Fall Again (a Michael Jackson fanfiction)

25. Alive

Michaels POV 🥀

Trundle trundle trundle
Was I on a train? No, surely not. I heard beeping and alarms, hospital.

I was in hospital. I moved my fingers, they were almost completely numb, I felt a warm blanket on my skin, but no clothes.

Was I naked? Why was I naked?

I had questions. I tried to speak, but only a squeak came out - at least I think it did. Maybe i made no noise at all ..

I mumbled and tried to wake up properly, but I still felt like I was floating away.

I bit down on my lip hard, tasting blood, determined to bring myself back to the world with the sensation of pain.

I moved my head from side to side, there was something cold and wet beneath my head - my hair? Why was my hair wet .. and why was I so COLD?

I tried once more to speak and my words came out, "What's .."
I forgot the next word. HAPPENING. SAY IT.
"What's ... happening?" I mumbled.

"It's okay, Mr Jackson, you're in hospital." Whose voice was that? I tried to open my eyes just a little bit but bright light hit them, racking my head with agonising pain. My brain was burning.

Trundle, trundle, trundle.

The wheels bumping was making me nauseous. Where were they taking me? This corridor seemed to last forever.

Then suddenly there was an abrupt stop, and I heard no more trundling. I was still.
There were people talking above me - I wished they'd be quiet. My head hurt, badly.

I had water keep coming up my throat into my mouth, I turned my head to spit it out onto the pillow, it trickled out down my chin.

"Michael?" I recognised that voice. "Mike? Michael?"

It wasn't any of my family ... then I smelt a lovely coconut scent, and a small soft hand on my forehead. "Is he okay?"

"Yes, they think he'll be fine." I recognised Jermaine's voice.
I slowly started to come around over the next hour, and looked over to my left.

It was Hope, but looking different. She didn't have her glasses, or any makeup, and her hair was a tangled wet mess around her shoulders. She was anxiously biting her nails.

"Mike!" She came over to me and leant her head against mine, caressing my hair. I inhaled that wonderful coconut smell and I felt relief.

The memories came back to me, and I remembered falling into the lake, collapsing at the waters edge and the COLD. Cold like I had never felt it.
I remember the woman, though I never got to see her face.

I fell asleep with Hope holding me in her arms, my brother Jackie stroking my hand. How long had I been out?
I had a cannula in, oxygen tube coming out of my nose, and a thick heavy heated blanket on me, and my hair was frozen in clumps.

Later that day Hope washed my hair for me over the basin, and it was such a relief to get all the ice and dirt out of my hair.
She looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. "I need to wash MY hair too!"

"W-why is it wet?" I asked blearily.

"I was out half the night looking for you, mister!" She replied, tapping my nose.

"Sorry..." I murmured.

She giggled, rubbing my hand between hers to warm it up.
"Am I g-going back to Cl-Clemmie woods?

I wasn't sure she heard at first, but she sighed, and stroked my cheek. "I'm afraid so .. but guess what?"

"What?" I peered at her suspiciously.

"My older brother is a patient there as of today."

I stared at her. "W-was that why you were off? Because he h-had a mental health c-crisis?"

She nodded sadly, stroking a curl out of my face. "But it's okay. He's okay, and you're going to be okay, Mikey."

I smiled. My lips were a bit warmer now and I could move them again - but couldn't talk without a slight stutter.

"I'm gonna have to go back to the ward soon, hunny." Hope said, stroking my palm with her thumb.

"Okay.." I smiled, a bit out of it.

Then I leant back and fell back asleep.