Early in the morning, a veteran nurse, Mrs Emily, meticulously filled in the last entry on her clipboard despite her eyes crinkling at the corners due to a sleepless night. "Blood pressure stable, vitals good."
"Scar tissue healing nicely, though still sensitive to the touch," she murmured, her pen flying across the page. Beside her, another nurse, Aviani, was busily putting away the equipment that was used during routine check-ups earlier.
"He's a fighter, alright," Avani suddenly yet quietly remarked, which caused Mrs Emily to look up and see that she was glancing at the young man on the bed who fiddling with a worn silver pendant dangling from a leather cord around his neck. "Never seen anyone bounce back that well after going through such a catastrophe as he has."
"Yeah, he really is something," Mrs Emily replied, lightly nodding with a soft smile appearing on her lips. "With those kinds of injuries, it was nothing short of a miraculous recovery."
Buzz~
Avani's pocket suddenly buzzed, startling her. She quickly pulled the phone out, and her eyes widened when she saw the caller ID. "Oh no…"
"What's wrong? Who's calling?" Mrs Emily asked curiously after noticing Avani glancing at her. This caused Avani to hesitate momentarily, then she said, "It's my little brother."
"He must have caused some trouble again if he calls me right now." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I really should take this. Can you finish up here? I'll be back in a jiffy."
"Sure thing," Mrs Emily said, waving her hand dismissively. "Go ahead. I can deal with the remaining stuff."
"Thank you," she said with gratitude before hurriedly leaving the room with her phone pressed to her ear. After Avani left the room, Mrs Emily clicked her pen shut and placed it and the clipboard onto the medical cart.
"Alright, Edwin," Mrs Emily said, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she approached his bedside. "From what I can see, you're recovering very steadily."
The young man, Edwin, looked up, his gaze meeting hers directly, with the silver pendant he had been fiddling with slipped from his grasp and swinging gently on its chain.
"Steady recovery, huh? Well, that's a relief," he replied, a hint of a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I was starting to worry I'd turn into a zombie or something with all this bland hospital food lately."
"A zombie, huh?" Mrs Emily chuckled, her smile widening. "Well, I guess that's one way to look at it. But don't worry, we'll keep you healthy and human, no matter what."
A small frown creased her brow as Mrs Emily's gaze soon drifted towards the empty IV bag beside Edwin's bed on the IV drip stand. "Hmmm…?"
"Just a moment, Edwin," she said, quickly moving toward the medical cart they had brought earlier and immediately rummaging through the supplies, pulling out a new IV bag and saline solution. "I need to replace this IV bag."
After heading toward the IV drip stand, Mrs Emily efficiently replaced the empty IV bag with a fresh one and carefully checked the flow rate, adjusting the drip to a steady trickle. "There we go."
"Yikes, it looks like it's about time for me to get going," Mrs Emily said, glancing at the clock on the wall. As she tidied up the remaining equipment and placed it back into its compartment in the medical cart, she asked, "Is there Anything else I can get you before I go, Edwin?"
"Actually, yes," Edwin said, looking around. Can you help me find the TV remote? I can't seem to find it anywhere."
"Sure, no problem," Mrs Emily replied, quickly scanning around the room. It didn't take long before her eyes noticed the TV remote lying on the floor beside the small cabinet. "There you are."
'I guess Edwin must have knocked it down without realising,' She thought, bending down and picking it up. After getting up and turning toward him, Mrs Emily handed the TV remote and said, "Here you go."
"Thanks, Mrs Emily," he replied, taking the TV remote from her. "You're a lifesaver. I've been looking for the TV remote since last night."
"Oh, that explains why you're sitting quietly reading a book," Mrs Emily chuckled, staring at the book on the small cabinet. The cover was a worn paperback depicting a bustling city skyline at night. "Did you enjoy reading that book, by the way?"
"Yeah, that detective book's actually pretty good," Edwin replied, nodding while glancing at the book. "I know that a detective story has some twists and turns, but the plot inside that book is really interesting."
"Ah, a mystery fan, I see," Mrs Emily said, nodding understandingly. "I used to devour those kinds of books myself as well when I was younger."
"You wouldn't believe some of the things this detective does," Edwin said, shaking his head in disbelief. "He's like a human chameleon, always blending in and observing the smallest details."
"A human chameleon, huh? That sounds fascinating!" Mrs Emily exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with interest. "It's amazing what some authors can come up with. Makes you think about the world differently, doesn't it?"
"Totally!" Edwin agreed enthusiastically, gesturing with the TV remote. "Like, you think you're seeing one thing, but then BAM! The detective notices some random, tiny details that change everything. It's wild."
Mrs Emily leaned against the medical cart, clearly enjoying the conversation. "It really is. There's a certain satisfaction in trying to piece the puzzle together alongside the detective, isn't there? Trying to spot the clues before they're revealed."
"Exactly!" Edwin exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face. "And sometimes, the most innocent-looking person turns out to be the culprit. It keeps you on your toes, you know?"
Mrs Emily chuckled. "Oh, I know the feeling all too well. Those are the books that keep you up way past your bedtime, desperately needing to know how it all ends."
