Society

Chapter 23

When I woke I found myself in the infirmary and could feel heavy bandages on the right side of my face. I looked around and saw Neco, sleeping, next to me. I pushed myself up, feeling an ache running down my spine. I forgot I was hit into a stone floor. Neco stirred as I let out a pained groan. He looked up at me with red, bloodshot eyes.

"You're awake, you're finally awake!"

He straightened up as he let out a weary smile. I rubbed the side of my face as I felt the pain coursing through it.

"How long was I out for?"

It was still light so surely I hadn't been out for too long. Neco's smiled quickly faded and was replaced with a worried expression.

"Aima, you've been out cold for four days now."

I recoiled at the number, how could I have been unconscious for so long. I had never fell unconscious before, why now.

"Four days?"

I sat, shocked and embarrassed. How could I be so weak? I tried to push myself out of bed only to be rewarded with another jolt of pain shooting across my back forcing me to double over. Neco, leaned forward helping to sit up straight.

"Wait here, I'll go get a nurse."

He got up and left the bed, I sat trying to get my head around the fact that I was knocked out for four days.

Neco soon re-entered followed by a nurse who didn't look quite as horrid as all the others.

She came up to me, Neco moving out of the way.

"Hey, I'm glad you're finally awake we were getting really worried."

Her voice was warm and comforting and it accompanied a sweet, sincere looking smile.

"Can I leave today?"

I knew what the answer would be and the disapproving look I got from both the nurse and Neco told me I was right. I let out a resigned sigh.

"Of course I can't. Can I at least get up out of bed?"

This time I was rewarded with a smile from the nurse as she reached out her arms, offering me my ticket out of bed.

"Just don't go too fast, you did quite a number on yourself. You had a cracked rib and almost broke your jaw."

I nodded then took a hold of her arms and began to pull myself out of the bed, I winced as I felt the pain shooting up my spine and as my weight pushed down on my spine the pain got worse and I began to feel the ache where my rib had cracked. I stumbled forward as I stood, Neco caught me and helped me stand upright once again. The nurse looked at me beaming.

"Well done, if you keep up like that you could be out of here in less than a week."

Had they expected me to stay in here for more than a week? I stood up straight now supported by Neco. The nurse stood back inspecting me, I realized now that I was wearing a strange, white dress thing. I felt uncomfortable, I wanted my own clothes back.

"hey, I think that if you have your friend there that I could let you out to the canteen for dinner, but you'd have to go a little early to avoid getting hurt by people."

My face lit up, then I looked down again thinking about my clothes.

"Can I change into my own clothes?"

The nurse straightened up, seemingly surprised.

"Yes of course, I'm just so used to seeing people in that that I had forgotten that people wore other things. We have the stuff you came in, I'll help you get changed." She turned facing Neco and stood hands on her hips. He sighed slightly.