Free Give Me Hope by Zoey Derrick Page B

feelings running through me. Each emotion, every sensation, is heightened beyond anything I’ve ever felt before.  
    I feel a whoosh of air go past me. My wings? But they’re in the same position, still unmoving.  
    “Open your eyes, Mikah.” Her voice is sweet and warm. I attempt to obey, but I can’t seem to bring my eyes to open.  
    “Mikah.” I feel a nudge at my shoulder. “Come on, Mikah, wake up.”  
    Still I can’t open my eyes. “Mikah.” A deeper tone.

Twenty-Seven
    My eyes fly open to see Red standing over me, and I jump and slide away from him. Sweat rolls off my forehead.  
    “It’s alright, lad, it’s just me.”  
    I plop back down onto my pillow. “You really need to stop waking me up,” I grumble.  
    He laughs. “Interrupting a good dream?”
    “Yes.” I groan.
    I want to shout at him, but it seems that this dream is going to continue until it draws to its conclusion, so eventually, when I close my eyes again, with any luck it will come back.  
    “Sorry. Dr. Alston will be here in a couple of minutes. You’ve been sleeping like the dead, it’s nearly ten in the morning.” Holy shit. I can’t believe I’ve been asleep for nearly twelve hours. “They’ve already taken Vivienne for a CT and some additional tests and brought her back again. The doctor will be here soon to talk to you.”  
    “Shit.” I climb out of bed quickly, looking in Vivienne’s direction as I stumble to the bathroom.  

    When I come out a few minutes later after having freshened up as best I could with cold water from the sink, Red has made up the cot, so I take a seat on the end of Vivienne’s bed.  
    Red hands me a travel mug and I take a sip.  
    “Thanks for the coffee.”
    “Any change?” Red asks, gesturing toward Vivienne.  
    “Not that I’m aware of. They didn’t wake me, so I’m assuming no.” I take another sip of coffee. “What time did you get here?”  
    “Around seven. I figured you wouldn’t have slept much last night and that you would be awake. It was a few minutes after that they came for Vivienne and took her for tests. I stayed because I figured if you woke up you’d likely panic, and I didn’t want you freaking out the staff. They only brought her back about thirty minutes ago.”
    I let out a soundless chuckle and bob my head. “You do know me well, don’t you.”  
    My back buzzes quickly and calms just as fast, just like it did yesterday when Dr. Alston was coming. Let’s see if it is the same as before.  
    After a few heartbeats the door clicks open, followed by the clacking of heels on the linoleum floor.  
    “Good morning, Mikah. Red.” She is wearing a black dress, black nylons and black heels.  
    I cock an eyebrow at her.  
    “I had a private appointment this morning and haven’t changed.” She laughs a bit.  
    I smirk at her and she smiles a little wider.  
    “So what’s the verdict, Doc?”
    “Well, the swelling in her brain has completely diminished, which is beyond what we thought would happen. Also, her lung and her shoulder look great. I’m a little perplexed about her wrist, though.”  
    I raise my eyebrows at her. “How so?”  
    “Well, there seems to be very little sign of swelling underneath the brace she’s in. It’s not normal.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.  
    “Maybe she’s a fast healer.”
    She snorts. “Maybe, but this is beyond fast healing.” She just shrugs again, and I make a mental note to ask Seraphina about Dr. Alston.
    “Ask me what?” It’s not Dr. Alston speaking now.  
    Where’d you come from?  
    “ I’ve been here the whole time. I came in sometime around the time Red showed up.”
    How’d you not hear my question then?  
    She sighs. “Because I wasn’t paying attention.”  
    Alright then, give me a minute.  
    “So what now, Doctor?”
    “Well, we are going to pull back on her sedation and bring her out of the coma slowly. We will keep her on the ventilator until all the