Half life

STREAKS OF PAIN

“Hey baby girl, hope you good?”The female nurse asked, giving me a puzzled look.I sighed and turned towards the cold metal bed rails beside my bed with the little machine, 10 inches away humming quietly in the left corner. “C’mon, talk to me sweetheart. How are you feeling? Does it hurt?” She asked this time more softly, caressing my bandaged head.“Yeah” I muttered, nibbling with my little fingers.Squatting beside my bed, she took my hands into hers and looked deeply into my eyes, smiling and revealing her white set of teeth in the process as spoke. “I know how you feel dear but I assure you, you’ll be fine. We are all doing our best and with time, you will be out of here. She said beaming with reassuring smiles. I wasn’t sure if I understood what she meant but this time I nodded my head slightly and said “ok” but more of a whisper.“Where is my Daddy ma’am” I managed to say. “Your daddy?” she flinched, as if she was thrown back by my question. She sighed loudly and stood up. ”Well, the thing is… I wasn’t around when they brought you in. I just resumed my shift minutes ago.” She blurted out in a rush, using her left hand to brush off strands of silky dark hair that fell across her face. “But if you want to see you dad, I can go and call him for you” she added, shrugging her shoulders expressionlessly. With that she walked away towards the right corner of the ward and disappeared into a brown French door with an inscription ”EXIT” boldly written at the top. “She didn’t even hear me out before leaving” gush, she’s so horrible! I cursed under my breath.“At least she is pretty but obviously a psycho” I said casually but smiling. She maybe just 22 but looks 18 in that radiant dark skin. How about her long straight, silky hair fluttering like the feathers of a proud peacock uneasily at her back? Damn she’s so so beautiful. Perhaps daddy should marry her I want a kid brother too. No! She will be so wicked. Mum said stepmoms are very cruel and evil, I muttered sadly. I kept fantasying till I drifted into a deep sleep. I woke up several hours later to get stuck in the nauseating smell of antiseptics hanging steadily in the air, irritating my nose as they flew past it. If there was any reason I despised hospitals it was definitely because of this weird characteristic smell. It always makes me want to throw up and as well vomit my tummy in the process. I tossed uneasily on my bed holding my tummy in an attempt to restrain myself from throwing up. I was still tossing about in my bed when the Doctor in a pair of gray sweatpants walked elegantly into the ward with both hands thrust into the pocket of his crispy white lab coat and his stethoscope draping gently across his neck. As he walked stealthily on the tiled floor towards the left side of the ward, the sound from his Italian shoes kept echoing loudly about the spacious ward. He wasn’t smiling but was quite handsome with his full and lush hair racing down to the back of his neck framed by a good jaw line stretched slightly with a pointed nose and sharp greenish eyes to match. His shoulders were broad obviously a product of strenuous workouts. He was perhaps doing his clinical round check. He was just few meters away when he signaled a nurse to come closer “Attend to that patient over there he said sternly pointing towards my direction.”“Ok, Doc Henry.” She cooed. With that the nurse, of average build and skinny structure in braided hair walked towards my bedside with a metallic tray containing plaster, iodine and other alien hospital tools in her hands. She didn’t speak to me but motioned me to sit up as she placed the tray on a little table about 12’5 inches tall beside my bed. She stood up and gently loosened the bandage on my head and quickly left after replacing it. “She is so hostile and grumpy, unlike the other nurse that came to the ward earlier today” I thought to myself. “Hey, little one” a voice detached yet clinical said to me drawing me out of my thought.I stared at him tight lipped not wanting to talk.“I’m Doc Henry, a good friend of your Dad. We both attended college together.” He babbled leading me close in high hopes I’d respond this time.“How is that my business? Doc Henry” I blurted out sharply. My comment wasn’t a question though so I don’t expect to get a reply and he fortunately did not give in. “Well how is your health now? Does it still hurt?” He asked, with his coarse voice taking a pedantic tone this time as he segued to a different topic.“I am feeling better now doc.” I replied in a low and uncertain tone.“Your dad will be here in a few minutes but before that, he paused briefly and continued. I would like to ask you some questions. Hope you don’t mind? He asked grinning wildly like a white idiot.”I don’t” I interjected curtly. “Ok then, shall we proceed?”Was this meant to be a question? I wondered briefly.He waited for a response but got none, so he continued. “Can you remember where you were before you passed out?”‘‘Yes” I muttered breathlessly. “Ok, where was that?” he asked, peering at me with those hollow eyes of his.“Maybe in the kitchen I guess… I was… yes it was in the kitchen I answered uncertainly”He heaved a sigh as though he was tired.“Are you sure?” He asked absentmindedly.“Yes” I answered softly.