I lay awake, watching the patterns of my visual hallucinations dance across the ceiling, feeling the cold, empty numbness in my entire body, feeling the ache in my legs. I was glad to be in Sarah’s little house, and even though she wasn’t pleased to have me here, she soon would be. We would be good together. Very good together.

As the night deepened I slept, and dreamed of the dawn, then dreamed no more. When I next awoke, it was the following evening, and Sarah was frantic.

Before my eyes were completely open, she had jumped on the bed and was shaking my shoulders. “Angelina! Angelina! Wake up.” I tried to push her off of me with my hands, but they were awakening slowly. I did little but brush at her.

“God, I thought you were dead. The doctor said you were in a coma, because of the paint fumes, and you might never wake up.”

It took a moment to understand what she was telling me. “Doctor?” I asked, a queer taste on my tongue.

“He’s calling an ambu— Wait!” She jumped up and went into the other room. I heard her talking excitedly, then they both came back into the bedroom and stood looking down at me. I blinked up at them, willing myself to wake up, to be alert, to say something—if not significant, then at least intelligent. My body ached anew.

“Well, young lady, you gave us quite a scare.” The doctor wore thick black glasses, a plaid shirt rolled up at the cuffs, and blue jeans. His dark hair was beginning to gray at the temples.

“I’m sorry,” I said, then scraped my tongue on my teeth, trying to dislodge the taste.

“I’ll get you something to drink.” Sarah looked to the doctor for his nod of approval, then disappeared.

“Not everyone recovers from a poisoning as toxic as the one you suffered. Hardly anyone recovers without some brain damage. I took the liberty of examining you, and I must say, I’m quite surprised you survived.” He settled down on the edge of the bed, taking on a confidential demeanor. My awareness was growing; I was naked beneath the sheets. I localized the pain in my arm, and rubbed it.

“I gave you a shot there to counteract the toxins. Now, Angelina, I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to answer me with the truth, okay?”

I shrank away from this man. I owed him nothing. I wanted nothing from him and only wanted him away from Sarah and me so we could talk.

“What kind of drugs have you been taking?”

“I don’t take drugs.”

“Oh. I see.” He backed off, thinking I lied. “Well, I think we’ll check you into the hospital for a while, just to make sure you’re okay. Sometimes toxins can have a delayed effect.”

“No hospital. I’m all right.”

“I disagree.”