I blinked slowly, my eyes stinging from the harsh, sterile light overhead. Everything felt hazy, like I was waking up in a dream—no, a nightmare. As my vision cleared, I took in the white walls, the hospital bed I was lying in, and the sharp smell of antiseptic hanging in the air. Hospital? A wave of unease settled in the pit of my stomach.
"He's awake!" I heard a voice say, faint but clear. Turning my head, I saw a nurse standing beside me, clipboard in hand, her eyes lighting up with relief.
"Why am I here? In a hospital?" I asked, my voice scratchy and weak. My mind started racing. Hospital? I hated hospitals! Germs, diseases... all those unknown illnesses lurking around every corner!
The nurse gave me a calm smile, completely oblivious to the panic bubbling inside me. "How are you feeling, ma'am?"
"Ma'am?"I repeated. Oh, right. I still wasn't used to the whole "Lisa" thing. But before I could correct her, she went on, "You passed out, but you'll be fine."
Fine? Fine?! My heart pounded in my chest as the smell of disinfectant made me feel even sicker. I wasn't fine! I'd just had the most horrifying nightmare of my life, but this… this was worse. I was trapped in a hospital. My skin crawled thinking about all the germs hiding in plain sight.
What if I caught something? What if I was already infected? The thought sent shivers down my spine, and I felt the impending doom settling over me like a dark cloud.
"You just need to stay calm, okay?" the nurse said, sensing my growing distress. She turned to grab something from a tray beside the bed. I glanced over, and then my eyes widened in horror.
A syringe.
Not just any syringe. A huge syringe.
Oh my god, she's going to stab me with that thing!
My fight-or-flight instincts kicked in, and flight was winning.Run! Every ounce of me wanted to bolt. Forget rational thinking. Forget the fact that I was still feeling weak. That needle was gigantic, and it was coming for me!.
I sat up, my hands shaking uncontrollably as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My legs wobbled under me as I staggered forward, nearly collapsing
"Ma'am, please wait!" The nurse's voice was urgent, but I wasn't listening. My eyes were fixed on the door. I had to get out.
I stumbled toward the door, my legs feeling like jelly. My eyes darted anxiously around the hallway as I reached the open door. The hospital was as terrifying as I'd imagined. My senses were on high alert for any sign of danger—germs, sick people, anything that might kill me.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. Someone sneezed—loudly.
"Eeewww," I whispered, recoiling in disgust.
And just when I thought it couldn't get worse, another guy was casually picking his nose like he was digging for treasure.
Nope! Nope! Nope! My stomach turned. The hospital was a minefield of disgusting habits and invisible dangers. I needed to get out of here before I lost my mind—or worse, caught something.
*************
I saw Blue standing by the hallway, talking to the doctor. Curiosity got the better of me, so I moved closer, trying to catch what they were saying.
"Your patient has a lot going on with her," the doctor was saying. "She had a panic attack because of a blood stain. After running some tests, we've confirmed she has OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder. It's a psychological condition, and it seems it was triggered by the situation and caused the panic attack."
"OCD?" Blue repeated, her eyes widening in shock, her face turning pale. "How serious is it?"
"Excuse me, Blue," I interrupted, suddenly panicked. "I need to leave." I was done being stuck in this germ-infested prison. The scent of antiseptic and the lingering fear of infection were closing in on me like a suffocating cloud.
I couldn't stay in that hospital any longer. The sterile smell, the bright lights, the constant threat of germs... it was too much. I had to get out.
"Hey, you're awake!" she said,her eyes wide in surprise and relief. She walked up to me, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder as she looked me up and down. "How are you feeling?"
"I—uh—I need to get out of here," I muttered, avoiding her gaze.
Her gaze softened. "I never knew you had OCD. Why didn't you tell me earlier? We've been working together for years! Who else knows?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Finn and my mom. I've been going through treatments.It's not something I broadcast.," I said, trying to downplay the whole situation. The last thing I needed was anyone, especially Blue, seeing me as some kind of mental case.
Blue sighed, her shoulders relaxing just a bit"Now it all makes sense. Why you hate stains, or why you lose it when things aren't perfectly organized. I thought you were just being... you know, difficult. I didn't realize it was this."
I could see guilt flickering in her eyes."I even yelled at you yesterday, didn't I? I was so frustrated, and I didn't know you were dealing with all of this. I'm so sorry .I had no idea."
I forced a smile, trying to keep things light, but inside, I felt the heaviness of it all. "It's fine. Look, I've had OCD for over ten years now. I've learned to manage it. I mean, it's not like I was gonna announce to the world, 'Hey, Grey Wang's got OCD!' People would think I'm a weirdo."
Blue chuckled, but her eyes were still full of concern. "I don't think you're a weirdo. I just feel bad for not knowing sooner."
"Yeah, well, no need to feel bad," I said, attempting to regain control. "But really, first things first—can we get out of here? I can deal with a lot, but this hospital... it's a nightmare for me."
Blue gave me a nod, and relief washed over me. Finally, someone understood. Just as I was about to make my grand escape, the nurse I had just run from appeared like a ghost beside me.
"Excuse me, sir," she said, addressing the doctor. "She really needs to take the last dose."
No, not the syringe. I could feel my pulse quicken again.
The doctor nodded. "She should take it. It's necessary."
"Can we leave right after?" Blue asked, trying to get me out of there as soon as possible.
"Yes," the doctor nodded, "but she'll need to come back regularly for checkups."
My heart sank. Did Blue just agree to let them stab me with that enormous syringe again?
"No, no, no," I blurted out, turning to Blue, pleading with everything I had. "Please, I can't go back in there. The syringe... it's huge!I swear it's the size of a baseball bat!"
Blue, trying her hardest not to laugh at my terror, squeezed my hand. "You'll be fine. It's just one shot, Grey." She smiled, but I wasn't buying it. That smile wouldn't save me from the impending doom of that needle.
Before I could protest any further, she gently led me back into the room, holding my hand like she was escorting a nervous child. "One shot," she whispered. "Then you're free." The nurse was waiting with that giant needle, and all I could think was, This is it. My life ends here—stabbed to death by a needle the size of a sword.