Artificial Heart

44

The next two days were a painful blur. Prisha hardly moved. She hardly spoke. It felt like she barely breathed. Lying in bed like she was dead. Like she was already a corpse. People entered. Food was left behind. Men asked her questions. Gentle hands took her face and shone light in her eyes. Her arms were pricked for blood. Her pulse was taken.

They were concerned and why shouldn't they be? Alf seemed to have taken her appetite along with him. Her zest for life. Her care about her child and herself. It felt like a heavy weight was pressing down hard upon her chest. She was weak. She was dizzy. She was vomiting again.

The only good thing was Dr Embry's return.

Prisha stared up at him questioningly.

'They need me,' he told her. 'But they have me on a very tight leash now.' He glanced towards the back of the room, as though somebody was waiting there.

His forehead screwed up. His smooth-shaven scalp shone against the light. 'They tell me you haven't eaten. You know how important it is to nourish yourself, Prisha. Especially with what you're carrying.'

Prisha stared up at the ceiling without response.

His frown deepened. 'What's wrong? What's going on? Why aren't you answering me?'

Somebody cleared their throat from the back of the room.

Embry sighed and shook his head. 'Let's get on with it, then.'

He examined her gently and methodically. The light above glared into her eyes and she closed them.

'You've lost weight,' he said. 'This is not good, Prisha. You could die. You will die.'

'So?' Her voice was a croak.

'You've given up.'

A tear slid down Prisha's cheek.

'If you don't start eating, I'm going to have to medically treat you, whether you like it or not.'

Prisha turned her face away.

It wasn't long later when another familiar person entered—Lucy. Prisha had mixed feelings about the woman but she didn't fight when the nurse told her to get up.

'You need to wash. You need to brush your teeth. You need to stop being pathetic. You need to start normalising again.' She was a fierce old woman, Prisha gave her that.

'Nothing about this is normal.' And Prisha rolled away.

The nurse ripped off her blanket. 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself. There is more to think about now than just you.'

Prisha rolled her eyes and scoffed. 'You mean humanity?'

'No. Your baby.'

Prisha blinked. The woman was standing by her bed, arms folded. She was shaking her head. 'You are far too old for this garbage.'

Prisha's mouth quirked despite herself. 'I'm not that old.' She sat up. The room spun and she grabbed her head.

'Take your time,' spoke the nurse. 'But you're not going back to bed today. We have a new room for you. This place is unfit.'

Prisha was shaking as she stood. Her knees bowed. 'Oh. I don't feel good.'

Her vision turned dark.

'Are you okay?' the nurse asked anxiously.

'Give me a moment.'

Her vision cleared but Lucy's face remained fuzzy. The room spun again. Then the walls were falling.