Epilogue
Awakening
I passed out again.
"What is your name?" a voice out of the blackness asked me.
My name?
"Yes."
My name is?
I shook my head, it didn't move. A blackness engulfed my mind again.
"Your name is Sydney."
When I next opened my eyes I immediately tried to sit up and found that I couldn't. My hands wouldn't move either, I was in a panic. Looking down my body I saw straps tied across my limbs and torso, immobilising me giving me only movement in my toes and fingers. My eyes looked up again at the ceiling; something about its white surface reminded me of hospital and I groaned loudly.
"Ah awake I see," came the familiar voice of Dr Patrick Evans as he stepped into my field of sight. His face looked haggard and his eyes showed the concern of a friend rather than a medical professional as he peered intently into my eyes then produced his electronic pad to take some notes. "Hmm," he sighed and I closed my eyes not liking the sound of that.
******
I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes again there was Jo sitting in the chair at my bedside her eyes were red and puffy. "Hey," I whispered. "Those eyes better not be because of me." She squealed jumping up and I thought she was going to embrace me.
I tried to raise my arms to cuddle her into me and again I found I couldn't move them. "What the fuck!" I cursed and blackness took me away again.
********
"Warrior?" called a voice softly. It was a sweet voice and the image in my mind made the word glow in a soft mauve haze.
Not my name.
"Your name is Sydney," said a voice I did not recognise.
Jenny sat in my lap. No not Jenny someone that looked like Jenny except this girl was longer, older and her hair was not so red, much, much browner but the same spiralling curls. I looked at her face as the solemn owl eyes looked back at me and I knew that it was her. "Hi," I murmured and her girlish smile twitched her full lips as they descended towards my face and I felt their heat as she pressed them against mine. I groaned as I saw the blackness creeping from behind my eyelids and she was gone.
********
My heart stopped. I felt it deep within my consciousness as I desperately willed it to start again and a familiar voice said, "Don't! We have you, relax."
I stopped my efforts and let my mind drift.
A door opened and Xavier stood silhouetted in the light behind her. I stared at her familiar form noting that as usual she wore no panties as the light streamed through the short skirt she was wearing showing me her uncovered sex. She smiled at me then turned and walked back into the light. I had a strong urge to go with her and tried desperately to will my body after her.
"Hold on, fuck you!" came the voice again, "Almost there!"
I wept in frustration.
********
I awoke again and quickly checked down my body and found myself lying in a hospital bed without the restraints and I tried to lift my right arm. As it shot past my head I heard a girlish giggle from behind me as I stopped my hand from thumping into the end of the bed. Turning my head but couldn't see anyone. "Who's there?" I called and found my throat was dry and the effort of talking didn't do anything to help. A tube dropped from the array above me and positioned itself in front of my face and I watched it move towards my mouth.
"It's ok," someone said in my head, "Drink!"
Opening my mouth letting the tube enter I sucked the end of it feeling cool water enter my mouth and down my parched throat. The tube automatically retracted when I finished. I sensed people moving in behind me. "For fuck's sake will you either move over here or turn this fucking bed around," I yelled surprising myself with the harshness of my voice.
"Sorry," I said more softly and yelped a little as the bed began to gently rotate itself around so that I could see the crowd of people just inside the doorway and now moving into the large room that I was in. The top end of the bed moved upwards bringing me into a semi-reclined position and a crowd of around two dozen people stood looking at me as the bed came to a rest.
I scanned the faces watching me intently. Some wore smiles, others concerned and a couple of women with trembling lips and shining eyes threatening to overflow with unshed tears. Catching the looks of two of them I begged, "No more tears please. I am back." My pleas were obviously not heard as the two women rushed towards me then suddenly stopped turning towards a man I didn't recognise as if asking for permission.
He nodded and their heads were suddenly in each side of my neck and I felt hot tears dripping on to me as they both hugged me and sobbed desperately.
Moving my arms around each of them I held them tight as they cried.
"Your name is Sydney." The voice was a hollow echo in my mind. The phrase triggered something at the very edge of my consciousness.
Sydney?
Soon the bed was surrounded by people. My hands and head were touched as murmured greetings and thank goodness's were delivered as each one seemingly had to check for themselves that it was actually me. I grinned in confusion at some of the faces as they gripped my hand and said welcome back Sydney. The people walked back towards the other end of the room where chairs were being set up for some reason.