Redemption In His Arms

Chapter One

I slowly opened my eyes, groggily taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The first thing that hit me was the taste - bitter bile that coated my tongue like acid. I tried to swallow, but my throat was sore, and the Dry feeling on my tongue intensified.

As I struggled to sit up, a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me to lie down back. That's when I heard the beeping. A steady heartbeat that echoed through the length of my body reminded me that I was alive. I didn't feel that way though, I felt like I'd been run over by a truck.

My gaze wandered around the room, taking in the sterile white walls, the beeping machines, and the antiseptic smell that cloaked the entire space like a garment.

I was in a hospital room, and I was the patient.

My breaths came out shallow as I strained my brain trying to remember how I'd ended up here. But my memories were hazy, like trying to recall a fleeting dream. I remembered fragments - an angry phone call, and a crash- but the details were fuzzy.

As I lay there, trying to piece together the events of the previous night, I felt a searing pain in my skull. The constant throbbing made each attempt of thinking feel like a brutal punishment. I lifted my arms to get a feel of my head, but they weighed as heavy as leads. It hurts all over.

My breaths came out shallow as the realization of my surrounding dawned on me, and tiny tremors ran through my body as I struggled for more oxygen. I hear hurried footsteps come into the room at the sound of the beeping machines and soon a serene feeling washed over me.

Once again, I succumbed to the darkness

******

“Can you hear me, Miss, please follow the movement of my finger” came the gentle yet distant voice.

I open my eyes in an attempt to follow her instructions but shut them close almost immediately at the intensity of the light.

I try again once more but this time with more caution and a very welcoming smile greets me.

I tried to speak, but my voice was barely a whisper. I pointed to my throat,and the doctor nodded,handing me a glass of water. I gulped it down, enjoying the way the cool liquid soothed my overly parched throat.

“What am I doing here?” I ask in confusion.

“Hello miss……?” she trails off not seeming to know my name.

What was my name again…? And almost like a dazed whisper, the memory resurfaced.

“Miss Stephanie Malloy,” I offer, noticing her expression become somber.

“Yes Miss Malloy, you were rushed in here 2 years ago as a transfer patient from the U.S. You seemed to have been involved in a severe car crash that rendered you almost lifeless an-“

“Hold up did you just say 2 years ago? And I’m not in Beverly Hills? What do you mean a car crash?” I bombarded, confusion lacing my tone

“I’m afraid so Miss. Our facility here in London was the best fit for your case as you suffered a critical head injury including a fractured skull and cerebral edema” she takes in a deep breath and continues

“The force of the impact might have caused damage to your brain axons causing your two-year-long coma Miss Malloy. You also had multiple body fractures that have healed over the years. It’s a miracle that you are awake.” She concludes with what I assume is reassurance.

I felt like I’ve been punched in the guts. Two years? Coma? The two words swirled around me, refusing to sink in.

I shook my head, desperately trying to block out her words. Closing my eyes, I zoned out from her as I try to recall any distant memory. I came up blank. I look at the doctor in disbelief

“That’s impossible” I whispered

“There’s no way I could have possibly missed out two whole years of my life. Please where is my father, or my fiancé, or just anyone I know?” I demanded, my mind slammed shut against her pronouncements.

She lets out a sigh and picks up the remote, switching the tv on. The time and date was clearly written on the news channel and a gasp left my mouth at the sight of the date displayed.

“Miss Malloy I know it’s hard for you to take in, considering you just woke up from a coma but unfortunately all I’ve said is nothing short of the truth. I’m truly sorry for what happened but No one has come to claim you or visit you over the years. The only things we’ve received regarding you are anonymous phone calls and payments from an unknown person” she delivers gently

“But I don’t understand, My father and fiancé have the means to search for me in any corner of the earth and you are saying no one has reached out for me?” I ask in a broken voice. She leans forwards, her gaze filled with sympathy

“Truly Miss, no one has. But I will try searching the internet for any relative with the name Malloy in the U.S and I’ll relay to you” she offers and I give her a smile that hopefully showed my appreciation.

“I’ll leave you alone now, please do get some rest”she says as the door closes behind her.

I let out a deep sigh suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. Alone in the quiet room with my deafening thoughts, various emotions floated around me — confusion,helplessness, a crippling fear of being forgotten. But beneath it all, a sharp question pricked at me: who am I now, if no one remembers me? Who was this “unknown person?”. With these heavy thoughts, I couldn’t mentally afford to be awake. So I gave into it, giving up the last fight of consciousness and surrendering to sleep.

Maybe when I wake up, this would all be just a nightmare.