Hospital Waiting Room - Morning
Fatimah walked into the waiting room with a tired but relieved expression. The others looked up immediately.
"Good news," she announced. "The police caught him. The guy who shot Chima. He's in custody."
Alice pumped her fist. "YES! FINALLY!"
Wony let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Thank goodness. At least there's some justice."
Naila nodded slowly. "That's... that's good. But Chima still hasn't woken up."
Fatimah's expression softened. "I know. But one step at a time. At least he can't hurt anyone else."
Alice was already on her phone. "I'm posting this! 'Justice for Chima!'"
Wony grabbed her phone. "Alice, read the room."
"I AM reading the room! This is great news!"
"It is. But maybe don't post about it right now."
Alice pouted. "Fine. I'll wait."
***
Chima's Hospital Room - Afternoon
They were all gathered around Chima's bed. She was still unconscious, the machines beeping steadily.
Naila was holding Chima's hand, as she had been for days. "Please wake up," she whispered. "Please."
Alice was pacing back and forth, her usual energy dimmed but not extinguished.
"Okay, okay, okay," she muttered. "We need something to wake her up. Something dramatic. Something that would make her SO mad that she has to wake up to yell at me."
Fatimah raised an eyebrow. "Alice, what are you planning?"
"Nothing! I'm just thinking!"
"That's dangerous."
Alice ignored her. She was staring at the machines. The heart monitor. The IV drip. The breathing tube.
Her eyes lit up.
"I've got it!"
"Got what?" Wony asked warily.
Alice grabbed her phone and started filming.
"Okay, world! Welcome to 'Operation Wake Up Chima!' Today, we're going to try something... unconventional!"
"Alice, NO," Fatimah said firmly.
"YES! I'm going to mess with the machines! Just a little!"
"THAT'S DANGEROUS!"
"It's INNOVATIVE!"
Naila looked up. "Alice, don't you dare touch those machines."
"Too late!"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTBy7I85TP
Alice approached the machines. She pressed a button on the heart monitor. The beeping changed tempo.
"Alice!" Fatimah shouted. "STOP!"
"I'm just experimenting!"
Wony grabbed Alice's arm. "You're going to hurt her!"
"I'm trying to HELP her!"
Alice reached for the IV drip. She adjusted it slightly.
"Alice, I swear to God—"
"Relax! It's still connected!"
Alice was still filming. "Okay, Chima! If you can hear me, this is for you! Wake up and yell at me! I know you want to!"
She reached for the breathing tube.
"ALICE, NO!" Naila screamed.
Alice jumped back. Her foot caught on something.
The breathing tube.
She tripped.
And stepped on the tube.
Everyone froze.
The machine started beeping loudly. The alarm went off.
"ALICE!" Fatimah screamed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
"I DON'T KNOW! I TRIPPED!"
"She stepped on the tube!" Wony shouted.
The room erupted into chaos.
"GET THE DOCTOR!"
"I'M TRYING!"
"NAILA, MOVE!"
"CHIMA, PLEASE..."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bgwNnTy5y
Suddenly, Chima's eyes opened.
Everyone froze.
Chima blinked. She looked around the room. Her eyes landed on Alice, who was still frozen mid-step.
"What... the hell... is going on?"
Silence.
Then Alice screamed. "SHE'S AWAKE! I DID IT! I SAVED HER!"
"You stepped on her breathing tube!" Fatimah shouted.
"BUT SHE'S AWAKE!"
Chima tried to sit up. "Alice... what did you do?"
"NOTHING! I MEAN, SOMETHING! BUT IT WORKED!"
Wony rushed to Chima's side. "Chima! You're awake!"
Chima looked confused. "What happened? Why am I in a hospital?"
Naila was crying. She threw her arms around Chima. "You're awake. You're actually awake."
Chima was startled. "Naila? Are you okay?"
"I am now. You're back."
Chima looked around at her friends.
"What happened to me?" she asked.
Fatimah spoke calmly. "You were shot. By someone you rejected. You've been in a coma for three days."
Chima's eyes widened. "Three days?!"
"Yes. But you're awake now."
Chima processed this. Then she looked at Alice.
"Alice. What did you do to my machines?"
Alice smiled nervously. "I... may have stepped on your breathing tube?"
"YOU WHAT?!"
"BUT YOU WOKE UP NOW!"
"THAT'S NOT HOW MEDICINE WORKS!"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4hWoBLX3g
Suddenly, the doctor rushed in. "What happened? The alarms—"
He stopped when he saw Chima sitting up.
"Oh my God. You're awake."
Chima nodded. "Apparently. Thanks to Alice stepping on my tube."
The doctor stared at Alice. "You... stepped on the breathing tube?"
Alice waved nervously. "I tripped! It was an accident!"
"And that woke her up?"
"Apparently!"
The doctor shook his head in disbelief. "I've been a doctor for 30 years. I've never seen anything like this."
Alice beamed. "See? I'm a medical miracle worker!"
"You're a menace," Fatimah said flatly.
"But a menace that worked!"
***
Chima's Hospital Room - Evening
Chima was sitting up, eating soup. Her head was still bandaged, but she was alert. She was alive.
"I can't believe I was in a coma for three days," she said.
Naila nodded. "I didn't leave your side the whole time."
Chima looked at her. "Really?"
"Really. I held your hand and talked to you. I told you to wake up."
Chima's expression softened. "That's... really sweet, Naila."
"I know. I'm surprisingly not lazy when it matters."
Chima laughed. "That's the most Naila thing you've ever said."
Alice bounced in. "SO! Who's ready for my new video? 'How I Woke My Friend From a Coma By Accidentally Stepping on Her Tube!'"
Chima threw a pillow at her. "DELETE THAT!"
"NEVER! THIS IS MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT!"
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"
"STILL!"
Wony shook her head. "I can't believe you woke her up by stepping on her tube."
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT EITHER!"
Fatimah sighed. "This is the most chaotic hospital stay in history."
"BUT IT WORKED!" Alice insisted.
Chima stared at her. "You're insane."
"I know! But you're awake!"
Chima tried to be angry. But she couldn't stop smiling.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Alice's face lit up. "Did Chima just thank me?!"
"Don't let it go to your head."
"TOO LATE! IT'S ALREADY THERE!"
***105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVUlsT9knH
Chima's Hospital Room - Night105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RfMrPRQrz
Everyone had left except Naila. She was sitting beside Chima's bed, holding her hand.
"I was so scared," Naila admitted. "When I saw you lying there... I thought I'd lost you."
Chima squeezed her hand. "I'm okay, Naila. I'm here."
"Promise me you'll never leave me."
Chima smiled. "I promise."
Naila nodded. "Good. Because I can't do this without you."
"Can't do what?"
"Everything. Life. Being strong. Being a better person. You make me want to be better."
Chima was surprised. "Naila..."
"I mean it. You're my best friend. And I'm going to change. For you."
Chima pulled Naila into a hug. "You don't need to change for me. I love you just the way you are."
"But I want to."
"Then I'll be here to see it."
Naila smiled through her tears. "Good. Because I'm holding you to that."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivku4s3Reh
and then Add to home screen.