Chapter 2

I heard some strange noises and tried to place them. Nothing sounded even remotely familiar. My eyes didn't want to open. The harder I tried to get them to respond, the more my head hurt.

I woke, this time to talking. My eyes opened just a bit, but the light hurt.

"He's awake, Doctor."

"Hello. Good to see you back. Can you tell me your name?"

"John," I got out in a scratchy voice.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital?" I guessed from what I could see.

"Do you remember what happened?"

My mind tried to think and then nothing.

"Doctor, he's back," a female voice said.

"John, you gave us a little scare there. I'll not ask any questions unless necessary. How does that sound?"

"Ok," I said.

"The nurse is going to run a series of tests. You don't have to do much, but do try and stay with us."

Two days later I was moved out of intensive care and into a regular room. My head still hurt like the devil. My leg was in a full cast. The only thing that I'd been told was that a bullet had done some damage.

I hadn't been watching TV in the intensive care room, but now that I was in a regular room the nurses would walk in and turn it on. I turned it off; I didn't want mind numbing trash bombarding me. I needed to try to remember what had happened. It wasn't all coming together.

A nurse walked into my room after I'd had lunch. She looked up at the blank screen of the TV and smiled.

"I've heard you don't want that thing on."

I instantly liked her. "That's right. There's nothing worth watching."

"Well there should be some entertainment later this afternoon," she said and then fed me my pills.

She left before I could ask what entertainment she was talking about.

I thought I was doing pretty well, although it was rather depressing. I had started to remember my job. Two days ago, I couldn't have told you if I'd ever worked a day in my life.

As soon as I had that down, there was a flash, an image out of focus. I tried to bring it back to no avail. Then almost a half an hour later, another one, this time just a little clearer. It was frustrating. I wanted to scream, but knew that would only bring a nurse and drugs.

I was so concentrated on the third image to flash in my brain, that it startled me when I felt the bed move. I opened my eyes and there was an angel at the foot of my bed. Then the image that was in my head cleared and I knew.

"Oh, God!" I cried out. "NO!"

Tears clouded my eyes and I felt myself getting sick.

My head seared with pain as I turned it, vomiting all over the floor.

Somewhere in my brain, I registered a scream and it wasn't mine.

All I could do is say, "I tried, I tried, I tried," over and over again.

I heard scurrying and hands were on my head. I blinked several times, trying to clear my eyes.

"She's gone," I said sadly. "I tried. I really did."

"It's ok," the nurse said, and handed me a cup. "Drink this and rest."

My face was cleaned. I remember seeing a shot go into the I.V. drip tube.