I woke up under a warm blanket. Only 30 minutes had gone by but I still felt like I had a long nap. I scanned the room looking for Becky. My mind was trying to figure out if I'd dreamed her warnings or if they were real. Thinking of her warnings of me dying from glass in my foot seemed ridiculous so I was fairly certain I dreamed the whole thing.

My foot was wrapped in a large bandage and a boot was over that. It so didn't match anything I owned. I could only hope I would be able to hide out until I could take it off. Somehow it didn't hurt. Nothing hurt. I felt as though I was filled with helium and could float away. My mom wandered in looking like Morticia Adams. Her hair was a mess and dark circles were around her eyes. The nurse was reading her instructions on taking me home. That Made me giggle. Somehow I think she should have gotten those the first time around. Too late now.

When I woke up again it was morning. Another grey day and I cursed at myself for getting up late. I tried bolting out of bed but my leg got tangled in the covers. That's when I remembered the boot, and the surgery, and Jackie. There was no way I was expected to go to school after surgery! So I lay there a while longer and checked my texts.  None. So I sent one to the girls telling them I had a full blown operation. Sympathy was required and might I say deserved!!

I waited for my mom to barge in yelling about school but it never happened. At eight I decided to go find out if my parents were swapped by aliens. They never let me miss school on a day they were here.

My mother was dressed, eating a bagel, and  having her morning coffee. She looked tired but continued scanning a pile of papers spread out in front of her.  I hobbled and waited for her to say something but it never came. Anger seeped into my brain and out my pores.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. No, it doesn't hit too bad, yes I got some sleep."  I waited to see if she'd notice that I was answering questions she didn't ask, but I only got a look.

"Don't make a mess today Lemon. And take the chicken from the freezer and make yourself dinner. Your dad and I have to go to dinner tonight with his clients. We won't be too late. I'll have my secretary keep my phone if you have an emergency."

With that, she stuffed the papers in her briefcase and walked out the door. I stood looking at her dishes. Apparently I wasn't forgiven for disrupting her sleep. And my penance would be limping around being self sufficient and not expecting sympathy. In other words, life as usual.

I ate the other half of her bagel and watched an episode of Friends. Somehow that show always cheered me up. I took out some sharpies and colored a decorative pattern on my surgical wrap and tried getting Ashley to answer my texts.

After a while my foot began to throb and I swallowed a pain pill that was the size of an almond. I washed it down with some Coke and headed back to bed. Somehow having permission to stay home, made it less exciting. And with no one texting me back I was in a dismal mood.

Laying in my warm bed, feeling a bit floaty from the meds I relaxed and tried to playback the events of yesterday. I flipped through my phone and tried to contact Jackie. I was pissed at her for her stunt in the woods but I was bored beyond belief. Someone had to be ready to ditch class. I group texted the whole gang to come over after school and settled for a nap. It was only a few hours until school was out, and I needed to rest up and loose the haze. We were gonna have to go back and get my camera. Maybe at least the beginning footage could be saved.

I woke up to the sound of tapping and the clock showed that two hours had gone by. My mouth was dry and my pop can empty. I'd have to hobble down the stairs. My eyes felt dry and I could see little orbs of light from my peripheral vision. On the other hand, my foot felt fine so it was worth feeling like I had licked a sand pit.

As I slowly and wobbly sat up, I noticed a wet muddy handprint on my pillow. I put by fingers on it, just to prove it wasn't a drug induced coma and my hand came away wet. I shook my head to clear away the sluggish feeling and climbed out of bed. For an instant, I thought about someone grabbing my legs and I laughed at myself for being an idiot.

As I made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen I paused to rest. Muddy footprints covered the kitchen floor. I scanned the room and saw nothing out of the norm. But something was off. Maybe when I was conked out on meds I took a walk?  No, the prints were definitely two shoes and my boot was as sparkly as it was when I went to bed.

I followed the footprints into the living room. Maybe the girls had ditched and didn't want to wake me. My spirits soared and I quickly limped my way into the center of the room. The footprints stopped dead center. I looked behind the couch, nothing. I sent a quick text to Ashley and Mariah.

You here? 
You should have wiped your feet!

No response. My soaring spirit died like an eagle with an arrow in its chest and I plopped down on the chair. My body was a bit trembly and sweat broke out across my skin. Great, I was probably infected in the nasty emergency room. I got up to finally get my glass of water and saw him. Just behind the kitchen doorframe. The tree man. In my house. Watching me!

I wondered what kind of pills they gave me, and if hallucinations were a side effect. Either way,I was sort of glad to have some company. Maybe it was the drugs talking, but I was sore, lonely, and in need of some serious company. I decided to give in to this spirit guide who obviously had an important message.

"Come on in big boy. I'm not gonna hurt you. Tell me what you need to. And let's hope some of your super powers include clean up because my moms not gonna buy the 'it was a messenger from the other side' story. You should have wiped your feet."

A faceless face appeared. And he stepped into the center of the doorway. His long arms waved like flags in the wind and I could feel myself wanting to go towards him. My mind screamed at me 'are you crazy?!?! Play hard to get, you won't get this dream again'.

But I found myself standing. Shakily, and on one leg I hobbled forward. Just as I felt myself close enough to touch him, blackness started to come at me from the sides. The world swam, and I heard myself say "not now", just as I started to fall. I felt his long arms catch me just before I hit the floor. I wanted to open my eyes and say thank you, but I was so dang tired.

*************************************
Somebody can't handle their meds, or their visions.

Maybe slendy just came to deliver a get well card.

If this is second base, I've been doing it wrong. Lol

Thanks for reading. Next update is Tuesday