I was still cold. The hand was warm. Lips brushed my forehead. I forced my eyes open so I could see who was there. It was so bright. I immediately closed them again. “Hey beautiful, wake up.” I knew that voice. I opened my eyes and managed to focus. Alan was standing next to me. He smiled. Beyond him, white everywhere, metal poles stood next to the bed with fluids dripping through a tube. I was in a hospital room. All at once, I remembered the accident. With that came an awareness of pain, not the sharp pain of before, just a steady dull ache everywhere. I couldn’t move my left arm. I looked up at Alan and managed to croak out, “My car?” “Absolutely totaled. They had to pry it open with the Jaws of Life to get you out.” “What about me? How bad?” “Dislocated left shoulder, couple of cracked ribs, various scrapes, and bruises. You hit your head pretty hard and lost a lot of blood, but the doctors say you’re going to be fine.”
