Hospital

Darkness.

The intense smell of chemical sterilisation,

bleach,

alcoholic sanitiser.

Where am I?

Open those eyes.

Harsh fluorescent light.

The square-tiled ceiling of a public building.

A distant, electronic pip, pip, pip

that will never get out of that head. 

What am I doing here?

Sit up. 

Good, now stand.

Hear the talk of the nurses getting closer. 

Get ready to say it out loud this time. 

They’re approaching. 

Clear your throat. 

Rip away the curtain, 

Hear its grinding screech.

No one there. Lights off. Alone in the world. 

Sorry, ward.

To be continued....