Author: Sara Srednoselec, OŠ grofa Janka Draškovića, Klenovnik
My eyelids felt heavy as I tried to open them. The blinding light made me squint because my eyes were closed for so long. When I finally opened them, I realised I was in a hospital bed. I was surrounded by a group of people who seemed familiar, but I couldn’t recall who they were.
“She’s awake! Oh, God, she is finally awake!” a short haired woman said, tears brimming in her eyes. She seemed relieved. Suddenly, everyone surrounded my bed and started asking me questions. My head hurt from all of the noise they made.
“Everyone, let her breathe!” I heard a voice saying, but I didn’t know who it belonged to because I closed my eyes again to calm my headache.
“You’re right. Hi sweetie, how are you feeling?” the same short haired lady asked.
“Uh, my head hurts a bit, but I’m… um … I’m fine?” I answered stiffly. I mean I am speaking to a bunch of strangers after all. Then the nurse came in, checking my temperature and the chart at the front of the bed. She approached me with a worried look plastered on her face.
“Hi, can you tell me your name, please?” she asked that question very carefully as if she was afraid of my answer. My brain didn’t really cooperate as I couldn’t remember anything related to me or my name. It was terrifying. Just as if I was born again.
“Ohm, I’m sorry, but I can’t remember!” I whispered.
The nurse looked at me pitifully. I glanced at the people around me. They all had the matching terrified look on their faces.
“Just as I was afraid,” – the nurse started explaining – “She suffered a brain concussion which resulted in a temporary memory loss. She will remember everything in a month, or even less. Her memories will slowly return to her, but for now, she doesn’t know who she is.” Then she said some other things to the people and left the room. I tried remembering my name, or even the slightest detail about me, but the headache has begun to spread again so I stopped.
A small curly haired boy slowly walked towards me, took my hand in his tiny one and spoke:
“Please remember me; I’m your little cousin! Remember me?”
I looked at him apologetically, knowing that I couldn’t even if I tried.
They all tried to make me remember, but how could I remember them if I don’t even know my own name? They eventually gave up and left the room letting me rest.
I was left alone with my own thoughts. It suddenly hit me: I do not know anything about myself. Who am I? My mind was filled with questions trying to define my life. What even is my name? Who are my parents and what are they like? Do I have any siblings? Am I a difficult person or an easy-going? Am I easy to love? Do I have any friends? What am I like as a friend? Am I a good friend or a bad one? …
I wanted to find the answers and I needed them as soon as I could, but my brain wasn’t of much use. With every new question that came to my mind, my headache grew stronger and more painful. I decided to rest a little. The nurse said my memory will return soon anyway. I guess I will just have to wait to find out who I am just like all of us do.
Life is to short and it easily slips through our fingers without noticing and people end it not knowing who they were. Some people, like me, even get more than just one chance to find true myself. Am I the lucky one?
