eating me. It is big. Almost like a little snake. It is into my womb. Its tiny teeth are razor sharp. They chew my intestines. I fist my stomach, trying to kill it. The worm is writhing. It digs deeper into my flesh. This time it gnaws at the bones. They crunch as it breaks them with voracious eagerness.

I am covered with cold sweat as I wake up. Shaking off the nightmare, I open my eyes. A lot of time has passed. I am alone in a small separate room. My right arm is casted. It is lifted up in a sling. The plaster is going all the way up to my shoulder. The cast is bent at a 90-degree angle. My left leg is plastered up to the knee. It hangs in a sling too. The cast is pretty big for such a small-sized foot as mine. Was I expecting some tight fitting, cute cast? Not that the cast is ugly but... I am looking at my bloated toes when something catches my eyes. The sight is quite futuristic. I have never seen this sort of contraption before. My right leg is in traction. Metal bars are surrounding it. The limb looks pitiably. There are holes bored into it. Metal pieces are shoved into the holes. Weights are suspended from the frame above. The sight makes me queasy. It hurts even looking at my leg. Obviously, it is badly broken. For all I know it could have been amputated. Maybe, I am lucky.