Chapter 10

            The color fades from my face so quickly that I almost faint. I can hear the beeping of the heart monitor next to me accelerating. I need to calm down and think, but the possible implications of the realization I just had makes me feel nauseous. I feel like I'm about to throw up, even though I haven't eaten a single thing in who knows how long. I look over and notice the cup I set down earlier still has some tea left in it, so I sip it a little. I need to relax. I need to figure this out.

            Alright, let's try to think this through slowly. First, I need to determine how I ended up in this hospital. It's a vague memory, but I do slightly remember the mugging before I came here, although it feels like an age has gone by since then. I remember they knocked me down and kicked me several times, but I don't think I sustained any major head injuries during that scuffle. Is it possible that I got a concussion from something during that altercation?

            In any case, I was up for several hours after that before I settled down in the park. For some reason, that park gave me a really bad feeling. I can't seem to put my finger on it though. What was it that was so off-putting about it? It wasn't like there was any particular strange noises. It didn't seem like there were any sounds at all. Actually, that might be what seemed wrong with that area, since it was unusually devoid of any life or natural ambience; even the sounds from the city didn't seem to penetrate into that park.

            Well, there's not really any way I can explain that, but something must have happened after I fell asleep. The nurse seemed to mention some sort of accident, but I don't remember anything like that. Moreover, this bandage on my head seems to be from that injury. The nurse said not to touch it, but why should I still need it? It's been several months since I supposedly came here, so it should have healed by now.

            I can't help it, I need to see what this injury looks like. I stand up and walk over to the mirror. I look at myself, my complexion so pale that it somehow matches perfectly with the color scheme of the room: white tile, white walls, white bed, and a face so white you might mistake it for a corpse. Even the bandage on my head is a matching white cloth wrapped tightly all the way around like a terrible headband.

            I slip my fingers underneath the bandage to loosen the bandage slightly, and my fingers feel something wet... something I definitely was hoping I wouldn't feel. Pulling them out, I notice they are now a very healthy shade of red, but instead the color is from the liquid on the outside of my skin rather than inside. My vision goes dark for a moment and I almost collapse to the ground. I manage to grab the sink to keep myself from hitting the ground, but the strength in my legs is gone. The sight of my own blood coming from underneath the bandage was quite a shock, but I have to keep a cool head.

            After taking a few moments to regain my fortitude, I managed to stand again, preparing myself. I turn my head slightly and lift the bandage to examine myself. There's an area that has been shaven and a small square that has been precisely marked into my skin. A small stream of red flows out and drips down to my cheek. I... I'm not even sure what I'm looking at right now. The nurse said this was from an accident, but this looks fresh as if I had just been operated on last night. In fact, the pristine lines of the cut make it look like that is exactly what happened.

            At that moment, the thought I had which put me into this state of shock seems to be almost confirmed as everything suddenly clicks into place: something is very wrong with this hospital. Rather, it might not even be a hospital at all. Even if I am being paranoid, there are far too many questions that seem to point toward the possibility that this entire thing may just be a ruse.

            Why was I brought to this place when that park can't possibly be anywhere near here?

            Why do I enter a coma every time I go to sleep and have one single, continuous dream the entire time?

            Why do I know things from my dreams that I never learned when I was awake?

            Why does the nurse look more like a soldier than a medical professional?

            Why do I have a freshly-cut hole carved into the side of my head when I've been sleeping for the past two months?

            I feel stupid for not having noticed until now, but I've been far too wrapped up in my confusion to notice all the inconsistencies. It may only be possible for me to notice this because of all the experiences I've had until this moment, especially in acquiring Viktor's mental abilities. Even if I'm being too paranoid, something definitely isn't adding up. No, I've decided, there's only one thing I can focus on: I need to get out of this place.

...

            Night falls. I spent most of the rest of the day planning how I'm going to possibly get out of this place. I'm multiple stories above the ground, and the window is a thick piece of glass that doesn't even open, so the only way out for now is the door, which has a number pad on it. Thus, I'm now pretending to be asleep and waiting for the nurse to arrive so that I can see if I can watch him enter the code when he leaves.

            After a while, the nurse finally comes to the room. Up until now, I've been on a saline IV just to make sure I can stay hydrated, since I didn't feel like eating or drinking much, but now he's removing the drip and hooking up another one. This is bad. If he's putting me on some kind of other drug, that might make it difficult for me to get out of here if I get too much in my system. Unfortunately, there's no way I can overpower this man in my current state, so I need to be patient.

            As he starts hooking it up, he looks down at me. The overhead lights are off, so the only light he is using is a small light next to all the medical equipment. I can barely see his face, since I'm trying to keep my eyes mostly closed, but the look he has... it's almost one of pity. He hooks up the new bag to the IV and goes to walk out of the room. I look over to watch him put in the code, but he suddenly stops and looks over, almost catching me staring at him. It doesn't seem as though he's suspicious, though. Instead, I hear him lightly mumble something. It almost sounded like he said, "Sorry..."

            He walks to the door and puts in the code. Thankfully, I managed to barely see it, and I commit it to memory. The moment the door closes, I quickly grab the IV needle and pull it out of my arm. I'm not sure how much of the drug entered my system, but I feel... a little odd. Still, I think I can move, so I'll just have to push through it. I make my way over to the door, grabbing my coat off the bed, and enter the code.

            I peak through the door, and the halls seem barren. Is there even anyone else in this building? I can't seem to hear a single thing. Quietly, I close the door and make my way through the halls. Amazingly, this building is up to code, because there are exit signs and fire escape plans posted throughout the hallways. Now it's just a matter of making it out without being seen, something much more easily said than done... or, that's what I would think anyway, but I'm astounded by the fact that there aren't even sounds of anyone walking through the halls or talking in the rooms.

            I quickly peer into one of the rooms, and it's... empty. Completely empty. No beds, no cabinets, no sinks, no medical equipment. Everything seems so surreal right now that it's hard to believe I'm actually awake. I keep moving until I find a stairwell, since I want to avoid the elevators if possible. If I'm lucky, this might even lead right to the outside.

            I'm starting to feel a little dizzy now. I guess I took a little too much of that drug, everything is starting to look a little blurry. I make it to the bottom of the stair, and as I had hoped, there is a door that exits right to the outside. I open it, and I feel... nothing has changed. I was expecting fresh air, but the outside air seems no different than inside. Odd, but perhaps there is just no air flow in this spot.

            I do my best to hurry toward a dark area for cover. There are plenty of trees and bushes I can use to conceal myself, so I finally feel a little more at ease. Unfortunately, I seem to be losing feeling in my body now, so I need to make haste. I still need to get past the gate surrounding the hospital grounds. Moving from cover to cover quickly, I finally find an exit.

            My body is slowing down. I feel like I'm moving quickly, but I know I must be barely able to stagger along. I would expect my heart to be pounding rapidly from adrenaline, but it feels like the pause between beats is getting longer and longer. Just a little farther and I'll be out. A little farther and I'll be free to travel again. I'll finally be able to go visit Mia. Then I can go visit Patrick's grave again and pay my respects. I'll go stop by the base and say hi to all the other grunts. Then I'll head over to Georgia to see how the kids are doing. As long as I can keep walking... I'll make it. As long... as I can... keep wandering... I'll be satisfied...

            I pass through the gate, and my vision becomes white...