“Anna, Anna? Wake up!” The light penetrated my eyes. As my eyes fluttered open I saw Ma and Da. “Oh thank god. She’s awake. Anna, how are you feeling?” Ma’s angelic face looked down on me, I smiled. “Better…what happened?” I tried to get up, I couldn’t. Ma’s hand appeared on my chest and pushed me down, with a surprising amount of strength, “No getting up Anna, you must recover from that nasty fall,” Her voice fell into my ears with grace. It all came back, the air rushing to my face, smelling like new snow and fresh seasons. The ice, unnoticed, grabbed the bike wheels, and the ground came up to grasp me in its cold embrace. My head bouncing like a summer beach ball on the pavement. “You gave us quite a scare Anna.” Da looked at Ma, “Does anything hurt?” He looked different, not the usual warm faced Da, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. The same with Ma, she looks too, I can’t tell everything is too….vague. “Nurse! Nurse, come here.” A pale woman with limp blonde hair came in, “Yes ma’am?”

“My daughter has woken up, we need a good meal for her, oh and my husband and I are tired of standing, any chairs?” Ma sounded, demanding and, condescending? Something is wrong; Ma is a sympathetic, caring woman, with chestnut hair and reassuring eyes. This woman is a cold and commanding person. Before the next thought enters me, Ma, the different Ma, turns around, her face twitched for a second, and for one moment I swear I could see something not so nice. Something that wasn’t Ma, wasn’t, real. My heart was beating, faster. I had to get out of here, this isn’t good. Da came over and was gripping my hand in an instant,
“Thinking of going? So soon?” His voice dripping with fake-love. Ma gave him a look that said “you fool, be quiet” I wriggled my hand away out of his death grip. I looked up,
“I have to go to the bathroom,” I grabbed the end of the blanket, but the door slammed shut before I could spin the blanket off my legs.
“But dear, we have the bed pan, no need to struggle.” Ma closed in. Now they were both standing next to the bed, close. I looked at both of them, help me. I closed my eyes, these are not my parents. A tear slipped down my cheek.
“Anna? What’s wrong? Don’t be scared, we know that the hospital is scary, but you’re here to recover. We here to help you!” She smiled a ghastly smile.
No, I thought to myself, this isn’t happening. Just a dream, I pulled the blanket over my head, “Sleep, sleep, sleep!” I whispered to myself in desperation.
“Anna, what did you say we didn’t catch that?” They both said in unison.
I’m still here, god, what is happening? A hand was on my leg, it felt cold and deformed, sharp nails dug into my calf. Please let it be my imagination, imagination, imagination. Another hand of my other ankle, hot and blunt, soft sobs escaped from my throat, “Why?” I asked in desperation.
“Because you didn’t wear your helmet,” A dark squawky voice came from my left, that’s where “Ma” was. A low baritone chuckle came from my right, where “Da” was.
“Fall asleep, child. Wake later, see if were still here.” Said “Ma.”
I closed my eyes so hard I stated to see colors. I wish wake up to the smell of muffins, and orange juice with normal Ma and Da, please, please oh god please. My pillow was wet from tears. Sleep came over me, I didn’t wake up