Ryan slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. The light wasn’t on, and the fan didn’t move. Grime and mold were in the corners, and cracks appeared on the floors. What was once pristine white had turned into a dull gray. Ryan blinked to clear his fuzzy vision, as everything around him seemed to be spinning and meshing together. He tried to reach for the ceiling fan, immobile and turned off, but the strains in his muscles stopped him from moving further. Ryan lied in the bed, a white cover draped over his body; he didn’t need to look further down to know he was inside a hospital. He glanced over and noticed an IV cable attached to his other arm.
He felt drained of color and energy, with his heart not feeling up to it. Ryan couldn’t describe it. His body was stiff, but he was also out of breath. He didn’t want to push it too hard, even when moving much. So he waited until he could move again. He had to rest at the hospital after all. Wait, why was everything so gross? What kind of hospital was he put in? Where was everybody? How come it took him this long to realize this?
Ryan took this time to try to remember what he had been doing before getting into this mess. Wasn’t he at work? How long had it been since? Then it hit him. He never requested time off work and hadn’t seen them since he left to take a quick nap. Did they notice his disappearance? Were they worried sick for him? Was he fired? Ignored?
Ryan tried to move again, but the muscle tightening made it difficult. He plopped back down on the bed and sighed. The long sigh made something tickle in the back of his throat as he let out a cough. Agitated and dry, Ryan tried to speak and call for help, but found his voice had gotten hoarse since the last time he used it. He took this time to soothe and coat the back of his throat with saliva multiple times, swallowing it before trying again.
“Hello... can anyone hear me? Is anybody out there? I need help...”
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He tried his best, but no one came.
Ugh, this sucks. How am I supposed to let Daisy know where...? Wait a minute.
Ryan glanced at the other side, his phone resting on the coffee table next to a wilted flower in a vase. Sunlight shone down on the floor, tearing up the curtains and blinds.
Bullseye.
Ryan tried a more methodical approach, remembering earlier when he tried to reach for the ceiling fan. He moved his arm slowly, making sure not to overdo it or crack a bone. He touched the edge of the phone and grabbed it with his fingertips. Ryan pulled the device closer to him and checked the screen, only to find multiple missed calls and texts.
Oh no, please be safe…
He wasted no time in trying to get in contact with Daisy. It didn’t even beep once before going straight to voicemail. He tried again, but no such luck. Ryan gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath. He’d toss the phone from across the room if he had the energy—low battery. No signal. Great.
I need to get out of here.
Ryan slowly turned over the bed and pulled on the IV set to keep himself balanced. After an agonizing minute, he planted his feet on the ground and straightened his posture. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, trying to clear his vision. Ugly green everywhere. It felt like he was staying in a cheap motel rather than a hospital, even though they’d typically look better than this.
Ryan gently removed the cord and attempted to make the first step. It was successful, but the second one made his body wobble, and he had to clutch towards the walls to keep himself in check. His breath was staggering and short, goosebumps rising on his arms and legs. The physical struggle was evident in every movement, but still, he didn’t want to give up hope. There had to be someone who could explain everything to him. What was going on and what happened?
Ryan waited to catch his breath, then took his time by inching toward the door. Despite his lack of energy and strength, the doorknob opened with ease.
