Chapter 2:  Miles To Go

Shane opened her eyes slowly, blinking several times and looking around her.  Alice sat curled up, asleep, in a chair beside the bed.  Stretching, Shane struggled to sit up.  Her head pounded and her mouth was dry.  She finally managed to get to her feet and stagger to the sink, placing her mouth under the faucet and greedily drinking.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she glanced up into the mirror and grimaced.  You look like *****, Shane told herself, observing the dark circles around her eyes and the bandages wrapped around her head.  She reached down and placed her hands under the still-running faucet to bring a handful of cold water to her face.  The water felt cool and cleansing, and refreshed her enough to think about what to do next.

Remembering what she had seen while in her coma, Shane knew she needed to get out of the hospital to go take care of some things.  She searched the room for her clothes, clumsily dragging her IV along behind her.  There was a clatter as she nearly knocked the phone over, startling the sleeping Alice.

Alice blinked blearily.  “What theShane?” she said in a half-whisper.  “You’re awake!”  She leapt to her feet and ran to Shane, throwing her arms around her.  “I can’t believe it!  They said you’d never wake up!”

“I have things to take care of first,” Shane told her, extracting herself from Alice’s arms.  “Now help me find my clothes.”

“What?” Alice asked, confused.  “First of all, Shane, you need to get back in bed while we call the doctor in here.  Secondly, they threw your clothes out.  They were pretty much ruined with all the, um, blood.”

“Damn,” Shane swore.  “That was my favorite shirt.” 

Alice took Shane’s arm gently.  “Now get back in bed while I get a doctor to look at you.  Oh, and I have to call everybody.  They’re all going to want to see you.”

“Then at least help me get this IV out,” Shane suggested, gesturing.

“What?  Shane, are you even listening to me?” Alice demanded.  “Why would you want to take your IV out?”