Awaken
A familar smell got to Trishas sences. Hospital smell. This meant that she must
be still alive. Good. She tried to recall what had happened but just small bits
of it came to her memory right now. Trish opened her eyes and saw a man standing
next to the window. A shadowy impression flashed throuhg her memory again.
Somehow she had a deja vue. The man real-ised that she had woken up and came
to her bed. Trishas sight got clearer. Her throat was dry as sand. She closed
her eyes again as the light was hurting it. The man next to her grabbed himself
a chair and seated him next to her bed. He did not say a word. This made her
curious and she opened her eyes again. As he was sitting in the sunlight, she
only saw his shape. "Could you", he passed her a glass of water. "Thanks". She
took a long sip of it. It felt like the best thing she had ever tasted. Now she
was sure to be able to speak a few words. "What happened, where am I, who are
you?" The man turned his face towards her. Trisha felt a shiver crawling down
her spine. "Mr Griffin, what are you doing here?" Another memory of what
happened broke to the surface. "Did you?" she was afraid of finishing her
thought. Anxiety spread through her body. Was that possible? Did he try to
kill her? "Please, say something." She was scared of his reply, scared of the
whole situation. Why didn't he say anything. He was still just watching. She
took another sip of the water. "If you do not have anything to say, then
leave." Now she started to get angry. Trisha was thinking back of their last
meeting. What had this to mean? Why was he torturing her even more now. John
got up and left the room. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
A few minutes later a doctor entered her room. "And how are we feeling today?"
he greeted her. How she hated this standardized sentence. "Like shit" she
replied. The doctor hesitaded for a moment but then started to flip trough his
documents. "Apparently you have not lost your sence of humor after your accident
in the gym." "Oh, it is called like that now?" "Parden?" "Tempted murder", she
just answered. The doctor rose an eyebrow. "Well that sounds a bit morbid now
if you call it like that." He looked at her in confusion. "On the other hand
by thinking how dangerous these modern exercise machines are I guess you can
call it like that." He shook his head and continued. "So you have a sprained
ankle, some bruises and a little concussion. Otherwise you are all right. We
will keep you for one more night and then you can go home, though it would be
better if you stay home for the rest of the week. Do you have anybody looking
after you?" "But, ok, thanks." She stutterd and decided against discussing what
happened to her in the gym with the doc. He on the other side was still waiting
for her to answer his question. "Well, no, not at the moment but I will be fine
thanks. Would not be the first time I'm concussed." He liftet again his eyebrow
but said nothing. He made some notes on the chart and left. Trisha was glad to
be alone again. She had to think it over what she had heard. So they thought
she had an accident in the gym. Whom shall she tell that it was not an accident
at all? Chris? Would he belive her and then? She knew just perfect how the
police system works here. They would look at her like the doctor did, disbelivingly.
It was up to her now to solve the misterious.
Trisha was still thinking about what happened when John entered the room again.
"The doc and I agreed on that you would need somebody to look after you.
Therefore I decided that for the next couple of days you are going to stay at
my place. I will pick you up tomorrow." With-out any further words he turned
around and left. Trisha looked after him disbelivingly. What was that again?
And no way she was going to stay with him. He could forget this one!
Early the next day she got up and prepared herself to leave the hospital. While
she was searching for her belongings, the door opened and John entered. "I had
a feeling you might want to leave early", he plainly said. Trisha looked at
him with astonishment. "No need to take care of me. I do not want to be a
burden for you", Trish replied ironically. John came a step closer. Trisha
felt her body tremble and her knees getting weak. She grabed the chair standing
next to her. Within a second John was next to her and led her back to the bed.
Now she felt even more shaken. He made her feel quiet uncomfortable. Why did
she react that strong on his presence? He looked at her. What does his facial
exprecion mean? Trisha was confused and sat down on the bed. "Everything ok?"
Trisha nodded. Her heart was beating like crazy. While she was trying to calm
down John was packing the rest of her belongings together. Five minutes later
they were ready to leave.
"It is nice of you taking me home." John kept silent. "But for that you would
have needed to go off the freeway back there." John still kept silent. "Hello,
anybody home? Did you hear what I just said?" she stared at John. How was it
possible that a human being can waken all this emotions in her? After her heart
had started to beat normally again, she had the urge to screem at him, like
now. Rage and weakness was the only thing that came to her mind when she
thought of him. And something else but this Trisha tried to ignore real badly.
Now she had to figure out why he was not taking her back to her place. "Mr
Griffn, look, as I still dont really know what I have done to you which
actually I do not care about and why you suddenly try to be nice to me and
driving me home I cannot figure out why you driving the wrong way now. I mean,
I thought you are glad to get rid of me but that won't happen if you keep on
behaving like this." John stayed silent. Trish had for sure continued to talk
into him if her mobile had not rung at this moment. She answered it. "So you
made it again", said a voice at the other end. "Fuck", Trish replied, "what do
you want from me? Was trying to kill me not enough?" "If I had tried to kill
you you would be dead by now. No. I have other plans for you". He hung up.
Trisha looked at her mobile. Why can't this be over? John looked at her. "What
was that?" he asked. "Oh, so look who is talking again", Trish nagged at him.
"It is none of your business. Nothing of my life is your business and if you
would be so kind and leave me out at the next corner so I can take a cab back
home if you do not intend to do so." John fo-cused again at the street and
ignored Trishas temper. She instead kept on nagging and screaming at him. 30
minutes later they arrived at a premisses she recognised as the place where
everything had started. The house of Johns parent. "I thought it would be best
if you stay with my family for a couple of days until you are completely
recovered." The elderly cou-ple was already waiting for them. "Trisha, it is
so nice to see you again. We heard about your accident. How do you feel my
dear?" Johns mom took her into her arms and gave her a big welcome hug. After
her it was the turn on Johns father to greet her. Trisha did not know what was
happening to her. Why was she here? She looked at his parents and tried to
smile and not let them know how she felt. As she realised that they were still
waiting for an anwser she quickly replied that so far she was fine but tired.
They both looked at John and his mom said reproachful 'Why did you pick her up
that early? That poor girl. Come on in. Would you like a cup of coffee or tea
or anything else?' 'Coffee would be great, yes please.' Trish replied and they
led her into the house while John took silently off.