(Author's Note: For this chapter, we are going back to the moment I just left the hospital—specifically, right after the chapter "Discharged and Off to School.")
I hope you enjoy it!
MY RECOVERY: THE AWAKENING
Beep... beep... beep... The machine makes a constant noise. What is that sound? Where am I? Wasn't I just eating? My eyes... why is the ceiling so white and bright?
Why am I in a white bed? And... what... do I have... in my... arms?
My arms hurt. I looked down and noticed several needles. Panic set in.
ME: "What is this?"
Just as I was about to pull them out, everything went black. I fainted again.
When I woke up for the second time, I saw an elderly man next to me. He was missing both legs, and his skin had large black and white patches.
OLD MAN: "Good afternoon, little boy. What are you doing in the hospital?"
ME: "AAAAHHHH!"
My scream brought my mother and a nurse running from another room. I was making a scene.
(According to what my parents told me later, I was in the hallway because the hospital was overcrowded. If I remember correctly, it was "Las Mercedes," a public hospital in La Victoria.)
They moved me to a different area, and my mom hugged me.
MOTHER: "Thank God you're safe."
ME: "Mom, why am I in the hospital?"
MOTHER: "Don't you remember what happened?"
ME: "What happened?"
My stomach growled loudly.
ME: "Mom, I'm hungry."
MOTHER: "Alright, let's get you something to eat."
She spoke to the nurse, and a while later, they brought me breakfast: quinoa and bread. As soon as I finished, I fell back asleep.
THE RETURN HOME
About three hours later, I woke up again.
ME: "Huh... where am I? Oh... this is... my room. So, it was all a dream?"
My mother walked in.
MOTHER: "You're awake."
ME: "Yeah. I feel like I've been sleeping forever. I had a really weird dream that I was in a hospital."
MOTHER: "Ángello... that wasn't a dream. It happened. On Thursday night, you hurt your forehead after class, and we rushed you to the hospital."
I reached up and touched my forehead.
ME: "Ow! It hurts... my whole body hurts."
MOTHER: "Take it easy. You're getting better. Luckily, the wound wasn't too deep."
ME: "Mom, what are these threads? And why does my shirt have red stains?"
MOTHER: "Calm down! Don't you remember anything?"
ME: "I only remember eating dinner, and that's it."
MOTHER: "After dinner, you went out to play and hit your head."
As she was talking, I realized something terrifying.
ME: "Mom... why can't I move?"
MOTHER: "The doctor spoke to me about this. He said that the area where you hit your forehead also affected your brain slightly. It's going to be hard to get used to moving again, but don't worry. I'll help you recover."
ME: "Where are my dad and my brothers?"
MOTHER: "It's Saturday. They are at church. They'll come to see how you're doing later."
THE LONG ROAD BACK
1st MONTH: During the first month, I struggled to move my hands and feet. Even eating or going to the bathroom was an ordeal. I remember looking out the window and seeing my brother playing football with the neighborhood kids. It made me so sad. Seeing them run while I could barely walk felt terrible.
2nd MONTH: February arrived. I started walking and eating on my own. I had more control over my body, though I often felt cramps and intense pain in my forehead. However, I was recovering faster than expected.
3rd MONTH: By this point, I was mostly recovered, though the pain in my forehead persisted. I never told my parents about that pain—not even to this day. There were only two weeks of vacation left before starting 1st Grade.
I hadn't been back to church yet, and my mother hadn't given me the full details of the accident. Many children were exaggerating what they saw that night. But for the last two Saturdays of the month, I decided to go.
SATURDAY AT CHURCH
I woke up at 6:00 AM, got dressed, and waited for my parents. We headed to church at 9:30 AM. When I walked in, many members greeted me with joy. Some hugged me; others gave me candy.
Then, I saw her: Melany.
I wanted to talk to her since we were in the same Bible class.
(It's important to note that the other children hadn't told the adults why I had the accident. They just said I tripped and fell. No one mentioned the truth: that I was trying to save my friend.)
When I got within three meters of her, my body felt strange. A sudden wave of fear hit me. I backed away quickly, terrified to speak to her. I stayed with my parents in the main temple instead. When the service ended at 12:00 PM, I lied to my mom and told her my body hurt so I wouldn't have to go back in the afternoon.
THE FINAL MISUNDERSTANDING
The following Saturday, I woke up late and had to rush. I ended up with a stomach ache and stayed home until the evening. At 7:00 PM, my parents told me there would be "Social Games" at church.
I really wanted to go. The children's games included riddles, building towers, "The Handkerchief," and "Encantados" (Tag).
When I arrived, I was the first one there. After a while, more kids showed up. Among them, I saw Melany. I approached her, but she immediately backed away.
ME: "Hi, Melany."
MELANY: "Don't come near me! I'm not your friend anymore after what you did!"
She turned around and ran to her mother. I didn't try again. I saw history repeating itself—just like what happened with Kaori. I decided to distance myself and stop talking to her.
It was a huge misunderstanding. I didn't remember what I had done that night, and no one—not even my mother—had told me the details. Perhaps the other kids saw me as a fool who just ran, tripped, and pushed his friend. They didn't know I was trying to protect her.
I spent the rest of the night remembering everything we had shared—the club, the hiking trips, playing with her cousin. Remembering all of this makes me wish I could go back and change my choices, to fix my life. But that's impossible. No matter how much I regret it, I can't live in the "What if?"
[Author's Note]: I'm sorry for the delay! I'm currently in the middle of exam week. Hope you enjoy the chapter!