It was around 9:24am when Alex finally woke up. This time, she didn't wake up by the sound of her own screaming. Her eyes physically hurt. Alex tried to turn her head and that's when she felt it. She couldn't move her head, or her arms or legs for that matter. She was strapped to the bed. She looked around to find her sister but could only see white walls. She was just about to call out to her when she heard someone opening the door.
"How are you doing Ms. Ivana?" It was a man's voice. He walked towards her and stood right in front of her so she could see him fully. He had a tall and lean profile. He was wearing the same white lab coat that Alex had observed in many of the other nurses and doctors. He was wearing glasses and had dark black hair with piercing hazel eyes. He looked genuinely concerned and was looking at Alex intently. So much that she felt herself blushing. But then she remembered she is strapped to the bed and suddenly felt her anger rising again.
"Why am I strapped? Where is my sister? Where am I?" Alex demanded.
The man with the intent eyes smiled slightly and put his hand on Alex's shoulder and smiled gently. "My name is Eric Thompson and I am the night doctor. Your sister is okay. She's still in the hospital, just in another department. We had to transfer you to this department because....Do you remember anything from last night?"
Alex couldn't help but melt in his eyes. So she closed her eyes to think. "It's all kind of a blur. I was in pain and then...I started crying, I think. My sister...Maddy...oh god I didn't say anything to her did I?" Alex suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the doctor.
"So that's why." Eric murmured and then continued in a louder voice: "No. You don't need to worry. You were just really...emotional. It's a common side-effect to MOD."
"MOD?" Alex asked.
"Yes, Mandala Over Dose. Most patients stay at the hospital for at least a week to recover. They've just been replacing themselves with their Mandalas for so long that they are not used to the regular human emotions that they just let it go so much. Many people don't understand that crying or angry outbursts are normal human functions and in fact, it is part of human nature and if we are always blocking or avoiding that so much, we would be denying a part of our natural human selves. In fact, the body is connected to our emotions; it is because of this that the body begins to reject the Mandala if we have used it too much."
The good-looking doctor finished as he started to release the knots of the bed straps that contained Alex in place. Alex thought back to what her father always said. Could it really be? But then, that means the invention of Mandalas are not indeed perfect and that it contains faults. Alex moved her arms around as the doctor released the straps. She stretched her arms long as he freed them. He then proceeded to her legs and opened the straps there. His long fingers brushed Alex's skin on his way down and Alex felt a shiver go up her spine right there. She glanced at him to see if he noticed but even if he did, he didn't let on. After opening all the straps, he went over to the computer and started studying it. Alex pushed herself up. She still felt really weak.
"So did I get special treatment or do MOD patients also usually get strapped to the bed when they are hospitalized?" Alex asked.
Eric turned back and responded: "No. I mean, it's very unlikely. We only strap patients in this way, if they pose a risk to themselves."
Alex blinked and frowned. "...pose a risk? Because I was crying? I though you said---"
"Alex, you tried to kill yourself. I mean...you probably feel sore from last night and it's due to all the bruises you caused yourself. You kept on trying to tear the needle from your arm and using it to pierce yourself. If your sister weren't there and awake, we may have lost you there for sure."
Alex stared at him, wide-eyed, barely believing it. How could I have done that and not even remember it? All I remember is having nightmare after nightmare and then waking up, feeling more unrested than before I went back to sleep. That stupid day doctor or whatever last night should've warned her. How should she know that this was a possibility? More than ever, she missed Matt. And with that thought, she felt more guilty. He was in Africa trying to help the poor kids and here she was selfishly wanting him while having impure thoughts about her night doctor. "So, did I sleep at all? I mean, what time is it?"
"Well I put a watch on you to check every half an hour. Since half an hour ago, you slept for about half an hour." Eric smiled at her.
"No I mean...is it still night time? I mean..you said you're my night doctor so..." Alex responded.
This time it was Eric's turn to blush. "Oh...the day doctor...your doctor...he hasn't arrived yet so I thought I should be here until I make sure he gets here so I can fully transfer care."
Alex decided to have a little fun with this: "Transfer care? Isn't that the nurse's job usually?" Alex smiled at Eric's face who tried to explain more. "I know...thank you." Alex looked into Eric's eyes. He was just so genuine. And that's when she wondered: was it really him she was talking to or was it his Mandala? Why should taht matter? It didn't use to matter. What changed? Are doctors allowed to change into their Mandalas? Or are they limited at all?
Their stare-fest was interrupted when Maddy, Alex's sister walked in.
"Hey...you're up! How are you feeling sis?" Maddy asked happily.
Alex smiled back at her sister. She was very impressed by Maddy. She didn't think Maddy would offer to stay with her the night, let alone actually stay. "Yeah..I'm up. I'm okay...Doctor Eric here was very helpful."
Maddy looked confused and looked between Eric and Alex to try to figure it out. That's when Alex realized she had just called her doctor by his first name. That's probably not the most normal response.