"You got it!" Edwin snapped his fingers playfully. "This one's got me hooked. I keep thinking I've figured it out, but then the author throws in another curveball. It's brilliant!"
"It sounds like a real page-turner," Mrs Emily said, her eyes twinkling. "Maybe you can lend it to me once you're done with it."
"Definitely! I'd be happy to," Edwin replied warmly. "We can even discuss all the theories and plot twists."
Just then, a gentle but insistent buzzing sound came from Mrs Emily's pocket. She reached inside and pulled out her phone, glancing at the screen. Her expression shifted slightly.
"Oh, excuse me for just a moment, Edwin," she said apologetically, her thumb hovering over the answer button. "I think this might be a call I need to take."
Edwin nodded understandingly. "No worries at all, Mrs Emily. Go ahead."
Mrs Emily answered the phone, holding it to her ear. "Hello? ... Yes, speaking... Oh, I see... Right away."
She hung up the phone and turned back to Edwin, a slightly more serious expression appearing on her face. "Edwin, I am so sorry, but it seems I need to head off now. There's something that requires my immediate attention."
"Everything alright?" Edwin asked, noticing the change in her demeanour. "You're making a pretty scary expression."
"Yes, yes, everything's fine," Mrs Emily said, reassuring him quickly with her expression, trying to look nonchalant as much as she could, despite a hint of urgency remaining in her voice. "It's just something I need to sort out. But I'll be back to check on you later, alright?"
"Okay, Mrs Emily," Edwin said, smiling. "Thanks a lot."
"You take care, Edwin," Mrs Emily said, returning his smile while swiftly and efficiently gathering her things from the medical cart. And remember, if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to press the nurse call button."
"Bye, Edwin," Mrs Emily said, giving him a final warm smile before turning and quickly pushing the medical cart out of the room. After hearing the gentle click, Edwin sighed softly, his gaze lingering on the closed door for a few silent seconds. "There she goes…"
"Back to reading, I guess," he murmured, looking down at the worn book in his hands with a faint smile as he was on a good part before adjusting himself slightly against the pillows and resuming reading. After a while, Edwin, or rather Victor, sighed happily, closing the book. "What unexpected twist, who would have thought the detective was in Jekyll and Hyde despite looking very capable?"
"Anyhow…" He murmured, gently placed it on the small bedside table and turned his head towards the window, his gaze drifting out to the bright afternoon sky. "It has been like what? Three days since I woke up… "
"And I still can't get used to people calling me Edwin," he muttered, feeling complicated at the thought. It wasn't that he disliked the name; it felt… wrong. Like wearing someone else's favourite sweater – familiar in a way, but definitely not his. "Three whole days, and every time they say 'Edwin', I have to remind myself they're talking to me actively."
….
...
...….
"Fucking hell," Victor muttered, finally breaking the silence that had settled over him as he staring briefly at the sky. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, rubbing his temples with a frustrated groan. "This is just great. Absolutely fucking fantastic."
"This whole situation was messed up, you know?" Victor sighed helplessly, feeling his emotions soothe slightly and continued to stare at the sky, but this time, his mind was miles away, replaying the fragmented memories that now felt like a part of him, yet utterly foreign. "And this kid, Edwin… man."
He shifted restlessly in the bed, the sterile white sheets rustling. "They called him a thief when he was just fourteen. A goddamn thief! He didn't even remember doing anything. Just like that, his so-called perfect little life went down the drain. Friends turning their backs, whispers in the hallways… that kind of crap can eat you up inside, especially when you're just a kid."
Victor's jaw tightened. "And his parents… they started out strong, believing him. But the pressure got to them, didn't it? The damn public opinion. Like a pack of wolves going after the weakest one. They couldn't handle it, and Edwin… he was left to deal with all that garbage alone. Shunned. Bullied. His spirit just… faded."
He let out a low sigh, the weight of Edwin's past pressing down on him. "Then, a few years later, bam! Accused of assault. Seventeen years old, trying to clear his name, actually fighting for himself this time. You'd think people would learn, right? But no. Prejudice, lies… it all piled on again. Ruined his reputation. Drove a wedge between him and everyone he knew. Even his folks couldn't stand the heat anymore."
Victor's voice hardened with a touch of anger. "That father of his… Daniel, right? What a spineless jellyfish. Just bailed on his own son when things got tough. Divorce because of the stress? Seriously? What kind of parent does that? Leaves their kid hanging like that."
He ran a hand over his face, feeling a strange mix of emotions – anger, sadness, and a growing sense of responsibility. "This kid… he went through hell. False accusations, betrayal, isolation… it's a damn miracle he even kept going. And now… now I'm stuck in his body, carrying all this baggage."
"But I guess that's karma, huh?" Victor chuckled humorlessly, staring at the ceiling now, a wry smile twisting his lips. "All those shady deals, the roughing up, the… well, let's just say my past wasn't exactly filled with sunshine and rainbows. Maybe this whole 'waking up in someone else's messed-up life' thing is the universe's way of saying, 'Payback's a bitch, ain't it?'"
To Be Continued