Dazed and confused, I woke up feeling a warm hand on my shoulder and another just above my right hand, gripping my wrist softly. I felt the grip tighten, and I heard Alexis. Lee and Alexis were 8standing on the size of what may have been called a hospital bed on Earth, but this was much more sophisticated. The kind of sophistication that superseded any knowledge or experience I obtained working with Technology my whole life. As I remember, a fear trembled through my entire body, unlike ever before. "Where are we? What is going on?" I turned to Lee and saw how beat up he looked. I had no idea of what my appearance looked like at the time, but he looked much worse. "Christian… there is a lot we need to tell you-" Lee interrupted Alexis. "But for now, we need you to focus on your health. I will take care of everything for now, and as long as Alexis chooses, they have allowed her to stay with you until you fully recover". Alexis looked at Lee with concern but understood this wasn't the appropriate time to dive into how or who had rescued us.
Lee squeezed my shoulder, "Hey man, it's great to see you awake before I have to head off and figure out what's happening. I'll be back shortly." Lee looked at me, then stared at my left arm briefly. "Alexis, please take good care of him." Alexis, with tears filling up her eyes, "You know I will…". Lee gave her a nod and headed towards a hole in the wall, but there was nothing on the other side. I couldn't see a room or anything behind it until Lee got closer; then, a veil, I assume, disappeared, revealing a garden with beautiful stairs and architecture that made the Romans look pitiful, groups of people walking, some with pets and others alone. Strangely enough, the people didn't look human. There were similar features, but it's like I could feel their energy, a kind of energy like… pure energy. I must've been overwhelmed because the next moment, the room was spinning, and all I saw was black.
It felt like several days had passed since I was conscious enough to notice who or who wasn't in the room. I blinked a few times before my vision cleared, and I saw her… or it. I only use this terminology because I've never been so peaceful yet filled with fear simultaneously. The nurse was beautiful, radiant even; she had this aura, a bluish tint, and her skin was purple, a lighter shade of purple. For a moment, it seemed like her "veins" were the same color as the aura surrounding her. She had this presence, a gentle one, a soothing tone in her voice, and when the nurse would grab my arm, I could feel her warmth. This interaction was comforting; I even remember thinking, "I may not know what she is or who she is, but the warmth from her touch gave me a reason to believe this being was more than a figment of my imagination.
After a few hours passed—what felt like hours, I was awakened by a tremendous amount of pain in the upper area of my left arm, a burning sensation, one that I'd rather not speak of. As the nurse or doctor was cauterizing my wound, I did everything I could to keep from screaming in agony and passing out. The sound of the machine went away slowly, but an uncomfortable feeling went through my body as if I were in the middle of an examination. "Christian, is it? My name is Alvator, and I am… what you call a doctor on your home planet, Terra." Alvator, the so-called “doctor”, came over to my bedside and began going through all of my injuries, providing a detailed report, which made me feel more anxious than relaxed. I couldn't shake the anxiety, so I went to grab the handles on both sides of the bed, and to my surprise, there wasn't any. I looked to the right and nothing, then to my left, when I looked down at my left arm and froze… completely paralyzed as I saw a golden apparatus that replaced my left arm, from the middle of my bicep to the tips of my fingers.
“Wha-what’s this?” As I asked, twirling the fingers on what used to be my left hand. “We were able to resupply oxygen to your entire body, but as the days passed, your left arm began to exhibit the signs of an infection. We have no idea what caused this, which was unfathomable for us…” Alvator sighed, then wrote down a few more notes. “We did what we thought was best; some of your people were vehemently adamant about us making this decision for you.” The doctor looked into my eyes, forcing a smile, but I could tell he had this sadness. Maybe it was pity; perhaps it was taking time to care for someone he didn’t know, or maybe my interpretation was off. Alvator must’ve noticed I was trying to wrap my head around the amputation and complete replacement of my left arm. “Christian, I will come back later, but for now, if you have any questions or need anything. You can call the nurse by stating her name aloud.” Alvator was about to leave the room. “Excuse me, Doctor… what is my nurse’s name?” Alvator smirked, then replied. “Her name is Cura”.
After some time, I can’t remember how long, because I had an existential crisis; losing my left arm was one thing, but imagining a world where I couldn’t feel my hands working on tech, carpentry, or anything required to have and live a normal life. I have become so efficient with my hands and looking to the future, knowing I will have to do some rehabilitation, and even then, I may not be able to come close to the expert I once was.
I continued to dwell on cosmic punishment; you can call it karma or whatever force has chosen to intervene and cause such a significant burden, which seemed unfair. Still, I’m not sure anyone else would agree. I thought it was over; my time in the universe was ending, and this was an inescapable fate. I must’ve looked confused or troubled even as Alexis walked into the room; the expression on her face went from excitement to worry, then concern.
She had brought some water and some food, enough to sustain myself while providing the nutrients my body needed to heal. As I ate, Alexis sat beside my bed, not looking at me much; I figured she was trying to find the words to make me feel better, give me hope, and maybe just when to say it. Once I finished eating, the room fell quiet, and Alexis started the conversation. “Hey… how are you holding up? Dr. Alvator told me that your condition is improving slowly every day.” Alexis placed her hand on mine. “I’m fine…” I said. “He mentioned your reaction when you found out about your amputation and the… arm replacement.”
“I mean… how would you feel if you lost something you needed in order to fulfill your wildest dreams?” Alexis looked away before answering, “I’m unsure how I would feel.” “You’d feel like your whole world has fallen apart. You’d feel like god was playing a sick joke on you.” She looked back at him with tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry, Christian. I’m so sorry”
ns216.73.216.48da2
and then Add to home screen.