-----this was only a 45 minute writing session. I'm falling asleep at this point so I'm going to either take a nap or get some coffee in my system so I can continue writing. I will continue on my own word document and post it here tomorrow.-----
"How are you doing Ms. Ivana?" It was a man's voice. He walked towards her and stood right in front of her so she could see him fully. He had a tall and lean profile. He was wearing the same white lab coat that Alex had observed in many of the other nurses and doctors. He was wearing glasses and had dark black hair with piercing hazel eyes. He looked genuinely concerned and was looking at Alex intently. So much that she felt herself blushing. But then she remembered she is strapped to the bed and suddenly felt her anger rising again.
"Why am I strapped? Where is my sister? Where am I?" Alex demanded.
The man with the intent eyes smiled slightly and put his hand on Alex's shoulder and smiled gently. "My name is Eric Thompson and I am the night doctor. Your sister is okay. She's still in the hospital, just in another department. We had to transfer you to this department because....Do you remember anything from last night?"
Alex couldn't help but melt in his eyes. So she closed her eyes to think. "It's all kind of a blur. I was in pain and then...I started crying, I think. My sister...Maddy...oh god I didn't say anything to her did I?" Alex suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the doctor.
"So that's why." Eric murmured and then continued in a louder voice: "No. You don't need to worry. You were just really...emotional. It's a common side-effect to MOD."
"MOD?" Alex asked.
"Yes, Mandala Over Dose. Most patients stay at the hospital for at least a week to recover. They've just been replacing themselves with their Mandalas for so long that they are not used to the regular human emotions that they just let it go so much. Many people don't understand that crying or angry outbursts are normal human functions and in fact, it is part of human nature and if we are always blocking or avoiding that so much, we would be denying a part of our natural human selves. In fact, the body is connected to our emotions; it is because of this that the body begins to reject the Mandala if we have used it too much."
The good-looking doctor finished as he started to release the knots of the bed straps that contained Alex in place. Alex thought back to what her father always said. Could it really be? But then, that means the invention of Mandalas are not indeed perfect and that it contains faults. Alex moved her arms around as the doctor released the straps. She stretched her arms long as he freed them. He then proceeded to her legs and opened the straps there. His long fingers brushed Alex's skin on his way down and Alex felt a shiver go up her spine right there. She glanced at him to see if he noticed but even if he did, he didn't let on. After opening all the straps, he went over to the computer and started studying it. Alex pushed herself up. She still felt really weak.
"So did I get special treatment or do MOD patients also usually get strapped to the bed when they are hospitalized?" Alex asked.
Eric turned back and responded: "No. I mean, it's very unlikely. We only strap patients in this way, if they pose a risk to themselves."
Alex blinked and frowned. "...pose a risk? Because I was crying? I though you said---"
"Alex, you tried to kill yourself. I mean...you probably feel sore from last night and it's due to all the bruises you caused yourself. You kept on trying to tear the needle from your arm and using it to pierce yourself. If your sister weren't there and awake, we may have lost you there for sure."
Alex stared at him, wide-eyed, barely believing it. How could I have done that and not even remember it? All I remember is having nightmare after nightmare and then waking up, feeling more unrested than before I went back to sleep. That stupid day doctor or whatever last night should've warned her. How should she know that this was a possibility? More than ever, she missed Matt. And with that thought, she felt more guilty. He was in Africa trying to help the poor kids and here she was selfishly wanting him while having impure thoughts about her night doctor. "So, did I sleep at all? I mean, what time is it?"
"Well I put a watch on you to check every half an hour. Since half an hour ago, you slept for about half an hour." Eric smiled at her.
"No I mean...is it still night time? I mean..you said you're my night doctor so..." Alex responded.
This time it was Eric's turn to blush. "Oh...the day doctor...your doctor...he hasn't arrived yet so I thought I should be here until I make sure he gets here so I can fully transfer care."
Alex decided to have a little fun with this: "Transfer care? Isn't that the nurse's job usually?" Alex smiled at Eric's face who tried to explain more. "I know...thank you." Alex looked into Eric's eyes. He was just so genuine. And that's when she wondered: was it really him she was talking to or was it his Mandala? Why should taht matter? It didn't use to matter. What changed? Are doctors allowed to change into their Mandalas? Or are they limited at all?
Their stare-fest was interrupted when Maddy, Alex's sister walked in.
"Hey...you're up! How are you feeling sis?" Maddy asked happily.
Alex smiled back at her sister. She was very impressed by Maddy. She didn't think Maddy would offer to stay with her the night, let alone actually stay. "Yeah..I'm up. I'm okay...Doctor Eric here was very helpful."
Maddy looked confused and looked between Eric and Alex to try to figure it out. That's when Alex realized she had just called her doctor by his first name. That's probably not the most normal response.
-----this was only a 45 minute writing session. I'm falling asleep at this point so I'm going to either take a nap or get some coffee in my system so I can continue writing. I will continue on my own word document and post it here tomorrow.-----
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