Nano Modern Myth 2.4.1

Hospital

I

At first all he could see was the light; the piercing, blinding light. It filled his whole vision, all his senses focused on the sheer moment of experience. Time passed, though whether it was a second, or an Age, Euan could not be sure. He felt his feet touch the ground, or possibly, he felt the ground rise up to meet his feet. Dim shapes and outlines began to come into clear focus for him.
“A crossroads,” he said aloud, his voice sounding dim, and distant to his ears.
He knew that was where he was. He could see the lines of the roads stretching away seemingly into infinity. The rest was grey and mist, with no details. He made his way to the centre of the crossroads and sat down. He waited, as he knew he must.
He sat and he waited. Time continued to stream through him, but still he sat and he waited.
A sound. Quiet at first, so quiet he could barely hear it. A whispering, a wailing, a sobbing sound. It was coming from beneath the ground. Yet still he sat and he waited.
A figure, a shadow, a fluttering form in white appeared before him, growing more and more substantial. He sat and watched, his eyes never leaving the form before him. The blurred visage of a woman gradually took shape, her face fractured and her image as insubstantial as mist. He fixed his eyes on hers and did not move, as he knew he must.
“Why have you called me here?” she wailed, her voice resounding in the silence.
He fixed his eyes on her and did not move, as he knew he must.
“You want to know?” she cried, her eyes widening, not moving from his, “I will show you want you want to know.”
Out of the mist, Euan could hear sound rising up, the boiling, burning, crackling sound of flame.
“We are born in the inferno,” she murmured, her form flashing suddenly red, as if with fire.
A distant, cold laughter came echoing across from the hills rising up in the distance. A figure was stood atop the highest peak, his hair fire-red, his face ash-white and his eyes coal-black. He stood and he laughed and he laughed.
“Out of mutual betrayal,” she continued to chant, her voice beginning to quiver.
More laughter, this time gentle and child-like, coming from the form of a familiar face. The boy stood there, in the open, laughing while stones hit him from all sides, bouncing away, leaving him unharmed.
“In pain and suffering,” she wept, her voice thick and choked.
The same boy lay on the floor, his eyes closed, his face pale and he did not move. A pale shroud drifted from above and covered his body, settling to the ground with a sigh.
“Until the ultimate end,” she concluded, her voice fading away.
An enormous snake reared up from the ground and a man jumped between it and Euan.
“What next?” Euan called out, backing away from the huge creature.
“Do you know enough yet?” she called from a distance, her form nearly gone, “Or do you want to know more?”
The ghostly image of a wolf reared up in front of him, snarling, its teeth gnashing at him.
“No!” Euan called, raising his arms to fend off the apparition. “What else? What next?”
With a wail, the woman totally faded and was gone.
He heard the loud call of three cockerels, their bodies flashing in red, black and gold. The sound blasting through his senses, overriding all the others. The sound was all there was. The trumpet-like call.
Euan opened his eyes and screamed, sitting bolt upright in the bed.
“He’s awake,” a soft voice murmured.
Euan thrashed and struggled, trying to break free of the constrictions of the stiff white linen.
“Calm down,” said the soothing voice softly, “You’re in the hospital. You’re alright now.”
Euan paused, confused briefly and then touched one hand to his face.
“I can’t see,” he said dazedly, “what’s this on my face?”

***

“It’s bad news isn’t it?” said Euan quietly, replaying the last image he’d seen of Mike again and again in his head. The white van like a streak of light, the way that Mike was crumpled and then swept away.
“Yes and no,” she replied gently, resting one hand on his arm. “He’s still alive, but he’s in intensive care. His injuries are very severe.”
“Is he going to make it?” Euan asked, bracing himself for the news he expected.
“They can’t be sure,” said Audrey, “Even if he does, it is likely that he will be severely paralysed.”
Euan sat back and silently absorbed this knowledge.
“Your friends have all been very worried,” Audrey continued, trying to change the topic. “They would all like to come and visit you when you feel strong enough. Penny came with me today if you’d like to see her.”
“I would, yes,” Euan replied, trying to ignore his mother’s casual use of the term ‘to see.’
“I’ll go tell her,” said Audrey, getting up and walking away.

***

“What will I do if I can never see again?” he asked, his tone slightly desperate. “I won’t be able to do anything!”
“There’s plenty you could do!” Penny replied enthusiastically. “Don’t worry yourself unnecessarily at this stage, though. There’s every chance you might recover sight in both eyes.”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what’s happening,” said Euan, slightly waspishly, “The doctor still hasn’t come by to see me yet.”
“I think they’re quite busy today,” she said, her voice still calm and soothing. “I’m sure they won’t be too much longer.”
“I’m sorry, Pen,” said Euan, suddenly mournful. “I think it’s the drugs they have me on. I didn’t want to upset you.”
“You haven’t upset me!” she replied, putting both hands on his.
“But things are different, aren’t they?” he asked quietly. “You won’t want to be stuck with a cripple like me.”
“Oh, tush!” she exclaimed. “You’re being silly now. It makes no difference to me. I’d love you no matter what happens.”
“You love me?” he murmured back, wrapping his fingers round hers.
“Yes, of course I do,” she replied, slightly exasperated. “Now, are we going to have less of this sillyness?”
“Yes, Penny,” he said, mock-contritely. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.
“That’s more like it,” she said, with a laugh.
“Ouch,” said Euan, wincing slightly. “You know, my face is a bit sore, now that you come to mention it.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she replied anxiously, squeezing his hand.
“I suppose you’ll just have to kiss it better,” he laughed, a wicked smile flittering across his face.
“Euan!” she scolded, “You had me really worried for a moment there.”
He laughed again.
“Sorry,” he said, still smiling.