Chapter 15: Erica wakes up
Erica fell into unconsciousness. In that coma, a struggle ensued within her mind. Erica desperately did not want to die; she was only twenty-four years old, with numerous dreams and unfinished endeavors. Oh my God, please don’t let her die without being able to close her eyes. In the darkness, Erica found herself suspended in the air, devoid of any light penetrating through. Her entire body felt powerless, a void. Was death truly like this? Should she find solace, end her accursed life, and depart peacefully, or should she lament the days spent in vain? Erica disapproved. Why was she treated in such a manner? Why did she always bear the weight of injustice upon herself? Why was she different from everyone else? She didn’t desire that. What was wrong with being true to herself? Most people live counterfeit lives with one another to find happiness. Erica had often felt unsatisfied, yet she never complained about anything. But now she deeply resented the death-worthy fate bestowed upon her by God.
If she could live again, Erica would not allow herself to live an ordinary life. She would strive harder, and be more courageous. But was there still a chance? Who would give her another opportunity now?
Although unsure of what to do, an invisible force propelled Erica to move forward. Towards a place where light welcomed her. Perhaps it was her mother, the image of her mother’s smile vividly imprinted in Erica’s mind even up to this moment.
In that manner, Erica’s body floated toward the light. To a place filled with life, faith, and hope.
Everything ahead seemed to be getting closer to Erica. Suddenly, a friendly voice echoed in her ears, causing Erica to startle.
“Are you feeling better?”
Is it my mother? Erica whispered in her subconscious. That affectionate voice sounded just like her mother, could it really be her? So, she must have truly passed away. Could it be that her mother was calling her to wake up and admire the scenery of heaven? Suddenly, a sense of joy overwhelmed her, and there was nothing left to resent when she would be reunited with her mother. It seemed that God had been so kind to her. Erica wanted to see her mother, so she exerted all her effort to open her heavy, closed eyes. Slowly, her eyes gradually opened. She saw a woman in her thirties staring at her intently. The woman smiled gently and spoke.
“Finally, you’ve regained consciousness.”
The blurry eyes suddenly focused in an unusual manner. Something was not right. Shouldn’t she see her mother when she opened her eyes? So, where was her mother? Why was there someone else?
Noticing Erica’s startled expression, the woman spoke softly and gently touched her pale face.
“Are you okay? How do you feel? Can you hear me?”
“Where am I? Who are you? Could it be that you’re also dead?”
Erica was talking deliriously. She believed she was in a different world, where people would await the judgment of the Creator, meant for them. Erica hoped that during her lifetime, she hadn’t committed any grave sins that would lose her ticket to heaven.
The woman was taken aback, stunned by what Erica had just said. The girl looked at Erica as if she were someone entirely different.
“Please, my dear, calm down. Don’t let your thoughts wander aimlessly,” The nurse advised Erica.
Hearing an answer that was beyond her expectations, Erica had to personally scan her surroundings to find out the truth. She finally realized that this was neither heaven nor hell. She wasn’t dead; she was in the hospital. The white color contrasted with the yellow of the sun, making the room feel less cold. There was a slight warmth, and the scent of antiseptic lingered in the air. Erica withdrew her gaze after learning the fact that she was still on Earth. So, God had given her another chance. Erica wondered if she was happy. Erica seemed to have forgotten something. And it was true, she had overlooked that this was what she had been imploring for while in a coma.
And Erica’s plea was answered. Oh, that was truly a tremendous joy for Erica.
Returning to the young woman, she continued to gaze intently at Erica, with a distinct expression of concern on her friendly face.
“Are you okay?” She asked.
Was Erica’s spirit really okay? Could it be a side effect of the medication?
The person in front of Erica was indeed a nurse. She patiently awaited Erica’s next reaction before deciding whether to call a doctor or not.
“Is this a hospital?” Erica remained silent for a long time before finally speaking up to inquire.
“That’s right,” The nurse exclaimed, unconsciously heaving a sigh of relief as Erica distinguished the disparity between her real-life experience and dreams: “This is a hospital.”
Gazing at Erica’s perplexed countenance, the nurse probed further:
“Do you remember what happened to you? How did you end up here, for example?”
Erica pondered for a moment, but nothing appeared in her brain except a severe headache. She held her head with both hands, hoping the dizziness would ease.
“Why am I here?” Erica posed the question back to the nurse, as she had no recollection of this particular detail.
Erica had calmed down and wanted to know how she had ended up in the hospital. Amidst her headache, she only had vague recollections of everything. The last thing she remembered was a pair of mysterious eyes, and something rushing towards her.
“It’s a long story, and I’m not sure how it happened,” the nurse replied with a wry smile in response to Erica. Not forgetting to inquire further, “Don’t you remember anything?”
Erica wracked her brain, trying to summon her memories, but unfortunately, nothing came to her. It seemed that Erica wasn’t ready to remember the unpleasant, and frankly, painful things she had gone through. After a moment of waiting, her slow head shakes from side to side causing the nurse to furrow her brow.
“I’m not sure, my head is empty right now.” Erica added, “I feel like everything is very vague.”
It appears that Erica’s condition is not fully recovered mentally. Perhaps Erica needs a lot of rest.
“You rest now, you will gradually remember everything later.” The nurse finished checking Erica’s condition, and then reminded her: “There is still time, you can rest assured, The doctor will help you recover quickly.”
“Well, thank you very much.” Erica smiled in response.
“Well, now I’ll go out. The doctor will come to examine you later,” The nurse informed, helping Erica adjust her position for comfort, “Would you like me to raise the bed a little higher?”NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.
“No need,” Erica said, “I want like this.”
“Alright then, I’ll excuse myself,” The nurse warned her, “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.”
“I know.”
Afterward, the nurse left the room. Erica took a deep breath, feeling a slight pain in her head.
‘So, I didn’t die after all.’ Erica felt a sense of relief but also worried about her future. What would her future be like? Starting from this point, she had lost everything and had to start over from scratch. The main concern, the most worrisome, was where she would go after being discharged from the hospital. Who would pay for the medical bills? Erica’s headache intensified with the burden of so many piled-up questions. The truth was that her future was very uncertain.
There would be few good things and many challenges ahead. It would undoubtedly be tough. Erica decided to put aside all her thoughts for now. At the moment, she needed rest and recovery before thinking about anything else. Erica believed that good people would be rewarded accordingly.