Book 2: Chapter 5: Death Poetry Society
I didn’t realise I was already at this chapter! The first scene of this chapter is honestly one of the most memorable scenes of this entire volume for me…just because of how unexpected it is. Then again, that seems to be a defining feature of this series :P
The mention of a hospital always made one immediately think of the strong smell of disinfectant. Most found it pungent and hard to bear. However, if smelled for long enough, one would gradually grow accustomed to it. An example [of such a person] was the intern nurse that worked in this hospital daily.
She no longer minded the odour as much as she had at the beginning. Currently, she was standing next to the help desk in good spirits, giving food to a tank of fengshui fish. She had brought this small oblate fishbowl over from her boyfriend’s home when she had visited him last week. There were two scarlet Bubble Eye goldfish inside.
The white-coated nurse softly hummed as she happily watched the two goldfish start fighting for the food floating on the water surface after overcoming their initial fear. Once she finished feeding the goldfish, she glanced at her watch and stowed away the bag of food. Then she picked up her clipboard to go make rounds in the wards. However, just then the cellphone in her pocket rang.
She started in alarm and hurriedly snuck out into the stairwell while clutching her pocket.
Although the hospital regulations forbid cellphones, she still could not help but secretly answer the call. Using an extremely hushed tone, she quietly exchanged honey-sweet words with her boyfriend. Even in her wildest dreams, she would not have imagined that it would be right at this time when the patient she was responsible for in Room 705 would wake from their coma.
He peacefully lay in bed. Unlike other patients that would slowly open their eyes, his eyes instantly shot wide open as though triggered by some activated switch. Without even blinking, his turbid eyeballs spun around all over the place like an alarmed animal. He warily surveyed his surroundings in all directions. After pausing for a few seconds, he turned slightly, then jumped straight up from the bed.
Indeed, there was no doubt that his action was a “jump”, instantly leaping onto the ground from a reclining position. This was nearly inconceivable considering that just seconds before, he had been in a coma like a dying, severely injured patient. Yet a second later, he was standing straight up on the ground.
However, his appearance was a bit strange. This was because he felt as though he could not breathe.